yyt

A friend – being in town – which is another long entry – and being in a show here has me once again glad that I am ambivalent to the lure of the gallery, I realise that this would be more bighting if they were lured by me but nevertheless…

To be in this show which was juried, there was a $35 entry fee. When the work was accepted she had to pay the handling and the shipping and finding a customs broker – even though there was an international call for entries – she was one of two international artists. The work has to be ready for hanging by the artist. They were slow to respond to e-mails and phone pleas to the point that their voice mail message doesn’t even imply that you can leave a message. If the work is sold they take 40%. She will stay anonymous until the show comes down as will the gallery.

This seems like a great deal for the gallery as I am sure that if there is a paid staff there are at the most two people the only cost that I can see is the rent and utilities There seemed to be 50 people in the show if one in four were accepted that would hint at 200 people applying $7000. What a windfall for even when they pay the juror, and hand out the prizes – there was even a donation box by the plonk and bikkies there will be a hefty sum made for the place and if work sells…

And the work for the most part was pretty bad.

The sad aspect of all of this is that those who apply to shows like this are the ones that can least afford it. My friend thought it would be a hoot and thus jumped in but being international she thought that the fee would pay for some the other expenses. Being there, though, I saw all these new artists some I know could barely afford to make work but were lucky with their $35 bet. I then thought of those who weren’t and others who were there scoping out the joint wondering if they would have a chance at the next round.

All this gallery has are juried shows with entry fees. Do they rake in $80 000p.a. banking on the same hopes that all those reality shows use to their advantage.

Back in the dark ages at Goldsmiths’ we were not only warned about shows like this but how they were in essence usury as there was no risk on the part of the gallery who were riding on the backs of a financially strained artists.

The touching part of the evening was when I met someone who I knew who was scoping out the place and trying to determine whether she should enter the fray for the next call for entries. She showed me her work and – frankly it is too good for the gallery. My friend and I told her so but I had trouble coming up with alternatives.

In full disclosure - it is to my shame that I took part on the usuary end of this equation - mea culpa - my only excuse was that I was young(er) and more gullible.