The Art of Curating

Monday 12^th November: Hmmmmm.... A visit to Langport was long overdue!

Seems I was not alone in this thinking and I was joined by a mighty [insert collective noun for a group of artists here] of artists at least 15 or more, who all had the same good idea to attend the workshop, ‘Creative Endeavours –a curatorial guide for artists in Somerset’ at SAW’s base of operations the Town Hall in Langport, yeah!

The session was aimed at artists and makers who may either wish to know about curating art, working with a curator and/or the process of exhibition making. But don’t take my word for it have a read of what the written guide has to say,

“This guide aims to support Somerset based artists and exhibition organisers who wish to introduce a curatorial element into their work. It aims to provide details of all aspects of developing an exhibition, from establishing a clear thematic to the installation of work and the standards of work expected. It provides an overview of what is expected from both artists and curators at each stage of the exhibition making process, including conceptualisation, planning, fundraising, exhibition presentation, and audience development. It aims to define curatorial expectations in a contemporary context, and outline the relationship between artists and curators in order to produce projects that are mutually beneficial.”

I’ll be peppering this post with more quotes and snippets from the ‘Creative Endeavours curatorial guide’ as we go. The guide has been put together by SAW out of the Maximum Exposure project which commissioned three new public art works for Somerset and has been written and produced by Karen Gaskill and Zoe Li with additional material from Karen Macdonald and Carol Carey. At only 9 pages long it puts a lot of content in a much more succinct way than I could waffling on about it here, so I’d be crazy not to make use of it.

Anyway, so there we all were in Langport town hall where Art Weeks Coordinator, Zoe Li explained that the aim for this session was to introduce the guide as a resource tool to refer to and how we could use this session to discuss and think about curatorial practice in relation to our own artistic practices. The aim being to, “Define curatorial expectations, the artist’s role in developing an exhibition and the relationship between artist and curator.” To start things off a kind of setting the scene was presented i.e. five different elements to consider when putting on an exhibition; the audience, the curator, the artist, the institution and the context. How do all of those necessarily come together to make an exhibition and does the artist become the curator or is that a separate role? Is the role of the curator just curating? Are they also an ideas catalyst and/or producer? How does a curator role differ from a guest curator role?

“In our contemporary art world, the term ‘curation or curating’ means the specific knowledge and expertise that a curator brings to contextualizing an exhibition and to presenting art works in a specific location and context. It is a commonly used term in contemporary art exhibitions and projects, and historically it has represented the curator in the context of museums, but in its current meaning represents the contextualization of exhibitions. The curatorial role is still in evolution, and is becoming more defined through active critique and review.”

My feelings of this was the knowledge of the role of curator having changed a lot from being the person who selected and hung exhibitions to a more engaged in the production of work and contextualising role wasn’t anything new but the debates and discussion that was generated during the latter part of the session opened up new challenges of things that I felt were worth considering next time I choose to exhibit. Particularly, I think what I was left wondering was if the artist is in the role of artist/curator then in a way, the curating of the artwork and the interpretation, the narrative and the story-telling it may or may not have becomes as much an important part of the ‘art’ as making it? The art of curating, maybe! I guess the best example to give is when you’ve seen the same piece of work in two different exhibitions and you sometimes have a preference as to which you think is more successful, of course that all depends on what you mean by ‘successful’ amongst other things. However, the point I am making is that I acknowledge that curating and presentation of art can have a profound impact on the viewing of the work and perhaps my confession is that in sometimes being too impatiently excited to show finished work that I take less care and thought in those final stages which seem to be so crucial.

Time for some examples!

Site Specific work –
“There is a long history of artists creating work in unconventional spaces. Often the artist is inspired by a location and takes this into account while planning and creating the artwork. Many curators develop specific knowledge and experience working in this particular setting. They will have a good practical knowledge in presenting work in temporary spaces and are often involved in the liaison with nonart partners, identifying a suitable site with artists and assessing the access and safety issues. This is essential for a curator to have such practical knowledge otherwise ideas from artists will not be fully realized. Some of the practical work may be carried out by a supporting role, such as project manager or technician.
lluminos are lighting designer andfilm/installation artist brothers Rob and Matt Vale. Using website, archive, projection and endurance, for Maximum Exposure Illuminos created a unique video projection event along the Taunton Stop Line. Built during World War II, the Taunton Stop Line consists of hundreds of ‘pill boxes’ – military bunkers designed to stop a potential German advance from the west. Over the course of ten nights each pillbox was be illuminated and projected upon in turn, using imagery and iconography from the structures original usage. Stopping at ten sites each evening, by the end of the ten days one hundred structures from the Stop Line were brought into the light."

