Seth Tane

Several years ago I was looking to find ways to show galleries and collectors my work that went beyond the usual low resolution web and email formats. Online viewing is a pale comparison to the experience of seeing all the detail and nuances of the actual paintings. Then I hit upon the idea of the Hand Held Gallery. The first version was able to hold four of my small framed oils in an aluminum case I built that had clear plastic sides. When my solo show was up for six weeks in the Flatiron district last spring I used to regularly walk across town on 26th street from my apartment in Chelsea to the gallery carrying the case. As I'd stroll past the lines of people waiting to be in the studio audiences where several television shows are filmed, including the Rachael Ray and Wendy Williams programs, each time several women would ask where they could get a purse like that...

I began to realize I was a performer in a kind of conceptual dialog. Once I got tuned into it, I saw that certain kinds of people would begin looking at the unusual case from as far as half a block away. If I followed their gaze and made eye contact, by the time we were within range we had already established a connection that transcended the well known bubble of personal space nearly all New Yorkers maintain to cope with the crush. A smile and a subtle twist of the case to expose the contents invariably resulted in a closer look, and frequently a conversation wherein I could give the viewer a short explanation and a postcard. Priceless.

The four-banger was a little heavy to carry, and the two paintings in the middle hidden, so I tweaked the program by building a new version set up for just two paintings back-to-back in a clear polycarbonate box. This version has been even more effective, since it can be slipped into a day pack when it would be best kept hidden and employed when the time and location are optimal. I select the "show" of the two paintings to be featured based on my plans for the day, and am never dissapointed with the results. As a conversation starter and a way to sidestep the barriers we tend to erect against unwanted intrusion it's a secret smart weapon, always ready for action. On the subway or train, walking the streets, viewing work in galleries and museums, it earns its keep and makes friends everywhere.

For those of you in the Portland, Oregon area, I have 30 paintings up at a large shared workspace in the Pearl District. Please contact me directly for information about this exhibit.

My wonderful gallery representation: LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
And as always, you can also contact me directly by email: info@sethtane.com and follow my occasional photo posts on: Instagram