LemoArt Gallery
A reader wrote this – and experience here for anyone else?
LemoArt Gallery in Berlin
Offered to show 6 of my pieces at a 25% commision, (plus an upfront non refundable payment of 440€) for a six month showing (one piece per month). They mentioned this was a special offer and the regularly charge 50 euros per piece per 2 week show., plus the comission on sales.
I was contacted on instagram, and a number of other artists in my circle where also offered this deal. As luck would have it I was in Berlin a week after receiving this email, and I went to see the gallery, and it was closed on both days I dropped in. I didn’t participate with them because I don’t usually pay such large upfront costs, so I have no idea if this is a legit offer. Thoughts?
86 comments
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Anonymous
Damn. I commented here 7 years ago. And now i got a new correspondent finding my review on this scam, and reached out.
So this scam really change it to ludvig rage club and she changes her last name from krinner to Hontas. The one good think i suppose is that the victim got her money back.
Still, artist beware. And if the scammer sees this. Please get a real job, we are all looking to survive in this economy. Dont built bad karma
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Anonymous
Beware of this massive scam, they stole from me and many other friends, she never repies and when she does just keeps saying she is giving back but money but never does, she is a thief
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Anonymous
I am the person who published the comment in November 2020 about Ludvig Rage club. I am sorry. This was a wrong information. The people at Ludvig Rage Club have nothing to do with LemoArt Gallery.
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Anonymous
According to me the y do, it’s Olivia Krinner the woman in charge in both galleries. I would never do business with her again.
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Anonymous
No, exactly this is not the case. The company is owned by someone else, by several curators and editors from around the globe. You should first inform yourself before you publish wrong information! Thanks. Ludvig Rage Club is a professional publisher and is doing a great job! There is no connection to any of this cases mentioned. Best, Mara Klein
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Anonymous
I was contacted via email and Instagram by people from Ludvig Rage club. They are absolutely shocking to get in touch with, they hardly ever reply. They were supposed to include my work in one of their books which they never did. They then were supposed to refund me the amount I’d paid to be included in the book, which they also never did! I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone, seems to me like they are profiting from emerging artists. Promising an artist book or an exhibition but then not delivering on it.
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Anonymous
Why do you tell these lies? We never charge artists to be included in our books. Every promotion is for free!!! If there is an issue, please contact us via email. Thanks.
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Anonymous
My issue has still not been resolved, and I don’t tell lies!! I have emailed and contacted via Instagram on multiple occasions trying to get a refund. If you don’t believe me I can send you a screenshot of the payment I sent to Olivia Krinner and the contact I signed to be included in the Sculpture book. Maybe you should know the business you work for inside out. I’ve asked for a phone number so I can speak to someone but never received one. Sounds like I’m not the only one who’s experienced an issue.
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Anonymous
Ludvig Rage Club is not a gallery, but a publisher. Ludvig Rage is not taking any fees for publications, but is paying artists high commissions for being involved in projects. Artists can actually earn money by being part of projects. That’s the only way we work. Thank you. Stay safe and fair!
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Anonymous
My bad experience was with Olivia Krinner the woman in charge of LemonArt gallery. I would never do business with her again.
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Anonymous
The person (ex-owner of LemoArt Gallery) mentioned here had nothing to do with the issues with LemoArt Gallery. Years ago other curators had been working for this gallery. It was not the fault of the owner btw!!! You can not publish wrong information and harm the name of someone and think it is alright. It is illegal. O.K. never kept any money from artists. It is simply a lie. So STOP IT!!!
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Anonymous
I have legal papers from Berlin City from a sue against Olivia Krinner, there was a legal investigation since she committed a massive fraud in which I was just one of the victims, all of we were non German residents, most of us not even European, she was careful to contact people who was not able to reach her or to verify the information she gave, at the end she was forgiven by the council. I’m not laying about her. I don’t know if she’s part of Ludvig Rage Club or not but that’s the place she announced she will “move” the exhibition that never happened, she’s a scammer and I have proofs.
