Art online is the new place to discover artists in 2021.
Due to the Pandemic of 2020, Galleries had to close their doors and Miami’s Art Basel canceled their show just days before it was supposed to be held.
This last-minute yet very real cancellation left the art world spinning. When 90% of your yearly art sales happen in one Art filled weekend, you start to open your eyes to change.
A resistant ecosystem that has virtually been the same for a millenium, has now opened it’s mind to new ideas.
One company that opened its eyes to new possibilities and a brighter future is The Guillaume Canadian Gallery by Gallea. They adapted quickly and found a way to connect Artists with new clients all over the world by becoming an online Art hub.
The 3rd Millenium has brought about a change in Art and Music business that is undoubtedly unarguably the beginning of a new era when artists take to Instagram and online galleries to support their work.
The number of brick and mortar Art galleries has been shrinking in many countries for years, but the Pandemic of 2020 has forced a change in the industry that perhaps was needed.
In Germany alone, about 30 art dealers are closing shops every year.
In addition to art, the event and auction business has been hit hard by the Covid19 lockdown. The cancelation of Art Basel in Miami this year lost the Art world millions. Art Basel’s parent company, the Swiss MCH Group announced in September that its income fell by 55 percent year over year, at a loss of $26.5 million compared with the first half of 2019.
I reached out to Guillaume Parent of gallea.ca (Canadian Art Gallery) to ask about their recent online project and I think you’ll be inspired to hear about this amazing Canadian company and what they are doing for Artists all over the globe.
Happy to say, I’m one of their new Artists recently added to the wonderful list of creators that I’m just getting to know. (Jacquelinejax : Art profile)
Tell me about the Montreal art scene and why you selected this as your base?
Guillaume :
Montreal was a no-brainer for us; I am originally from Montreal’s South Shore and grew up in its surroundings.
It is a city that is home to a great artistic and cultural scene; although Gallea is a platform with an international outlook, I am proud to represent Montreal’s artists.
How does an artist apply to be featured on your website?
Does the artist have to be Canadian or living in Canada?
Gallea is an online gallery open to all artists; we welcome submissions from artists from all over the world to feature and sell on our online gallery. Artists may create an account and add their works will be immediately available for purchase. Artwork submitted on Gallea include paintings, photography, 3D artwork, digital art, illustrations, print, and more.
The majority of our physical exhibition opportunities remain based in Canada at the moment, and we are expanding our network of exhibitions worldwide!
Do you currently have showings in Montreal or anywhere else?
Guillaume :
We have 17 physical exhibitions in Montreal at the moment, which can be found right here: https://www.gallea.ca/en/exhibitions/exhibitors
We partner with a range of venues for exhibitions: from restaurants to business offices and hotels. Gallea’s exhibition venues network is strong in Montreal, and we just partnered with 3 new venues in Vancouver, we’re also looking in conversation with potential partnering venues in Toronto.
Here is an example of a photo from an exhibition that recently took place at one of our partners: Arruda Teixeira Lawyers: Lien de l’expo
How has the pandemic affected you?
Guillaume:
Actually, the pandemic spiked our desire to support artists and confirmed our belief that Art lives when it’s seen! Now more than ever, we need to bring artists’ work into everyday life, and during the first social distancing weeks, we’ve experienced art lovers reaching out to us for an inspiring new piece of art for their home. Art can bring a sense of control over a space we are in, turning it into a comfortable home in times when the outside world seems uncontrollable.
Since physical visibility opportunities in physical galleries have altered, we have seen a resurgence of artists taking the time to find the right platform to sell their art. Gallea has been creatively adapting our services to the new reality of art lovers, which has become their home office primarily and online presence, most particularly through our personal curation service My Wall: https://www.gallea.ca/en/my-wall.
What do you feel defines the kind of art you like to represent?
Linzi Shang artist-curator:
As our mission is to make art more accessible to everyone and as an artist myself, I stand to give the public the power to define their individual artistic taste and identity. Therefore, we represent all kinds of visual arts there is, and we aim to use technology to help art lovers find the art suited to their taste. I like to think that we represent, most of all, the idea that anyone can pursue their passion at their pace and be supported with the right tools through the process while staying true to oneself.
What do you think is the most popular kind of art today? Are there any trends that you have noticed emerging?
Linzi :
From our experience, all kinds of art, new and traditional, have a similar quantity of audience, and we want to facilitate the reach of our artists to their audience. I like to think that the trend that we are supporting is the trend of emotions and ideas. In a more and more diversified world, culturally, economically, and socially, people, more than ever, are taking charge of their own education in all areas of life. This is why I think that there is a special interest observed around engaged art. After all, just like how we listen to music, we should all let ourselves define what we love, as well as claim, enjoy, and live as much as we can our self-expression and finally also allow ourselves to evolve and to be accompanied throughout the process, and what a better way to do it than through art.
What are your goals for this bright new year?
Guillaume :
Gallea is growing extremely fast, in 2020 we exceeded many of the targets we set ourselves. In 2021, we aim to expand Gallea throughout North America, constantly looking to multiply opportunities for artists through Gallea or not, both in physical exhibitions and spaces and online.
Who are your top most promising new artists for this year?
Linzi :
There are so many, I cannot choose. As we are here to help all artists shape their journey, my personal favorites shouldn’t be of focus here. However, my proudest moment this year is that we now have helped many artists launch and solidify their career and truly live off their art. As someone who has always been active in her discovery of art, Gallea has helped me see what really exists out there, and I am still in awe every day in front of new pieces that I see flowing through our gallery that I would’ve never discovered if not through Gallea.
Here are some of our exhibitions: https://www.gallea.ca/en/exhibitions/exhibitors
Services for Art Lovers : https://www.gallea.ca/en/exhibitions/exhibitors
Our opportunities for Artists : https://www.gallea.ca/en/exhibitions/opportunities?ref=profile
Written by Jacqueline Jax
