You are in the business of aesthetics so there is NO WAY you can land/keep the job without looking the part. Don’t fret. You don’t have to be bombshell and you don’t have to go out and spend all your money on designer duds (right, as if you could afford those right now anyway!?!). The key is to look well groomed and to fit in. Just like the art they represent, all galleries have their own unique “look”. When you start your own gallery or are a director, you can bring your own unique style in but in your first gallery job the best idea is to fit in.
Making gross generalizations, I’ve found:
-Big name/Blue chip Chelsea galleries are very classic and clean (think Charlotte from SATC)
-Soho galleries – definitely edgier and trendier
-Midtown/Uptown galleries – Almost corporate
-Smaller, younger Chelsea galleries- almost a little hipster – but not full out Williamsburg
Obviously for your interview, you should go in looking classic and clean but once there spend some time looking at how everyone else is dressed. Gallery X, though a relatively young gallery, definitely carried the classic and clean vibe. Here are some basics that I stuck with:
-Pencil skirts with plain-ts or sheath dresses
-Pumps or ballet flats
-Nails always done
-Makeup at a very basic minimum. Just a flattering natural look.
-Hair always neat
-Statement jewellery (not too crazy-usually a large necklace and a cocktail ring)
-Little black dress at openings
This worked very well at Gallery X and has sort of become my life uniform. I jazz it up with accessories and stuff – but on the whole I keep it simple.
The accountant who worked at X once very nicely told me that I could write off “eyebrows” for my taxes because I “need it for this job”……I don’t know about that one – but the underlying sentiment holds: You are selling a visual product – you have to look like someone who has an eye for good looking things.
By the way: You won’t get the job on your looks alone – although front desk gallery positions are entry level, they are by no means easy to get. The few who do land the job are the whole package: knowledgeable about art, confident and easy to talk to, and … aesthetically pleasing.
Readers – this is the main reason I started this blog. When I was looking for gallery jobs I could not find ANYTHING online on how to prepare for an interview at a gallery.
All of these questions are REAL QUESTIONS that I was asked during my many, many interviews.
1. Tell me about yourself
Stay on target here: I am from x, went to college at y, have always loved art and majored in z. Since graduating I have worked at/interned at/have been working on x while applying for jobs. I love working in the art field and hope to one day have my own gallery. Throw in little extras here if you want – but keep this brief and ABOUT ART. No one wants to know about your parents divorce /your recent break up/sister’s wedding here.
2. When did you discover art?
Be honest. I bet the real answer is great.
3. Are you an artist?
I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again – I think you should say no to this one UNLESS it is clear that your interviewer is also an artist. You can say you dabble in it but it’s not your career. BUT if it truly truly is your career and you don’t want to hide that then please say that while you are an artist you also find it incredibly satisfying to assist other artists and organize and manage things. You need to convince them that you want the job for the job and not just cause you need money to support your art habit.
4. What artists do you like?
In an ideal world – at least one or two of the artists represented by this gallery are artists you like. And you’ve heard of them before. But if you have not – say you like a general style and that the work of artist x and y (represented by the gallery) is like the work of artists you like.
5. Had you heard of any of our artists?
The obvious answer to this question is yes….and hopefully you have heard of some of them – but if no I think you should be honest. I always was. If the answer is no, hide it in your response “Actually I hadn’t, but once I started looking through your artists – i was really taken by the work of x, y and z.”
6. What drew you to this position?
This is where it is CRUCIAL that you have done your research on the gallery. Talk about the artists, well curated exhibitions etc. If the posting was made anonymously talk about how you want to work in the art/gallery world and the listing looked like this job would give you the skills you need to succeed.
7. What are your career goals?
Hmmm – I think I will annoy some people here. But in my experience I have found that if you are interviewing at a gallery job you career goal should be along the lines of that: working with artists, owning your own gallery, etc. If this is not your objective don’t lie – just say you are still figuring it out but right now you think this is what you need. See answer to q3.
