How should you visit a gallery?  Should you visit a gallery at all? And with whom?

Just as when you’re meandering around the shops, your pace varies with your mood and company.  Is it hot? Or did you just have to wangle yourself through some obscene crowd on Oxford street to get to the entrance of United Colours..?  

One thought I hope you’ll get from today's post is that visiting a gallery isn’t always the best idea at all times.  I was recently on Portobello catching up with an old friend who was telling me about his excitement of returning back to New York with his partner. Previous times have been on business, lending him only so much time as to nip into the MOMA.  We agreed that his short term thirst for creative input was satisfied, but he didn’t really remember too much of the exhibition.  I wonder what the artists think of this attitude, having dedicated their lives to their work, whilst you’ve ‘popped-in’. 

If you can, proceed with purpose. I use the word purpose here, because a worthy gallery visit shouldn’t be lengthy per-se, just done with consideration.

In summary, like any retail environment, make your gallery visit count and don’t visit for the sake of showing face, you’ll just undermine the energy of the artist you perceived to see.