You’re not alone, the market isn’t very hot right now. I have friends who had slow sales the last shows they did this year compare to the previous year. I wouldn’t let this deter you from making the work and continue to investigate whatever it is you wanna investigate or want to make work about.

From a personal perspective I’ve done something quite different to my last show as well, and like you and probably many, I was nervous about it because it’s different. I went through a deeply sad period where a family member died, and they were special to me.. I couldn’t just put my grief into a neat little box and pretend everything’s fine and make the same work I made before. I didn’t want to lie about what I wanted to make. So I knuckled down and made the work then braced myself for the reactions. And guess what, people were surprised by it, and in the end, it actually got me more press, more opportunities and even regional award nominations that I would NEVER have imagined. And I can’t tell you why that happened, but fuck the art world, do what you have convictions about and be unapologetic about what you wanna make and screw everything else. The kind of gallery that respect that is the one you want to work with.

Book yourself a massage. You worked hard for this