MICHAEL FOLEY, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF FOLEY GALLERY 44:12
Michael Foley wants to be excited about art again! He turned a bi@!% session into a 10-panelist (!) discussion about what is wrong with the art world and what can be done about it. He talks to us about showing work that can’t be shown elsewhere, how honesty allows for change, how art fairs and the ease of buying work online have changed the business model and “sunk the ship” of many dealers who stick to traditional sales methods. Are artists the best dealers? What do galleries offer in the age of social media? Do we do away with the 50/50 split? Does the definition of a gallery need to change? How do we foster open dialogue? We discuss it all! And we attempt sound effects. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t go well.
Michael Foley opened Foley Gallery in the fall of 2004 after fourteen years of working with notable photography galleries including Fraenkel Gallery, Howard Greenberg Gallery, and Yancey Richardson Gallery. The gallery brings together fine line and obsessive precision in the disciplines of drawing, cut paper, painting, and photography. After eight years in Chelsea, the gallery has relocated to the LES, taking a storefront location on Orchard Street, just south of Delancey.
In 2009, Foley co-founded The Exhibition Lab, a study center for people involved in various aspects of fine art photography. Foley continues his interest in educating by serving on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts and the International Center of Photography where he teaches and lectures on issues in contemporary photography. He has a private coaching practice for artists who would like to improve their work and navigate the art world. @foleygallery
