I was approached by a dealer in New York, who is very enthusiastic about my work, and would like to show it in his gallery. He’s in a super location, right in the heart of Chelsea, in a building with many other galleries. He’s very young, though, and his space very new. He showed me the work of some of the other artists he’s interested in, and I felt no aesthetic or conceptual affinity, and sensed that a cohesive vision for the gallery hadn’t yet emerged.
I’ve been trying to show in New York half-heartedly for years, but lack the kind of personality or talent to work my way into the galleries that I’d like to be in, and don’t really make the kind of work that is part of the current zeitgeist. Several of my artist friends, well, ALL of them actually, say no, stay away, hold out for the right fit, but really, I’m almost 40, and maybe it’s time to settle for a mediocre dealer who’s at least behind what I’m doing?
The plusses are that I’d realize a full-scale project in New York that would potentially be seen by another dealer who’s a better fit; maybe my work would be seen by more than the same 50 people who usually just come to my openings; I’d maybe sell something; and the show wouldn’t be for a few more years anyway, so maybe by then a vision for the gallery would emerge that seems more appropriate a setting.
The minuses are related to context. The guy likes my art, but he also likes this work that I find difficult to consider seriously. Would I be associated with this other work? How important is context, really?
A few weeks ago, after meeting with him in New York, I decided to not commit to anything and see what happens with the gallery. Now he’s asking me for an idea, and he’s offering to let me do a large-scale installation and not to worry about saleability. This kind of opportunity in a commercial space has never been available to me before, certainly not in New York, and may never again.