"How to Pick the Art"
Second in a Three Part Series on Exhibiting Art in Your Restaurant
by Greg Lejnieks

In my last article we explored preparatory steps to take when you decide to exhibit art in your restaurant as a marketing and sales project.  In this month's piece I will discuss curatorial steps you can take to increase your chances of success. 

The very first suggestion is exhibit what you love.  Of course, there may be some limitations to following your bliss. If you like controversial Mapplethorpe photography, your art passion may not fit into the fine Italian restaurant you've just opened.  Personally, the restaurants I've most enjoyed have been those that express the personalities of their owners.  So no matter what they put up on the wall I go back to the restaurant to see what they have come with next. You will have to decide how you want to market this project and how far you want to push the envelope. I don't think anyone will fault you for not putting nude photography in your restaurant. But, hey, maybe a little controversy will be good for sales.

The bottom line is to exhibit art you can live with and are excited about promoting. Your energy will reflect on all aspects of the marketing campaign you launch. 

Again, I can not stress enough that you should put time into thinking about the direction you want the exhibits to take. If you own an Italian restaurant perhaps you want to work with the Italian theme. I once knew an Italian restaurant that did this. They ended up involving an Italian airline in the project, gave away some tickets to Italy, and brought in some Italian artists. 

As you decide on what direction to go you may develop two or three different ideas. If you just can't decide which way to go you may want to use the idea that best involves other groups. This direction will give the project more market presence. Let's say, for instance, that you go with the MFA idea. Each time you put up a show you could invite the school professors and artists for a little opening. Ask the department chair for the alumni list for your invitation list. You could also get the school newspaper to write an article and/or enlist art and restaurant critics from local newspapers. The obvious point is to use the project as a way to expand your support base. More referrals and more articles may mean more diners. 

If you are stuck for ideas I suggest spending some time browsing local galleries on the Internet. Since you are busy you may not have time to visit them all personally. A gallery guide from your local gallery association should have all the web site addresses. I am almost positive that this process will jump start your creativity. 

Quality is often subjective. There are, however, certain things to be aware of. If you are working with works on paper look for excessive dimples or tears. If you are working with canvas look for cheap frames (cheap frames can be made more eloquent with quality framing) that are bending or just seem insubstantial in your restaurant. Do not hang frames that are heavily chipped or scratched. 

The third thing to do is seek other opinions. Before you do anything see what others think about your project idea and art you have chosen to exhibit. If you have gone through some of the steps I've suggested in the last article and this piece you have most likely meant some people in the art business. I am sure they would be flattered to give you some opinions. Perhaps a meal bribe will help. You might also include your staff in the process. This is an excellent way to get them excited and enrolled in the project. 

At this point you have narrowed down your project theme, started to curate, and made sure your idea can work from a marketing, functional, and aesthetic point-of-view. Before you go any further there are a few more practical steps to take: 

1. Make sure the artist or group you are working with is someone you can work with long-term. Sometimes this is not immediately apparent and only trial and error will be the judge. But by all means, this will be a highly interactive process and, as a result, you do not want more stress added to your already stressful restaurant life. 
2. Make sure that whoever you are working with agrees to and understands your terms. You may even want to put together a quick one page contract that both parties sign so there is clarity from the beginning. 
3. Do a cost analysis before you get to deeply involved with the direction you have chosen. You may love works on paper only to find in the end that framing costs are prohibitive. 
4. Create a project schedule and make sure everyone is aware of the schedule. There is nothing worse then having to store art when an artist forgets to pick up the work at the end of an exhibit run. As most restaurants have space limitation this is a very important point.
5. Make sure the art you have chosen can actually be exhibited. For instance, if you plan on hanging heavy pieces make sure your walls can bear the weight. Nothing worse then a piece falling into a diner's soup du jour.
6. Call your insurance broker to buy a policy rider. 
7. Inspect the art as it comes in and sign off on the inspection with the artist so you do not become liable for pre-existing damage.
8. Make sure that the pieces you agree to exhibit are actually the ones you receive into the restaurant. 

At this point you should be just about ready to go. You've decided who is going to run the project (you, a manager, or perhaps an art consultant) and what themes and art types you are going to exhibit. You have also prepared your restaurant as an exhibit space. Having completed these steps you have now curated a year's worth of exhibits, completed the scheduling, taken care of agreements, and insurance, and are now ready to install. What's next? Did you think you were done? Think again. It's now time to promote. But take a break. We'll cover that in July's newsletter. 

July: Promoting Your Shows

Greg Lejnieks is the owner of Lejnieks Fine Art. LFA pieces can be viewed at LfineArt.com. 

Mr. Lejnieks has been an art dealer since 1986. During his career he has worked with artists and/or art such as Frankenthaler, Olitski, O'Keefe, Bierstadt, Volit, Fischl, Motherwell, Francis, Christo, Warhol, Chaki, Cathelin, and Reid. 

Part One of this series
"So, You Want to Put Art Into Your Restaurant?"

Part Three of this series
"Marketing Fine Art Exhibitions in Your Restaurant"

Art For Your Restaurant
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