Difference Between an Art Museum and Art Gallery Both art museums and public galleries present works of art to the public, exhibiting a diverse range of art from more well-known artists to emerging artists. They may sound similar, but in fact they are used very differently in their representation of art objects. Art museums are non-profit institutions designed to keep and display art for enjoyment purposes and to preserve them for future generations. Art galleries tend to be small privately owned venues, used to display art for the purpose of the public buying and selling art and in many cases, they are open free for public.
Bruno David Gallery is St. Louis leading art gallery specializing in contemporary art. The gallery has been a major influence on the arts community in St. Louis since its opening and represents some of the best artists that this city has to offer. The gallery itself is conducive for both leisurely strolling and for intense studying. Its sparse quality keeps away the distraction and allows viewers to really focus on what is being showcased. Bruno David Gallery is free to the public Wednesdays through Saturdays. Art galleries generally do not charge admission, as they encourage visitors to view their works in the hope of making a sale.
By selling art works, the art gallery can pay all its operating costs including the rent, utilities and overhead. Not all but nevertheless a number of museums have found the need to charge an admission fee to cover the cost of maintaining their collection, with few exceptions of museums like St. Louis Art Museum. Bruno David Gallery is currently presenting a new exhibition by Chris Kahler, Buzz Spector, Katharin Kuharic, and Van McElwee. The artists in this exhibition are linked by their colorful, but mysterious and a playful mixture between pure abstraction and representational quality of their work.
In many cases, a gallery will focus on specific artists who are unified by some criteria such as tone or feeling. They are presented in series of rooms, which are usually considered rather small, though there are exceptions. Museum often has a much larger various collection, it will own more pieces than it can display at one time and will keep many of the pieces it displays. Curators usually decide which pieces to acquire and they try to get broad style of art works from diverse artists, although some museums can be quite specialized.
One perception I took a notice of from the exhibition in Bruno David Gallery is information about the artists backgrounds, achievements and awards were just as detailed as the art itself. Gallery is a place where artists conduct and expose their art to the public. The purpose of starting a gallery is to exhibit the works of an artist, so it is almost natural that gallery will spend considerable time with potential clients in educating them about their stable of artists. Many people typically visit an art gallery to discover an artist, but also with an interest in buying the art.
Many art galleries are commercial businesses that are primarily involved in selling art, funded by selling off the exhibited artworks. On the other hand, art museum has “collections” of arts and artifacts which are usually not for sale. It is a place where works of art are kept and displayed. Art museums are non-profit institutions designed to display art for enjoyment and education purposes. Museums are often funded by trusts or with funding from the government. My experience in Bruno David Gallery was very pleasant. Bruno David was more than accommodating but left me to my own devices so that I could interpret and explore the art on my own.
I was so used to museum guards following and watching me like a hawk around the entire space that the idea of getting so close and personal to all the work was almost foreign to me. I also did not sense any pressure of having to purchase any work but felt very invited to just get in touch with the pieces. Bruno David Gallery truly has all the qualities that makes a gallery successful. However, one should always remember viewing art in art gallery is not the same as viewing art in museum. While one goes to an art museum to view art, one goes to an art gallery to view art, from the perspective of purchasing the art.
