Why Nomadic Galleries Are Popping Up Everywhere | Art

What do we think of when we think of art galleries? Wide walls, glass storage walls, and brick and mortar are considered. Galleries are often associated with there hang out How they present their place, as well as the art they display. Is it the white area of ​​the cube? A converted townhouse? Real estate agent?

In the post-pandemic art world, the concept of what it means to be a gallery has become more flexible. Many art businesses were forced to turn to online sales channels as the COVID-19 restrictions forced businesses and individuals to work from home. And many of the galleries that have made or witnessed that change have decided not to return to a business model that depends on a permanent, virtual space—hence, the rise of the art world of so-called “attitude” galleries.

In short, the nomadic center operates without a fixed location. Regardless of whether they rely on temporary spaces or online platforms to show art, these galleries are flexible and adapt to the art market around them, holding exhibitions and presenting works of art in changing situations and locations.

Nomadic galleries are on the rise. They are present at art festivals and world art seasons, appearing in international art galleries and local galleries. This rise makes sense, in a post-crisis environment where rising real estate prices around the world have made the idea of ​​a sustainable, long-term gallery space difficult. for newcomers.

“We’re pushing the message to other gallerists that this is a model that they should also consider,” said Storm Ascher, who founded her Los Angeles-based nomad project in 2018 as a 25 years old. “Sharing space is very important. for art dealers in general, so we don’t think of this as a competition. We see this as just a way to promote the artist.”

Here, we talk to five nomadic institutions about how they operate in the art world today and how they continue to thrive.

Along with the economic volatility that comes with not having a permanent location, nomadic galleries exist for a variety of reasons, including social moral considerations and pursue new display strategies.

For Ascher, entering the art world came with the question: “How can I participate in this without adding to the problems of the people who actually live in these places?” This principled awareness of the concerns of increasing overcrowding in urban centers as rents rise around the world – is the driving force behind Superposition, and the nomadic model in general. , who promotes commitment without moving.

Elsewhere, in Miami, Mayra Mejia and Aurelio Aguiló have built a homework, established in 2021 during Miami Art Week, with similar ideas about the community. “I wanted to do something that satisfies them, that’s interesting, that’s why our shows usually have strong programs around it,” said Aguiló. The gallery has a variety of online and pop-up exhibitions.

During individual exhibitions, Aguiló and Mejia aim to bring the public together with acts such as artist performances or film performances. “We are in places for a short time, and in that short time, we try to put in as much activity as possible to bring the public to be able to interact with art,” he added.

For young players like 28-year-old Cierra Britton, who launched her label in 2021, the nomadic genre offers a way to pursue their visions amid the economic instability. Without the capital to find a permanent place, Britton decided to set up a three-month temporary lease in New York’s SoHo at the age of 26, where he could begin to fulfill his vision of women of color sports, such as Jewel Ham or Kennedy Carter.

“When I started, I knew that this model would always be part-time credits so that I could do more committed shows and have a more committed program as I progressed as much as possible. possible because I was so young,” said Britton. “My show is mission-driven, and I didn’t want to continue to see women of color, women of color, as the underrepresented and underrepresented in our market.”

Economic pressures, the desire to change places, and the need to reach new people are driving this pressure on nomads and the internet.

The widespread adoption of digital technology has given media around the world the opportunity to use new collection systems. For Denise Allen of Experience Jamaique—an online platform dedicated to bringing Jamaican and Caribbean culture to Europe—this meant bridging the gap between the Swiss and European art markets by presenting Caribbean art, including Jamaican artists Nadine Anderson-Cheng and Stafford Schliefer, who. historically it has been underrepresented.

“I thought the safe way to start was to create an online gallery – because the costs of running a gallery are not that high. [expensive] like there’s a brick and mortar warehouse,” said Allen. “[The online model] allow the artist to find [viewership] beyond the area where they live in terms of reaching collectors, reaching art lovers, and having a broader view of the art world and interest in their art.”

Being online-first also allows these galleries to create a presence that helps promote where they appear. The team behind Barcelona-based Paradiso Images, consisting of artists Ryan Rivadeneyra and Natalia Roman, created their online collection in 2016 by selling their art online. Rivadeneyra said: “We didn’t have to rely on traditional galleries. “We wanted to find a way to participate in our way of interacting with the art market, and we found an oo online and through pop-ups and events,” he added, stressing that in general, this model is best suited for strengthening new close relationships with artists and the intended collector.

“In our experience as artists, having a show in a gallery doesn’t mean selling your art,” Roman said. So we were very focused on selling our art, and we wanted to get to the right place. We were sure that the online market would be the place, so we started building this museum step by step.

As galleries continue to accept online or temporary models, they are opening themselves up to different corners of the art market. Art exhibitions are one of the main ways in which this change has been recognized. At first, participating in major art fairs was an absurd idea for nomadic galleries like Superposition, due to the lack of a permanent address.

“The artwork was a big challenge because that was really a way for me to make focused posts on my own since we don’t have infinite space…[but] Art shows in the past would not accept gallery applications that did not have a permanent address,” Ascher recalled. However, the landscape has changed, and now Ascher notes, “Eventually they will [say]Your program has a track record. We’ll make an exception.’ Even two years ago, during the time of COVID, it would have been thought unthinkable. ”