Research Internship at Gagosian Gallery

About the Internship

Gagosian Gallery invites applications for a one-year internship based at our Grosvenor Hill venue in London. We seek a dedicated, proactive candidate with excellent research skills, meticulous attention to detail, and a passion for art. The candidate should thrive in a dynamic environment, efficiently managing multiple tasks and prioritizing effectively.

This internship is crucial to gallery operations, designed to foster the candidate's personal and professional development for prospective roles within Gagosian and the wider art sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Cataloguing artwork consignments by researching provenance, exhibition, and publication histories utilizing various libraries, archives, and databases.
• Collaborating across departments to facilitate information flow, supporting time-sensitive consignments and exhibitions.
• Investigating comparable auction results and museum collections, creating concise research summaries for individual artworks.
• Occasional composition of sales-driven texts emphasizing historical context, rarity, and provenance details for artworks.
• Ensuring cataloguing consistency aligned with gallery standards, house style, and artist-specific protocols.
• Building specialist knowledge in artist-focused research methods and historical documentation to maintain cataloguing accuracy.
• Assisting with general research demands related to exhibitions, consignments, and art markets.
• Conforming to gallery formatting and documentation protocols, including occasional use of Adobe InDesign for document design and layout.
• Overseeing and cataloguing the London library and auction catalogue inventory for internal circulation.
• Performing book audits to assist the global Research team and aiding staff in locating resources and facilitating new acquisitions.
• Tracking upcoming exhibitions to procure pertinent catalogues, monographs, and resources.
• Coordinating with the global library team to uphold gallery-wide library standards.

Candidate Requirements

• Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in art history, museum studies, or a related discipline is mandatory; a Master’s degree is highly favored.
• Prior relevant experience in commercial galleries or auction houses.
• Outstanding research and writing capabilities, with acute attention to editorial detail and house-style adherence.
• Knowledge of cataloguing processes and primary/secondary source research methods.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe, and Google Suite applications; familiarity with Adobe InDesign is advantageous but not essential.
• Legal authorization to work in the United Kingdom.

Skills and Aptitudes

• Thorough understanding of the contemporary and modern art scenes and gallery practices.
• Familiarity with art-related research tools and databases.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational framework and exemplary time management abilities.
• Capacity to work autonomously while exercising sound judgment.
• Efficient and precise performance in fast-paced, deadline-sensitive environments.
• Exceptional attention to detail and advanced proofreading skills.