A convention nobody legislated
Galleries open new shows on Thursday evenings almost everywhere on earth. The reasons are practical: collectors are still in town, the weekend press has time to write it up and Friday is too close to the weekend for an industry crowd.
What happens
Doors open around six, there is wine in a plastic cup, the artist is present and usually cornered, and the room is full of people who mostly know each other. Nobody will ask who you are, and the work is on the wall for the next six weeks anyway, so the opening is a social event with art in the background.
Where to do it
Chelsea in New York on a Thursday is the largest version. Whitechapel anchors an East London gallery night. Kødbyen in Copenhagen clusters a dozen spaces in four blocks, with restaurants in the same halls.
How to use it
Pick a district, start at six, walk between four or five spaces and follow whichever crowd moves. If you want to see the work properly, come back on a Tuesday when the rooms are empty; the opening is for finding out what is on.
