Bergamot Station houses between 35 and 40 galleries that present a wide variety of art. In addition to the fine arts establishments (which make up the majority) there are a number of functional arts galleries offering imaginative variations on traditional objects such as chairs, lamps, and other furnishings. The galleries are mostly small and compact and are laid out in rows in long, low buildings. The visitor simply goes from one to the next with, for the most part, no indication of what type of work they contain. Each gallery is set up, however, to give a clear impression to visitors the moment they enter the glass doors. Usually one or two works are visible from the entry. While it is clear that the objects in the galleries are for sale the entire complex invites people just to look and enjoy themselves--along with those who are there to buy art. Almost every establishment features white walls, a very plain reception area, works numbered rather than labeled, and price/title lists available to consult.
The majority of the galleries featured one or two artists and the work was often of very different types. But some featured exhibitions of single artists and others had groups of artists whose work was thematically related. The atmosphere of Bergamot station is relaxed and quiet and most visitors behave as if they were in a museum--whispering and staying out of each other's way so as not to interrupt anyone who wants to look at the work without interference.
Although there is a great variety of work in the galleries, nearly all of it has a domestic scale. Paintings, photographs, small sculpture, and even some long, dangling mobiles and furniture made of discarded wood scraps would all fit in a home. There is very little work that seems out of scale or intended for a public or a museum setting. These are businesses and since they intend to sell the work to upper-middle class buyers who are willing to spend between $5...