8. Tell me about your experience at x (x = your last job)
Stay honest and again brief BUT prepare this one ahead of time. It’s really easy to forget all the little things you did when you are on the spot. Say a couple of daily tasks but also talk about how the little things you did helped the greater cause of the business. You helped prepare for Fairs by working on the eblast and doing the mailings. Keep this positive. Don’t complain about your annoying co-worker. If you are changing fields explain why you are doing that. E.g. “The gallery did primarily secondary market sales and I want some experience with primary” or “The gallery represented a lot of deceased artists and I was to work with contemporary, living artists”.
9. What did you do at x?
See answer to q2. Keep this more specific to actual responsibilities.
10. What did the others do?
Again – stay on target: Director handled sales, Manager did x, Press Manager did y. If you had no idea how your boss spent his day: “I was not involved with the day of the director – but know that he handled all sales”
11. Well only y (certain responsibility at x) are relevant to this position …
Not really a questions but this was said to me while I was explaining what I did at my last job. I actually interrupted him and said, I can see how you would think that, but I actually think my experience doing x, y and z will make me good at this. I was pretty proud of the answer.
12. Have you ever been in a stressful situation at work? How did you handle it?
Ugh-this one stumped me. Readers I have to confess I gave the STUPIDEST ANSWER EVER!! I think I said something stupid like “I used to be in charge of this art club in college and during exam time people were being very lazy and not pitching in” ….oh god it was so dumb. I “handled it” by doing it myself. PLEASE think about this questions. It’s been asked a lot. Better response: I was part of a team that was curating and installing an exhibition and one of the team members was really not pulling her weight and it was causing a lot of stress between the group and so I spoke to her quietly-she was initially upset but then started doing her part more. The exhibition went well. Model answer = Team issue (make sure you don’t say something that makes you look completely inept like ‘I stepped on this artists’ painting once…’) you did something that helped solve it, it turned out well. Don’t try and make yourself look like Captain Planet. (He’s a hero)
13. What is your background/citizenship?
I think some people are offended by this question – I was not.
14. How fluent is your french? If we wrote a letter could you correct it?
Again – be honest. I said “No, but I can hold a conversation”. I would not be able to edit a formal letter in french – it’s best to be honest about those things.
15. What is your focus: primary market or secondary market?
I was asked this at a gallery that was def. only secondary market – I answered “I only have experience in primary market right now but would be very interested to learn how the secondary market works”.
16. Did you like growing up in z (z = your home town)?
Be honest and personable.
17. How much do you hope to make?
Don’t go crazy here. Entry level art jobs don’t make as much as your friend who’s a consultant. I think it is extremely hard in the art world to know what anyone else is making thus you never know how much you should be making. But in an effort to end this world of mystery: readers in my first full time gallery job I made $30,000 a year plus health benefits 1 month after I started working there. I found out later that that was sort of high for a starting job. I think it is good to say a number between $25k – $35k. But if you can, it’s best to give an answer that’s based in fact: E.g. “I made $x at my last job and am hoping to make more here” sounds better than a simple “$35k”. If this is your first job…do some research if you can, ask friends in the field and say “I’ve done some research and it seems like this level earns $x”. DON’T SAY THAT IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE THE RESEARCH. Got no idea? Do research.
18. How much did you make at your at x?
I was honest about this. Your call.
19. What are you weaknesses?
Another tricky one – think about this one before hand. Be honest: say something you think you need to work on but IMMEDIATELY follow up with how you are working on it. E.g. “I feel that my writing could be better but I am trying to improve that my reading art reviews in the New York Times and other mags and doing some fake write ups at home” Or “I feel like I could know more about contemporary art so I make sure I read all the new art mags”. Whatever you do don’t say that you are a perfectionist – that is SO LAME! And don’t bring up a personality flaw either , no “I am bad at handling stress” no one wants to hire someone who can’t handle stress – say a weakness that is easily strengthened.