Taunton Stop Line as part of 'Maximum Exposure'

Artist led approach –
“The Artist/curator is very common and often a pragmatic approach based on financial and practical reasons. An artist who curates their work can be found among artist run spaces/initiatives where artists wish to engage their ideas to wider audiences through organising an exhibition, event or other activities. This approach is common in Somerset and the majority of exhibitions and projects seen in Somerset Art Weeks are initiated and organised by the artists. There may not be a particular role of artist curator, but the two roles are fulfilled by the same person; their curatorial concern evolving from the perspective of the artist themselves. However, the intention of such a cross over role should be further examined, including its intention and motivation, including how this role effectively presents work in an open and stimulating environment for a wide range of audiences. The role of curator is not purely one of just being a facilitator, but being responsible for the thematic and presentation aspects of the show, and by setting a clear brief and defining how artist and curator interaction can be beneficial.”
In example the Tithe Barn at Cotley Nr Chard which sees an Art Weeks exhibition every year put together with a group of artists who either respond to the space and context or have thematically been grouped together. It seems quite difficult to find an example that is just, ‘an artist led’ approach as there seems to be a lot of crossover in all of them. I can remember hearing some fierce debates from artists as to what makes a piece of work ‘site specific’ or an ‘installation’ on depending on how specific they choose to be. If you analyse it too much it can get very tricky. My own thoughts on this are not to be too pedantic about labelling as the work should speak for itself anyway.

Natalie Parsley at the Tithe Barn, Cotley, 'Context' Somerset Art Weeks 2010

Thematic –
“This is one of many approaches and it often starts from a particular concern from the curator who selects artists whose work will address or explore the theme further. It has advantages in terms of providing audiences with a clear outline of the work and it is suitable for creating a group exhibition. A curator offers a strategy in addressing the theme through a diverse range of work, as well as considering how to balance the different works. Therefore, the curator undertakes a selection process and this often includes dialogue with the selected artists to ensure works not only illustrate the concept devised by the curator but also present the unique artistic concerns of each of the artists involved. The interaction between artists and curator is key to creating a meaningful show for the audiences.”
In looking back at local exhibitions I’d seen, ‘Sheds’ came to mind as being an example of thematic curatorial practice. Featuring work from the BHAAM artists and exhibited in Art Weeks 2011 the show was a collection of work around the theme of sheds. BHAAM Artists had responded to the theme, each in their own unique way making work specifically for the exhibition. It was one of my personal favourites from that Art Weeks 2011.

Tim Martin, 'Westward Hoe' as part of 'Sheds' BHAAM, Somerset Art Weeks 2011.

Venue Based Exhibitions –
“Often curators operate within an established venue that has specific organisational aims and policies attached to it. Exhibitions are part of a wider programme of work delivered by the organisation. Curators may play a role delivering objectives set by others which may have specific audiences and groups connected to the venue. Curators involved in some of the visual arts venues in the South West such as Arnolfini, Plymouth Arts Centre, and Spacex are responsible for developing a programme of exhibitions that align with their organisations’ core aims. There is a certain amount of freedom for a curator to develop their own expertise but sometimes it can also be restricted by the physical space offered by the venue. However, many public art galleries now will carry out their work in off site locations, some integrated to their main artistic programme and many are focusing on engaging with particular communities and groups.”
It would be almost too easy to give a Brewhouse exhibition example here, so I won’t (the guidebook gives, ‘Cultivate 2’ as its example) and instead will throw a bit of a wild card into the mix. Musgrove Park Hospital had a project, titled ‘Cabinet of Wonders’ which they curated with SAW for, I think, a year and is my example of venue based curating. It is more of a wild card because of the context of it being a hospital gallery and not necessarily a public gallery that is just a gallery. Which make it a particularly interesting and unusual place to exhibit in that also poses new opportunities and potential challenges. During the ‘Cabinet of Wonders’ artists were invited to display works in two glass cabinets showcasing a selection of works including ceramics, jewelry, sculptures and mixed-media work.

Natalie Parsley -Work exhibited as part of Musgrove Park Hospital's 'Cabinet of Wonders' 2011/12

During the second half of the session we divided into groups to discuss the responsibilities and expectations of the artist and curator roles under the headings, developing the concept, selecting artists, developing audiences, contracting, budgeting/fundraising, marketing, interpretation, caption/label/info, launch, take-down and evaluation. I won’t go into all the discussions that we had, but I can definitely say this part of the day, for me, felt like the most useful and it was helpful to hear about other artists’ experiences. Thoughts such as, what is your unique selling point and how do you encourage younger people to visit your exhibition being two that have had a lasting impression to consider in the future. It soon became clear quickly that a lot of what we discussed depended on knowing your own strengths and weaknesses as an artist, (are you very good at fundraising but not so good with marketing?  for example) and knowing what kind of work it is that you are making i.e. socially engaged work, selling, non selling, commissioned; as these factors will influence what help you need, whether you need curating or not and can also help to determine your audience.