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Anonymous
Olivia Krinner was not the person who caused this issues. She just owned the gallery. She was not the curator of the exhibitions.qAlso she took care of this issue, although it was not her fault. She was in contact with the persons who had this issue. Ludvig Rage Club never worked with LemoArt Gallery. They never organized any exhibitions at all.
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Anonymous
We know her in person and it was not her fault. That was the final result of this case. She had always worked for artists to support them and never wanted to cause any issues. She owned the gallery, so at the end she had to deal with the issues, although it was not her fault. You can continue thinking differently and telling more lies, but it won’t change the facts. Legal steps were taken against this case, but it turned out that it was not her mistake. The case is closed.
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Anonymous
The case is closed because she claimed mental issues, she was abusive and she committed a fraud, we don’t even got all our work and money back, it’s so sad that happen, but she is responsible for it and so, she must take the responsibility. It’s better to artist outside Germany to be careful before dealing with people like her.
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Anonymous
I can understand it’s hard to read bad stuff about a friend but should wear our shoes, we been scammed, we lost money and work, and all that was because Olivia Krinner was not transparent and she abuse of all of us, if she wants to continue on the business she must contact people in Germany who is capable of verify the information she gave, if you’re outside Germany I’ll don’t recommend to make any deal with her, she did scam many of us and if Berlin police closed the case was because we were not able to claim anything personally as we were overseas.
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Anonymous
Again: What you are telling here is not true. You don’t know the insider information of how the gallery worked, who worked there, who was ill or not, who was involved in the process of exhibitions. If you want to talk about it, please talk to a legal instiution. We can’t help you here. Thanks. All the best.
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Anonymous
Ludvig Rage Club is run by many different galleries, collectors, publishers, artists and curators from all over the world. The publishing house has nothing to do with the issue you’re descriping. Please delete the last comment and stop publishing wrong information in the internet. That is illegal. We will take legal steps in case this happens again. – The Ludvig Rage Team (involving gallery owners and collectors from Barcelona, New York, London and Amsterdam and well-known publishers from Germany, USA and Japan).
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Anonymous
Ludvig Rage club is also a scam and is runed by the same people/person. There’s a multitude of artists sending them payments and artworks to be published in a magazine that won’t never show up.
Be aware
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Anonymous
That is not true. Publishing wrong information about a company is illegal. You should be aware of this. Ludvig Rage Club is an international publishing house and owned and organized by different curators and publishers. We have been publishing several projects. We are not working on any magazines. Ludvig Rage Club has nothing to do with any other companies you are mentioning here. If you want to talk to us in person, then please send us an email to hello@ludvigrage.club. Thanks!
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Dan
I’ve been in the same situation. I paid the monthly tax but I got concerned and ask her for details. She threaten me with a lawsuit (:)) and she didn’t want to pay me back. I just escalate the transfer to PayPal and I got all the money back. Good luck everybody
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Eliza
I am a cartoonist from Australia who suffered the same from the gallery. I sent 7 artworks over to Berlin, framed and ready. Payed $700 AUD and flew to Germany for the Exhibition only to discover THERE WAS NONE! I threatened them with a lawsuit. They refused to give me my money back and sent my UNOPENED works back to Aus. The gallery was closed, a tip and the work of all these artists were just lying around on the floor and scattered everywhere, piled on top of each other. If anyone wants to take this further COUNT ME IN! Eliza
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Fernanda Ibarrola
There’s no possibility to make a communal complaint in Germany but I recommend you to do an international reclaim with Berlin police, here’s the link for that:
https://www.berlin.de/polizei/service/so-erreichen-sie-uns/buergertelefon/index.php
If there are many complaints against the same person for the same reason there’s a possibility that Germany police consider it at the lawsuit.
Best!
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Anonymous
Hi I was offered to be featured by this gallery twice and likely didn’t pay before finding out the truth. But several artists that I know suffered from this gallery. I want the people from this gallery go to jail. So, I’ll fill the complaint with you!
