Artists and art gallery owners have historically had a love-hate relationship. Artists who market their artwork through art galleries need to maintain a cordial relationship with the gallery owner. This is important for the artist to continue to make a living through sales of their artwork. Sometimes though, this cordial relationship can be strained, as I will explain.
I have shown my art work in art galleries for over 35 years. I have exhibited my paintings in more than thirty art galleries over the span of my art career. I have had long and short gallery relationships. I currently show my art in four galleries in the US and Japan. I am very happy with these galleries.
In order for an artist and a gallery to have good communication, the artist needs to document all artwork in the gallery. Also, the artist and the gallery need to have very clear understandings for all aspects of showing and selling the artwork.
I had a very extreme example of this lack of a clear understanding with a gallery in San Francisco that I had a very short relationship with. I was asked by the gallery owner to exhibit my artwork at this gallery and prepare for a one woman show of my work soon after my work had been in the gallery. The gallery owner published an exhibit poster for the show which I signed for the show attendants. Ahead of the show, I informed the gallery owner that I had a fundraiser art show I would be attending two days following the show. I would be removing my artworks, all of which I had framed for the show. I would be gone for one week and then be returning the art to the gallery. The gallery owner verbally agreed to my terms.
I failed to have the owner sign the agreement stating that I would be removing my artwork temporarily two days following the show. I mailed the information to her but she did not sign it. I did not think that it was that important to get her signature on my agreement that I was picking up the art on a given date. After all, I had notified her in advance of the show.
Unfortunately, the gallery owner saw things differently. When I arrived at the gallery, two days following the show, with my assistant to pick up the artwork, I was met at the door of the gallery by the owner. Even though, I thought I had a cordial relationship with this gallery owner, I found out this was not the case. She acted very surprised that I was there. I told her that I was picking up my paintings as I had told her I would do for my fundraiser. I repeated that I would bring the artwork back in one week. This did not satisfy her at all. She refused to allow me to remove my art, even briefly. She would not even let me take one painting off the wall. I attempted to reason with her. She would not hear any explanation.
She said that she had pending sales that would be lost if I removed the paintings. I asked which paintings might have pending sales. She could only mention one painting, a large oil of a Bengal tiger which she was certain she could sell. I said I would be returning the paintings in one week. This went back and forth for about five minutes. Then, suddenly, she snapped.
She yelled for her assistant to lock the door. I told my assistant to run for the police. She escaped out the door before it was locked. The gallery owner then grabbed me by the arms and we wrestled for the tiger painting. As the gallery owner weighed over 300 lbs, and I weighed 110 lbs, she won, wrenching my right wrist in the process.
Meanwhile, my assistant arrived back with the police. They banged on the door and soon the owner unlocked the door. My assistant and I explained the situation. The owner soon backed down and we removed all the artwork, except for the tiger painting which she kept. The tiger painting was priced at $6000 so I was pretty upset that I would not be able to get the painting back.
I later filed a lawsuit against the owner for wrongful imprisonment and injury to my right wrist. I won the claim and received $25,000 from the gallery owner. Needless to say, this gallery owner and I parted company.
This experience highlights how important it is for the artist to get everything in writing and to have a very clear understanding with the gallery owner before the artist places their art in the gallery.
