Re: First gallery ' experience'

I've been in NW Wyoming for the past 8 years and I'm not currently doing
much with galleries and museums, other than being active in the local art
league in Cody and hanging a few dozen alt prints for a solo show at the
local college a couple of years ago.

When I was in New Jersey from 1984-1998, I was more active and successfully
pursued many opportunities to show.

Before you approach a specific gallery, carefully consider what they show
there. Does your subject matter and style match what they promote and show?
If not, you may be wasting your time. My photographs are primarily nature
and landscape. I had great success with galleries in nature centers and
environmental education centers at county and state parks, etc.... One of
my best shows was at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey,
hanging photographs taken in the refuge over a period of years. Huge
positive response, great reviews in local papers, and good sales.

There are lots of opportunities to show. Approach local restaurants. Many
will gladly have you hang your work there. Free art/decor for them, great
exposure and potential sales for you. Outdoor art shows can be a lot of fun
and many offer very attractive cash awards for 'best of' in your category,
not to mention the chance for sales. The local library, airport, town hall
lobby, internet galleries, etc.... The possibilities are endless. You'll
need to be a relentless self-promoter with a big sales/marketing push to
really make it a full time career. You'll need a thick skin and be able to
brush off rejection.

It sounds like the Bratislava gallery owner really doesn't understand or
appreciate alt photography. That's not unusual. Most people really don't
care how the print is made, it's the image that counts. If you love what
you're doing, that will show in your work, and success will follow.

Best regards,
Dave Rose
Powell, Wyoming
http://www.alternativephotography.com/artists/dave_rose.html

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Mocak" <kate_mocak@zoznam.sk>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 1:53 PM
Subject: First gallery ' experience'

Finally I picked up all my courage and showed my alternative prints (gums
and gums over cyanotype) to the owner of the gallery specialized to
photography ("Central European House of Photography" in Bratislava). The
response I got was approximately as follows: he didn't see any added value
in doing 19th century processes in the 21st century. They are obsolete. He
didn't see any 'author's statement' in photographing industrial architecture
because this topic was fully exhausted in the 70s and 80s. On top of that,
what on earth is the reason to combine old processes with industrial
architecture. Etc, etc...

I can accept the fact that my photography lacks the 'author's statement'.
(Even though until now nobody has been able to explain to me what exactly it
is.) But saying that alternative processes and pictorialistic photographs
have nothing to tell to the today's audience is a bit 'too strong coffee' as
we say here.

I'm frustrated and have to sleep on it. Just wanted to share this experience
with you. Hopefully there are other parts of the world where we are not
regarded as retarded.

Kate
Received on Wed Feb 8 21:51:25 2006