Julia van der Meer
You are the founder and owner of Mini Galerie, how did you come up with this idea and what the gallery’s aim?
I founded the Mini Galerie in 2011. At the time, I studied General Cultural Sciences at the University of Amsterdam and I lived in a small two-room apartment in the center of Amsterdam. When my roommate left, I suddenly had "a lot" of space (read: 16m2) that I wanted to make of use. That’s how the idea for the Mini Galerie emerged. I invited three artists and asked them for a small artwork that could be sold for an affordable price. That inspired the motto of the first exhibition: "mini space, mini art, mini prize".
Although the gallery has been around for nine years, five of which situated in a permanent gallery space in the Kinkerstraat in Amsterdam, that motto is still in the DNA of the gallery: making art more accessible to a young generation of art buyers. Since the start of the gallery, I have been working together with a group of artists who have built their reputation in the graffiti, illustration and graphic design world. A niche with has a large international reach. With the gallery I try to close the gap between this traditionally underground world and the contemporary art world. The time when these artists were not taken seriously and, for example, put away as vandalists alone, is over now.
What role does art play in your life?
Art plays a major role in the lives of my partner, my two children and my own. I run a gallery and my partner is an artist (he is part of the artistic duo Graphic Surgery). Art is therefore intertwined in our lives. For example, I also exhibit the work of Graphic Surgery and my partner often helps out in the gallery with the installation of exhibitions. We often take our children to the gallery - sometimes by necessity - or we all visit one of the gallery's artists.
This hasn't always been the case. I didn't grow up with art. Although my mother painted and made sculptures when she found the time, we hardly ever went to galleries or museums. During my childhood I felt a great urge to consume everything related to culture: music, art, film and theater. I couldn't wait to move to Amsterdam at when I was 17 years old. Through my art studies and my partner, who was already working as an artist at the time, I became acquainted to the art world.
Art in business - what role can art play in the business?
In general, I believe that art should be much more intertwined with daily life, just like music or film is for many people. Too often people think that art is elitist or only reserved for the wealthy. With the gallery I want to prove the contrary by breaking down the barriers for art buyers and art-enthusiasts. The same applies to companies; they can bring arts and culture closer to the employees and in this way give a positive energy to the working environment.
Do you collect art yourself? What is on your wish list?
Yes, on a small scale. With every exhibition I always have several favorites that I would like to purchase. If those works are not sold after a few months, I often buy them myself. But most of the time these works sell quickly, and that may be a good thing, otherwise my house would quickly become small for all the art.
Ideally, I would like to purchase a work of art from every artist I work with, so that my collection reflects my life and all the connections I have built up in recent years. And that is what a collection often is; it shows your journey in the art world, where your interests lies and what your outlook is on life.
And finally, what tip do you have for starting collectors?
Let what appeals to you guide you, and not by what should be appealing―who the art world considers 'important' artists. Trust your own intuition and dare to start somewhere. You cannot make mistakes with collecting: what you buy reflects a certain phase of your life.
