Galleries and Museums/The Business of Art

Mike Giant discusses his experiences in the fine art world as well as how to navigate it. Topics discussed include: Agree, Futura, graffiti writers moving into galleries, art “investors”, 1991 Albuquerque Museum mural show, connector photos, reasons to work with a gallery, stable of collectors, trusting in value, Sharpies, 50/50 split, galleries responsibilities, no sell early shows, exclusivity, taking advantage of opportunities versus remaining loyal, Twist, dealing with museums, museums buying art for their permanent collections, getting graffiti in Juxtapoz, Damon Soule, selling artwork in upscale hair salons in the late 1990s, FecalFace, Sketch show at Juice in 2000, downside of galleries owned by wealthy people, ask galleries for references, better percentage of sales at alternative spaces, The Lab show in Baltimore, first solo show (San Jose, 2001), Bob Schmeltzer, WDWA show (Brooklyn, 2002), The Vandal Squad, BEAMS/Upper Playground in Tokyo with Bigfoot and Sam Flores, 5024SF Gallery, Matt Revelli, unpaid show in Denver with Andy Howell and Sam Flores (2002), 55DSL in NYC, MOCADC (2003), pill poppin, group shows, Misanthropy Gallery in Vancouver (2004), Sight, artist-run galleries, 111 Minna Gallery (SF, 2004), Doze Green, Show with Shepard Fairey at Voice1156 Gallery (San Diego, 2005), infamous gang fight, solo show at The Erotic Museum (LA), The Yoga Series, solo show at Nomad in Toronto, first show in Paris (Royal Cheese, 2005), solo show at Lab101 Gallery (LA), solo show at Colette (Paris, 2006), Karl Lagerfeld, Sarah, Fafi, Las Chicas de Burque series, solo show at Best (London), extending stays overseas, Hysteric Glamour group show (Hong Kong, 2006), White Walls Gallery, Andres Guerrero, Justin Giarla, Outre Gallery, solo show at Magda Danysz Gallery (Paris, 2007), three openings (VIPs, collectors, public), Drago Publishing, group show at Iguapop Gallery (Barcelona), getting paid by overseas galleries, solo shows in Australia (2007), solo show at White Walls (2008), solo show at Guerrero Gallery (2010), solo shows at FFDG (2012-16), solo shows at Black Book Gallery (Denver, 2014-17), solo show at ATAK (SF, 2016/17), Inner State Gallery (Detroit, 2016), 6x6’ drawing, online store created (2017), ease of selling work online, getting full value of work sold, difficulty in shopping your work to galleries, using galleries to grow the value of your work, Paris auction, JonOne, accumulation of money vs. freedom, the power of Instagram, withholding a gallery’s access to your social media following, BONUS: botched show at Magda Danysz Gallery (Paris, 2009).