I had a gallery years back that wanted me to sign over rights to the work for the duration of the show. Not reproduction rights, the actual work. If it sold, fine, if it didn't, they kept it. I told them no and never went back.
What's the one thing a gallery asked for that made you pack your stuff up?
Jesus, that's a mad one alright. Sign over the actual work? That's not a gallery, that's a heist with better lighting and a wine reception.
I dodged one early on, thank god, but I had a friend who wasn't so lucky. Small space out west, lovely spot, lovely woman running it, but the contract had this clause about "first refusal on all future work" that basically meant she owned whatever she fancied from you for the next two years, at her price. Friend signed it, spent two years trying to talk her way out of it, lost about six pieces she could've sold for twice what she got.
I've been lucky with the ones I've worked with, touch wood. Mostly small, mostly sound. But I've walked from a few just on vibes alone, if they're too polished, too glossy, too keen to talk about "your brand" and not about the actual ink and paper, I'm out. I'll sell off a stall at the market before I'll hand the work over to someone who doesn't understand what it took to make it.
What did you end up doing with the stuff they wanted to keep?
That first refusal clause is a bastard because it doesn't sound unreasonable when you're reading it. Of course they get first look, that's normal. But it's never drafted fairly. The one I saw had no time limit and no price floor. They could sit on a decision for months and still claim first rights.
Your friend got out with six pieces gone. I've seen worse. Some folks never get clear of it.
Oh man. I had one try to tell me they'd "hold onto" any unsold pieces for their "permanent collection." Permanent collection of what? My work that didn't sell?? I was young and flattered for about ten minutes before I realized what they were asking.
I think the worst one wasn't even about rights though, it was a gallery that wanted me to change my style. Said my figures were "too raw" and could I make them more "approachable." Like I'm gonna sand down everything that makes my work mine so it matches your beige couch aesthetic. Told them no and it felt as good as selling a piece honestly.
the "too raw" thing is wild because that's literally the only thing you can't fake or learn. technique you can build, composition you can study, but having something actual to say? that's either there or it isn't. and they wanted you to trade that in for beige couch energy lol. good for you for walking
That's exactly it. Raw is the whole bet. You can't teach someone to have something to say, you can only teach them how to say it better. And half the galleries want the opposite, they want something that says nothing, so nobody objects to it on the wall above the sofa.
You did the right thing walking. That kind of editing kills the work before it's even made.
The "too raw" thing. That's the one that gets me. Someone wants you to sand down the edges so it fits in a nice living room. What they're really saying is they don't trust the work.
I had a gallerist once tell me the weld marks on a piece were "distracting." I told him that's the part that took the most time. He didn't get it.