A DYNAMIC ZONE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IN SAN FRANCISCO: INTERVIEW WITH KEN HARMAN, HASHIMOTO CONTEMPORARY

1. Ken you are currently the Director of the Hashimoto Contemporary Gallery. What is your background and when and how did you get involved in the art world ?

Hashimoto Contemporary opened in San Francisco back in 2013, and is the sister gallery to Spoke Art which is located just three doors down, I opened Spoke Art in 2010. Before that I was online editor for Hi-Fructose Magazine and a writer for Arrestedmotion.com, I credit a lot of my experience and knowledge to my time writing for those two websites as that experience provided a great insight into the gallery world.  Beyond that, I didn't have any formal training or schooling in the arts, more of just a passion and a desire to help promote the artists I love!

2. What differentiates Hashimoto Contemporary from the other galleries in San Francisco ?

" Hashimoto has a pretty unique vision; we focus on emerging Bay Area artists, many of whom work on the fringes of the traditional arts world. "

For the most part we specialize in paintings and sculpture, but we have an eclectic program and one I'm incredibly proud of.

3. What is the organizational structure of the Gallery, and how is that important to its success ?

The day-to-day gallery is run by Megan Cerminaro, who also has a great project called Eggy Press. Megan works closely with her assistant Kate Franklin and together the two help the gallery realize it's monthly exhibitions. Uniquely, the gallery has a warehouse in Berkeley, CA where we do in-house giclee printing, custom picture framing, digital imaging and shipping. This structure allows us to compartmentalize our duties and offer a broad range of services to our artists.

4. Give us some insight into the current art scene in San Francisco. How much has it changed since the boom of the technology industry ? 

The current scene in San Francisco is a dynamic one to say the least. The recent reopening of the SFMOMA has helped cement SF's standing on an international level, while our annual art fair, Art Market San Francisco, brings a great art event to the region every year.

The tech boom has definitely been a nice bonus in bringing new collectors into the local market, but with the boom also comes higher rents and displacement for artists, galleries, and arts organizations, so it's a tricky situation to say the least.

I think we're all trying to figure out how to navigate this bittersweet dynamic.

5. How do you find the artists your represent? Do they come to you in the Gallery ?  

Every gallery is different, but for the most part our artists are ones we find online or at art fairs. While we do receive a lot of submissions, we're not actively accepting any as we're totally booked up for the next couple years.

6. What kind of relationship exists between you and the artists that your represent ? 

" I view our artist relationships the same as any relationship, whether that be between a spouse, family member, or best friend. "

It's all about compromise, working together and supporting each other in both good times and bad.

7. What role do art fairs play ?

Art fairs have, in the last few years, quickly become something that we prioritize. SF and Miami are our two big ones, however we also do fairs in NYC regularly and LA occasionally. They're a great way to meet new collectors and get exposure for the gallery, but at the same time they're also a substantial investment and a ton of work.

8. What are you most excited about in the next coming months and how do you see the future of Hashimoto Contemporary ? 

We've got some great exhibits coming up this year including a solo show with Los Angeles-based painter Seonna Hong and German street artist 1010. After that is the fairs in Miami this December and our debut solo show with local painter Jeffery Chung. In addition to all that's going on with Hashimoto, I've also just opened a third gallery space in New York City's Lower East Side which will act as the East Coast outpost for Spoke Art. Exciting things ahead!

HASHIMOTO CONTEMPORARY