20. Do you have any questions?
AGH the dreaded “do you have questions question”. I used to get really stressed out about this and try to think about questions the night before an interview and come up with winners like “How do you pick your artists”-ugh- but now that I am interviewing people myself I have realized that it is very obvious when someone has thought really hard about having a question. If you have a question ask it, if not say “Actually, no, you’ve explained everything really well.”
Congratulations! You were called/emailed and asked to come in for an interview. The hard part is done. What to do now:
1. Look clean and put together
This is not the time to wear your leopard print jumpsuit. You want to look like you can be a team player here – not stand out for your individuality. You are being hired to represent the brand not compete with it’s aesthetic. I always vote for pencil skirt, pumps, plain shirt, statement necklace and a cardigan. Add one element of you/quirkiness in there. After all, this is art not business but don’t overdo it.
2. Arrive WAY ahead of time
Being late to an interview is never a good idea, it doesn’t matter if there was a traffic jam or if the trains were backed up. All your interviewees will remember is that you were late. I always aim to get to an interview an hour ahead of time-naturally I started doing this after I was 10 minutes late for an interview because I couldn’t find a cab in time. Arrive way ahead of time, find a coffee shop, hang out there and calm your nerves.
3. Do your homework
Even if the job posting was anonymous (meaning they didn’t reveal the name of the gallery in the listing), you will know who you are interviewing with by the time of your interview. So you better be ready! Really go through their website, learn staff names, look at everyone they represent – any of the artists having museum shows recently? Any won awards recently? Do a quick Google search and make notes on anything that is really big. Don’t know any of the artists? Pick the three you like best and study them. Study them well enough so at your interview you can talk about them and why you like them. If they work with independent curators, learn a couple of their names, make sure you read the press releases for the last 5 shows and if you have the time, pick up the latest Art Forum, Art News, Art Newspaper and New York Times – scan through, look for ads taken out by the gallery, reviews of their shows and shows by their artists. Did they participate in the big fairs this year? Does the gallery have a political slant? Any special interests? You should know all of this by the time of your interview. You will undoubtedly be asked why you want to work there-so make that list beforehand. Of course you want to work there because you need a job- but you need to give specifics: the caliber of artists, well curated shows, if they have a geographic/ethnic focus-you better have reasons as to why you want to work with that region. And whatever you do DON’T LIE. The truth is, interviewers can tell when you are bs-ing. So do the research but be honest – say what you genuinely like. Don’t like anything about the gallery……this might not be the gig for you. Really need the job? Find something you like.
4. Arrive prepared
Cell phone turned off. Extra copies of your resume (4), neatly folded in your bag or in a nice document case. If it is a cold winter day, make sure you can quickly and gracefully get out of your coat, scarf etc.
5. Be calm, confident and reserved
Even if you really really need the job you really have to approach this as a mutual interview. You are there to find out if you want to work there-just thinking this way, will make you act more cautiously and less desperate. Listen. Don’t feel the need to talk, if there is an awkward silence – it’s not your time to break it or crack any jokes. Let your interviewers lead the conversation. Answer all of their questions as clearly and succinctly as you can. Elaborate if they appear interested in a certain matter but do not go into depths about your college thesis unless asked. Don’t act like their friend. I’ve gotten to a point where I am interviewing people now and the worst thing an interviewee can do is act too comfortable and friendly.
6. Leave on a good note
Confidently look your interviewers in the eye, shake their hand firmly, and say ‘I hope to hear from you soon’. Mail a thank you card THAT NIGHT, make it classy, just a few lines saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and how you would love to be a part of the team.
Ok, so like the ‘Writing a cover letter post’ a lot of what I say here is applicable to resumes for all fields not just art resumes-but I’m going to post it all because for some reason art people are really bad at writing resumes.
Keep the resume to one page
You are applying for a front desk position-there is no way that you have enough experience to warrant a two page resume. In case you do have more than one page (e.g. you are changing fields) most of your experience probably doesn’t relate so edit it down to the most impressive. Stick to one page. Have trouble fitting stuff in? Decrease margins and spacing. DON’T GO OVER ONE PAGE.