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Sol saux
Hola, como todos ustedes me siento desepcionada y estafada, soy de argentina y vine personalmente a berlin con mis piezas, (con meses de preparacion e ilusion con este viaje) tambien pague los seis meses por adelantado, y en un momento dado ya nadie me contesto los correos
Me parece decadente que manipulen de esta manera a trabajadores y artistas, que en su mayoria somos del extranjero y nos vemos indefensos para hacer cualquier tipo de reclamos.
Dejo mi correo para que nos pongamos en contacto porque esto no debe quedar asi.
solsaux@gmail.com -
Katya
It’s a disgusting gallery! I paid them for part 450 euros! And sent 24 work! In my collection there were 10 gorgeous jewelry, and everything is lost! I can’t get my jewelry back. I am very disappointed.
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Anonymous
Police Berlin website says:
In Berlin, you have the possibility to use the Internet to provide information on corruption charges for the Landeskriminalamt in a virtual mailbox.Your anonymity is guaranteed, your IP address is not saved.
The system allows you to communicate with the investigators of the LKA Berlin, without your anonymity being lifted.
You have the possibility to answer questions which are important for the progress of the procedure without appearing yourself, since the information system does not allow any conclusions to be drawn to the sender.
anonymity
We assure you 100% anonymity in the indication. We can assure this from a technical and organizational point of view.We recommend to use private computers to submit notices!
You can reach the LKA Berlin anonymous information system with the following Internet address (Please copy the Internet address and paste it into a new browser window, which is necessary to maintain your anonymity!):
http://www.lka-berlin-hinweisgebersystem.de
Please note that the anonymous information office is responsible for incidents within the state of Berlin
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O.
Wow. So I am not the only one. I was lucky to pay only 100 Euro, and resign – people lets gather together and do something!
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Christine Bauer
Hi, I am Christine from Luxembourg. I am in the same situation. But I send all the money but no jewellery. The contact ended in june, the exhibition should be starting in july . What can we do? Is this interresting for you that we start together an investigation by the Police in Berlin?
Best regards Christine
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Fernanda Ibarrola
I got informed yesterday in Twitter (no by them) but them finally appear and confirmed the information that the Jewelry International Exhibition is changing dates to next year taking place at the Ludvig Rage Private Members’ Club which opens in Berlin in July 2018.
I’m not talking part since I don’t trust them anymore if they’re not scammers at list they don’t work professionally and are chaotic on administration.
I got an answer only after I wrote them I believe to be scammed and mention there’s a lot of people in the same situation. Any of you jewelers knew about this change of date?
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Santiago Benavides
Hi Fernanda, my girlfriend and me are in the same situation. We payed 200 € but aafortunatly we didn’t send our things. Aldo we’ll like to be part of the communal comlaint. Should i talk to the berlin police? My girlfriend Is in Berlín now but me not.
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Fernanda Ibarrola
Hi, sorry I took a while to answer, my boyfriend is German an a Dr. in Law but he works as a journalist so he needed to update a few things, now we are sure there’s no possibility to make a communal sue but we all can make complains to police and if you want to also a sue. If there are many complains against the same people on the same charges the complains could be associated.
Have you all reported to police already?
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Anonymous
I had an email about this about two weeks before the proposed exhibition and from this point I requested my money back (I had only paid a minimum amount and thankfully had not sent any works) Of course I had no response and have since requested daily and with no avail. I have escalated it through paypal in the hope they can recover. I have also considered contacting the private club and raising the concerns with them and whether they want to be associated with a company with such bad international press. Interestingly I rang her concerned about some complaints on the web about her and she assured me that her word was true and that work had just been a bit overwhelming…I believed her and we spoke for some time. I am quite sad that they have turned about to be so awful I am so sorry to those who have sent work and more money than I. For me, it is a lesson learnt but an annoying one!
