Artists Have More Agency Than They Think:
Uniting the artist with the artwork with the exhibition
For many artists, the professional side of a creative practice—especially showing work publicly—can feel intimidating. Entering unfamiliar exhibition spaces or galleries, preparing for an art market in a new location, or navigating conversations with curators often brings the sense of stepping into someone else’s territory. Yet artists consistently underestimate a fundamental truth: artists have far more agency than they may think when it comes to showcasing their own artwork.
Exhibiting work is not an act of asking for permission. It is an extension of your own creative practice. Artists are not at the mercy of galleries, curators, or institutions—they are collaborators, partners, and co-architects of the viewer’s experience.They are the knowledge holders of how their pieces were created and how they should be seen.
During an Insights conversation with artist Meghan Godin, she reflected on her observations on a shift happening across the creative landscape. “I think there’s been a movement away from the traditional, and I would say, more stale sort of gallery experience….[when] people walk in (to a successful exhibition space) they feel it’s an invitation really to feel comfortable to ask questions, to really make their own experience within it.” Today’s audiences and collectors long for something more human. More immersive. More emotionally resonant. They want to understand the artist, not just observe the artwork. For Meghan, in practice that looks like “....[spending] a lot of time going into the gallery before I open. I do light a little incense…I do set the intention and I want everyone to feel welcome.”
Lighting preferences. The height at which pieces are hung or placed. Sounds - ambient or intentional. Spatial rhythm. The emotional tone of the room. All of these elements impact how a viewer is able to encounter and connect with artwork. In her own work with Godin Design Meghan spends an ample amount of time considering how different senses are activated within one’s space. “...the sensorial touch points are a gateway to embodiment within - coming to your body, to that space of presence where time doesn’t matter…” When these elements are intentional, an exhibition space becomes more than a venue—it becomes a container for connection.
And more importantly, a connection that is shaped by intention. By your vision.
Artists are often told to adapt to industry norms - to accept the white box. However, the contemporary creative landscape rewards clarity, agency, and self-defined direction. The most compelling exhibitions today are the ones that honor the artist’s vision holistically—not only in the work itself but in the environment that surrounds it.
When artists embrace their agency and take ownership over how their artwork is experienced outside of their own studio:
Exhibitions feel more intentional and emotionally aligned
Conversations with curators and galleries become more collaborative
The artist’s voice holds greater presence within the space
The viewer can connect with both the artwork and the artist on a deeper and more intimate level
In this new way of approaching exhibition and showcase, there’s no need to separate the art from the artist. The studio practice and the professional practice are not separate - neither should the exhibition practice. Each element of creation can inform, enhance, and strengthen one another. When artists step into their agency in external spaces, the work itself is supported and amplified.
When artists shape the energy of the room, the emotional tone of the viewing experience, and the deeper narrative that viewers carry with them long after they’ve left the space. With intentional planning—rooted in clarity, confidence, and a strong sense of artistic identity—artists can create exhibition environments that feel authentic, welcoming, and transformative.
When agency becomes part of the creative process, the entire trajectory shifts. Conversations deepen. Exhibitions resonate more fully. And the artist’s career becomes something actively shaped—not passively received.