The Art World and the World Wide Web

as easy as possible. Some galleries choose to work with Web
design companies that can automate their gallery website for
in-house maintenance, placing the gallery website on equal
footing with other everyday gallery administration tools. By
simplifying the process and working with a Web designer
that offers an automated solution, the gallery can bring those
tasks in-house. A gallery’s staff already uses computer software
as part of its daily routines—Microsoft Word and Excel,
Adobe Photoshop and the gallery inventory database, (i.e.,
galleryManager by exhibit-E, ArtBase or ArtSystems). There’s
no reason that, with the right administrative package, updating
a website shouldn’t be included as one of those tasks.
the standard syntax of gallery websites
While there is no set format that a gallery website should follow,
there is a remarkable consistency between sites regarding
their content. A common syntax of content, in terms of what
content is presented, appears to have developed among almost
every gallery website. This is not due to collusion among Web
designers and galleries. Rather, this similarity reflects a common
purpose—galleries need certain content online, and over time,
a design and navigation logic has emerged. This is a positive,
informal development that facilitates ease of use.
Typically, sites are broken down into an arrangement of
the following content:
Exhibitions: A list of upcoming, current, or past exhibitions
at the gallery. Exhibition information usually includes
links to the press release, images, publications, biography,
and artist’s page.
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