I HANGED MANY EXHIBITIONS
ANGELOS, AT THE GREEK COFFEE SHOP
ART EXHIBITIONS!!
IN MY ART QUEST AND ENDEAVOURS I HAD ORGANISED MANY EXHIBITIONS AND HAD PLENTY TO DO IN ORDER BRING THE SHOWS TO OPENING DAY AND VIEWING OF FIRST DAY. IT IS ALL HARD WORK AND MUCH HELP AND ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED TO HAVE ALL READY IN TIME.
PIMLICO, LONDON WAS THE AREA AND THE GALLERY ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE SQUARE TO RENT AND BE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ANTIQUES AND ART AREA. IT WAS BACK IN 1992 AND THE HANGING OF PAINTINGS WAS GOING SMOOTHLY. I HAD DONE IT BEFORE AND THERE WAS NO DIFFICULTY IN HANGING PAINTINGS IN A GALLERY ORGANISED THAT WELL.
AMONG THE EXHIBITION ITEMS WAS AN ALABASTER STATUE OF A GOOD SWISS ARTIST WHICH I BOUGHT AT SOTHEBYS FOR A SMALL SUM A FEW YEARS EARLIER. CONDUIT STREET OFFERED BARGAINS THEN.
THE STATUE WAS IN ITS EXHIBITION SPOT AND THE PAINTINGS HANGING PERFECTLY ON THE WALLS. SUDDENLY, AND WHILE I WAS AT THE BACK OF THE GALLERY HANGING A FEW MORE PAINTINGS, I HEARD A BIG BANG AND RUSHED INTO THE MAIN GALLERY ROOM TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
WHAT WAS THAT, I WONDERED, BUT SUSPECTED THAT A PAINTING HAD FALLEN OFF THE WALL FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. INDEED, AT THE FRONT OF THE GALLERY WAS A PAINTING, A BIG PAINTING IN A HEAVY FRAME, LYING ON THE FLOOR AND SCATTERED IN FIVE SIX PIECES THE ALABASTER STATUE. I WAS OF COURSE SURPRISED THAT ONE OF THE PAINTINGS CAME DOWN LIKE A THUNDERBOLT TO DESTROY A GOOD PIECE OF ART. FORTUNATELY AND MIRACULOUSLY, THE PAINTING WAS NOT DAMAGED. THAT WAS GOOD FORTUNE, I AM SURE!!
I PICKED UP THE PIECES TO GET RID OF THEM BUT…..
NO WORRIES, PETER, THE OWNER OF THE GALLERY SAID. THE PAINTINGS ARE INSURED AND YOU WILL GET THE INSURANCE ON THE ITEM AS YOU HAVE IT PRICED IN YOUR CATALOGUE. THAT WAS SOME COMPENSATION FOR HAVING INSURANCE. WITHIN A WEEK I WAS PAID FROM THE GALLERY INSURANCE 1000 POUNDS.
THAT IS THE BENEFITS OF INSURING ALL YOUR ART AND THAT IS WHY I NEVER QUESTION INSURANCE CHARGES AT AUCTIONS, WHENEVER I SELL ANYTHING THESE DAYS. I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT NO ART OF MINE WAS LOST IN ANY POST OR CURRIER TO THIS DAY.
I GUESS I AM LUCKY BUT ALSO I DO NOT WORRY PAYING THEIR INSURANCE. PEACE OF MIND IS BETTER THAN HEADACHES OF SERIOUS LOSSES.
PETER CONSTANT
