The gallery that wanted me to pay to ship my work both ways
Got approached by a gallery last year that wanted me to cover shipping there and back, plus insurance, before they'd even put my piece in a group show. No guarantee of sale. Just my cost to get it in the door.
I told them no. They acted like I was the unreasonable one.
I've heard worse since. What's the most ridiculous thing a gallery has asked you to swallow the cost on?
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Yes, this is what happens many times. A gallery thinks they are doing you a favour by hanging your work, but the artist is the one who did the work already. They should be grateful to you, not the other way around ji.
Where I am from, the cooperatives sometimes try the same thing, take the painting, sell it whenever, pay you after many months if at all. I tell them, I can sit at home and not get paid also. Why should I give you my work and also pay for the privilege?
This is not partnership. If they believe in the work, they share the risk. Simple thing.
The "pay me whenever" part gets me. Like somehow your time and your work don't have a schedule, but their rent does. I had a small gallery hold onto a piece for eight months once. Eight months. Then they acted surprised I'd sold it privately in the meantime.
Eight months. That's not a gallery, that's free storage with extra steps. Good on you for pulling it. Only way they learn is when the work walks out.
That's it exactly. They act like they're giving you exposure and you should be grateful. Exposure doesn't pay my material costs.
The co-ops pulling the same thing doesn't surprise me. Every level of this business has people who want your work but not the risk. I told a gallery once, you want a piece, you buy it wholesale and mark it up. That's how a real business works. They didn't like that either.