Be specific
Try your best to only have art related jobs on there or jobs that you can explicitly say have given you skills that Gallery Y wants. Fresh out of college and don’t have jobs-put down internships, seminars, “related course work.” Don’t list your job working in the dinning halls
Make your previous jobs sound awesome
The wording you use when describing your responsibilities at previous jobs is very very important. Make sure you aren’t just listing what you did but really driving home the responsibility /importance of your previous position. Make it sound good. E.g. answered phones at the Art department front desk: Handled all incoming phone calls on multi line phone system, fielding questions about the department, schedules, specific classes and grading policies.
-If possible try and explicitly link skills they have asked for in the description of the job you are applying for to what you have already done.
Neat formatting
Like a cover letter, keep your resume neat and simple. Don’t do any fancy formatting. Have the latest version of Microsoft word? Save your documents in one version down-you never want to spend ages formatting your stuff to look perfect, only for your version of word to be incompatible with the Gallery’s and for your form to come out looking funky. Might be an idea to save it as a pdf
-ONLY BLACK & WHITE
-NEVER use a crazy font: times or arial. NO Comis sans MS, or Scribble.
-ONLY USE ONE FONT THROUGHOUT BOTH DOCUMENTS-I can’t believe how many resumes I’ve seen where the applicant has used some crazy font for their name and then the rest is in Arial. Keep it all in Arial people.
-create your own “letter head” by using the header function in word. It looks professional.
List your computer skills
As a gallerina there are some basic art software/computer skills that you should have on your resume: Adobe creative suite (Photoshop is a must), Artsystems* and/or FileMaker Pro, and basic html/website management. If you know more throw it on there, everyone wants to hire some one who is tech savy.
*Artsystems is a database -if you haven’t worked in a gallery before chances are you’ve never used it-do what I did. I saw that almost all galleries asked for in the their list of requirements so I downloaded a trial version from the internet and taught myself how to use it. Same goes for the Adobe creative suite. Knowing the required software is a big plus.
List your languages
If you only speak English, naturally don’t list it. But if you speak two or more languages definitely put them on there. The art world is very international and even if you’ll never use your second language it is reassuring for galleries to hire someone who is a ‘world citizen’. Be honest of course, if you aren’t fluent in a language don’t say you are-it will come back and bite you in the butt. Honestly report your proficiency: e.g: English & Spanish (Fluent), French (Intermediate/Conversational) & Mandarin (basic).
Maybe I should post a sample resume……..hmmmm
Keep it about yourself
Having read a lot of cover letters – a common mistake people make is to spend more time talking about how important the job/that gallery versus how awesome they are themselves. Do not do that-the reader knows exactly how important their institution is or how vital the receptionist is to the gallery-talk about yourself and what you can do.
Make your letter specific
Don’t have one cover letter that you send out for every job. It’s really easy to spot a generic cover letter. Hey – I’ve been unemployed for long periods of time – I know how frustrating it is to write a brand new cover letter for each position only to never hear back from the people you write it for. But it is worth it. You can have a basic structure that you follow but you really have to look at the language and the tasks they ask for in their posting, make sure you directly address at least most if not all of these in your letter. BONUS: If you have a cool connection e.g. you wrote your thesis on one of their artists, you met the gallery manager at an opening and spoke to him/her at length, put that in there.
Explicitly link
(This is sort of an extension of the point above) Tell the reader exactly why your previous job gave you the skills they are looking for. Don’t just list what your previous responsibilities were and make vague statements on how they have strengthened your character. EXPLICITLY LINK. Why do you think working at an art library makes you a good candidate?
Keep it short, simple & neat
No one really wants to spend 10 minutes reading a cover letter-keep it short. You are not telling them your life story. All you want to say is: I am qualified, I understand what this job requires and I’ll be good at it.
Keep your language simple-this is really not the time to write complicated prose. Really wordy cover letters come across as sort of pompous. Keep it simple.
This is the business of aesthetics-make sure your formatting is crisp and clear. Make a nice letterhead for yourself. Avoid crazy fonts-pick a basic serif font (Times) or sans serif font (Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma) and KEEP IT CONSISTENT.
