10 Promising Female Gallerists
A new wave of women art dealers is taking the art world by storm. At New York’s Lower East Side, women own more than 30 percent of art galleries in the neighborhood, up from 4 percent five years ago. Women are playing equally powerful roles in cities around the world and more interesting and influential galleries have female owners who are a part of a new generation that is slowly transforming the contemporary art scene.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we picked up 10 upcoming women gallerists you should know.
Nina Johnson
Gallery Diet, Miami
The story of how Nina Johnson-Milewski became the owner of one of Wynwood’s most popular and innovative art galleries, Gallery Diet, is actually quite simple. She liked to paint as a child, was encouraged to keep going, and just followed the path that presented itself to her. Although it is not always easy finding an artist who can actually materialize their passion into a profession, Johnson succeeded and that’s exactly what makes her so inspiring.
Her gallery is located in the Wynwood District of Miami, where it has existed since 2007. The gallery has produced over 30 solo and group exhibitions by new and emerging artists from around the world and has documented those exhibitions in hard cover print on a yearly basis.
When asked what it takes to be a gallery owner, Johnson replied: “Building relationships with artists is one of the most important components. Maintaining those relationships is where the majority of my time is spent. Part of that is also researching new artists. The other important part is building relationships with clients. In Miami, there’s a huge education component. Hopefully, you are dealing with new people who are just beginning to collect and who are looking for your guidance. You want to help them develop a vision. It’s not just about amassing objects.”