JanKossen Contemporary

JanKossen Contemporary is a pay for play operation. On top of hefty application fees, artists submitting their work for inclusion must pay a $150-$500 hanging fee PER ARTWORK. This is disclosed after being accepted to show. A warning to also avoid Arte Ponte, a sister operation of JanKossen. Work shown at fairs by Arte Ponte hails from artists paying $3,000+ to be there. Booth shares can be ethical, but there is nothing ethical on Jasmin Kossenjans, JanKossen and Arte Ponte. Save the headache.

8 comments
  • Sherri Littlefield

    JanKossen Contemporary is definitely not a pay-to-play gallery and some of these accusations are straight up ridiculous.. Jasmin has always represented a wide range of artists from multiple backgrounds and countries.

    Arte Ponte is not directly affiliated with JanKossen. They’re two different things with two different sets of goals that are founded by the same person. It’s really uncool to attack someone’s passion project.

    Jasmin hired me, someone with ZERO(!) gallery experience and I learned so much from her and will be forever thankful. I am in New York City because of her, and I am currently the director of another gallery because of the skills she taught me. I had my fair share of screw-ups while working there and forgiveness was always extended to me.

    In the year I worked there, I got to co-curate a show and made great friends. Artists who participated in the inaugural FRESH! exhibition have gone on to do some really great things. One of the comments mentioned she’s unorganized? Have you ever met Jasmin!? She’s like the most organized person I’ve ever met!

    Not everything was rainbows and sunshine, but really, what job is? I continue to support the gallery as it continues to grow – they’re international and show no signs of slowing down.

    I hate pulling the gender card here, but would you be saying these same things if she were a man?

    • former anonymous artist

      Ohhhh please, roll call for the minions. Jankossen IS a pay for play operation, that is a fact and not rubbish. You pay, you exhibit, you play. PAY. FOR. PLAY.. Arte Ponte and jankossen share an address. Don’t associate with these lowlifes. Save the headache.

  • former anonymous artist

    I refrained from commenting here, but felt it a duty after reading falsified, positive google reviews from the owner herself. JanKossen is cheap, dishonest, unorganized and ran by an unfit and racist woman. Offensive words about Muslims and American fall out of her mouth. Pay-for-play; Stay away.

    A 10 second google search can confirm Arte Ponte is not a registered NGO in ANY country. There is no second location, don’t be a puppet. Don’t buy into her nonsense. I will give it to her that she is smart and has a keen eye for emerging talent, but using those skills to manipulate others will eventually catch up and bite her.

    • former anonymous intern

      I can only give my own experience as having worked with her as an intern a while back, and I never found her as being racist (she is half Muslim….?). but very knowledgeable and always friendly. She gave me some honest advice on how to get into the art-scene, which is tough one to break into for a grad. JanKossen is not pay-to-play at all, but she does host a summer group show for artists where there is an application fee. Which is pretty normal. Any sales goes to the artist. She doesnt get a dime from sales.

    • Jasmin Kossenjans

      Dear former anonymous artist
      It is indeed a pity that you are so angry. And frustrated. But, writing false truths (ie. rubbish) about other people, isn’t going to fix your issues.

      I normally do not respond to emotional negativity when someone is obviously being hateful. But, I would like to respond here, since no-one likes to be accused wrongly (ie.rubbish) by someone who cowardly hides behind ”
      former anonymous artist” .
      And yes, I am sorry if some honest feedback about your art was hard to swallow. But, to insult me in this fashion and make false accusations is just very pitiful and spiteful. And does not make your art any better.

      First, the reviews on google were NOT made by me. And are hence not falsified. The one review says I wrote it, so I am very transparent.
      Second, I am half Muslim (I am half Persian), and anyone who knows me, would never label me as a racist. Especially with my background. If being Persian is a problem for you, then you are the racist.
      Third, JanKossen is NOT pay-to-play. Never was, and never will be.

      FRESH is our summer group show, where we do not collect a commission for sales. A fee is to cover costs for the opening party, installation and staff who mans the show which lasts over a month! Charging USD150-USD500 (depends on wall space taken up, from other artists) in return for 100% on sales if you sell (this depends on the art and market demand) is hardly pay-to-play, especially since under 25% of the applicants are selected for the show, who pass our selection criteria. Pay-to-play would be a correct, if I had just selected everyone, without a selection criteria.

      Finally. why talk about ARTEPONTE under JanKossen? its a separate entity. Its a not a gallery and does not represent artists. It a service, and the website is very transparent about that . And yes, it is a NGO ie Swiss association. If you spoke German, maybe you would had found the registration page.
      You know how to contact me, so if you have anything you wish to say, do say it to me directly. And not in this cowardly fashion.

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