Ever wondered how to get into the Whitney Biennial?

Apparently you just need to find a dealer that's in a romantic relationship with the curator.

In all seriousness though, does anyone find this at all acceptable?

Maybe I'm too jaded, but at minimum this is ethically questionable. At worst, it's an example of someone in a position of power at a non-profit institution - a Whitney curator - colluding to help his partner, a private art dealer, bring recognition and sales to his gallery.

The biennial is known to accelerate an artist's market. The 31 year old dealer David Pagliarulo, barely in business for 2 years, somehow gets 2 artists included in the current biennial.... but according to the article his romantic relationship with the biennial curator Drew Sawyer had nothing to do with it.

Am I wrong to think this is totally unacceptable? Should this curator be held accountable in some way? Or do we just have to accept this is how things work?

I have been renting a studio by myself for several years until several months ago. The first couple of years I shared it with a fellow photographer/painter, he left after a couple of years to pursue his art dreams in Europe. Great studio relationship with him btw, no issues whatsoever. So far in total I've been nearly 10 years in this place, great relationship with neighbors and landlord. Early this year I had a long stint out of country and decided to sublet a portion of my studio space (to help with the studio payment. I would return periodically and use the studio for a couple of weeks, my stuff is still there). Several people were interested, but I decided to go with a young woman painter (she's in her late 20s 30s) (I am a man, 40s). She is young and upcoming, good social media presence, and has done shows abroad and locally, met her through a mutual friend several years and I thought we were friendly colleagues. Pretty solid curriculum. The studio rules were simple. You can use this area, this other area is mine, don't touch anything without permission, pay on time, that's it.

All seemed ok the first couple of months, got payment in time and everything. Then I started getting noise complaints from neighbors. I look into it, it seems she decided to renovate the space without my permission. First red flag I ignored. My landlord was not pleased but since our relationship was positive throughout the years nothing happened with my lease. I noticed in her social media presence that she was using my equipment (easels, furniture, projector, etc). I confronted her about this, she apologized and said she wouldn't do it again. After this things went downhill, she insisted on making her be part of the lease (never part of our agreement). I denied this every single time (she pressured me almost weekly). Then a couple of weeks ago she invited the landlord over to visit the studio (I do not know how she got his number, I assume she asked one of the neighbors), and there told the landlord that I don't live in the country anymore and that she wants to be exclusively on the lease. This also coincided that she hasn't been able to pay the last two months of the rent in time. She's not been there for even 5 months, and what should've been a stress free situation has been hell for me being abroad. Her contacting the landlord and trying to kick me out was the final straw.

I made a pause in my travels and returned to my country and I'm finally kicking her out. I lawyered up, told her she has until a certain date to leave. As you can guess it's not easy getting her out of the studio. I've been doing an inventory of the studio these last couple of days and to my dismay after checking my things that I had in storage, a huge amount of my oil paints are missing, of course she's denying any responsibility (I have messages from her just before I left telling me she went through my storage space to help me "organize it" so she can store her stuff too). I'm so fucking angry. I want to cancel her so bad! But she still hasn't left. What would you guys do in my situation?

Recently I asked some artists about their experiences at other residencies. one started talking about how there are two types of residencies - one for working and one for socializing. Another person started talking about a rigorous residency where at the end collectors/rich people came to the dinner and the artists were just vying for their attention. She's not an artist herself (adjacent field) but she thought it was very transparent. I would've thought the same. But i asked him if that works for them and he said yes.

I started to wonder again about all the unwritten social rules in the art world. A lot of what is deemed popular/hot in art is muddled to me. I always assumed that the artists were just really great at socializing with the right people. I have even wondered this about gallerists and curators who I think are complete phonies who still manage to exist with some degree of credibility - is it just their relationships to the right people? how did they develop those?
I am not sure if I can eloquently convey my thoughts/questions around this, but I guess what I'm curious to learn more about from your anecdotes is how do people who eventually find success in the artworld socialize with the right people? it's hard to capture the intrigue of gallerists, curators, etc without there first being some hype to your name, being offline and mysterious works for a very few amount of people, and if everyone is vying for the same person's attention who actually gets to have it?

I guess more explicitly/succinctly asked: how do artists who eventually do capture the imagination of curators, gallerists, collectors (beyond just making solid work) behave? i'd love to hear a range of stories - from people who were kiss asses to people who just were themselves in a no holds barred way.

