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Like with art itself, there are no rules when it comes to exhibiting art, but there are standards that are expected to be met, by gallerists, curators and the art loving public. including buyers and collectors.
A typical professional space is a white room with a grey floor. The space doesn't have to be the perfect white cube but white walls are usually the best option as they allow the viewer to focus on each piece without distraction. Nothing should be visible close to each artwork, such as a hanging cord or string. In fact the most common hanging system in a professional contemporary gallery is a simple nail or a screw in the wall, with the exception of museums, which are usually more traditional spaces, where hanging systems are more practical and fit better with the overall aesthetic. However when it comes to the contemporary white space, at least from my perspective, those hanging strings are a dealbreaker.
Once I see them, my heart sinks and I'm not alone.
It’s important that artworks have sufficient space between them. A set of works may be exhibited in a group close to each other, but if an entire wall is filled with paintings, one on top of the other, then this is not a professional gallery, it’s a shop. The exception being, for example, an annual group show - perhaps raising much needed funds for the gallery itself.
Photocopies of a list of the exhibited artworks, with numbers, titles, mediums, dimensions, and price of each piece [where applicable] should be available upon entry. Lighting should be evenly spread across each artwork and effective and unobtrusive. There should be no music playing, unless it’s part of the exhibit. A visitors book should be easily accessible to optionally collect visitors emails and accept comments. A professional gallery takes a risk with a professional artist when they exhibit their work and vice versa, however 'vanity galleries', which should be avoided at all times, charge the artist for wall space and therefore, it's only the artist who takes the risk.
Opening reception [vernissage] speeches should be very short [ideally less than 10 minutes] and focus on the work and the artist - You'd imagine this would be a no-brainer, but I've lost count of the number of times I wished the ground would swallow me up :) Last but not least, free refreshments including wine, soft drinks and water should be available and guests should not have to climb under tables to find the hidden vino. After all, opening reception times tend to be a short window and guests may have travelled some distance and at a fast pace. As with any profession, what gallerists give is what they get and you'll find that the successful ones give generously. A friendly upbeat and buzzy opening says many more good things about a gallery and its management.
So does all this mean that you won’t find great art at a dingy pop up with pink walls and a polka dot floor. No, many great artists start here and no doubt, many end up here too. The clean white space is simply the preferred playground of the art establishment and it makes sense. These white spaces are some of the very few quiet and peaceful places left in our cities and they are non-commercial, in the sense that they never push a sale. Probably over 90% of gallery visitors buy absolutely nothing, but they are encouraged to browse the artworks nonetheless and you'll note that the prices are round figures, such as 300, 2,500, 7,200 etc. You won't find artworks 'ON SALE' in a professional space and certainly not for something like 2,999, because no one is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. A good art gallery is a no bullshit zone that welcomes everyone.
Despite uncertain times, many on street galleries, especially the more established larger ones, 'though not all, continue to thrive. However, due to soaring rents, a number of independent smaller ones are now transferring their business online. But as gallerists love the live connection, it’s likely that less expensive pop ups and art fairs, with less overheads, will increase as a result. As they say - watch this space.
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