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Anonymous
Hi Fernanda,
I am in the same boat! I have sent 2 payments to be part of the Jewelry Exhibition for October 2017. Then they sent me an email saying plans had changed and it would take place in the Ludvig Rage Private Members’ Club in July 2018. I’ve been sending them email requesting a refund because the terms of the contract had changed and since then …. NOTHING. Are there any updates on your end? I will file a complaint with the German police.-
Fernanda
I got my money back but still trying to recover part of my work and of course, I lost money on this since I paid for the shipping of the stuff, I got the money back only because my boyfriend it’s a German resident and a lawyer, I recommend you to push the girl until you receive your money back, since the exhibition was a fraud.
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Fernanda Ibarrola
Please all of you who were scammed as I was by LemoArt, let’s make a communal complaint, if we join efforts maybe we’ll recover our work and money!
I had lost my best work, pieces of weeks of work plus the money!
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Olga
…meaning I am in for joint complaint. Is someone talking to the police yet?
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Anonymous
Hola fernanda, tambiem me esta sucediendo lo mismo, vine hasta berlin para participar de esta muestra y le he pagado los seis meses por adelantado, el dia de ayer fui a la galeria, y habiendo gente adentro nadie me abrio la puerta…
Estoy muy desepcionada y creo que hay que juntarnos para reclamar. Te dejo mi correo para estemos al habla solsaux@gmail.comEspero que lo solucionemos un saludo
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Marita Auruccio
Hi I am Marita Auruccio, I also suffered the fraud.
what can be done?? I live in Argentina, so cannot go to claim there. thanks. -
Santiago Benavides
Hi Fernanda, i’ll like to join to the communal comlaint. My girlfriend and me payed 200€. Afortunatly we didn’t send our things. Wath Is necesary to do? Should i talk to the police directly?
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Santiago Benavides
Hi Fernanda, i’ll like to join to the communal comlaint. My girlfriend and me payed 200€. Afortunatly we didn’t send our things. Wath Is necesary to do? Should i talk to the police directly?
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Fernanda Ibarrola
I think we all must make a complaint with police, it’s the only way to stop this to continue and to be sure we’ll recover our money.
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Fernanda Ibarrola
Here’s the link to make a complaint to Berlin’s Police by the internet, it’s available in English too: https://www.internetwache-polizei-berlin.de/ and this is the international number from Berlin Police: +49 30 4664-4664.
If we don’t complaint this will continue happening, we have to be the last artist scammed. Also, I believe if the police receive many complaints from the same place/people would be more powerful.
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Fernanda Ibarrola
Is there a way to make a collective action against them, if we fight by ourselves we’ll not get the same result. Please, I want to be included in any letter, complaint or sue if there’s a collective one.
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Marita Auruccio
Hi Fernanda, if there is a collective claim, please include my name, I suffered the same fraud as many other artists.
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Fernanda Ibarrola
I just find I’m another ArtLemon Gallery victim, I already contacted Berlin Police by Twitter, and asked my boyfriend, a German lawyer and journalist for help, is there a collective initiative to sue them? I’ll like to join, want my work and need my money back, I’m from Mexico and my country it’s a big emergency now after the big earthquake, I can’t believe a German Gallery could do something like that, obviously, my German honesty image is wrong.
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Lin
Hi
Im an Artist from Greece I also speak German I would also like to participate in a collective sue
If you have any information please contact me-
Marita Auruccio
Hi Lin, I have suffered the same fraud.
If there is something collective, please include me or what else can be done??. I live in Argentina, but friend of mine lives in Berlin that can pick the 6 collages I show in the gallery or pick up money if they were sold.
thanks.
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Ivana
I guess I was scammed, too. I was traveling a few months back and got invited to sign the contract, I was in a rush and signed it. I shoudl have an exhibition in a few weeks, no one is replying to my emails, or DM-s or Whatsapp. The Inbox is full. I was scammed. How do you file a claim with the Berlin police? I’m from Croatia.
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anonymous
start by calling the berlin police and telling them what happened
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Lily
I paid a 150 euros participation fee and sent my artworks to the gallery. BIG MISTAKE! I should have trusted my instincts. First of all the exhibition I paid to be apart of never took place, and second they won’t return my artworks. Despite having prepaid for delivery service to collect them. I’ve filed a report against them with the police and now after reading all these comments I’m tempted to contact Berlin police as well. I also managed to get my money back by ‘recalling’ the payment sent to the gallery through my bank. I just sent them that it was a transaction to someone comitying fraud. Everyone should try doing this, especially if you didn’t send your artwork
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Anonymous
Hi Lily.
