GALL GALLERIES

Succeeding in the art world is not easy,with many crooks around keeping the cream of good talent out of focus. It takes persistence,lot's of homework,shrewd thinking,but most of all fearlessness.Take all comers head on!

Yes every industry adores the proverbial spoon,who cap in hand stoops in genuflection

to the powers that be,so that he may be included into their mafia of unscrupoluos elements.Every day foolish artists in all sincerity send out Bio's,Artist statements and Jpeg's of their works to countless galleries.But what happen's? These posts land up faithfully in the trash bin,without even being read.

Which gallerist has got the time to go through some poor artists portfolio.And in any case,what would he/she learn from it? When he in all probability knows nothing about art him/herself.

Don't fool yourself,I have yet to meet a genuine gallerist! One who is willing to take the

risk on an artist,hell or high water.Beleive me, there are none to be found anywhere in this world.

Every gallerist's first thought is money.And artists and collectors too are smart,don't think

they're anything less.The gallerist begins to eye an upcoming artist,who on his own did the dirty work to get to this stage.He looks like the fattened sheep for the killing and they jump on.Frantic arangements are made to print brochures, get a curator and of course some noted character to set the ball rolling and light the lamp.All those gathered are treated to some

wafers,stale samosas and 40-50 ml of some carbonated beverage.Everybodys feeling nice and cosy admiring the works of the so called century's new find.Oh if it was only so!

Now comes the truth! Most of the people gathered here are just there for the heck,not will they buy one work,not even one speck.But if they like something,they'll pick up the artists card,that's if the poor guy has one,and call him later to buy his work.After all why part with

40%extra to the gallery for nothing?From there on the artist enters into a totally primary market,

wherein he is content to sell directly to buyers.There is no gallerist who is able to maintain

a relationship with an artist over an extended period of time.After all give me one good reason as to why this artist should be loyal to the gallerist,when the gallerist waited for him to get to a saleable stage to pick him up? So obviously the gallerist is hunting money,not art or an artist.Put more simply,into the art of business,not into the business of art.Most of the works they keep pushing on their walls have been lying unsold for ages,looking for some sucker to fall in love with them.

A curator from the Tate in London gave me this piece of advice.Never buy an artwork from a gallerist that is more than three months old,it means the work is useless and has found no takers.If you buy it?The gallerist would have succeeded in finding his fall guy.

There was a time in my life when I was a notorious investigator,working undercover for such greats as the FBI,Scotland Yard and Interpol,also doing work for top domestic outfits,and this was during mid 90's,so seeing through some charlation and his gimmicks

doesn't call for being a genius,especially for me.

Until next time,

PRINCE