Four Artists Exhibited in a Gallery are Simultaneously Reviewed by New York Museums This Season, Which Raises Concerns.

Four Artists Exhibited in a Gallery are Simultaneously Reviewed by New York Museums This Season, Which Raises Concerns.

There is a growing concern that museums may be paying too much attention to the gallery Hauser & With's roster, as a report by The Art Newspaper in 2015 revealed that Gagosian, Pace, Marian Goodman, David Zwirner, and Hauser & Wirth represented the artists behind nearly one third of all museum shows in the US.

This dynamic significantly shapes the art world, as galleries act as gatekeepers and intermediaries, promoting artists within market trends, which museums then reflect in their exhibitions and collections. However, this relationship raises questions about the representation of artists of color, queer artists, and women artists.

A Symbiotic Relationship

Galleries and artists rely on each other. Galleries seek commercially viable artists aligned with market trends, while artists need gallery support for financial survival and visibility. Museums, in turn, often acquire works or exhibit artists who have been validated by strong gallery representation, reinforcing these market-driven selections.

Access and Inclusion

Some galleries foster inclusive communities and support diverse artists through open submissions and community-oriented approaches, expanding opportunities for underrepresented artists. For example, some galleries volunteer efforts to support artists from marginalized communities or regions less connected to the global art scene, thereby facilitating museum exposure indirectly.

Curatorial Choices and Exhibitions

Museums curate exhibitions that reflect their relationships with galleries and art market trends, which can limit or enhance representation. Thoughtful exhibitions like The First Homosexuals (featuring 125 queer artists from 40 countries) show how museums can honor queer identities and histories with care and intention, often relying on loans from galleries and private collections to assemble such narratives.

Highlighting Marginalized Artists

Certain museum exhibitions, such as Soul of a Nation focusing on Black artists of the Black Power era, demonstrate proactive institutional efforts to foreground historically marginalized artists. These efforts depend on collaborative networks between museums, galleries, and artists, amplifying voices often overlooked by mainstream market dynamics.

Challenges Remain

Despite increasing awareness, galleries’ and museums’ reliance on market logic and existing power structures can still perpetuate inequities. Economic gatekeeping through gallery representation means many artists—especially women, queer artists, and artists of color without strong gallery support—struggle to gain museum visibility. Galleries that diversify their roles to include production support, archive management, and digital content can somewhat mitigate these hurdles, expanding opportunities beyond traditional sales-driven models.

The Power of Hauser & Wirth

All of these artists are represented by Hauser & Wirth, one of the world's biggest galleries. The gallery is a well-oiled, well-capitalized, sprawling operation with 17 galleries worldwide and over 100 artists and estates in its stable. However, the issue is not that these artists are middling talents whose recognition has been buoyed by the market alone, but that a single gallery's program now gives the appearance of having birthed an entire slate of museum exhibitions.

The Need for Change

The public and the art world are demanding change when it comes to what kind of art gets shown, with a greater emphasis on artists of color, queer artists, and women artists. To join Hauser & Wirth's roster is to effectively make it into the big leagues. However, museums like MoMA are advised to take a risk on a retrospective for an artist like Yahuarcani, despite the lack of a major gallery representation.

For instance, Emily Karaka, a Māori painter, got her first retrospective last year at the Sharjah Art Foundation, despite not having a major gallery. Similarly, Santiago Yahuarcani's 2022 painting Cosmovisión Huitoto, done on llanchama bark, is on view at MoMA, but a retrospective for Yahuarcani is unlikely due to his lack of representation by a major gallery.

Notable Exhibitions

The exhibition of Jack Whitten at the Museum of Modern Art is noted as being one of the best shows the museum has seen in quite some time. Lorna Simpson is known primarily as a photographer, but she is worthy of a show like the one opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is expected to prove her skills as a painter as well. Rashid Johnson's retrospective is due to expand our understanding of his oeuvre, which is often discussed only in terms of his "Anxious Men" paintings.

In conclusion, while galleries like Hauser & Wirth play a crucial role in the art world, it is essential for museums to maintain a balance and ensure a diverse representation of artists in their exhibitions and collections. The art world should continue to strive towards greater inclusivity and equal opportunities for all artists, regardless of their gallery representation.

[1] Halperin, Julia. "The Art Market's Powerful Galleries and the Art World They Shape." The Art Newspaper, 2015. [2] "The First Homosexuals." Museum of Modern Art, 2021. [3] "Soul of a Nation." Tate Modern, 2017. [4] "The First Homosexuals." The New York Times, 2021. [5] "The Art Market's Powerful Galleries and the Art World They Shape." The Art Newspaper, 2015.

1. Galleries like Hauser & Wirth hold significant influence in the art world, as their rosters can determine which artists receive museum representation and exposure.
2. Many galleries play a crucial role in promoting and supporting diverse artists, including those from marginalized communities and regions.
3. Museum curators often rely on galleries for validation of artists and artworks, shaping the exhibitions and collections within museums.
4. Exhibitions such as The First Homosexuals showcase the importance of museums in honoring and elevating the voices of marginalized artists, often with assistance from galleries and private collections.
5. Soul of a Nation is an example of a proactive institutional effort to foreground historically marginalized artists, highlighting the need for collaboration among museums, galleries, and artists.
6. The reliance on market trends and existing power structures can perpetuate inequalities, with artists of color, queer artists, and women artists often struggling to gain museum visibility due to a lack of strong gallery support.
7. The art market and galleries that diversify their roles can help amplify and provide opportunities for artists overlooked by traditional sales-driven models.
8. Museums, such as MoMA, must take risks and champion underrepresented artists, like Yahuarcani, who may lack major gallery representation but deserve recognition and retrospectives in the art world.

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