"People develop all sorts of secret fantasies when they're in long-term relationships. Maybe it's a one-night stand with a celebrity, or a weeklong escape to the South of France, alone. My current daydream, 10 years into my marriage, involves me choosing whatever image I want to hang on the blank white wall next to our kitchen. I've been harboring this illicit fantasy since the summer of 2021 when we moved into our home."
"Our white wall hasn't driven us to counseling, but we may need some sort of mediator to guide us. As Robert Dimin, owner of DIMIN gallery in lower Manhattan, told me, "It seems more and more the job of an art dealer is also falling into the therapist category. It's personal, and you're helping people navigate what they're really earnestly looking for." Dimin said he sees one or two couples a month coming into the gallery with wildly different views on what they want."
Long-term partners often harbor private fantasies about changing domestic art and decor. Conflicting tastes in artwork can produce recurring household tensions and quiet resentments. Online communities document numerous examples of couples arguing over aesthetic choices and homemade pieces. Gallery owners and dealers increasingly act as informal mediators, helping couples navigate personal preferences and shared spaces. Some couples consider counseling when art choices become a persistent conflict. Visits to galleries sometimes reveal sharply divergent desires, with professionals encountering one or two such couples each month seeking guidance on what to display.
Read at Slate Magazine
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