Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanh Ho.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Hanh. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have spent the last 17 years of my life studying and/or working in the art in one capacity or another. I have an MFA in Curating and an MBA. Around 2012, I decided to open a gallery, and I spent a few years planning and traveling to conduct studio visits with artists from around the world and working with an agent to find my first location. We opened in 2014 with a curated show about contemporary masculinity after three waves of feminism which included 9 different artists from around the globe along with catalog. After 2.5 years of programming, we moved from Dallas to Fort Worth temporarily to connect with our patrons on the other side of the metroplex. Now, we’re in Oak Cliff, where I live and I’m very happy about this. CYDONIA accepted a residency to bring our programming to the gallery inside the historic Texas Theatre. Our exhibiting artists and staff are excited to work with the rich context of the theatre, its history, and its programming. Our mission has evolved somewhat, but our focus was always to introduce emerging, international, concept-centered art programming and dialogues to the region.
Has it been a smooth road?
I come from a family filled with entrepreneurs. I don’t know of any entrepreneur (successful or not) who has had a smooth journey. Most people envision themselves as a boss. In reality, they can’t cope with instability and the risk of loss in pride and finances. They can’t bear a famine before the feast. Being an entrepreneur is like swimming in the great wide ocean. It’s hard when you’re a tiny sea urchin alongside the sharks, killer whales, and other predators. No one protects you nor do they teach you how to deal with disasters. Most times, they don’t care. I had to train and build my team and supporters, one person at a time. No one that is successful is successful because the road is smooth. They succeeded because they learned how to maneuver, endure, and survive the obstacles that cropped up. Most people don’t realize that taking orders is significantly easier than sacrificing your own finances, pride, and sleep. You have to convince others to believe in your competence and your vision. Both are equally hard. You can prepare and train for the first part, but you can’t teach the latter.
Our region doesn’t have a gallery-going culture. People here do not understand what galleries do and how they are integral to the art eco-system. In the contemporary art sector that I am interested in, an artist does not have a show in a museum until she has survived the gauntlet of the commercial sector. There’s also a lot of misinformation about what a gallery does from all angles: artists, collectors, universities, and institutions. This struggle is unique to the region. The only way I know how to improve this situation is through public education. I’m collaborating with other entities that share a similar vision. Having allies makes the task less taxing and meeting engaged people along the way that makes this journey meaningful.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We were the first gallery in DFW with internationally-focused programming. We exhibit emerging contemporary art and have given over 18 different artists their first shows in the US. After 4 years, we reached unprecedented landmarks: 71% of all our programming in the gallery featured female artists and 83% of our fair presentations were dedicated to female artists. I’m most proud of my staff. I brought out the best in them and pushed them beyond what their worldview was. Gallerists, consultants, collectors, and fair directors have all complimented our work ethic, professionalism, courtesy, and knowledge. For people who have engaged our staff, they feel an immediate difference in the way we operate in contrast to other galleries. We are a concept-gallery. We have pride in the exhibitions we present because we care about ideas.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Like all cities outside of designated art capitals, DFW is subject to regionalism. I’m looking forward to seeing this new generation of contemporary gallerists both import and export their programming. It must be bilateral. No city is a true participant in the contemporary discourse unless they recognize and understand quality dialogues. Equally important, no city is fulling contributing to the discourse unless other cities are interested in the programming they first discovered, meaning we need to export our culture. Other people have to want to know what is happening n Dallas. Copying and mimicking what other places value is not cultural capital. We’re good at importing, but we are not great at exporting and supporting local cultural producers.
Contact Info:
- Address: 231 West Jefferson Blvd, 2nd floor
Dallas, TX 75208 - Website: cydoniagallery.com
- Phone: 214-296-4848
- Email: info@cydoniagallery.com
- Instagram: @cydoniagallery.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cydoniagallery/
Image Credit:
Artist(s) and CYDONIA, Dallas
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