Collaborating with Artists: Dorff ’17 at The Galerie Maeght in Paris, France
Mar 23, 2016The Galerie Maeght, located in the center of Parisian tourism, was created in 1946 by Aimé Maeght and is home to some of France’s most famous modern artists. The Maeght Foundation was started as an anti-Louvre of sorts, which is amusing considering that the gallery
in Paris is only a ten-minute walk from the Louvre. Unlike other art galleries, the Galerie Maeght’s primary mission from the beginning has been to develop long-lasting relationships with its artists and to promote said artists’ ideas and works. Additionally, the Maeght family has a foundation in Saint-Paul de Vence, where people can go to see larger works from famous Maeght artists such as Calder and Miró. As an intern at the Galerie Maeght, I have had the privilege of meeting some of the artists who have done exhibitions here at the gallery, such as Ra’anan Levy, Olivier Gagnère, and Marco Del Re.
I spoke with Hugo Guillotin, my colleague who runs the library section of the gallery, about the mission of the gallery and why he chose to work here. “The gallery is more than a commercial relationship [with artists], but a joint collaboration,” remarked Guillotin. He continued to say that he chose the Galerie Maeght for the “level of types of artists who have really marked art history [with their works],” in addition to the variety of quotidian tasks he is in charge of. Most importantly for Guillotin, however, is that working at the Galerie Maeght allows him to continue his studies of art history.
Working as an intern at the Galerie Maeght is a truly unique experience. The gallery has both French and foreign interns alike and offers interns an opportunity to improve their French while learning about the art world. As an intern, I spend most of my day in the library offering assistance to clients. About once a week I work on a framing project for the gallery or clients. Originally, I found framing to be a frustrating process because it requires a good deal of precision, but now it has become somewhat of a meditative process. When things are slow at the gallery, I am free to explore our collection of books and special items such as the Derrière le miroir, which you can find here.
Overall, working at the gallery has been an amazing experience. I have gotten to meet people from all over and my colleagues have been very helpful with my French. If interested in learning more about the gallery, its artists, and its expositions, click here.