#31 GRANT WAHLQUIST | gallerist, writer, curator, Portland, Maine
There are as many ways to become a gallery owner as there are galleries. A perfect example of somebody who treaded a completely individual path is my current guest Grant Wahlquist, owner of the eponymous gallery for contemporary art in Portland, Maine since 2017. Grant has a broad education and studied a variety of topics. He seriously learned to play classical piano for 15 years, holds degrees in Philosophy, Art and Religion and even attended the fuller theological seminary. Grant is a doctor of law, he was an associate at a law firm and worked as a freelance attorney before he became an art critic and a curatorial assistant at the Orange County Museum of Art, where he worked on exhibitions by artists like i.e. Peter Saul and Mary Heilman. Grant talks about his studies and inclinations as a young man, the opportunities and challenges of opening a gallery outside of the big commercial hubs, his fascination with mid-career artists and how to combine business with cultural and philosophical integrity. It's a pleasure to listen to his reflections and insights about art, the gallery business and living a good life. Language: english, 36 min., recorded March 22, 2021