The day a press release saved a career: The secret history of the texts that make art

Today, in the hands of gallerists, the press release has become far more than a simple communication tool. It is a strategic weapon, a disguised manifesto, sometimes even a work of art in its own right. In a saturated market where 12,000 exhibitions open each year in Paris, London, and New York, how do you turn a simple announcement into a story capable of capturing the attention of the media, collectors, and institutions? The answer lies not in ready-made formulas, but in an intimate understanding of what these texts have been, are, and could become.

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01When words are worth millions: the economic power of the press release

In 2019, Hauser & Wirth sent out a press release for the exhibition Henry Moore: Vision, Creation, Obsession in Los Angeles. The text, sober and scholarly, extensively quoted the artist’s notebooks and highlighted his relationship with nature. Nothing exceptional, it seemed. Yet this press release—and especially its targeted distribution to 300 handpicked collectors—helped sell three major sculptures for a total of $18.5 million. "A good press release doesn’t sell a work; it sells a story that justifies its price," explains Sophie Duplaix, head of press relations at the Centre Pompidou. "Collectors don’t buy a piece so much as a narrative they can tell."

This economic dimension is also measurable in numbers. According to a 2023 market data platforms study, galleries that publish press releases with. a quote from a recognised art historian see their press coverage increase by 42%. a technical analysis of the works (materials, techniques) record 28% more price inquiries. an original narrative angle (a biographical anecdote, a link to current events) generate 63% more social media shares.

Yet the balance is fragile. In 2011, the Knoedler Gallery in New York closed its doors after a major scandal: several "Rothkos" and "Pollocks" sold for tens of millions of dollars turned out to be fakes. The press releases of the time, stuffed with superlatives and shaky historical references, were singled out. "They turned lies into sales arguments," summarises journalist Don Thompson in The $12 Million Stuffed Shark. Since then, serious galleries systematically include verification clauses in their texts, citing catalogues raisonnés and certificates of authenticity.

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02The invisible grammar: what press releases don’t say

Behind every sentence in a press release lies an editorial choice with heavy consequences. Take these two formulations for the same exhibition. "Perrotin Gallery presents new works by Takashi Murakami, inspired by 18th-century Japanese prints." "Takashi Murakami reinvents ukiyo-e in the age of late capitalism: his canvases, both kitsch and subversive, question our relationship with mass consumption."

The first version is factual, neutral, suited to collectors who want clear information. The second, more literary, targets critics and institutions seeking conceptual depth. "A press release must speak several languages without favouring any," explains Camille Morineau, exhibition director at the Monnaie de Paris. "It’s an exercise in constant translation."

This polyphony explains why some texts become references. The press release for the 1966 exhibition Primary Structures at the Jewish Museum, written by critic Lucy Lippard, is often cited as the first to theorise minimalism for a broad audience. Its genius? Avoiding jargon while introducing complex concepts: "These works represent nothing. They are." A sentence that still appears in art history textbooks today.

Conversely, galleries that give in to the temptation of superlatives pay a high price. In 2017, the press release for the Sculpture exhibition at Gagosian in New York described Jeff Koons’s works as "the most important of his career." The result: the specialised press mocked this "superiority complex," and several collectors cancelled their visits. "When everything is exceptional, nothing is," summarises a former press officer at Christie’s.

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03The hands that write: who really controls the narrative?

In the shadows of galleries, an army of writers shapes the stories that will make—or break—reputations. Their profile? Mostly former cultural journalists. Barbara Gladstone, founder of the eponymous New York gallery, started as a critic for Art in America. At Hauser & Wirth, the communications team includes former editors from Artforum and The New York Times. "We don’t sell works; we sell stories," confides one of them anonymously. "And those stories must be credible."

This credibility often comes through unexpected collaborations. In 2019, Victoria Miro Gallery asked writer Zadie Smith to write the press release for a Chantal Joffe exhibition. The text, published in full in The New Yorker, blended pictorial analysis with personal memories: "Her portraits of mothers and children remind me of afternoons spent watching my own mother put on makeup." The result: record attendance, and several works acquired by institutions.

At the opposite extreme, some artists refuse to delegate their communication. Joseph Beuys wrote his own texts, turning them into political manifestos. More recently, Tino Sehgal took the concept to the extreme by banning all written materials for his exhibitions. "A press release is already an interpretation," he explains. "My works only exist in the viewer’s experience." His galleries must then invent alternatives: visitor training, audio recordings, or simply word of mouth.

This tension between artistic control and commercial efficiency reaches its peak at fairs. At Art Basel, where 290 galleries present their artists in a week, press releases must be punchy in three lines. "It’s the art world’s equivalent of an elevator pitch," explains Marc Spiegler, global director of the fair. "The galleries that succeed are those that can condense a career into a single striking sentence." Example: for artist Julie Mehretu, Hauser & Wirth summarised her work as: "Exploded maps of the world, where every line tells a story of power and resistance."

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04The secret archives: when press releases become works of art

In the reserves of the Kandinsky Library at the Centre Pompidou, thousands of press releases await rediscovery. Some are major historical documents. The one for the 1937 Guernica exhibition, written by Picasso himself, consists of a single sentence: "Painting is not made to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of offensive and defensive war against the enemy." Others reveal well-kept secrets. In 2003, the archives of the Sonnabend Gallery in Paris revealed that the press release for Jeff Koons and Ilona Staller’s Made in Heaven exhibition (1991) had been written by Koons himself, in the form of a love letter to his muse.

These forgotten texts tell a parallel history of art. The press release for When Attitudes Become Form (1969), written by Harald Szeemann, is now studied as a manifesto of conceptual art. The one for Freeze (1988) launched the Young British Artists. And the one for Sensation (1997) at the Royal Academy, with its provocative tone, sparked a media scandal that propelled Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin to stardom.

