ACME's Gunderman and dealer mystery.
There is a common talk I hear about gallery owners from some people, that seems to have a slight level of contempt: They are trust funders, are spawn of collectors, their parents were dealers, they have rich husbands paying for the gallery, they have to have a degree in Art History, they are not artists (this last one is an open debate since people feel it is a conflict of interest to be an artist & own a gallery)...
I found the article on ACME Gallery owner & director Robert Gunderman to be very exciting. I love hearing about the lives of other gallery dealers & the diverse avenues from where they all come. The different reasons why they get into art, etc. Here are some points about Gunderman & personal comparisons to share with you my background too.
Gunderman's first gallery was funded by his parents, who were collectors. I find this endearing, as I think it is a parents' underlying responsibility to back their kids' endeavors - whether financially or just spiritually. Of course, like many grown-ups, its appeared that they were disappointed to see the unsellable installation that Gunderman installed, rather than a nice poster store with frame shop in back - something that would most likely make them back their initial investment. He notes that it was a tax-write off for his parents.
Going into the art business, many people feel is the worst business to go into. Lucky for everyone who is involved & working so hard at it, be it artist or gallerist knows that it is a business, & there is money to be made. And just like any other business, there is plenty to claim & write off.
My mom & step-dad work for SBC & the CWA. My dad is a self-taught architect & builder. Noone collects art in my family, but they all make things as hobby. The first Revisited location was funded by the small income I made at my last year attempt working in the film industry as a set decorator. Our first year we ended flat with a low overhead. The second year we increased sales 15% with little float investment to cover new costs. Our third year has just begun, still debt free...knock on wood!
Gunderman was in the military. His second gallery had a back room with stacks of art magazines & gun magazines. Jodon recently bought a gun for the house. I was apprehensive at first, not quite understanding the practical necessity for it. On the other hand, if there were a situation where I was faced with using it, I might as well level the playing field, as the last time I checked, I'm not supposed to go down in a shower of bullets. Besides, everyone should have an understanding of what has the potential to kill them. I still need to get to the range & practice - I've only shot a 35mm revolver and a few cop guns that were props I had to handle in the film industry.
Gunderman went to art school and is a painter. He had a show at ACME under the pseudonym, Floyd Claypool. Some people feel that artist run galleries are suspect. But there are So many kinds of galleries that you have to break it down a little more. And definitely, it is not so admired to have a vanity show of your own work at your gallery without creating some sort of angle like Gunderman did in order to make a new statement about his own work as a painter vs. a dealer.
Gunderman feels that being an artist has given him an edge in understanding what an artist goes through mentally. It also gives him an edge in that he understands how work is made & what it entails.
No matter what business you go into, you should know all about the product you are selling. If your personal skill is not there to make & sell the product yourself, at least doing the research & meeting with people & visiting facilities is a must. In this case, studio visits.
Being an artist myself, I feel that I have a bit of edge as well. I have an understanding of what the work entails in terms of time & supplies as well as an understanding of how artists feel about their work & how it is represented. It helps me sell the work because I understand the mystery & can convey information to the collectors. It helps me think about the artists' needs easily because I am them too.
To read the article about Robert Gunderman, go here:
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-ca-gunderman22jan22,0,7116185.story?coll=cl-art-top-right
Share your thoughts on the background of gallery owners or your perception of artists as artist representatives TODAY!! Just go to the comment line to post.
I found the article on ACME Gallery owner & director Robert Gunderman to be very exciting. I love hearing about the lives of other gallery dealers & the diverse avenues from where they all come. The different reasons why they get into art, etc. Here are some points about Gunderman & personal comparisons to share with you my background too.
Gunderman's first gallery was funded by his parents, who were collectors. I find this endearing, as I think it is a parents' underlying responsibility to back their kids' endeavors - whether financially or just spiritually. Of course, like many grown-ups, its appeared that they were disappointed to see the unsellable installation that Gunderman installed, rather than a nice poster store with frame shop in back - something that would most likely make them back their initial investment. He notes that it was a tax-write off for his parents.
Going into the art business, many people feel is the worst business to go into. Lucky for everyone who is involved & working so hard at it, be it artist or gallerist knows that it is a business, & there is money to be made. And just like any other business, there is plenty to claim & write off.
My mom & step-dad work for SBC & the CWA. My dad is a self-taught architect & builder. Noone collects art in my family, but they all make things as hobby. The first Revisited location was funded by the small income I made at my last year attempt working in the film industry as a set decorator. Our first year we ended flat with a low overhead. The second year we increased sales 15% with little float investment to cover new costs. Our third year has just begun, still debt free...knock on wood!
Gunderman was in the military. His second gallery had a back room with stacks of art magazines & gun magazines. Jodon recently bought a gun for the house. I was apprehensive at first, not quite understanding the practical necessity for it. On the other hand, if there were a situation where I was faced with using it, I might as well level the playing field, as the last time I checked, I'm not supposed to go down in a shower of bullets. Besides, everyone should have an understanding of what has the potential to kill them. I still need to get to the range & practice - I've only shot a 35mm revolver and a few cop guns that were props I had to handle in the film industry.
Gunderman went to art school and is a painter. He had a show at ACME under the pseudonym, Floyd Claypool. Some people feel that artist run galleries are suspect. But there are So many kinds of galleries that you have to break it down a little more. And definitely, it is not so admired to have a vanity show of your own work at your gallery without creating some sort of angle like Gunderman did in order to make a new statement about his own work as a painter vs. a dealer.
Gunderman feels that being an artist has given him an edge in understanding what an artist goes through mentally. It also gives him an edge in that he understands how work is made & what it entails.
No matter what business you go into, you should know all about the product you are selling. If your personal skill is not there to make & sell the product yourself, at least doing the research & meeting with people & visiting facilities is a must. In this case, studio visits.
Being an artist myself, I feel that I have a bit of edge as well. I have an understanding of what the work entails in terms of time & supplies as well as an understanding of how artists feel about their work & how it is represented. It helps me sell the work because I understand the mystery & can convey information to the collectors. It helps me think about the artists' needs easily because I am them too.
To read the article about Robert Gunderman, go here:
http://www.calendarlive.com/galleriesandmuseums/cl-ca-gunderman22jan22,0,7116185.story?coll=cl-art-top-right
Share your thoughts on the background of gallery owners or your perception of artists as artist representatives TODAY!! Just go to the comment line to post.
posted by gallery blog revisited at
12:43 PM
2 Comments:
I think the discussion of whether or not artists should be gallerists is really interesting.
I am not sure if the best operative word here is "should". It is not whether a person must choose to be one or the other or only do one at a time - but rather, if you are an artist & also run or own a gallery, what is your perspective & where are you coming from in doing so.
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