Read your story about this gallery is break my heart.. I also paid the amount of euro. But yes.. Now read all in here, I’ve lost two of my best artworks.. I want my artworks back now, I don’t mind about the amount I had paid, just I want my artworks back..!
What should I do..?
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Sophie
I just checked back here after my first comment. Thank you so so much for all your replies! I’m going to write a review on facebook and google since I others should be notified of this. Pleased to say when I typed in lemoart gallery this time, this was the top page. Hopefully it will stop others from getting sucked in. How many of you went to the police in the end? And did you get your money back?
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Tina Toner
Same here, got contacted via instagram, and after a few e-mails I signed a contract. Got suspicious right on time after her e-mails got very irregurarly. I sensed her eagerness on money after not replying my questions but always asking for the money. After the exhibition-date was a few times delayed I didn’t trust it anymore and decided to not participate anymore. After that she treatened me with lawsuits whahaha are you serious??? Found out through friends living in Berlin the so called ‘exhibition’ didn’t take place.
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Anonymous
Same here, was contacted via instagram. Olivia pickedthe pieces I had to show. Had to pay 50 euro’s for each piece. After I signed the contract I got suspicious because she began answering mails inconsequent and was eager for money. Didn’t pay and told her that I was withdrawing from the socalled ‘exhibition’ because I didn’t trust her. She was treatening me with lawsuits if I didn’t pay. Whahaaa she and her gallery are a total scam, only in it for the money. The exhibition didn’t take place at all.
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Michele Hung
I am one of the victims like many of the artists out there who got scammed by this gallery, they target inexperienced artists(mainly overseas) and charge you a thousand euros as a so called promotional fees, they never return your work, never reply your emails, everything they promised in the contract was never fulfilled. Please stay away from these thieves, they are a total shame of humanity.
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Sophie
Hi Michele,
Did you go to the Berlin police? If not – you should. I can’t believe these people can live with themselves with what they have done to people.-
Michele
Unfortunately I have not go to the Berlin police, I’m overseas and I need to look into how to do that.
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Larissa Mwanyama
I feel so incredibly shit! I have been emailing them for weeks trying to figure out where my works are. I am a South African student, studying my third year. I am so deeply upset about this
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Anonymous
I submitted to one of their ‘open calls’ a while back. Turned out to be one of those competitions where you have to pay €28 for each submission. None of this was ever mentioned in the call. If you’re going to charge artists, at least be upfront about it rather than luring people in and making pay unexpected charges. Definitely avoid this one.
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TJ
Hi
Everyone above’s experiences refelcts exactly what happened to me as well. I pulled out of the exhibition, too tired to continue to try and contact them. My biggest fear now is that they might have copies of my art. Most of what I have to say has already been said, but I can just confirm that everyone should stay away from this gallery!-
Michele Hung
I’m sure they WILL do whatever they want with your art now they have copies of it, they are absolutely shameless. I suggest you keep an eye out there for any online/printing distribution of your art without your consent, I know it’s hard to track, but it’s the least we could do.
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Bianca Andersson
This is the most unprofessional and ignorant owner of a gallery! After signing a contract to exhibit 3 Illustrations, she was impossible to get in touch with, didn’t reply on mail, Instagram, Facebook or phone. Tjree weeks before the show she suddenly decided to reach out to me, no prices were ser, no preparations done, no artwork were chosen. I decided to not participate in the exhibition although I did not get a refund. Do not get involved with this gallery! Con artist warning!
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Clara
Hi! It’s really good to know that I’m not the only one with this experience. I sign the contract for the exhibition that it will take place in 6 days (7 september) and the gallery is always closed and the owner of the gallery doesn’t answer my emails and my calls. I don’t know how can I do. I feel so angry, I paid 200 € !! That is incredible!!!
