RETHINKING THE GALLERY

WHO ARE YOU, AND WHAT DO YOU DO IN ONE SENTENCE?

My name is Pim Lamme, founder of Semester9 and co-founder of Projectspace 38/40. I do everything you can think of in art management except insurance ;) To be more specific: I sell art, do art handling, art production, and art exhibitions.

⁠HOW DID YOU START IN THIS INDUSTRY?

I started by organising pop-up exhibitions in old warehouses. It all began from a frustration of young artists not getting the opportunity or the platform to sell their work.

⁠HOW DOES A TYPICAL WEEK LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

Very chaotic, I honestly need someone to help manage my life! I’m usually all over the place, which isn’t ideal. The best weeks are when I’m doing international transport to Italy. It’s the one time I can really focus, clear my mind, and have meaningful conversations with the people I need to speak to. The best part? Driving for hours in complete silence, just me and my thoughts. It’s when my best ideas come to life and problems somehow solve themselves.

⁠HOW HAVE YOU LEARNED TO MANAGE THE CHAOS?

I started working on my routine, trying to do one thing at a time.

⁠WHO IS ONE PERSON YOU LOOK UP TO CAREER-WISE?

My dad. He’s a true entrepreneur at heart. What I admire most is his ability to listen and ask the right questions. He’s not in the art world, but still manages to give me and my friends invaluable advice just by being present, listening, and guiding us through thoughtful questions. He motivates me and gives great business advice, while letting me do my thing. It sounds simple, but I know how rare that is, and I’m grateful for it.

⁠WHAT’S A PART OF RUNNING A GALLERY THAT THE PUBLIC NEVER SEES BUT IS ESSENTIAL?

The art world is tough: high costs, a difficult market, and a lot of opinions. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend anyone start a gallery. The traditional gallery model is outdated. Independent spaces offer more curatorial freedom, easier access to public and private funding, and a stronger appeal to cross-disciplinary audiences and radical artists. No heavy rent, no pressure to constantly program shows.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO START A CREATIVE SPACE OR A GALLERY?

New creative spaces operate on multiple levels: talks, performances, research, and consulting. Invest your energy into building a meaningful project, creating a strong identity and selling on your terms. Once that's created, it can generate cultural interest and attention. Funding and support will follow.

WHAT IS COOL AND TRENDING IN THE ART SCENE AT THE MOMENT?

I really like what art collective Espace Aygo is doing in Brussels and WD40 in Ghent.

ARE THERE LESS OBVIOUS THINGS ARTISTS CAN DO TO STAND OUT BESIDES HAVING A UNIQUE STYLE?

Make sure you get out of your cave, get yourself invited to openings, talk to people about the artworks and get your unique self out there. That's the way to succeed.

LOOKING AHEAD, HOW DO YOU SEE THE ROLE OF ART GALLERIES EVOLVING IN THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS?

I think everything will change, and art will be more accessible. People are constantly looking to find unique pieces, but they have no idea where to look. The market is dominated by big names, blue-chip galleries with marketing machines, as well as artists backed by galleries and those investing a lot in their own promotion.

Most of art education comes from people who have an interest in the education of a specific artist. So, you mostly buy into someone else’s taste. But with new technologies, self-learning will become easier ,and with that, interest in art and culture will grow. Soon, AI-supported platforms will help people navigate the vastness of the art world, making it easier to discover emerging artists and understand how they fit into the legacy of artists like Van Gogh or Louise Bourgeois. It’ll open up the scene in a way we haven’t seen before, and that could spark a whole new wave of art appreciation.

If you want to know more about Pim, give her a follow on Instagram