BY Alan Bamberger - originally published in Coagula Issue #81, June 2006
I’m amazed at how many artists completely disregard their openings.
They spend weeks, months, or years creating the art, but not ten minutes reflecting on how they’ll present themselves at its public debut. They show up, stand around, smile, chit chat, schmooze with friends, sip wine, shake hands, respond, react, go home, and forget about it. What don’t they do? Prepare with purpose.
The number one rule of art opening protocol is to BE THERE from the opening bell to the closing clink. If you have to leave, for whatever reason, tell whoever’s in charge where you’re going, how long you’ll be gone, and when you’ll be back. This way, people who want to meet you know exactly how long they have to wait. You see, anyone can show up at anytime with any agenda, and your duty is to be available or accounted for 100% of the time. Better yet, unless it’s an emergency, stick around. Remember, we’re talking hours, not days.
Now that you’re there, make yourself available, especially to people you don’t know.
Keep the traffic moving; keep conversations simple and answers brief; keep the potential buyer pool as large as possible. Speak in everyday language that anyone can understand. Best procedure is to answer all questions in thirty seconds or less. If someone wants to hear your life story, tell it later, after the show.
Pay attention to everyone you talk to; make sure they understand what you’re saying. Most importantly, avoid the tendency to be argumentative or to correct anyone who misinterprets your art or sees it differently than you do.
Walk up and introduce yourself to anyone who’s actively scoping your art, your resume, your statement, or your price list. Remember, all kinds of people want to talk to you for all kinds of reasons, but MANY ARE AFRAID TO ASK.
You see, people spook easy around art. Sure, they love it and want to own it– everybody does– but as soon as they don’t understand something or feel the least bit confused or uncomfortable, they run the other way. Keep it simple right from the start, because that’s how we like it. Simple. We’re at an art opening sipping wine and being chic, not at a postgraduate seminar. Remember?
As for the curators, critics, reporters, bloggers, photographers, and
videographers, no matter how insignificant their publications or websites or how much you disagree with their views, give them absolutely everything they ask for. You want reviews, so know your players and chat them up. Publicity is always good, no matter where it appears or what it says; every time someone writes about your art, that means your art’s worth writing about.
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