Projects Gallery has initiated a number of call-to-artists exhibitions lately. Although the gallery has done this on occasion in the past, we have increased the frequently this year. You might ask why? There are several reasons:
1. Economics – to be blunt and up front. With today’s financial conditions, it becomes increasing more difficult to mount solo or even two-person exhibitions. The costs of running a gallery, even a small one, are incredible, even for the basics like rent (fortunately we own our space), electricity, insurance, promotion, etc. Then if you add the costs of receptions and, for the more fortunate, personnel, it becomes almost prohibitive. So those entry fees are sometimes just enough to keep the lights on.
2. Altruism. Yes, we care. From the very beginning, Projects Gallery’s main tenet was to put the artists first and to represent them honestly, respectfully and to provide a platform for them to showcase their work, as much as possible, according to their own personal vision. These call-to-artists shows give artists, who might not otherwise have an opportunity, a chance to get their work out of their studios and to display it in a quality venue. Most of these artists do not have gallery representation, and this may one of the only ways their works will be seen.
3. Community Outreach. All of our call-to-artist exhibitions are thematic. In the past, we have explored ideas such as guilty pleasures, summer in the city, celebrating a historic presidency. Currently there’s an exhibition on the walls in Philly discussing masks in today’s society (thought up by a Mexican and an American and juried by a Venezuelan). Next we’re going to explore contemporary abstract art in its myriad styles. And the most unusual idea has just been sent out. In “Square Foot Art Basel Miami,” we have asked artists to stay within a 12″x12″ configuration for a mosaic-style grid to be hung in our Wynwood Lofts Miami gallery. The first 100 artists to send in their entries are guaranteed a place on the wall. This is open to anyone in the world so long as the piece is 12″x12″ and can be hung on the wall. No one is juried, no one is rejected, no one is selected. Truly a democratic, first-come, first-served opportunity. After the first 100 artists, subsequent entries will be placed according to space availability on a wall the measures 30’W by 12’H. That’s 360 sf of space, and we’re not hanging floor to ceiling.
4. Opportunities. The opportunity for the gallery to find new artists to represent. We have in the past and hope to in the future. The opportunity for someone to find a piece of art that they want to own. The opportunity for an artist to be seen by another gallery and start a new relationship with them. This too has happened in the past. Opportunity for the artist to think about a theme and see how their work might apply or make something brand new and stretch their abilities.
So you see, it’s not about living off the backs of artists. I’m still driving the same old car, and believe me there’s much more work involved in this type of exhibition than a solo or dual exhibition. It’s about working together, as artists often do, to think outside the box and to keep things going no matter how tough the going gets.