Opening Etiquette
I was playing defense at my David Trulli opening. The wine was flowing. The artist was ecstatic. Me? I was negotiating what every gallerist tries to avoid: the aggressive anonymous artist. This person doesn’t know me, but they want a lot from me. They make it their night, pin me in a corner as if it were their opening. I look for some blocking, someone to run a screen, interrupt me…and there is no one.
If you have come close to playing this role, please stop. Gallery opening nights are meant to be social, a celebration of months of planning and dedicated work. Please, come. Look at the work, say hi to me, hi to the artist, mingle…anything but monopolize my time and tell me about you, you and only you.
I know you are interesting and I might even like your work. But play it cool and casual. Introduce yourself and become a regular supporter and attendee. Show up often and contribute to the evening. I will notice.
When I am looking to work with an artist, there are several things that I like to consider. One of my criteria for choosing an artist to work with or recommending to another gallery is, “Do I like you?” I want people I like to do well. Don’t you?
Why would I want to work with anyone I didn’t feel I would enjoy working with? It’s said often, but the gallerist/artist relationship is like a marriage in that you have issues of trust, loyalty, finances, responsibility, communication…
Why would you marry someone you didn’t like personally? You probably wouldn’t.
I met Amy Touchette about 10 years ago at an Aperture Benefit Auction. She is a photographer, a great photographer. At that opening, she effortlessly introduced me to her work, an example of which was on the wall. We chatted some more and discovered we were assigned to the same table. I wandered a bit more, and when I went to join the table, the only seat remaining was the one next to her. We talked the night away but not talking about her work. We just talked about photography and life, her snapping pictures of me and the other interesting-looking people at our table and others walking about.
She eventually had an exhibition with Brian Clamp and a portfolio of work published in the NY Times. We’ve been close friends to this day.
She wasn’t looking for anything from me other than some good conversation with someone that also loved photography as much as she did.
Connecting with galleries, collectors, publishers can be a slow and patient game.
Enjoy the ride.
Check it out
A generous opportunity for artists of all disciplines.
The Foundwork Artist Prize is an annual juried award that we inaugurated in 2019 to recognize outstanding practices by contemporary artists. Starting in 2021, we will be awarding the Foundwork Artist Prize to two honorees, both of whom will receive unrestricted $10,000 grants and studio visits with each of this year's distinguished jurors. The honorees and three shortlisted artists will also be invited for interviews as part of our Dialogues program to further public engagement with their work.
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.