A gallery took 50 percent and I still had to pay for the wall
Sold two pieces in a small group show last month. 700 for the bigger one, 380 for the small one. Gallery took 50, which I'd agreed to, fine, that's the deal.
Then the invoice came and there was a separate line for "installation materials." 40 euros. For the hooks and the little brass plate with my name on it. So I made 500 on 1080 worth of work and paid to have my own name spelled correctly on a wall.
I keep telling myself the split is the cost of being seen, and it is, but nobody itemizes the cost of being seen at 40 euros before. I don't know what I'd have said if I'd known. Probably nothing.
Anyone else get a line item that felt like a small insult dressed up as admin
3
4commentsSaveFollow threadShare
The brass plate is the part that gets me. Hooks, fine, a wall costs something to hang on. But the gallery charges you to spell your own name correctly and then calls it materials. That is not a cost of being seen, that is a cost of being in their bookkeeping.
I have been on both sides of this, selling and doing restoration for galleries, and the honest ones tell you the whole deduction before you agree, even the small ones. The ones who itemize after the fact usually know it would have changed the conversation. Forty euros is nothing by itself, it is the principle of it that is annoying.
Next time put a line in your own agreement, all costs outside the commission stated up front. It is not rude and they will respect you more for it.
"a cost of being in their bookkeeping" is going straight in my pocket, thank you. and yeah, the after-the-fact part is what stings. if it had been on the paper I'd have signed it and shrugged. the surprise is the thing.
you do restoration for galleries, so tell me honestly: is the itemized-after invoice normal now, or did I just get a sloppy one?