Last days of Oswald Gallery

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

By Aaron Wallis

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-I always kind of imagined running an art gallery was a very glamorous affair. A creative whirlwind of musicians, models, artists, writers, homosexuals and wealthy patrons milling around in unbearable hipness, gender ambiguity and sexual promiscuity. There would always be plenty of blow and smack at hand, and somehow the entire enterprise makes money and garners international acclaim.

The gallery business is not doing so well these days. The global recession hit the art world hard. Most people don’t really care about art in good economic times and well, the choice among gas, food, healthcare and art is an easy one.

Both the first and second place winners in JH Weekly’s best gallery category are closed or soon to be. Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary is already closed. while Oswald Gallery is following suit, and will be closing at the end of the month. For those of you looking to pick the flesh from the Oswald Gallery’s corpse, some incredible bargains are to be had.

I recently spoke with Leya Oswald about the closing of her gallery. She is an attractive, friendly and personable woman who is also the mother of two children. I asked if her children would starve because of the gallery’s closing and she responded with a good-natured laugh.

Again if any of you vultures reading this article want to save 25 to 50 percent on some really nice picture frames, now is the time. And if you live in Wilson, keep the butler locked in the basement to light your furnaces with $100 bills, then you can afford to blow 15K on an Ansel Adams.

I am honestly surprised that Oswald Gallery is closing. Leya looks great in black, and I did not imagine anything beyond that was necessary for success in the art world. Leya tells me that she could afford to ride the recession out, but that running a gallery is not all fun and games and orgies, but actually requires a lot of time and work. And she would rather spend her time elsewhere.

In a broader sense, Leya was selling some blue chip artists, so it is a sad commentary that she is closing her doors. We are still surrounded by landscape paintings of moose in front of the Tetons or Indians painted by white people. So obviously Americans prefer art that does not make us think but rather reinforces stereotypes and clichés. JHW

Oswald Gallery is open, noon to 6 p.m., Thursday through March 26, it’s final day. Everything is on sale, from art to fixtures, 25% and up. 734-8100.

Photo by Aaron Wallis
Everything at Oswald Gallery is on sale until the gallery closes March 26.


PERMALINK:
Last days of Oswald Gallery | Planet JH News Article: General Music Arts and Culture

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