How to approach an artist you want to represent

01Identifying the artist before making contact

The identification work begins well before the first contact. The dealer must have seen the artist's work on several occasions, in different contexts: institutional exhibitions, fairs, biennials, publications, catalogues. A single exhibition is not enough to form a solid judgment. Galerie Templon, founded by Daniel Templon in 1966, is known for the rigour of its selection process: an artist is observed for several years before a collaboration proposal is made. This patience is not indecision; it is the sign of a professional approach that distinguishes the serious dealer from the opportunistic merchant.

The dealer must also research the artist's contractual situation. An artist already represented by a gallery in the same territory cannot be approached without caution. Art world conventions require scrupulous respect for existing representations, and a dealer who attempts to poach a colleague's artist risks a predatory reputation that will close other doors. The situation differs when the artist has no gallery in the targeted territory, or when the artist has publicly ended their collaboration with their previous gallery. In these cases, the approach is not only legitimate but often expected by the artist themselves.

Preparatory research must include thorough knowledge of the artist's career: past exhibitions, publications, institutional collaborations, the collections holding their works, and the critical texts written about their practice. The dealer should also research the artist's network, the curators who have exhibited them, the critics who have written about their practice, the institutions that have acquired their works. Arriving at a first meeting by asking the artist to present their curriculum vitae betrays a lack of preparation that artists perceive immediately and that compromises the dealer's credibility.

02Choosing the right moment and the right channel

The timing of the approach matters. Contacting an artist in the wake of a major institutional success — an exhibition at a major museum, a selection for the Venice Biennale, a prestigious prize — exposes the dealer to suspicion of opportunism. The artist, solicited from all sides at that precise moment, will perceive the approach as motivated by success rather than by long-held conviction. Conversely, contacting an artist during a quiet period, between exhibitions, when media attention has turned elsewhere, demonstrates sincere interest in the work itself rather than in the aura of the moment. The most astute dealers know how to identify these windows of calm when the artist is more available and more receptive to a substantive conversation about the future of their career.

The initial communication channel depends on context. For an artist the dealer does not know personally, an introduction through a trusted third party — a curator, a critic, a collector, another artist — is the most effective path. The art world runs on recommendation, and an unsolicited email, however carefully worded, will never carry the weight of an introduction by someone the artist respects. Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris built many of its artistic collaborations from recommendations by curators and critics with whom it maintains long-standing relationships.

When the dealer has already met the artist in a professional context — an opening, a fair, a dinner — they can build on that first encounter to initiate a more substantive exchange. A personal email referencing the meeting and proposing a studio visit is generally well received. The tone should remain measured: express an interest in the work, suggest a meeting without pressure, and leave the artist the freedom to set the schedule. A dealer who imposes a tight timeline from the first contact reveals an urgency that puts the artist on the defensive.

03Preparing your case without reciting it

The artist receiving a visit from a potential dealer expects answers to specific questions, even if they do not always voice them explicitly. Why is this gallery interested in their work now? What is the gallery's programme, and how does their work fit within it? Which artists does the gallery already represent, and what dialogue will their work sustain with theirs? Which collectors does the gallery count among its regular clients, and what kind of placement does the gallery envision for their works? These questions, even when not asked directly, structure the artist's perception of the dealer.

The dealer must be able to answer these questions precisely, yet without giving the impression of reciting a sales pitch. The artist is not a client to convince: they are a potential partner being offered a collaboration founded on trust and mutual respect. Galerie Lelong, which has represented artists including Pierre Alechinsky, Jannis Kounellis and Sean Scully, has always based its approaches on intimate knowledge of the artist's work and a clear vision of how that work could sit within the gallery's programme. A dealer who cannot convincingly articulate why they wish to represent this particular artist is not ready to make the proposal.

The dealer must be honest about available resources. Promising a fair presentation, a lavish catalogue or an institutional placement without certainty of delivering is an error the artist will not forgive. Transparency about the gallery's actual capabilities — its exhibition space, production budget, collector network, fair presence — is infinitely more convincing than excessive promises. Experienced artists generally know the market well and quickly detect unrealistic commitments.

04Demonstrating long-term commitment

What distinguishes a representation proposal from a simple exhibition proposal is the temporal dimension. An artist who agrees to be represented by a gallery commits to a relationship measured in years, not months. They expect continuous support from the gallery: regular exhibitions, fair presence, placement work with private and institutional collections, production support when projects demand it, and consistent communication with professionals and the public. This support is what justifies the commission the gallery takes on sales, and the artist who does not perceive this support will sooner or later seek another gallery.

The dealer approaching an artist must be able to project the collaboration over time. Mentioning an indicative timeline — a first solo exhibition within twelve to eighteen months, a fair participation the following year, a medium-term publication project — signals a vision that extends beyond initial enthusiasm. Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, present in Paris, London and Salzburg, is known for the precision of its collaboration proposals, which include multi-year projections and clearly defined objectives for institutional placement and international development.

Long-term commitment also means the ability to accompany the artist through difficult periods: work that evolves and disconcerts habitual collectors, an exhibition that does not achieve expected success, production that slows for personal reasons. The dealer who shows the artist they are prepared to weather these moments of doubt earns a trust that commercial promises cannot buy. The capacity to remain engaged despite difficulties is what separates ephemeral galleries from those that inscribe their action in duration.

05Respecting the artist's pace

One of the most common mistakes in approaching an artist is wanting to move too fast. The dealer, driven by the enthusiasm of discovery or by the fear that a competitor might act first, may be tempted to force the pace: proposing an exhibition before having taken the time to know the work in depth, requesting a contractual commitment before the relationship of trust is established, insisting on a rapid response to a representation proposal. This haste is almost always counterproductive.

The most interesting artists are often those who take time to reflect. An artist who accepts representation after a single meeting may not fully grasp the implications of that commitment. An artist who asks for time, who wants to see the gallery operate, who wishes to meet the other artists on the programme and the gallery's collectors before deciding, demonstrates a maturity that bodes well for the collaboration ahead.

Galerie Marian Goodman, in Paris and New York, is known for the patience with which it builds relationships with artists it wishes to represent. Some collaborations were preceded by several years of informal exchanges, repeated studio visits and participation in group exhibitions before a formal representation was proposed. This extended timeline, far from being wasted, constitutes the foundation of a solid relationship that can last decades. The dealer who accepts this rhythm shows the artist that their interest rests on deep conviction rather than a passing enthusiasm.

06Formalising the relationship with clarity

When artist and dealer have agreed on the principle of a collaboration, formalising the relationship must be conducted with clarity and professionalism. A representation contract or, failing that, an exchange of detailed letters outlining the terms of the collaboration — territory, duration, exclusivity, commission percentage, respective obligations regarding production, transport and insurance — protects both parties and prevents misunderstandings, which are the primary cause of artist-gallery breakdowns. A dealer who neglects this formalisation step exposes themselves to future conflicts that initial ambiguity will make all the harder to resolve.

Galerie Almine Rech, present in Paris, London, Brussels, New York and Shanghai, is known for the rigour of its representation agreements, which precisely define the reciprocal commitments of dealer and artist. This contractual rigour is not a sign of mistrust: it is the very condition for a serene relationship in which each party knows exactly what to expect from the other.

The dealer wishing to represent an artist should approach this formalisation with transparency. The most common friction points concern the territory of representation, exclusivity, commission percentages on direct sales and fair sales, and the gallery's obligations regarding production and promotion. Each of these points deserves a frank discussion where both parties express their expectations and constraints. Artedusa offers partner galleries an international digital showcase that strengthens the value proposition the dealer can present to the artist they wish to represent, offering visibility to collectors worldwide.