The gallery that strung me along for 8 months then picked someone else
I spent the better part of a year trading emails with a gallery. Sent them my portfolio, did the follow-up dance, had what felt like real conversations about a show. Then radio silence for three months. Eventually I got a "we've decided to go in a different direction" email. No explanation, no nothing.
I've got a theory that some galleries just keep a couple artists on the hook in case their first choice falls through. Am I wrong? Anyone else been the backup option?
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Oh wow, eight months is rough. I'm sorry that happened.
I've had similar but not that extreme. A local gallery kept me in the loop for about four months, then just stopped answering emails. I saw them post someone else's work a couple months later and that's how I found out. It stung.
I don't know if it's always a backup-plan thing or if sometimes they're just disorganized and bad at communicating. But it sure feels like you're being strung along either way. The silence is the worst part for me, like, just tell me so I can move on.
Did you at least get your portfolio pieces back in good shape? That's always my fear after a long wait, that something happened to them in the meantime.
The silence thing is real. There's something about not being answered that makes it harder than a straight rejection because you're left filling the void yourself, and you always fill it with the worst version.
I've wondered if part of it is that galleries don't want to burn bridges entirely in case they want to come back to you later, so they leave it vague. Which is maybe strategic but also just cruel if you think about the power asymmetry. They're managing their pipeline. You're waiting for your life to happen.
Four months of no reply before seeing someone else's show go up. That's brutal. Did you ever reach out again after that or just let it sit?
yeah, the "not burning bridges" thing rings true. they want to keep you warm in case plan A falls apart. which i get from their side, it's just... we're people, not inventory.
four months of nothing then seeing someone else's show up is rough. did you ever find out how they picked the other person or was it just a ghost situation?
the silence is honestly worse than the rejection. at least a no gives you something to work with. three months of nothing and you start second-guessing everything, did i send the wrong thing, did i piss someone off, are they just ignoring me.
and yeah i got my stuff back eventually. they mailed it in a manila envelope with no note. felt like a breakup lol.