San Francisco is not particularly known for brushes with celebrities; that’s more true for its estranged cousin, Los Angeles. But when I moved to New York, the parade of notables into the Howard Greenburg Gallery (where I worked) made up for the lost time.
Future posts may include talks of Cameron Diaz’s water bottle or Puff Daddy’s tube of Gleem toothpaste. Still, today the focus is on the visit and exhibition of Richard Gere, photographer.
I tried my best to keep the hammer steady when installing Mr. Gere’s photographs, but it was hard when I knew he was staring a hole through the back of my 30 something head. It was my fault. I hadn’t the experience of working with someone like him, and I was just a few months into my new employment after having a mental break in SF. I was a bit nervous.
After I was done leveling this particular picture of a meditating Tibetan Monk, I heard a whisper, or rather, felt a whisper on the nape of my neck, “I like the way you did that.” For a moment, I wasn’t sure what he meant. But, it was a relief. I hung the picture perfectly. I had done well.
The opening went smoothly, albeit with a curated guest list with more photographers than patrons, it seemed. I was captured by photographer Graham Macindoe, dressed for the occasion, but clearly playing the reluctant participant. Could I be trying to lean any further out of the picture?! But Graham knew it wasn’t all about the star of the show. Having previously worked in my role there, he understood the not-so-small part someone like me would play in making the show look good.
As an artist, you know what it takes to put on an exhibition. In a gallery, it’s always a collaboration between assistant and director, art hanger and artist. Take the time to thank people along the way.
Years later, I realized Mr. Gere was not attempting to micro-manage me or oversee his work’s proper care and installation. He was admiring the work I was doing on his behalf. Like any good Buddhist, he walked into the gallery with a beginner’s mind, knowing that this was a new world for him where there was a lot to learn. And he was thankful for it.
Continue to be thankful for the people in your life who make your work shine. But more than a thought or an entry in a gratitude journal, reach out and tell them in a whisper.
Classes & Notes
Exhibition Lab 2022 applications close this Sunday (12/19) at MIDNIGHT!
Enrollment is open for Choose Yourself as an Artist at Maine Media Workshops.
The Aperture Portfolio Prize is an annual international competition to discover, exhibit, and publish new talents in photography.
The Aperture Portfolio Prize aims to identify trends in contemporary photography and highlight artists whose work deserves greater recognition. Enter for a chance to be featured in Aperture magazine, have an exhibition in New York, win $3,000, and have a portfolio review with an Aperture editor.
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Michael Foley opened his gallery in the fall of 2004 after fourteen years of working with notable photography galleries, including Fraenkel Gallery, Howard Greenberg Gallery, and Yancey Richardson Gallery.
In 2002, Foley continued his interest in educating and working with artists by serving on the School of Visual Arts and International Center of Photography faculty. He currently teaches and lectures on contemporary photography issues at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
In 2020, he founded The Photo Community, which offers classes and commentary on contemporary photography.
Foley lives and works on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with his wife, Maya.