Working with Galleries. Lux

LUX Professional Practice seminar event, on 26th November 2012.

http://lux.org.uk/education/professional-practice-working-galleries

Artists' seminar looking at working with commercial galleries and the particular issues for artists who work with the moving image. Speakers Chris Hammond, Director of MOT International and Lisa Panting, Co-Director of Hollybush Gardens. Chaired by LUX Director, Benjamin Cook.

Overall, I am once more struck at this talk about current practice in showing and distribution of moving image and the gallery system, that there is far from an established or recognised method. In moving image, and other art forms differing from more traditional paintings or sculpture, everyone really is making it up as they go along, and inventing models. Discouraging in that many galleries simply avoid the issue by not taking on moving image artists or selling their work. Encouraging in that ways to do this can be invented and built up without doing it some wrong way.

Notes:
Institutions are currently the main client base for moving image, so build relationships with curators, critics, institutions.
Commercial galleries which represent artists may liase with museums and galleries and act as the critical respsonse and economy for the artists. May also find partnerships and funding for the artists - gallerists also producers.
Moving image may be harder to sell, but is easy to show in institution programmes.
Budget issue is changing technology and the expense of upkeep of equipment.
Editions
Impossible at Frieze, may be possible at Basel.
Institutions acquire in the UK differently. Usual clients in Italy and the Netherlands.
The wider context of what to acquire - buying video.
The artworld moves very slowly in this - safe to collect video - seeing it as conceptually pure work.
Backed up by artist master, gallery, institution - mostly collected by institution. A natural progression.
Provide ideas about how to live with film/video - what to do with it - painting on wall is easy.
Collectors
They buy the best possible version and the best art no matter what, unless their collection is already full.
Instruction with pieces - sound/video//installation.
How to decide which artists work that moves and challenges.
Criteria -  the potential to work in museum scale and be part of art history.
Work which somehow connects to what's happening in the world.
the potential to work across institutional platforms.
Also looking for connections between gallery artists.
The historical position and international context.
How to get gallery representation
Not blanket emails.
Research galleries and curators - fit passion.
Have a reason to approach - go to PVs, etc
Intern in gallery structure to learn - invites and meetings.
Find a way in.
Make work visible
Make people want to see you and your work.
Peer group easier to recognise than individuals - strength in numbers - group shows.
Through friends with galleries - recommend.
Young curators - network - gallerists ask them.
Have visibility on the web.
Pricing
Market / production value - provenance.
Market has a logic, and has to  be developed.
Small editions -
1st - for institutions - cheaper
2nd - more expensive
3rd - more
the artist retains one proof copyright and can show anywhere.
Make two artists proofs.
Another proof perhaps showing with installation.
1st is not available to collectors.
Now HD.
Beta and viewing copy.
QT file - master hard drive.
Viewing copies on bluray or DVD.
Certificate of authenticity - create a package.
Tape - digital files - corrupt files - they can be replaced.
License / agreement.
Institutions actively manage.
Hard drives are not archival quality
There is no world standard.
Artist pension test? Different peculiar file format. Frame by frame.
redundant formats - and old tech, exact players
Media Matters website - tech solutions and production:
http://www.mediamatterstechnology.com/
research each institution - forms and processes, how they acquire work, what aspects are flexible etc.
Legacy problems
If work is scale-able, flexible.
Have clear requirements, exhibition protocol, and inbuilt flexibility.
Involve the gallery in the creative process and development.
Stills
Editions.
Production shots.
Make something a bit different from the moving image.
Less than 5% London galleries showing moving image - although changing, there are less recently -
seen as slow and expensive and doesn't sell.
Moving image artists tend to be represented by a single gallery - sometimes well known artists have several galleries.
Film wears out.
It's sold in negative with license to print certain number of times.
Festivals - good - Rotterdam and Oberhausen.
Network of profiles and endorsements - prizes help.
Exposure - several times to enter consciousness.
Best through a selection process.
Also show through websites and vimeo - have clips online,
Editions - number of 3 - usually less than 5.
Film editions 3 or less.
Galleries terms 50/50.
Different agreements.
Galleries cover different territories.
No contracts.

14th April 2013