What do we think of gallery space, its role, and the connection? Often, it has to do with our first impression. Archival material from the Amsterdam Art Week 2023 invited gallery representatives to share their perspectives on hospitality and openness in the gallery space. This topic is still worth attention and is applicable today.
This topic is hosted by Martina Halsema, the director of Amsterdam Art 2023. She has a warm approach and values hospitality and openness within the gallery setting. She aimed to do better on it in the Netherlands.
She invited co-owner Akinci Renan Beunen, the founder and curator of No Man’s Art Gallery Emmelie Koster, director Tegenboschvanvreden Pietje Tegenbosch, and gallery owner Josilda da Conceição gallery Josilda da Conceição to share of their perspectives, be reflective on their practices and to inspire others.
Halsema asked a series of questions to reinforce the gallery setting and allow the audience to have the narrative of questions to sit in before the guests’ answers.
What does it mean to be available?
How do the galleries relate to the theme of hospitality and openness?
To what extent do you feel responsible for creating a welcoming environment in your gallery space?
What do you define as a welcoming environment?
Who are we welcoming and welcoming for whom?
Is it a good way to reflect on how we set up our space?
The formation of these questions could be due to collective experiences of cultural barriers, lack of emotional bonding or dysfunctional target and perceiver.
The gallery itself is an agent. I try as far geographically as possible for my artists, care for them and be as a good host as possible.
Our door is open for everyone with our aims and goals.
I would approach visitors with the subject they see and initiate conversations about what they want to know more as a way to make them feel welcome.
The gallery is a hospitality space that we offer to connect with visitors about what they are interested in, and we learn from the show we curated.
The gallery should be mindful of the cultural context and minor references before curating an exhibition and representing the artists they work with to approach clients. Immersed yourself and the team in a country where the artist is from or spent time at the artist’s studio. The connection between the gallery and the artist, as a representative for the artist to visitors. It helps to frame an interesting and deeper level of dialogue involving emotional context beyond professional knowledge about the works when it comes to approaching potential clients in the gallery.
The attitude or the spread of energy does an important
How accessible the gallery seems determined by its attitude and spread of energy to visitors. Considering there are visitors with no intention to buy the artwork or some locals who are interested in seeing something new and fresh in their neighbourhood. The reason for them to re-visit is the emotional attachment to the gallery space.
Being accessible and good in hospitality are truly the key factors for the galleries to back up sales and artwork exposure to both loyal and new visitors. The emotional connection and trust built with clients become a loyal base alongside the word-of-mouth effects drive more traffic and become potential clients. It also applies to the work relationship with the artists, to make them feel seen and heard.
To sum up, making guests feel connected and artists you have worked with feel important are the keys to success.
For gallery visitors, what was the best gallery experience you’ve ever had?
For artists, what was the best collaborative experience you’ve had with a gallery?
I’d like to know about your stories. Please share it in the comment section.
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