Why open an art gallery now?

Art fairs, though undergoing something of a shakeup, are proof that the art industry remains relentlessly event driven. Nonetheless, emerging dealers say they are being more selective about the fairs they do, with rising costs a consideration. For some, though, fairs have been a lifeline. CYLINDER was founded in Seoul in 2020, initially as an artist studio. It was ‘serendipitously’ participating in a new alternative art fair called The Preview that catapulted CYLINDER to the status of gallery, says its founder Dooyong Ro. ‘It gave me some vision, which was small back then, but has now grown into a big one,’ Ro says.

Virtual salerooms flourished but died back somewhat after the pandemic. Indeed, for most emerging dealers, having a physical space is still paramount. New York’s Mama Projects launched just before the pandemic as a nomadic enterprise. Founder Berto Santana would organize pop-ups in spaces around Manhattan, with shows often only lasting a few days. Earlier this year, he found a permanent space in Chelsea, famed for its cluster of galleries. ‘I’m on the outskirts of Chelsea, and on the sixth floor. I know my limitations – but on the flipside, those limitations allow me to take more risks,’ Santana says.

The gallerist notes how, at 130 m², his new space is just big enough ‘to bring the program to life.’ He adds: ‘The gallery is reasonable enough in terms of costs that I can put on a show, sell a couple of works, and move onto the next. Each one brings me to a better place in terms of learning how nimbly I can pivot.’ With collectors based in China, Germany, Spain, and Brazil, Santana estimates that more than half of his business now comes via online channels.