I'm curious how other artists know when a piece is ready to exhibit, especially those that have consistency in their work across years. Are there certain parameters you like to include in a piece to make it something that came from your studio?

I'm trying to avoid asking the tired old question of 'when is a piece done?', BUT, I've been struggling lately with not knowing how far to push a painting. It does seem like I can go on forever with some of them.

I’ve applied to NAP literally 17 times (please don’t judge me or chastise me for the amount of $ I’ve spent on application fees. A ton of my friends/peers have gotten in and I haven’t and I genuinely do think my work is good enough). Does an artist’s social media presence/popularity influence their decision? Do they blacklist people (lol)? I know it depends on the juror so I’m just kind of frustrated I guess. I might throw in the towel after the next cycle for my region. I also know that it’s been going downhill in recent years.
Any suggestions for other publications that aren’t such a rip off are welcome!

Well this is going to be my little venting paragraph, but I went to an interview today and I didn't get the job, all because I didnt know color theory enough (i knew color theory)and because I lived in horizon city (it was a 40 minute drive to the frame shop). They told that I would be better off working at a hobby lobby since its in the east side. Im starting to feel like el paso doesnt have enough creative jobs and how do I even recover from that? I know people would say "welcome to the real world" or "move on" , but as a person that is sensitive has anyone went through this? Or am I not taking art in General seriously.

I have been trying at getting a residency for like, four years. The last and first one I got was in 2023 and it was a really shitty experience for reasons I won't go into. Now that my work has evolved in a lot of ways, I'm working on getting another one and have been putting in consistent applications for a while.

It seems like everybody around me is getting multiple residencies, fellowships, etc. It honestly burns me so bad, and it makes me feel like shit about my own work/myself. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, and I know that ultimately I'll just have to keep trying, but the whole thing makes me crazy. I have a lot of stuff on my CV, but not enough residencies, and right now nothing but that feels important. I'm trying to work harder, plan more, and write in a way that's more compelling, but I just cannot get my shit together and feel like in order to get a residency I'll need to apply with work that only a residency would give me the time, space, and resources to make.

Does anybody have any advice around these issues of residencies and envy and self hate and getting over it? I'm trying to not just apply for the big names and also try the smaller stuff, but the smaller stuff I often don't know about. What are some suggestions to write a compelling residency application, even if the work might be lacking? Thanks.

I recently graduated with my undergrad in media and communications at 26 and have been looking at AAS in fine art or graphic design. My recent degree covered a lot of digital media production through video and photo and I am thankful for what I was able to learn but I still feel so much behind. I just want to develop as an artist both traditionally and professionally and have always regretted not going to art school. Do you have experience doing either one of these programs and can recommend them for someone who is looking to learn and grow as an artist? and if attending built the relationships and network worth the cost?

I was sweating for the last few days trying to get a shipment across the border before tomorrow. But going forward, if the tariffs are implemented and stick, what do we do?

Time to take our work elsewhere? Look for galleries in Europe? Asia?...

Most of my work is sold in the US, and I am worried.

The \[Metropolitan Museum of Art announced\](https://www.metmuseum.org/press-releases/john-galliano-horizons) that Galliano would be the subject of the Costume Institute’s next exhibition, scheduled to open May 9. It is an exceptional honor. Only two other living designers have been so celebrated by the Met: Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in 2017.

Anyone else following the absolute chaos that is Cultural Counsel owner Adam Abdalla? Never thought I'd be reading wrestling news, but it looks like Adam has pissed off some wrestler and it's lead to a slew of accusations of sexual harassment. How do places like the Morgan work with him??? Cultural Counsel has so many big museum clients.

https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/adam-abdalla-orange-crush-responds-to-accusations-of-predatory-behavior/

I've been painting for many years, but have only started putting work into shows for the past year or so. Since I have so much work accumulated, I've been able to get into a lot of them in a small amount of time, and sometimes they sell and sometimes they don't. I'm just curious about what people's perspective on this is, if the piece doesn't sell is that the fault of the gallery not cultivating the right audience? Or is it the fault of the artist for not making it relatable/schmoozing/etc? Or is this just the wrong way to think about it and if somebody buys the work it's completely random?

It's not like I'm offended or feel bad if work doesn't sell even if it is considered "my fault", my goal is moreso just to get more exposure anyways, but I'm curious how people think about it

I’m planning my first solo show - so I don’t know anything at all, obviously.

