Showing posts with label market ups and downs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label market ups and downs. Show all posts

Friday, December 11, 2009

Follow-up: Galleries closed since '08, and some that have opened


As a follow-up to the NOW 2000s art trends article I posted about yesterday--particularly the point on the effect of market ups and downs on our local scene--I just wanted to list the Toronto galleries I know of that have closed since 2008, or that are soon to close their spaces.

I should also note that number of these have promised a "transformation" into more of a consultancy or showing-from-home-office scenario, but the spaces themselves have closed, or are about to.

Artcore Fabrice Marcolini
Sandra Ainsley Gallery
Greener Pastures
Akau
Beckett Fine Art
Keep Six Contemporary
Paul Bright Gallery
Craig Scott Gallery
Tinku
List Gallery
Switch Contemporary

I'm listing these just as information--no judgment, people. I have zero skill or experience in the commercial gallery realm, so I'm pretty much always impressed with people who (a) are willing to give it a go and (b) are willing to risk their livelihoods/pay the rent for it.

(I'll also just note, out of Toronto, that Vancouver's Lawrence Eng Gallery has officially closed. They showed some artists I enjoy and who I hope get picked up elsewhere.)

Interestingly, one of the main Toronto gallery launches this season was Circuit Gallery -- a gallery that has ixnayed gallery-rental fees from its budget completely and gone all online/consultancy to begin with. I'm guessing this will be an increasing model for the future. Even though the auctions this season have clearly shown that some folks are still willing to pay big money for art, it's a challenge, I'd bet, to develop and maintain relationships with those kinds of buyers, especially for new gallerists featuring relatively unknown artists.

Image from Chicago Now

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