Overall it was a useful experience and a good opportunity to meet new people. The guide goes into a lot of the content highlighted here in more depth and presents the case that curation can open up new themes/ideas in making artwork, create links to other artists, contexts and opportunities and provide feedback and critical guidance. The relationship between curator and artist is a lot more blurred than perhaps it once was, but this too seems like a step forward and has led to more ambitious projects that have further reach in terms of their audiences and impact than before. The relationship might not always be a smooth one at times, but as artists having a greater awareness of the curatorial process can certainly help make issues of negotiation and diplomacy easier. Now we’re all fuelled with this knowledge and information the opportunity and affects will hopefully take shape in what awaits us for Art Weeks 2013.

If you’d like to read the SAW curatorial guide for artists in Somerset featuring some and more of the case studies mentioned here then please contact: info@somersetartworks.org.uk

And if you’re a member of SAW, due to popular demand, there’s an opportunity to take part in a second workshop on Monday 10^th December between 11.00 and 01.00pm. Please get in contact to book a place.

Not a member of SAW yet?! Then click on the link below to find out more: http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/node/96

 

Street Life - Volkhardt Muller at The Brewhouse

Well, it’s been an exceptionally good week following on from last week’s high of visiting the BHAAM artists; this week has seen free fireworks, free books and free booze topped off by sharing the above in the company of great friends and watching the stage version of, ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’ (based on the short story by Sillitoe and what would be one of the top books in my own ‘life enhancing books of all time’ list) all of which certainly helping towards keeping my faith in the arts restored where it should be. Wonderful stuff! Completing this most humbling and momentous week has to be the Volkhardt Muller exhibition at The Brewhouse.    

    I’d heard rumours of people paying to have sections of a woodcut printed as part of a kind-of interactive project at The Brewhouse and that the idea was that you could pay for different sizes to be printed and if enough people bought enough pieces it would reveal an even bigger picture....Curious...I zipped down to the Brew one lunchtime to go have a look...

Impressive! Three large block woodcuts leaning against the walls in the gallery each depicting scenes from a high street; shops, lamp posts, bus stops, litter, babies in pushchairs, people on phones, waiting, walking, carrying shopping or reading newspapers, it was all very recognisably familiar stuff. That’s also why I liked it! Each woodcut had areas that had been marked out, printed and then placed onto a light box directly above it. Except the images on the light boxes were fragmented and only told parts of the scene depicted in the woodcut itself. The reason? The rumours I’d heard about people buying parts of prints was correct making the exhibition an interactive one based on people paying for an area (and they can choose how big or small) of their choosing to be printed of which they get a copy to take home and keep and the same area is printed to add to the light box in the gallery. A lucrative idea in terms of making money but more importantly also a very poignant and apt one given the subject matter of the work, the high street. I think the idea of having an interactive piece that is made up of the fragments of different people’s decisions and participation is a good echo of the lives of our own high street as a place of ‘toing and froing’ and interaction; perhaps even more hauntingly appropriate if you take the idea that people and engagement are needed in order for the image to exist/be revealed being the same as the real-life situation many high streets face that without people, without customers they too may become more fragmented and non-existent. That was my reading into it anyway, although I preferred visually the more fragmented images than the whole on the woodcut, perhaps the fragmenting of the image could reflect the constant changing nature of high streets as public spaces. I don’t really mind, I just enjoy thinking about work in this multiple meanings sort-of way. I also thought there was something shop window-like about the illuminated images on their light boxes reflecting the narratives of familiar scenes some more banal, some humorous and others bordering on the slightly disturbing or with a threat of menace in the air. Interesting as well to see what parts of the images people choose to get printed, mostly all the figures were picked out (the exhibition had been up since October) and crushed drinks cans, shop signs and dustbins all being taken (the artist does however, do up to four prints of a given area) all of which leaving fairly large amounts of areas of pavement and road unclaimed. Unless someone was to buy a print of the entire block then I’m guessing that there’ll always be areas like the pavement in the image that are incomplete. This is again another uncanny metaphor for the concept of people having to invest in their high streets in order to keep them. I’m reminded of the excellent book, ‘Embracing the Ordinary’ that I reviewed a while back this year on this blog and the writer Georges Perec who recorded almost forensically the everyday details happening on a street in Saint Sulpice, Paris. Muller has obviously spent a lot of time himself looking at towns and their high streets and a film projected as part of this exhibition acts as a demonstration of source material recorded to make the prints in the exhibition. The work was in fact originally commissioned by Exeter’s Royal Albert Museum and Art Gallery for Exeter High Street. Glad it has made its way to Taunton and that the interactivity continues with a third piece in the exhibition made of twenty or so (I didn’t count, ok!) wind-up children’s TVs, you know the kind that have a screen with an image that goes around and around whilst playing a nursery rhyme (see image below). Anyway, these require the viewer to wind them up in order to play the images which have been replaced with Muller’s prints of high street scenes and are like watching a very slow animation or mimicking of driving through a town in a car as it pans across a scene of people queueing at a bus stop or row of shop fronts. There’s a creepy sort-of nostalgia with this piece that I didn’t get with the large woodcuts, maybe it’s due to the wind-up plinkety-plink nursery rhyme music that the boxes emanate as the image goes around or maybe again this is meant to act as a warning of what fate awaits our high streets should we continue to lose shops and their identities they have within our towns until all that is left of them is images in children’s toys and ladybird books. Ha ha, SCARY! On the other hand, maybe there’s also something quite funny and childlike to it that I’ve missed (I’ve only offered up my own interpretation of the work). All in all it’s a great idea to have an exhibition that is dependent on the people who visit it to both make and contribute to the work as well in a way being the subject matter for it. I can imagine would have been equally interesting to watch it as it grew and hope that out of all this participation it just might make people look at their own high streets a little differently if at the very least feel that in our own individual ways we have a role to play in animating these public spaces whether that’s feeding the pigeons, shopping, skating or just walking through that is the mandate of the honest hardworking people.

