You know the feeling. The door is closed. Inside, the artworks are sparsely arranged in heavy frames. You steel yourself to enter, arranging your expression in a kind of ‘serious about art’ stare. The atmosphere inside is no more welcoming. Silence prevails. The ‘gallerist’ barely lifts her head to greet you. There is however a distinct sense that she has already checked out your shoes, your watch and the fabric of your clothes. She has made rapid conclusions about your net worth. She has seen into your bank account and already knows that your mortgage is a monthly burden that you can barely afford. In short, she has rumbled you even before a word has been uttered between you. She knows that your Omega is not Cartier and your Boss is not Prada and she knows you will never, ever afford the kind of artwork on display.
The items on the walls are attractive but visually challenging. There is a small stack of photocopied papers on a counter but you are unsure as to whether this relates to the art on the wall. For fear of making a mistake, you touch nothing and nobody offers any help. You fix your eyes on one of the works and transform your gaze into one analytical appraisal. Panic begins to seize you and you now need to be careful not to look too inquisitive – fearing this may actually engage the assistant into an uncomfortable conversation that neither of you wants. “Do you know Panangelotti’s work?” The words echo around the silent room. Her voice is parody pure 80’s Sloane. “Know it – I can’t even say it” is what you want to say. “Not really” is the best you can retort. The truce broken, the only objective from this moment on is retreat. Not only does she have a mental spreadsheet on your worldly assets, in her mind you are an artistic luddite.
It amazes me that galleries persist in adopting such an elitist attitude. When the works on display are invariably made by artists, artisans and master craftsmen and women – working in simple environments with simple tools and with unsophisticated materials – why then is it necessary to exclude and make exclusive such visually stimulating and non-discriminatory objects? Is art that special that it requires intimidation and snobbery to maintain an aura of mystique and monumental aloofness? High prices I can understand and appreciate. Galleries have overheads and artists deserve to be rewarded for brilliance. But why the attitude? It’s old-fashioned, it’s unpleasant and it’s offensive.
I have located my galleries in malls and high-footfall shopping areas. We leave the doors open and we play music. We accompany every item with information and prices. We provide catalogues and link our shops (and shops they are) to our web site. We sell postcards and notecards, often of the work on display. If customers don’t want to spend a $1000 or more on a wall piece, they may want to spend $1 on a well printed card memento.
If you go the Tate Modern, MoMa or The Guggenheim, the busiest areas are always the gallery shop. We want to admire the masters but we also like to shop. And is art so different to any other kind of shopping? In most ‘art outlets’ sadly it is so radically different to our day to day retailing that it is alien to an average consumer. That makes it difficult and embarrassing – which it really doesn’t need to be.
G
Surely there’s nothing antagonistic about galleries.. the place was made quiet allowing viewers to reflect on the artist’s work, admire its beauty or ugliness and ponder on the message.. that spells the difference from a regular shop routinely retailing artworks. elitism.. there is.. i guess its purely economic.. people outside the class would prioritize basic needs over something on the wall to gaze upon with grumbling stomach. intimidating and isolating.. it is.. with the wasted space and affluent locations.. unimaginable high price.. yet its allure prevails. thus, emergence of modern galleries to adapt to modern times and needs is befitting.. anyway a good work of art is for everyone to see and appreciate.. so time and accessibility are crucial.. music can put you on or off in a buying mood.. finally, price really does matter
I agree, the modern consumer is in a hurry. Buying a piece for the wall doesn’t need to be elite or even overly considered. Art can be ephemeral – changing with trends or even the colour of the sofa! I am not denying there is a level of artistic appreciation which most definitely surpasses consumerism, but, there is also a place for accessibility and retail techniques for ‘things that hang on the wall’.
Upon walking into a store, a consumer must feel relaxed..appreciated, comfortable but most importantly welcome. If walking into an art gallery as described above..with the snooty assistant and undemised attitude, one will feel unwanted and misplaced. A piece of art is exactly what it is, art. A piece of art can be anything from a sheet of music to a wonderful abstract master piece of Francis Bacon. A great artist can work under the poorest of circumstances, using nothing but his eyes and his hands. If one feels the need to purchase a piece of art, purely to feel high class. Then, by all means visit these galleries. Do not get me wrong,I have been to Galleries that pretain art that is immensely indescribable, yet i was always welcomed with a smile and a ‘can i help you?’. The price of a piece of art really does not matter..you can buy a masterpiece from an artist on the street, that could be much better than the ghastly prices one pays for in these ‘snooty’ galleries. If you want a real gallery, with real people, and real opinions.. then gallery one is where u should go.
I greatly appreciate your response to the spaces that are ‘g-1′. I visited a photographic gallery in London recently, the door was locked, I rang the bell, inside the silence was deafening! At g-1, we like to act like retailers – welcoming, open, informative and, more than anything, accessible.
You are most welcome.It is most obviously inevitable that the structure and the foundations of g1 are strong, lasting and built on trust.Not only is this gallery a form of art in itself, its also a learning process.. the customers cannot only appreciate the art, but also get a lesson on photography, art and skill along the way. Their experience can be truly unique, unlike no other. Your galleries will be forever known. And honestly, in my opinion…relating to ur question IS ART?..It has spiralled into what we know as a commercial enterprise, it seems that anyone can label themself an artist these days.. receiving the rewards at the end. ART.. how i know it, is in one word..EMOTION.. a true artist, and a true gallery owner.. knows the true meaning of the word..art has no price
g1 gives you this quote
‘work with love, and you will love the work’
The perception of a piece of Art is a profoundly transient and variable emotional, cognitive and behavioural experience. Who has become aware of the beaty of the sky when they are in love but when the relationship breaks down finds the same sky oppressive and depressing. Our perception of any one piece or collection of pieces will be hugely influenced by our pre-existing beliefs (of Art and ourselves), and our mood and our behaviour at the moment of perception. A gallery can, therefore, influence our perception by making us feel good about ourselves, make us feel we belong there, make us relax through music, smells and most of all the non-verbal communication of those working in the Gallery. The impact of these non-specific factors are ignored in many galleries but it sounds like G1 is using psycholgy to a positive creative, experiential and commercial end. I look forward to visiting.
I do hope you will visit soon Alison. I would like to claim that we have been as analytical as you describe in your comments but really g-1 is but a logical response to consumer trends. Talking of psychology, it was Freud who said ‘All that matters is love and work’, so maybe art can unite the two?
Great art stops you in your tracks. You don’t need a quiet pin drop elitist four walled warehouse to appreciate it, and you don’t necessarily need someone to point it out to you. I love art and work in the creative industry myself but I really can’t abide the exclusion that the term ‘fine art’ evokes. I’ve been to galleries in London, Paris, Sydney, Toronto and further afield as well as of course Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I’ve more often than not walked away with nothing but brochures although I’ve seen some very impressive work, amongst the not so impressive. The ‘art’ that’s on my walls consists solely of things I connect with personally whether its a free postcard from a bar or a canvas. The thing that I appreciate about Gallery One is the accessibility of some really interesting and beautiful pieces of work; available for AED 5 or AED 5,000. It gives a public showcase for some fantastic local artists as well as talents from other countries. Art galleries are not evil don’t get me wrong! I think they serve a purpose for artists in that they give them a place to showcase their work and the viewer a place to see it – reducing leg work for both parties. Art gallery ‘attendants’ as I like to call them however need to step up their game. They are sales people after all and despite working on commission seem completely reluctant to sell. Maybe in a strange twisted kind of way its their way of remaining closer to the impoverished artists they are selling?