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Comment by beltranaceves | Hacker News Reader

Some years ago I decided that, at some point in my life, I would try and involve myself with a gallery or museum.

As with all things, it depends, but it seems to me that in such places you can find some of the most authentic and driven people out there. And it's probably quite fun to work with them.

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Artists are like engineers. The types of decisions the two groups make are wildly different, but each group makes decisions for a living and focuses the rest of their time on craftsmanship.

Also like engineers, the best make far better decisions, or are far better craftsmen, or both.

> the most authentic

I have found the most authentic folks are the low-key ones that have a booth at an arts festival or some other show.

I've been to galleries, and thought the vibe was really un-authentic. maybe I've been to the dysfunctional ones. Maybe that it is that galleries are more about something else than the art, more meta. (and they sold art not like this community gallery)

Don't know the reality of museums.

The small community galleries I know are filled with artists who also have a booth at the local arts festivals - and they definitely sell art!

I don't get what you're trying to say. Most art galleries are businesses. They exhibits artists and artworks that sell. There is nothing un-authentic or dysfunctional about it; to put it more precisely, dysfunctional art galleries won't last very long, just like any other business that offers products that aren't in demand and don't attract buyers.

Are you saying that galleries usually don't last very long and tend to be commercial failures?

I'm saying:

Talking to a guy in an arts festival booth, the conversation is usually about the art.

Talking to a guy in a gallery (in the US, that sells art for other people), the conversation is usually about me (sizing up a sales prospect).

Note that galleries I'm talking about are for-profit - selling people's artwork and paying the rent. If you do talk to the artist, it is some artist-attends gathering and there are a lot of other people talking to the frazzled artist too.

the gallery in the article seems different, it is a community coop and might have a different dynamic.

People there not just working for financial gain but for the preservation and promotion of something meaningful (I mean in most cases)

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