La Galerie Provocatrice - Interview with the owner Zak Silverman

La Galerie Provocatrice offers a wide choice of provocative contemporary art and designs to suit every taste: Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Video, and Digital Art, Designs, Lampshades, Chandeliers and more.

The owners of the gallery are Zaki & Shiren Silverman. For the last 13 years they have lived, worked and studied together in various places around the world in Europe, North & South America and the Far East. In 2007 they have created La Galerie Provocatrice – the name represents the idea, literally.

Since Dec 2009 Sexy Art Gallery at the Erotic Museum of Amsterdam started as a Co-project to establish a contemporary Sexy Art Gallery at the Erotic Museum in Amsterdam. The Museum in the Red Light District will be the first that offers a platform for contemporary artists through Sexy Art Gallery to expose and sell their provocative artworks. The project is an initiative of the people behind the Erotic Museum and Zaki & Shiren Silverman (founders & curators Sexy Art Gallery) and will give a permanent base to artists from all over the world. 

I had the possibility to ask few question Zak Silverman, one of the owners of La Galerie Provocatrice.

MartaM: Could you tell us your story: what is your background, how did you come to this field and how did you set up the gallery?
Zak Silverman: We originally were in the advertising world for many years. At some point, it felt too commercial, too greedy and felt like we were serving bad companies and bad intentions. We then decided to turn to what we love and believe in, and that is art and sexuality as a spiritual bridge between people.

MM: Where does the name of your gallery come from?
ZS: With the name La Galerie Provocatrice we are simply aiming to provoke people and get their attention. Make them stop for a minute and raise their curiosity to come have a look.

MM: How do you decide which artists you are going to represent?
ZS: There is a saying, ‘Intuition is the whisper of the soul’. So intuition is mainly what makes us tick, what excites us and makes us have good vibrations. And of course, they must have a good basis of technique and artistic knowledge.

MM: How do you meet the artist you show and how do you choose them?
ZS: Sometimes we meet them in person and sometimes online. The internet has made it possible to explore art on a very wide scale all over the world. Usually, its very simple, when we see art we like we already know it's the right artist to work with.

MM: What has been your biggest obstacle?
ZS: Probably to give people the confidence and relaxation so they can look at our kind of art with an open mind and without guilt. So they treat others and themselves in an open and accepting way. But we do not necessarily see this as an obstacle but more as a challenge.

MM: What has been your greatest achievement?
ZS: Every day we keep doing what we love and progressing our spiritual way with other beautiful human beings with respect and love to all that around us, is an achievement to us.

MM: Who is your favorite artist (other than ones you represent)?
ZS: Many, but to name a few Natalie Shau, Malika Fayre, and Audrey Kawasaki's art

MM: Every artist has a dream gallery they'd love to represent them one day. Do you have a dream artist that you would love to represent?
ZS: Terry Rodgers, he knows that :)

MM: Could you tell us what’s currently going on at the gallery? What artists are you currently showing at your gallery, and why?
ZS: We represent more than 30 artists online from different parts of the world and with different techniques and concepts, and in our gallery in Amsterdam we usually exhibit around 7-8 artists, and sometimes also solo expos. We try to exhibit different concepts in each show and to tackle different issues regarding sexuality, culture, history, manifests, and so on.

MM: Do you collect art?
ZS: Yes, mainly low-brow and of course works from our artists

MM: What was the most expensive painting you've ever sold?
ZS: Most of our works are affordable art. It is important for us to give every person the opportunity to purchase and enjoy good art. The most expensive was maybe around 15,000 euro, but most of our works are between couple of hundreds of Euros for limited editions to up to 6-7 thousands for original works

MM: Do you have a favorite artist/painting in your collection?
ZS: It's a tricky question. All of our works are our favorites, otherwise, we will not present them

MM: What advice can you give to upcoming artists?
ZS: To be original, to be loyal and to respect themselves. Find the true expression path within themselves
 

MM: There are so many people dreaming about having their own gallery – do you have any advice for them?

ZS: If this is the right dream for them it will happen. As long as they are passionate and persistent enough to get it, otherwise it will not happen. But that's also good because there are countless ways to express yourself, influence good and to progress in this life.

More information about the gallery you can find here: http://www.sexyartgallery.com/