Make sure it is compatible
Always make sure you aren’t using some special font or formatting that is not on every machine. Don’t assume all galleries are Mac – Gallery X was PC! Make sure your documents can open on both operating systems and look the way you intended. If you are using the latest version of word-might be a good idea to save your file as the previous version-just in case the gallery has not upgraded their software. -you never want to spend ages formatting your stuff to look perfect, only for your version of word to be incompatible with the Gallery’s and for your form to come out looking funky.
NOTE: I’ve realize after writing all of this that this is not terrible gallerina specific- but……I’m still going to post it. I’ve read quite a few terrible cover letters….remember people: I am qualified, I understand what this job requires and I’ll be good at it.
1. Look for jobs online*
In New York all art related jobs are posted on www.nyfa.org (The New York Foundation for the Arts website). Readers this is how I got the majority of my art jobs. When I was looking for a job this was literally my home page. Watch this page like a hawk. Summer months are usually filled with postings for unpaid internships but right before the fall lots of really great jobs are posted. Be warned-hundreds of people apply for a single position. 400 people applied for my job. 400!!
2. Do not, I repeat DO NOT go door to door with your resume. DO NOT.
When a gallery needs an assistant they will post it online, going door to door only makes you look clueless. You will be met by the current gallerina who will either be hostile (because you are basically asking him/her if she is being replaced) or pity you, accept your resume and then throw it out. DON’T DO IT. You never want to appear clueless about a field you want to enter.
3. Send them your cover letter and resume exactly as they asked.
Galleries are often specific-e.g. ‘Send cover letter and resume as separate attachments” or “Send cover letter in body of email” or “The subject of your email should be ‘Assistant”. Do this-I have been on the other end, watching applicant resumes get tossed simply because they were not formatted correctly. It’s important for you to get this right.
On a side note: -Most online submissions ask you to email a brief cover letter and one page resume to a certain email address-not all galleries like to advertise the fact that they are looking for an assistant and create a vague new email account that does not contain their name in it, like : ‘galleryassistant@gmail.com’. This can be because :
a) They are replacing their current assistant and they do not want their assistant to know or
b)They want a wider pool of applicants-not just people who would be interested in the gallery’s name
4. WAIT.
DO NOT call the gallery to ask them if they have received it. Most postings actually say please do not call, we will call you. Respect that. You are not being “thorough” and a “go getter” by calling them. You are being annoying. Don’t do it. Warning readers-This waiting will be hard. Usually you won’t even get a “Thanks but no thanks” so it can seem a bit like you are sending your cover letter and resumes out into a vacuum. But don’t loose hope. You will get the interview call just like I did.
*If you have friends/professors in the field definitely ask them if they know of any positions first. You will probably still have to spruce up your resume and cover letter and email it to someone. The process should be simpler in a situation like that, send one polite email if you don’t hear back in a week. If you come referred from a close friend you will probably get an interview. But if you don’t hear back after that polite email-let it go. They didn’t like your resume. Now start at Step 1 like the rest of us.
So you think you want to work in an art gallery.
If this is the beginning of your art world career then you will apply for the front desk position, also known as:
-Receptionist
-Gallery Assistant
-Gallery Associate
-Administrative Assistant
-Executive Assistant
-Gallerina (jk-that’s not really a title)
They are all the same job and generally involve a range of tasks, including:
-the mundane : answering the phone, taking care general email, stocking up on office supplies, handling all mailings
-the slightly exciting: organizing openings, helping the directors/Managers curate a show, talking to collectors about their interests
-the down right fabulous: hanging out with artists when they are in town, going to fabulous dinners after openings, wine tasting at work, studio visits
It is very rare for a Gallery Assistant to be involved with any sales-but you have to know as the Gallerina, you are the face of the Gallery and you are often the first person a collector will talk to. You will never finalize a sale but you sure as hell can pat yourself on the back for helping it happen. But before we start congratulating ourselves-lets get the job! How does one become a Gallerina? Since I have only worked in NY galleries I will not pretend to speak with great authority on anything other than the NY art scene-I am assuming that it is the same in most large American cities but am not 100% sure.