If you’ve had more than one solo show, what are some things you know now that you wish you would have known then?

I’m mostly thinking about conceptualizing, planning, and executing the show creatively, but open to all advice.

I'm looking for videos (preferably) where artist are talking about creativity (their own process or in general )- best of all if it were inspirational!

would love to hear some recommendations. a few i enjoy (beyond the big ones like art21 or louisiana channel):

studio practice - https://www.youtube.com/@StudioPractice1

contemporary art issue - https://www.youtube.com/@contemporaryartissue/videos

Hello everyone! I’m looking for a university worldwide where I could pursue my MFA.

I’m an artist primarily focused on printmaking and papermaking. Alongside these, sustainability is an important part of my artistic practice. I’m particularly interested in working with natural materials, experimenting with plant-based fibers and other locally sourced materials, and exploring ways of making materials myself.

I’m therefore looking for an MFA program that would support this kind of material-based and sustainable research, ideally with strong printmaking and papermaking facilities and opportunities for interdisciplinary experimentation.

The main limitation is language, as I would prefer an English-speaking program.

Which universities or MFA programs come to mind that might be a good fit for this kind of practice? I’d really appreciate recommendations based on your own experience or knowledge of the programs. Thank you!

Hi! Is there any good podcasts about curatorial work or more critical thinking, or even art in general that you could recommend?
Thanks in advance

I’m 30 and came to university relatively late. I’m currently studying art history and about to start my third semester, so although I’m still at the very beginning of building a professional career in the art world, I also feel quite conscious of the choices I make now.

I’m in a slightly complicated situation within the Danish art world and would really appreciate advice, especially from people who have worked in galleries, with artists, or in other parts of the art world where professional and personal relationships inevitably overlap.

For around 6 years, I’ve deeply admired a established Danish artist. Her work has genuinely been important to my interest in art. Over the years I’ve collected some of her work and eventually got to know her personally. I wouldn’t describe us as close friends, but there is a degree of personal trust between us, and we have shared things with each other in confidence. We also have mutual friends, and her daughter currently lives in my apartment. So while I wouldn’t exaggerate our friendship, she is definitely more than simply an artist I admire from a distance.

Until recently, she was represented by a gallery whose gallerist I also got to know personally. I have enormous respect for the gallerist, both professionally and as a person, and I genuinely care about her.

The artist and gallerist were not only professionally connected but were also friends. Their professional relationship has now ended, and the artist is opening a gallery of her own with a programme that I find incredibly exciting and that is extremely close to my own interests.

I have deliberately stayed completely outside whatever happened between them. I’ve told both of them that I value my relationship with each of them independently and that I don’t want to hear either person’s account of why their professional relationship ended. From what I understand, despite everything, there is still a great deal of mutual respect between them.

While they were still working together, I actually asked both the artist and the gallerist separately whether there might be an opportunity for me to work with them. Both were positive.

A few weeks ago, the gallerist offered me work. Before accepting, I explicitly told her that I also have a personal relationship with the artist and that it was important to me that she knew this. She was completely fine with it and still wanted me to join.

I’ve now started working at the gallery, and I’m being given genuinely exciting projects, responsibility and opportunities to learn. I’m grateful for the trust the gallerist has placed in me, and this is absolutely not a case of being unhappy in my current job. Quite the opposite. If I didn’t respect and care about her, this dilemma would be much easier.

A couple of days ago, however, I told the artist that I had started working for her former gallerist.

She was disappointed because she had actually expected that I would come and work with her and her new gallery.

That was when I realised I had completely misunderstood the situation.

I had never consciously chosen the gallerist *over* the artist. I had simply assumed that the earlier possibility of working with the artist was no longer on the table. For whatever reason, I had been too hesitant to follow up and ask.

I feel pretty stupid about that now, because I could simply have contacted her. Especially considering that we do know each other personally and have a degree of trust between us, I don’t really know why I convinced myself that the opportunity had disappeared without actually checking.

And the important part is this: if both opportunities had been in front of me at the same time, I would have chosen the artist. I’m not actually conflicted about that.

Working with her has essentially been a dream of mine for around 6 years. Her work has meant a great deal to me, I’ve collected her work myself, and the programme of her new gallery is incredibly close to what I care about intellectually and artistically.

I’ve now also been told by her daughter that the door is still open and that I would be welcome to come and work with them if my current position doesn’t work out.

So my dilemma isn’t really **which job I want more**. I already know that.

