11 STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL GALLERY VISIT

How to Visit an Art Gallery

Since I have my first show in a real gallery coming up this month, this seems like an interesting topic. The article will cover visiting those big city galleries with tons of wall space and big name signatures on the artworks as well as those small town businesses with local artists, some with lots of talent, some emerging and some who just need to be complimented on their ability to express themselves through art. If attending a gallery is too much for you, there is a suggestion at the end of the article.

1. Preparation. Unless you are wandering through local galleries as a way to pass time, prepare ahead of time by learning about at least one of the artists at the gallery. Visit the gallery’s website and see what is going on at this time. If you are attending a Dali exhibit at the local equivalent of MOMA, then for sure read up about Dali before you go. Learn to recognize early works compared to later works. How was the artist influenced by teachers and other artists. Was Georgia O’Keeffe influenced as much by her living situation and location as by her own progression in style? How was DeGrazia’s art influenced by those around him? When you learn these things you can appreciate the art more. 

2. Dress. What should you wear? Fortunately, unless it says “Gala” on the invitation, you can go as pretty much any way you want. Dress up and those around you will think you can afford those expensive opera tickets for later in the day. Dress down…way down and you will surely look like a starving but creative artist yourself! And by all means know whether you have to mask up to gain entry.

3. Entry. Approaching a publicly funded large gallery with open spaces and only one or two works per wall is quite different from approaching a collective gallery of local artists or the commercial gallery downtown. First of all, you will usually have to open your wallet to get into the large gallery. This is money well spent, but better spent if your goal is to really appreciate what you are seeing. If on the other hand, your goal is more to impress your Instagram followers with your ability to hit six galleries in the city in just one day, then go for it. You won’t even have to take off your Gucci’s. Just consider for a moment that you might have missed something along the way. 

4. Wander or Guided? Often with a large gallery, you are allowed to wander. But if there is a audio tour or docent, be sure to take advantage. If these benefits are not available, then do a survey tour of your own first. Visit each room rather quickly to get a feel for what is most appealing to you. This may be limited to just one or two artists if multiple artists are represented. Or it may be just one short time period from multiple artists or one style from your favorite artist in the exhibit. After you have done this cursory overview, hit the toilet (accurately) and get a brief refreshment. If permitted, carry a water bottle with you as you go into your second round.

With smaller galleries, space is at a premium. There may be gob, flock or shutter of artists represented by the gallery (Christmas tree artists come in flocks, painters come in gobs, photographers in shutters). To adequately represent each of these artists, work gets crammed into spaces. Some artists may have to limit pieces to a sampling of a certain style of their work. Others may show a couple styles.

5. Come to Your Senses. To make what you see a most pleasurable experience, first pay attention to what your nose and ears tell you. If the gallery is very crowded you will want to avoid offensive smells and sounds. On a hot summer day you don’t want to be starting on a path at the same time as a group that smells like a Paris subway. If the smells aren't avoidable, wearing that face mask when not required is still an option. Likewise, momma and stroller may not be causing a problem now, but when baby wakes up, you will want to be in another room. Flirting high schoolers are more likely to be into themselves than the art. A low voice is appreciated in a gallery, but there is no rule against using a normal voice. This does not include lively gossip about last night’s concert. If these people are going clockwise, rejoice that they aren't your kids and head counterclockwise. Or spend a few minutes in the gift shop to give your senses a chance to recover.

6. Viewing and Appreciating the Art. How you do this depends a great deal on your own knowledge and experience. If you majored in Art History, you will surely recall many of the movements (by year) that were influencing the art in each room. Enjoy your recollections while discovering small nuances of change with each artist. If you are an artist yourself, see if you can describe the way colors were applied, the lighting patterns, the design features of the artist. For everyone, was the artist accurately depicting the subject, translating impressions, or making a political statement? How did this relate to the other artists shown in the exhibit area or who were creating works at the same time? If dates of pieces are given, can you follow the progression of themes or style by a particular artist? If all of this is too much for you, do everything you can to start over and pick up an audio guide or go around with a docent. 

This process of discovery is very much the same for photography. You will get more out of the experience if you go beyond just what is pleasing to your own eye. Did the photographer use long or short exposures? Were foregrounds and backgrounds equally sharp? Why was a short focal range used? Was this result achieved with wide apertures, narrow apertures or blended images? What materials were used for presentation and why? Is the photographer better at composition, light, emotion, color, etc?

7. Learning About Yourself. More than anything, we can learn about the art we like and why we like it. Before you leave a gallery room, choose one, two or three works that you like the most. Look back at them and decide why you like them. Is it the muted or saturated colors, the color palette, the design elements, the mystery presented, or do you simply admire the artist’s talent? Do you feel like you could be in the scene? Would it look good on a wall in your home or office? How long could you look at a piece if you were in an empty room except that one piece of art on the wall in front of you? 

8. Increase Your Knowledge.  If you are leaving a major gallery, determine which artists to discover more about. Most large galleries only present a few works from each artist other than a featured room. You will be well rewarded to discover more about one or two artists after you return home. You can do this on the web, but also through books in the gift shop, at your library or at a local art guild. If you purchase an artbook,don’t let it sit on a shelf just yet. Keep it out and read it in bite sized pieces over the next few weeks. 

9. Follow Up Your Visit. If you are visiting a local gallery with a number of featured artists, pick one or two artists you really enjoyed. Learn more about them. Most likely they don't have a books written about themselves or their works. But you may be able to look up their websites and see what other works they have created, remembering that galleries only present a very small portion of any artist’s work.

10. Making a Purchase. If you are on a mission to buy a piece (or prone to making quick decisions) take pictures of the potentially receptive walls or your client’s walls on your smartphone. Download one of the apps mentioned in the March 2022 Photoboomers newsletter that will allow you to preview the work in your own space. Would the piece be merely for decoration, to make an impression on guests or will you personally enjoy viewing it for a long time? Are the colors and size right? Does it need different framing? All of these are legitimate considerations, but know why you are making the right purchase. 

11. The Virtual Tour. Perhaps you can’t get out to a gallery or afford a plane flight to Paris. Many galleries, including some of the largest ones in the world offer virtual tours, usually at no cost. For some of these tours you are on your own, for others there is considerable information given with each piece you view. You can find a list of some great virtual tours here.  Increasingly, you will find lesser known artists and galleries can now create their own virtual tours with web technology that is available today.

RS