Coming up:
-How to apply for a Gallerina position
-Writing your cover letter
-Resume tips
-General interview guidelines
-Questiosn I have been asked in interviews
-Interview follow up
Gallery X was in the process of uninstalling their summer exhibition when I joined. So on day one I got to meet…THE ART HANDLERS. Art Handlers do all all the physical work a gallery needs: heavy lifting, painting walls, building walls, packing work, changing lights and so on. Some galleries have art handlers on staff while others like Gallery X use freelance guys who charge by the hour and work SLOWLY! However for the sake of giving my readers an honest experience of the art world I must confess: I developed an instant crush on all three art handlers. Tall, lanky, wearing emo clothes and obviously artists themselves – the art handlers, lets call them Tom, Dick and Harry, were just so…..cool. And cute.
During my first weeks these guys tried really hard to make me feel welcome: letting me select what music they worked to, making small talk and giving me tidbits of info about the girl I had replaced. Unfortunately all of this just made me exceedingly nervous. First off they were really into music and I mean really – they would think Bjork was mainstream – and I’m a Britney Spears and John Mayer kinda gal – not cool at all. So when asked what I wanted to hear I’d usually say something vague like “the slow stuff you had on earlier” or “whatever inspires you to work”…”Whatever inspires you to work?!” Who says that?!! Then when chatting I would try really hard to make myself sound more badass then I really am, “Yeah, college was craaa-zy. I just partied all the time.” Readers, I went to a small women’s college in MA. I was an A- student, really didn’t party much. Neither Tom, Dick or Harry seemed as affected by my presence and eventually I remembered I had a loving boyfriend who reciprocated my crush on him. This change of feeling allowed to me distance myself from the art men and I was able to study the art handler as a character of the gallery world. This study is supported by my experience with art handlers who were not Tom, Dick or Harry.
* Not all art handlers are soft on the eyes. They are usually all young, emo looking and strong. But some look like they haven’t bathed in days, A LOT forget their job involves frequent bending yet still insist on wearing low rise jeans-man crack is NOT COOL guys- and most are socially awkward.
* DON’T ask the art handlers about their work. Okay that’s mean, I loved talking to the art handlers, but once you ask them about their work they will talk for HOURS. and then the gallery manager will get mad at you for slowing them down. So make it clear that you can only chit chat when you are off the clock-go out for a drink and discuss art.
* Art handlers are usually pretty anti-gallery in principal. Think of them as art world hippie, they see the gallery as the corporation. If you do befriend them don’t get caught up in their negative views. Also don’t feel obligated to agree with them. Galleries aren’t evil, most artists wouldn’t survive without them. Don’t let them make you dislike your job.
* They are a good source of information. Art Handlers get to know the Gallery world well. So trust them when they give you advice. Tom, Dick and Harry not only updated me on the gossip and politics of Gallery X but also gave me constructive advice on how to ask for sick days, holidays etc.
* NEVER EVER BE RUDE. You shouldn’t really be rude to anyone when you are the front desk person. But you really don’t want to piss off the art handlers. They can work slower if they want and if they really don’t like you they can decide not to work for you. Galleries often need art handlers at the last minute and it really sucks to have to find someone new in that moment.
* Invite them to the openings, its fun to have non collector people you know at the openings. Also if you make art handlers feel like part of the team they are likely to be more loyal and refer their friends to you when they can’t make it.
* Talk about art. I realize that this negates point 2. But if you are a wannabe artist and want someone to honestly crit. your work then the art handlers are your best bet. They are practicing artists themselves.
* DON’T EVER DATE YOUR GALLERY’S ART HANDLER. No I didn’t do this. But I just think its a really really bad idea. Don’t even flirt. Your gallery director/Manager is depending on you to keep an eye on them. If you’re obviously too chummy chummy you will lose credibility.