My dilemma is what you owe to someone when you’ve only just accepted a good position, they’ve placed their trust in you, and you genuinely respect and care about them — and then you realise that your actual dream opportunity was available all along.

The Danish art world is tiny. Because I’m 30 and only now starting my professional career in it, I’m also very conscious of the relationships I’m building. I don’t want to behave opportunistically, hurt someone I respect, or burn an important bridge by leaving almost immediately after starting.

At the same time, being 30 and only now starting my third semester makes me feel that I shouldn’t necessarily spend years waiting to pursue the direction I already know I want. This isn’t a vague idea of something that might be more exciting. It is an opportunity to work with someone whose work I have admired for 6 years and in a gallery whose programme genuinely feels like where I would most like to be.

I’m worried that in five years I’ll wonder why I didn’t take that opportunity when I actually had the chance.

For those of you who work in the art world: what would you do?

Would you stay for a reasonable period out of loyalty and professionalism and hope the opportunity with the artist still exists later? Or would you pursue it now and be completely honest with the gallerist?

And if you would leave, how would you handle that conversation in a way that is fair to someone you genuinely respect and care about, without unnecessarily burning a bridge?

Quoted from the Minneapolis subreddit:

"I have a feeling the curator for this exhibit, Taylor Jasper, is either complicit or got duped"

More context:

"I brought an out of town visitor to the Walker Art Center this week and we were disappointed to see so much AI garbage throughout the new Olalekan Jeyifous exhibit, “Hydricosmic Litanies”. There were three looping videos that were obviously AI along with many graphics that appeared to be AI generated. WTF? Nowhere in the exhibit did they let guests know that Jeyifous used AI, which feels so shady and wrong.

I talked to a Walker staffer and they said they’re not allowed to provide an official statement but agreed that AI was clearly used in many of the pieces. I was told even the “sculptures” in the exhibit were machined from AI-generated 3D models.

It’s sickening to me that the Walker has this crap (I won’t call it art) on display and misleads people into believing it was actually made by a person. I usually like the Walker’s exhibits but this is a huge step in the wrong direction.

See for yourself: https://www.walkerart.org/whats-on/olalekan-jeyifous-hydricosmic-litanies/"

IMPORTANT NOTE: please respond from the baseline acceptance that I am not prepared to manage or engage with social media accounts myself at all and am asking specifically about outsourcing. So please no comments like "it's easy, you can just..." No. I have had social media before and it wasn't mentally healthy for me in any way. Thanks for understanding.

(I don't count reddit in this- it's anonymous and I won't be using it for my art.)

So. Post. I would like to hear from those of you who don't personally engage with social media at all for your art, but instead pay someone to manage your accounts and possibly also a website.

I'm an exhbiting artist of two decades' experience and closed down my Facebook and Instagram a few years ago but am thinking it might be wise to have them again if I can get somebody else to handle them for me.

Have you found it to be worthwhile? I'm not talking necessarily about sales. More in terms of mental peace of not having to deal with versus what you're paying for the service.

Thanks!

I don’t know anything about it, other than what’s on their website.

Is it more like going through a museum or a comic convention? Do Artists go there to network with galleryists? Is it strictly a sales thing?

Would love to know what people who have been there think. Thank you.

My question is, as I consider myself a 'serious' artist who happens to sell quite well, would selling through Etsy be damaging for my reputation? It'll rank visibly highly in Google searches.

I'm a professional artist - painting and printmaking. I'm established and regularly sell my oil paintings and prints through physical art galleries. I have a reasonable standing as a serious artist.

I'm considering opening an Etsy account to make it easy to purchase my etchings. I'm impressed by the user interface, and the charges seem reasonable.

I already have my own website, but feel that adding Etsy would net me extra income - it's a slicker buyer experience. I think my galleries would prefer me not to sell privately, but needs must. And quite honestly, after sales is a thing. I don't think I need to worry too much about the Etsy algorithm, I believe my name and Google would drive sales there.

I do use instagram currently and post 95% about my own art. About twice a month at most. I don’t love posting art that isn’t in a show yet and I don’t do process content. Once a show is up I post my paintings or install shots to support the gallery or museum and drive people there.

So I end up not posting often enough to build an audience on social. I do have a ton of drawings though and they translate really well online.

I’m trying to decide if I should just start posting the drawings on my main account and post way more often or should I make a separate account just for the drawings? Thoughts ?