I am asked a lot why some artists work sells quickly. People entering the gallery always say, "What are the hearts about." We use hearts to indicate a painting is sold.
Art exhibitions can experience varying sales dynamics, with some selling out before opening and others finding buyers over time. Mia Bergeron's upcoming solo show, "Book of Hours," exemplifies the former, with only three paintings remaining unsold (and there is a nibble on one of them right now) before its opening this Friday.
Pre-opening sell-outs, while indicative of strong interest, aren't the sole measure of an exhibition's success. Several factors influence this phenomenon:
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Exclusivity and Anticipation: Artists who haven't exhibited recently may generate heightened anticipation, leading collectors to secure pieces early.
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Pricing Strategy: Affordable pricing can make artworks more accessible, encouraging quicker sales.
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Market Trends: Current collector interests and market demand can significantly impact sales velocity.
Conversely, some exhibitions see steady sales over time. For instance, during New York Art Week 2024, many collectors preferred viewing artworks in person before purchasing, leading to more gradual sales.
Our artists have a solo or duet show every two years (ideally). We have a smaller rooster of in-house painters for just his reason. There is something about a whole body of work that creates excitement, especially if it's been two years since the last show. However, I like to remind our artists that they just brought us a body of work that took them months and months to make, please be patient with giving us time to find homes for the pieces. Although, I want every show to be sold out, I also want a gallery full of amazing paintings to sell over the year.
I know a good painting when I see it and if it doesn't sell immediately, I have confidence that it will. I'll give one final example. Our artist JB Boyd made a huge 8' marsh painting once. Typically his pieces sell rather quickly, however, this painting was around for years and years but I loved it because the quality of the work was so evident that it elevate the entire gallery. The person who finally bought it was seeing it for the first time and loved it - so it was new to them.
In essence, while a sold-out show before opening is commendable, it's not the sole indicator of success. Both immediate and gradual sales reflect the diverse ways art resonates with audiences and collectors.
Click here to see Mia's show and hopefully by the time you do it will be sold out: CLICK
