Meet Millie Jason Foster, director of London’s Gillian Jason Gallery. The gallery was founded by Foster’s grandmother, Gillian Jason, in 1980 and exclusively works with women artists. Foster re-opened the gallery in 2019 with her mother Elli before taking the reins herself in 2021. Today, its roster features a slate of buzzy women artists, including Eleanor Johnson and Jess Cochrane.
The Gallerist spoke with Foster to discuss her approach to supporting women artists and how Artsy supports her gallery’s mission.
How would you describe your gallery’s mission of supporting women artists?
Today, Gillian Jason Gallery supports female artists at two ends of the spectrum. On the one hand, we champion emerging talent in order to provide a platform for current voices while creating career longevity. On the other hand, we rebuild estates of female artists from the late 20th century who were passed over and now deserve recognition for their contributions to art history.
What are the Artsy tools your gallery uses most? What would you recommend to galleries on Artsy?
Using the curatorial texts, we like to take advantage of Artsy’s Viewing Rooms. This format allows us to create mini catalog-style explorations of specific artists in a group show or a one-off painting from an artist.
We recommend utilizing the knowledge of the Artsy team. They are well-versed in how to post, write, and communicate with collectors on the platform. We continue to learn.
What are some of the main ways that you amplify your artists?
We aim to amplify our artists’ voices both within and outside Gillian Jason Gallery. We have a curatorially rich program, and we create detailed catalogs for each exhibition we put on. That means that every artist who shows at the gallery has an in-depth written text on their practice, often all the way down to a description of the concepts behind each specific artwork on show. These resources are disseminated across digital platforms for clients and industry alike to access and enjoy.
Outside the scope of the gallery, we are always connecting with like-minded galleries on the international scene. It is within our ethos that artists should grow at a faster rate than the gallery itself. Through these partnerships, we can help the best female artists gain exposure and find a platform for their voices on an international level.