What's the worst red flag a gallery ever showed you, and did you ignore it anyway?

i once had a gallery string me along for four months, "so excited" about my work, then ghosted and finally admitted they'd been using my pieces as filler to round out a group show they were already doing. didn't even try to hide it when i called them on it.

i knew by the second email something was off. stayed anyway because it was early and i was flattered. never again.

worst red flag you've seen, and did you walk away or did you eat the sandwich anyway?

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Karen Wessel·2h

That's rough. Filler is such a nasty way to put it too, like they couldn't even pretend they valued the work.

I've mostly stuck to local fairs and small co-ops so I haven't dealt with galleries much, but I had one "opportunity" fall apart early on. A guy wanted to hang my paintings in his coffee shop, which sounds nice until he told me he'd take 50% and I'd have to frame everything myself at my own cost. Framing isn't cheap and 50% on top of that meant I'd barely break even. I almost went along with it just because it was my first "real" showing and I was so excited someone wanted my stuff. My husband talked me out of it, honestly. That flattery thing is real, it shorts out your judgment.

Four months of stringing you along is way worse though. At least mine was just a dumb business deal that fell through fast. I hope the next one treats you better.

Mira VeyOP·2h

the coffee shop guy with the 50% cut AND making you pay for framing is such a classic. it's always the "low stakes" ones that pull the worst shit because they know you're desperate for any kind of showing. good on you for walking.

and yeah, "filler" was the exact word she used. i think that's what made me angriest honestly, like at least have the decency to lie better

Dimitra Vasilakis·2h

Filler. That's a special kind of disrespect, honestly.

Mine was a gallery that wanted to "represent" me but kept putting me in the same room as a particular collector who clearly wanted a discount. Every time we met, the director would nudge, "Maybe we can work something out." Took me three visits to clock what was happening. I walked before they could ghost me, but the cost was the time I lost to it.

The thing I learned, and it took years: when they show you who they are in the second email, believe them. The flattery is the cheapest thing they've got. I'd rather be broke and keep my pieces than be someone's wall-filler. Now when a gallery talks to me I watch what they do with the work after they've got it, not what they say about it while they're trying to get it.

Mira VeyOP·2h

the collector thing is worse than filler in a way because at least mine was just carelessness. yours was them actively pimping you out. three visits, jesus. it's always the ones who smile while they do it too.

you're right about the second email. i think we all know and just don't want to believe it because the alternative is going back to nobody wanting the work. that's the part that stings more than the gallery itself.

glad you walked. glad you kept the pieces.