The Groove 239 - Do Artists Need Galleries?
Welcome to the 239th issue of The Groove.
I am Maria Brito, an art advisor, curator, and author based in New York City.
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DO ARTISTS NEED GALLERIES?
The 1962 legendary “International Exhibit of the New Realists” at the Sidney Janis Gallery on 57th street effectively ushered in the postmodern era in art. From left: Claes Oldenburg, Wayne Thiebaud, James Rosenquist, and Daniel Spoerri.
Every few months, someone proclaims the gallery model is “dead.” With social media, online platforms, and direct-to-collector sales reshaping the landscape, it’s easy to believe the old system is obsolete.
Yet for artists with ambition, or those who want to push the limits of a medium, ideas, and culture forward, galleries remain indispensable. They are still the commercial enterprises that frame careers, connect artists with museums, and build legacies.
The real debate is not whether galleries are necessary, but which artists need them, what galleries can realistically provide, and how both sides should navigate this strained relationship today.
Ambition and the Institutional Ladder
For artists who want to matter in history and not just in the market, gallery support is non-negotiable. An ambitious artist fresh out of art school, hoping to stage coherent shows, sell to serious collectors, and enter museum collections cannot do it alone. Galleries serve as gatekeepers, but also as cultural engines: they host exhibitions, frame narratives, and generate the kind of visibility that social media alone cannot sustain.
Consider the role of Leo Castelli, who championed Pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Castelli didn’t simply sell their work; he orchestrated careers and ensured the right critics saw the shows at his gallery, secured museum placements, and helped these artists move from novelty to canon.
Sidney Janis played a similar role in the 1960s. His legendary 1962 exhibition “International Exhibition of the New Realists” mingled Pop artists like Tom Wesselmann, Robert Indiana and Claes Oldenburg alongside some of their European counterparts like Yves Klein, Arman and Jean Tinguely. Janis effectively ushered in the postmodern, a new era of art.
And then there’s Arne Glimcher, founder of Pace Gallery, who became the champion of Agnes Martin’s minimalist and spiritually profound work. Glimcher not only represented Martin but personally visited her in New Mexico and documented their studio visits for decades. His sustained support anchored Martin’s reclusive practice into a broader institutional embrace; culminating in retrospectives at major museums.
These examples prove that galleries don’t just provide sales channels. They create frameworks of legitimacy, situating artists in art history. Ambitious artists need this scaffolding to move from studio practice to cultural relevance. Without it, they risk being remembered only as a passing trend.
The Overburdened Gallery Model
That said, the gallery system is under unprecedented strain. Artists today often expect galleries to serve as one-stop shops: dealers, publicists, career managers, brand consultants, and even therapists. The demands are relentless, and they stretch resources thin.
Many mid-tier galleries struggle simply to balance the costs of rent, staff, and fairs with the responsibility of mounting meaningful shows. When artists insist that their galleries manage press campaigns, brand collaborations, or social media visibility, the model begins to break.
Traditionally, a gallery’s role has been clear: present exhibitions, sell the work, pay artists promptly, bring them to select fairs, and facilitate connections to collectors and curators.
At their best, galleries also help nurture museum relationships and, organically, acquisitions - not through unethical “buy one, gift one” arrangements, but by cultivating genuine enthusiasm among patrons. When galleries stick to these core tasks, they remain effective advocates. When they are pulled in every direction, however, they risk collapsing under the weight of unrealistic expectations.
The most productive partnerships are those built on mutual clarity. Artists cannot outsource their entire careers; they must remain active participants in shaping their trajectory. Galleries, in turn, must be transparent about what they can and cannot deliver. This balance is the only way to make the system sustainable in today’s market.
Beyond the Gallery: Alternative Paths
But not all artists share the same ambitions. Many no longer seek the institutional ladder; instead, they carve out independent careers using digital platforms, direct-to-collector sales, and alternative models of engagement. For these artists, galleries are optional. What they want is freedom, not validation from curators or museums.
One of the most compelling examples is CJ Hendry, an artist I admire for her brilliance and imagination. Hendry has built a career outside the traditional gallery system by creating hyperrealist works on paper and staging immersive pop-up experiences. Her fully experiential installations, often held in unexpected spaces, attract massive crowds and her editions sell out instantly.
She has cultivated a global fan base that buys virtually everything she produces, while also collaborating with brands, real estate developers, and international partners. Hendry demonstrates how vision, strategy, and savvy use of social media can yield independence, cultural impact, and financial success without anchoring oneself to a gallery roster.
The rise of artists like Hendry proves that the field has been democratized. Artists today can choose paths that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. Some will use galleries as launchpads into the canon; others will build empires independently. Both approaches are valid, but they reflect radically different ambitions and definitions of success.
To Have or Not to Have a Gallery?
That is the question. The answer depends on who the artist is. For those whose goals include major museum shows, institutional validation, and a place in history, galleries remain central. For those who prioritize independence, self-determination, and new forms of cultural engagement, tools exist to bypass them entirely.
What matters is clarity. The most successful artists, whether they are represented by blue-chip dealers or self-directed visionaries, understand exactly what kind of career they want and they align their strategies accordingly. The gallery model is not dead. It is overburdened, evolving, and, for the right kind of artist, still the clearest path into history.