Basic summary: be nice, not too nice and don’t forget you’re part of the other team.
It is of prime importance to wear your “first-day-of-work” dress for a few hours before your first day of work. Not stopping for a sausage-egg and cheese when you are already running late is also advisable. Naturally I didn’t do the dress run and I stopped for breakfast.
I had laid out my clothes the night before: new wrap dress, new heels, lucky underwear, pearl earrings, and chunky statement ring. Thanks to my nerves and my unemployed college-grad sleeping schedule (going to bed at 5 am and sleeping past noon) I got approximately three hours of sleep. I arrived to my first day, at my dream job, 10 minutes late and with raccoon eyes. Speed walking from the subway to the gallery I had realized that my new wrap dress was perhaps a size too small or missing something (a button? A hook?) that was supposed to prevent my entire thigh being exposed with each step. I tried taking smaller steps but the fear of getting fired for being late on my first day (a completely irrational fear) was too great. Turning onto 23rd street I broke into a run, cheered on by the ever-supportive Chelsea construction workers.
I’d only eaten half of my breakfast because the train was to crowded. I didn’t want to arrive holding a half eaten sandwich so I hid it…in my brand new shiny green clutch, which was designed to hold credit cards, a thin tube of lip-gloss and maybe some mint gum, which I had forgotten. I apologized profusely to Maureen, the gallery manager, and was told to not worry and take my time to settle in. I plopped down in my chair and breathed.
This was it. I had arrived. Three months after graduation I had managed to get not only a job, but my dream job: working for a contemporary Chelsea Gallery. Gallery X was just perfect: large exhibition space, roomy offices (all expect mine), a chicly furnished showroom, nice kitchen and so many wonderful, exciting artists. It was just perfect. I still didn’t know how I got the job considering I was competing with art history grad students and I was a Studio art major but, I’d made it, I was a Gallerina.
For those of you who haven’t read Jan Hoffman’s New York Times article “Gatekeepers to the art world” I would recommend you do it pronto. While criticizing gallerinas (as the writer calls us) or gallery assistants/receptionists/ associates (as we prefer to be called) for their frosty demeanor, Hoffman articulates three very important truths about us:
* We are over qualified for our jobs (did I really toil away for four years in my insanely stressful college to be asked if I knew how to scan?!)
* We are busy (this job entails everything from performing a condition report to getting lunch: think Andrea in Devil Wears Prada, but with much nicer colleagues)
* We need to look the part (egg breath a definite no)
Other than that, Hoffman is out of line: I was nice to everyone, smiled at everyone and longed for people to ask me questions about the work. Sadly the only visitors that ever made conversation were strange men who would proceed to ask me for my number, or creepily call the gallery a few hours later and ask me if I was single.
But it is a great job. You meet all sorts of characters: brilliant artists, angry people who want to use the bathroom, rambunctious high school kids, wrinkled old ladies swaddled in fur, friendly mailmen, cute emo-art handlers, pretentious collectors and of course the hip art crowd. There’s a lot to learn about art, yourself and people in general.
On day one, I only learnt how to prepare a FedEx online. Maureen gave me a tour of the gallery and while I took copious notes she introduced me to my responsibilities: the dishwasher, the alarm, the stationary cupboards, the FedEx envelopes and the phone system. I sailed through FedEx training but failed on my first attempt to transfer a call, hanging up on an important collector. She was nice enough to call back. The rest of the day, I read catalogs and tried to look busy and awake. At 6.30 I was shown how to leave the gallery: bag the trash, call the lift, stick the trash bags between the lift door to prevent them from closing, turn off all the lights, punch in the alarm code and then sprint back to the lift before it stops beeping- if it stops, all hell will break lose and the police will be at the gallery minutes. The prospect of doing this myself by the end of the week was…nerve racking. Exhausted on the train ride home I thought about Day 2. It would go infinitely better: I would not wear this dress, maybe wear a pair of flats, leave home earlier and have breakfast at home…breakfast…still in the clutch.
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