Today we’d like to introduce you to Liliana Bloch.
Liliana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started working with contemporary art when I became a board member at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC), in 2005. The MAC is a non-profit art venue that supports art in all disciplines. I have always been interested in contemporary art, history, and literature. In 2008, the MAC’s director resigned, and I offered to help the board as interim director. I became executive director after a year, and work with the museum until 2011. I felt in love with contemporary art during my tenure at the MAC, and decided to open my own commercial gallery in 2013.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Yes, and no.
Yes, because I love what I do, the people I work with, and the art community. No, because having your own business, in my experience, has been a test of endurance, courage, and strenght of spirit.
One of my biggest struggles has been to develop a clientele. I’m interested in building outstanding art collections with my roster. Our gallery shows artworks that share the aesthetics and sensibilities that you would see mostly in a museum, therefore, is a very specific and specialized niche. In addition, great collections are built by establishing business and personal relationships based on trust, which takes time to grow and develop.
Please tell us about Liliana Bloch Gallery.
What do I do? I show engaging, beautiful, and unique works of contemporary art in all media, and help institutions and individual collectors start, and enhance their collection, whatever stage in the process they might be.
What do you specialize in? Building valuable contemporary art collections based on works with visual cultural statements about prominent issues in our current society.
What are you known for? For being a commercial gallery that has brought to Texas outstanding national, and international artists whose work promote critical thinking, freedom of expression, ingenuity, and historical context. Our exhibitions are brave, different, bold, and intellectually challenging.
What am I most proud as a company? Our roster, our clients, our team, and most recently, for being THE FIRST gallery in Dallas to sell a work of art to the Dallas Museum of Art through the Dallas Art Fair Foundation Acquisition Program (while celebrating our baby 5th anniversary!).
What sets you apart from others? Our eclectic national and international roster is quite diverse, most of our roster is comprised of women. We also have a public art program that takes some exhibitions outside the physical gallery space. Our artistic programming only responds to the quality of the work that we show, so we are not bound by any censorship. We are guided by artistic excellence, and we do not compromise our artistic vision. If you want to match your sofa, our gallery is not the place for you. But, if you want to build an outstanding collection, we’d love to guide you, and establish a long-term relationship with you, Collecting great art is so much fun!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
What a great question. I would have been more careful about choosing some of the people, and vendors I have worked with. Having your own business will always be a game of adapting your vision as a company with the changes in your environment. I’m still a very young business… I’m still learning as I go.
Contact Info:
- Address: Liliana Bloch Gallery
2271 Monitor St.
Dallas, TX 75207 - Website: lilianablochgallery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liliana_bloch_gallery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilianablochgallery/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Kevin Todora @ Todora Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Pam Nelms
July 14, 2018 at 12:50 am
Congrats to Liliana!!!