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As one of La Jolla's few venues for contemporary art, the mission of Quint Gallery is something more complicated than that of a standard La Jolla art gallery. In addition to promoting the sale of the works in their space, owners Mark and Anna Quint want to contribute to the proliferation of their medium. It's a quest that is not always easily accomplished given that much of the Village's foot traffic is comprised of tourists seeking aesthetically pleasing art or locals shopping for goods. Rather than simply being a venue for tourists to stroll in and observe pretty still-lifes or nature scenes, the Quints provide a space where significant contemporary artists can display work that would not be accepted at a more mainstream gallery. Their exhibits reflect an attention to dialogue and a communication of ideas rather than an "art for art's sake" approach. It is this grand dialogue that the Quints consider to be most important. "Our real focus has always been on education," said Anna Quint. "People come here for that and they get it, and they get exposed to who is contemporary ... who is being thought about by serious people and whose work is influencing other people's work in our future. That is what you are going to see here. If you have the capacity to connect some dots, you are going to do it on your own. But it's almost as if you have to have quite a few dots already connected before you walk in the door." A new, off-the-beaten-path space on Drury Lane doesn't draw as much foot traffic, but it provides more space than their previous Girard Street location. The Quints are now streamlining their operations. "We moved for a couple reasons," said Mark Quint. "One was because the (other) space was so small, particularly the office space, and a lot of our business was done through documentation, whether it be through slides or computer images of art that we have in inventory or art that we buy from around the world. So, we needed a larger space and we needed to devote more time to the clients that we have." The minimalist design of the gallery's new space is parallel with the Quint's focus. "There is a very small percentage of people anywhere that collect contemporary art," said Mark Quint. "So, with a small population in La Jolla, there is a small group of that percentage. There are a few clients that really support the gallery in La Jolla, San Diego, Los Angeles. We sell work to people, maybe not around the world at this point, but nationally, both local and international artists. The art world is so small that you tend to know who the top artists are and the collectors, and the job is putting them together." Even with the new space, the emphasis the Quints put on art remains. It is on the relevance of the pieces therein as opposed to the marketability or common appeal of the art. "Usually, the audience that we have for our shows," said Anna Quint, "are people who aren't put off by non-traditional presentations." Contemporary art is by nature perpetually on the cutting edge of exploration. The dynamic of the medium is that it breaks new ground and forces the viewer to question their past approaches. This can lead to situations that could easily be misinterpreted or even dismissed. "What happens," said Anna Quint, "is that (a gallery) has something relatively sophisticated going on and people will object to it primarily because they have no base of understanding as to why it is being considered important. They just reject it and say, 'I don't know anything about this so it must not be valid.' " If the air at Quint seems to be rarefied it's for good reason. Their goal is to appeal to a specific type of art lover with either a grasp on current trends or a willingness to embrace them. "We are trying to serve a public that wants to be served," said Anna, "and that is not the public that is walking down Prospect." The Quints are also vocal in assisting other local galleries promote their contemporary art exhibits. The news section of their Web site, www.quintgallery.com, keeps visitors abreast of events around La Jolla and San Diego. As reward for their efforts, the Quints can enjoy the fact that, despite a focus that isn't solely based on producing revenue, the importance of their gallery remains true. "There are just a few contemporary art galleries, Scott White, Tasende, that really show what is considered museum quality art," said Anna Quint. "The museum is fantastic and anywhere in the world you go, they may not know La Jolla but they know the museum in the art world, I think it does a spectacular job. "Our job is to exhibit work that is contemporary and educational. We have been trying to do a really good job of giving context to what we do. We show people from all over the world, all over the United States, nationally and locally. And we don't think it can be done any other way." Mark Quint started exhibiting art in 1981 and is a longtime La Jolla resident and La Jolla High alumnus. He has operated galleries in La Jolla since 1989. He and Anna have been exhibiting art together for 10 years. Asked if the small cadre of contemporary art galleries in La Jolla represents a fledgling scene. Mark Quint said in jest, "It's been a fledgling scene for 30 years." Quint Gallery's new space is at 7739 Drury Lane. They are currently revolving works from their inventory to display. |