Yet most press releases disappear into oblivion. "That’s the paradox of these texts," explains art historian Béatrice Joyeux-Prunel. "They’re designed to be ephemeral, but those that survive become pieces of evidence in art history." In 2022, auction house Phillips even organised a sale of historical press releases, including a copy of the Primary Structures one that sold for $3,200.

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05The art of disappearance: when the press release becomes performance

In 2012, Marian Goodman Gallery in Paris sent out a press release for a Gerhard Richter exhibition. The text, sober and technical, described the works with surgical precision. Yet something felt off: no images accompanied the document. "It was a provocation," explains the gallerist. "Richter refused to have his canvases reproduced in low resolution. The press release thus became a metaphor for his work: art cannot be reduced to an image."

This idea of the press release as artistic performance was taken to its extreme by artists like Lawrence Weiner. In 1968, he published a statement that became iconic: "1. The artist may construct the piece. 2. The piece may be fabricated. 3. The piece need not be built." These three sentences, often reused as press releases, are now considered a work in their own right.

More recently, artist Taryn Simon transformed her press releases into literary narratives. For her 2015 Paperwork exhibition at Gagosian Gallery, she wrote a text in the form of a detective novel, blending descriptions of works with fiction. "A press release doesn’t have to be boring," she explains. "It can be a space for creation, just like a canvas or a sculpture."

This experimental approach is gaining ground. In 2023, Perrotin Gallery published a press release for a Gabriel Orozco exhibition in the form of... a musical score. Visitors had to scan a QR code to listen to an original composition inspired by the works. The result: unprecedented media coverage, and several collectors asking to acquire... the score.

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06Pitfalls to avoid: what galleries won’t tell you

Behind the flawless press releases of major galleries lie mistakes that can be costly. Here are the most common pitfalls—and how to avoid them.

The "everything is brilliant" syndrome In 2016, a Paris gallery sent out a press release for a group exhibition where each artist was described as "a genius in the making." The result: critics ignored the exhibition, and collectors were wary. "When everyone is exceptional, no one is," explains a former FIAC director. The solution? Prioritise. Highlight 1 or 2 featured artists, and describe the others precisely, without superlatives. Incomprehensible jargon "The artist deconstructs the postmodern paradigms of hyperreality by reifying Lacanian signifiers." This sentence, taken from a real press release, earned its author mockery from the specialised press. "A press release must be understood by a Libération journalist as well as by a Texan collector," recalls Sophie Duplaix. The golden rule: replace every technical term with a concrete image. Example: "His canvases play with optical illusions, like a mirror shattering into a thousand pieces." Forgetting practical details In 2018, a New York gallery sent out a beautiful press release... but forgot to mention the exhibition’s address. The result: 40% fewer visitors. Essential elements:. Dates and times (with time zones for international galleries). Precise address (with transport directions). Link to the website (with an "RSVP" button for the opening). Press contact (name + email + phone). The wrong quote In 2020, a Paris gallery used a Baudelaire quote to promote a street art exhibition. "It was like putting ketchup on a Michelin-starred dish," recalls a journalist present. The solution? Adapt the quote to the audience. For a youth-oriented exhibition, favour accessible references. For an academic retrospective, quote recognised art historians. The wrong format In 2021, a gallery sent out a 10-page press release for a photography exhibition. "No one read it," confides a collector. The golden rules:. 1 page maximum for a standard opening. 2 pages for a group exhibition. 300 words for a digital press release (social media, newsletter).

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07Tomorrow’s press releases: towards a new grammar of art?

In 2024, galleries are experimenting with unprecedented formats to stand out. Here are the trends that could redefine artistic communication.

Interactive press releases Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery launched augmented reality press releases in 2023. By scanning a QR code, visitors discover artist interviews, making-ofs, or even interactive games. "The idea is to turn the press release into an experience," explains the gallery. The result: +37% social media shares. Ephemeral press releases Inspired by Instagram Stories, some galleries publish press releases that disappear after 24 hours. "It’s a way to create urgency," explains a FIAC press officer. In 2023, Kamel Mennour Gallery tested this format for a Mohamed Bourouissa exhibition. The result: a two-hour queue on opening day. Collaborative press releases In 2022, Marian Goodman Gallery asked its subscribers to co-write the press release for a Tacita Dean exhibition. Through an online form, visitors could suggest sentences or angles. "It was a way to democratise storytelling," explains the gallery. The final text, published as a patchwork, was praised by critics. Audio press releases The Tate Modern launched audio press releases in 2023, read by actors or the artists themselves. "Some stories are better heard than read," explains a communications manager. For a Lubaina Himid exhibition, the artist recorded a three-minute poetic text, played on loop in the exhibition space. The absence of press releases Some artists, like Tino Sehgal or Rirkrit Tiravanija, categorically refuse any written materials. Their galleries must then invent alternatives: visitor training, audio recordings, or simply word of mouth. "It’s a way to remind people that art is lived, not read," explains a New York gallerist.

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08Final word: writing history before it’s written

In 1965, critic Harold Rosenberg published an essay titled The De-definition of Art. He theorised that contemporary art is defined less by its forms than by the narratives surrounding it. Fifty years later, this intuition has become a market truth: what gives a work its value is not just its rarity or beauty, but the story that can be told about it.

The press release is the first chapter of that story. Well written, it can launch a career, save a gallery, or even rewrite art history. Poorly written, it disappears into the flood of daily announcements—or worse, becomes an object of ridicule.

So how do you ensure your press release isn’t just another line in a journalist’s inbox? By understanding a simple truth: the best texts don’t describe art. They extend it. They become part of it. As Lawrence Weiner said: "Art doesn’t need to be built. It just needs to be said."

And sometimes, one sentence is all it takes to change a career.