Praxis Course: Museum Studies Praxis Seminar
Semester: Spring 2026
Faculty Advisor/Professor: Professor Monique Scott
Community Partner: Wexler Gallery
Praxis Site Supervisor: Maeve Daly
Praxis Poster:
HART_IngridLayman
Further Context:
My work this semester at Wexler Gallery was largely behind-the-scenes as I performed database maintenance, an area the Gallery needed support in since their team is small! Wexler Gallery is one of many art galleries in Philadelphia focused on interior design (furniture, painting, sculpture, mirrors, etc.). The gallery is located in Fishtown, a neighborhood known for its arts, culture, and food scene, although Wexler also maintains a showroom at the New York Design Center in New York City. Wexler Gallery exclusively represents 30 artists from around the world working in almost every medium imaginable.
My main projects at Wexler were to update client files, add new art pieces into ArtBase, and update already-existing inventory records. These were done on a weekly basis, but I also sat in on meetings with artists to discuss forthcoming work, helped host an exhibit opening of Malcolm Mobutu Smith’s ceramics, uploaded object information in PDF form to the gallery website, and drafted communication highlighting new artists and exhibits to be sent to the gallery’s client list. I also worked with the online platform1stDibs to help list the gallery’s pieces for online purchase.
I enjoyed the regular routine of database work and never knew what to expect when I arrived at the gallery, since the day-to-day was always changing. Sometimes it would be me and the salesperson; other times the whole office was there, including the Sales and Marketing person, who is located in New York. The projects were also always changing, so my work was varied and allowed me to interact with all sides of the gallery’s work.
Some of my favorite aspects of my time at Wexler Gallery were getting to know my supervisor and the other gallery staff. They really made me feel like a member of the team and provided me with a much richer understanding of galleries’ roles in the art world than I had previously. I now understand how artist relationships are fostered, how much a gallery can do to advocate for the artist when museums and private collectors inquire, and how everchanging the art landscape really is. I recognize the importance of exposure to currently-working contemporary artists, and the role of the gallery in increasing their recognition by private sales and museum acquisition.