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Raina
Hi there. I wont say much but i was contacted for an exhibtion but the whole process was very unprofessional. When asking me to join they emailed me like clockwork. But right after i paid the fee. The literally went MIA. Its only after me and some of the victim report that we want to go to the berlin police that the owner finally email us back (after the whole excuse of server down. Miracle apparently) take note that she finally reply us like now when the exhibtion is 2 3 weeks away when we have emailed them since months and months ago. So my advise is take caution
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Shelley
Artists beware! This ‘art gallery’ does not care about creating good exhibitions and supporting artists, the owner only cares about trying to get artists to pay money to show work and sign a contract that favors the gallery and not the artist. She tries to collect money to show work, and doesn’t market or promote artists as promised, and may not even exhibit the work.
I was contacted through IG and invited to be in an International Jewelry exhibition. I was sent a contract and told that the owner would help me select work and help price my pieces. She also said she would pack up my pieces if I arranged return shipment of any pieces that didn’t sell.
I dealt with the gallery owner for several months but here are the main problems, several of which you had: 1) she always promised to send emails explaining the procedure, and answering questions, but after the contract I never received one email. Nothing! She would contact me when she wanted payment, but never to answer questions or assist as indicated in the contract. 2) I contacted other artists who tried to drop off their work and the gallery was never open, so if it’s open at all it doesn’t keep regular hours.
3) I have no confidence that my work would be returned , or that I would receive payment when it sold. At least three other artists from a past show never got their work back.
I will not go so far to say that this gallery scams artists, but the owner is unprofessional, does not communicate, and seems only concerned with getting her money. If a gallery is legit, you don’t have to pay them to be in a show!! I feel they are taking advantage of new artists. I have filed a claim against them in Berlin with at least 13 other artists. Please don’t exhibit here!-
Lin
Hallo, i am experiencing the same things… You know a way to get the money back?
I will definitely not send them the pieces after this unprofessional behavior the have shown the last week’s..not replying for days and then just saying that they will send an email with information,the email never came.. -
Michele
I’m really sorry to hear what they have done to your art. I got contacted by other artist who had very similar experience, I can’t imagine how many victims are out there feeling helpless. How’s the claim going? I would love to add my name to the claim if you need more victims names.
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Anonymous
Hi Shelly..
I’m from oversea. It’s been a MONTH since I got replied from the gallery.. What should I do?. Read all of artists here, I can’t do much but all I want is two of my artworks..
Please, what should I do… (??)
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Jevz
Hello,
I was just about to send my jewelry works to the same “exhibition”…. After reading all these comments and understanding that I ve been scammed, I want to sign this claim too (if possible)
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Mike
Hey, they also contacted with me friend and offered to show her illustrations, but she had to pay 150€ for two pictures and 50€ for each subsequent work. Also they said their brand “Cancan” may make her special-edition cancan work and she can earn money from selling it in future. How to understand it? I watched their sites and I can’s say it’s a gallery. It’s kind of small room where “artistical peope” hang out and discuss newcomer’s arts. In Russia 150€ is my friend’s monthly salary, so we think that it could be sort of scam or something like that.
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Sophie
I just got a very similar offer myself, is there any update about the gallery?
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Anonymous
Scam scam SCAM!!! Was contacted the same way via instagram. Flew to Berlin for the exhibition. Was not on. They are in for a world of trouble.
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Anonymous
Back here once again, i am a person who got scammed in 2017. But this month i was contacted by a person who saw my review or something and reached out to me in regards of her own experience. They mentioned that they are contacted via/by Ludvig Rage Club. liasoning with O.Krinner (now changed her name to O.Hontas), Victim has sent their money but luckily since they found some review they canceled and threaten Ludvig with Lawyer. Luckily they managed it their money back.
so just to remind you that Lemo Art and Ludvig are created by the same person/agency and they are STILL scamming Artist. BEWARE.
if the scammer sees this (which i assume since there is some comments defending this scam, please get a REAL job, all of us are struggling anyway in our daily lifes, dont take people means of making money when they are doing it with their hardwork and creativity.