‘Since 2010 Volkhardt Müller has been chronicling public life in British cities through drawing, wood/linocut, print objects and moving image. Following his solo exhibition at RAMM in Exeter, Müller’s work in The Brewhouse puts in focus the relationships between the generic and the locale, often drawing on the British High Street as a petri dish for observation and a source of ideas.’

Catch Volkhardt Muller’s exhibition, ‘Mandate from the honest hard working people’ at The Brewhouse until November 17^th:

http://www.thebrewhouse.net/exhibitions/1480/mandate-from-the-honest-hard-working-people

 

 

Opportunities galore!

There are a lot of opportunities and projects on offer for young artists and emerging artist graduates at the moment. If you haven't heard about the two below already then please take a look:

 

Hunky Punk Toy Project - Artist Work Opportunity

The overall vision of the project is to encourage more members of the local community to visit All Saints church in Langport, to recognise its value as a community asset. Another part of the project is youth empowerment, the project is run by the New Saints - young people (aged between 16 and 25) with facilitation from CCT and SAW.
The CCT and the New Saints are non-religious organisations, focusing on buildings conservation and opening the building to the whole community.

Artist Task
The CCT, New Saints and SAW will work with the appointed artist to develop a mini-project around the research, design and creation of Hunky Punk soft toys. All this is to be undertaken with input and participation with children and young people and through a series of workshops. Hunky Punks are the gargoyles and grotesques found on churches in Somerset.

Your Experience
We are looking to appoint an artist to undertake this work who can demonstrate an awareness and willingness to develop expertise in the areas outlined above. Core competencies should involve:
- Understanding of the brief and the context;
- Some experience in working with textiles, product design, working with young people and project management;
- Excellent collaborative, team working and communication skills.

Artists aged 25 and under are particularly invited to apply as this project is very much focused on creating opportunities for young people. All ages please apply however, the artist with the right skills mix will be appointed.

 Timetable
Closing date for applications Friday 30 November

Artist appointed in January 2013
Main activity during February to April, plus showcase event in May 2013. Dates and times to be mutually agreed, activity will be in the Langport area.
Fees
Artist's fees £1,000 on a freelance contract (to include approx 7 half day workshops plus R&D, celebration, evaluation)

Artist's Brief, full details and how to apply can be found on:

http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/news/hunky-punk-toy-project-artist-work-opportunity

 

Reveal would like to announce Progression Support for Fine Art Graduates

Why not take advantage of the following workshops to plan your future
Three Stops to Success...

Discover the tools and resources you need for a successful creative journey.

Take Art in association with Reveal partners (Brewhouse Visual Arts, Somerset Film and Somerset Art Works) and Apples & Snakes are running a programme of three workshops for young and emerging artists and anyone else working in the arts who would like some tips and pointers.

Taking place at Albermarle Centre, Taunton

Workshop 1: A Sense of Direction on 23 November at 10am-5pm - Will help you work out where you are now? Where you want to go? How you are going to get there?

Workshop 2: Fuelling Up on 30 January 2013 at 10am to 5pm - Focuses on funding and how to get the right support for your work.
Workshop 3: Tools for the Journey on 19 February 2013 at 10am to 5pm - Focusing on tools and resources and how to manage, market and administrate yourself as a self-employed practitioner.

The workshops can be attended individually or as a course. Find out more at www.takeart.org

Supported by SCC Creative Industries Fund and Arts Council CYP Thrive 2 Programme.