I used the Breaking Boundaries task to maximise opportunities and initiate plenty of strands to follow through, throughout the MA and beyond. I hoped to break several boundaries, set up long term projects, and give myself diverse areas to develop. I still find, at the end of this first year of the MA, that I am enacting and focussing previously held plans and ideas, and making them actual. I am linking scattered thoughts together into practical tasks and solutions. The essence of these ideas and plans is theViewergallery, which I intend to continue and develop.
I have found in the MA a slight moving away from my own personal work, and more activity such as theViewergallery, which is concerned with setting an arena and a framework for my own work and practice. Although I like to maintain consistency in producing personal work, Moving Image and other production, I am aware of the cyclic nature of phases of creativity, and feel that I am doing the right things in concentrating on the context for my work for now, rather than on the imagery or content. Indeed, I feel compelled to deal with these areas. Having had experience of making much work which has never been shown, of feeling uninvolved with the transactions of artistic life, I am convinced of the logic of spending time and effort in shaping the presentation and interface through which my artwork can become viable and shown.
Having said that, theViewergallery has initiated new work, including theLongLine drawings which I have animated into a Moving Image piece.
I managed to get around copyright issues with my preferred music to accompany TheLongLine by suggesting a legitimate link to it. It is the Gallery theme to the TV programme “Vision On”, known as “Left Bank Two,” by Wayne Hill, the Noveltones, 1963.
I plan to show the piece whenever I run the project, and continually add to it. theLongLine asks questions concerning the authorship of art -since I am the initiator and organiser of the work, am I also the artist? Who owns the copyright? The project is a fruitful way of posing such curatorial questions, answerable from many different perspectives.
With or without funding or premises, theViewergallery is a way of manifesting ideas, and a frame and context to put around my work. It is an extension of my artwork, an integrated part of my practice, and something of the missing link I have been searching for.
theViewergallery online presence is a blog.
All information about theViewergallery projects are there, including stills, photographs, facts, details, links, and a reflective report I distributed to participating artists and interested friends.
Information/ research
I downloaded the resource pack from the Big Draw, containing advice about running and managing events. Some points are common sense, or good exhibition practice like recording numbers of visitors, and having a thorough health and safety idiot-proofing session.
I applied for an Arts Council grant. After much work I believe I almost cracked the application, but was not successful. The advantage was relief that I didn’t have to follow through with statistical evaluation processes which were conditional for such funding.
I learned from and evaluated the exhibition in less formal ways, thinking through the experience from all viewpoints – audience, participating artists, myself as organiser, helpers and staff. A framework is useful, an awareness and understanding based on advice and best practice, but true evaluation is best reflected upon experience.
I used the Unfunded logo to make a feature of the fact on my publicity. It was appreciated and a conversation-starter.
Figure 1. unfunded (2011) unfunded logo [online image] http://www.unfundedlogo.net (Accessed on 20/09/2011)
I made sure that my exhibits and events had more than face value by backing up with research. I had information available in the gallery with a suggestion of more to find out if desired. Since children were to be involved and participating alongside adults and professional artists, I aimed to give all an appropriate point of entry and engagement. For theLongLine continuous drawing project, research included that the project was based on a 17th century parlour format, the Polyorama, and that the longest drawing in the world is presently 9,154 metres. These points engaged with participants, from children whose imaginations were piqued by the drawing length, and the possibility that their theLongLine piece may contribute to a record breaker, to one of the artists who was an expert in antiquated moving image formats.
I considered having a selection of books and materials in relevant or related subjects available. I have increasingly seen this in galleries, and find it a fruitful practice, both in providing additional information and context, and as a point of reflection. It is best practice I plan to adopt with theViewergallery and other exhibitions when appropriate, but have to arrange managing and securing it within the space.
Site/situation/audience
My venue was The Original Gallery in Hornsey Library, near my home in North London.
It is a council run gallery which has made attempts in recent years to run as a credible independent Fine Art venue, hosting emerging artists. I have dealt with council-run art spaces before, and this was no different in that the management is rather inefficient and difficult. There were problems at most stages in booking, confirmation and communication, which required constant attention.
Although I prepared my activities and anticipate needs, I built into my plans an amount of planned spontaneity, with flexibility embedded in choices to be made on the day. I am comfortable in such situations and thrive on coming up with creative solutions with available resources.
The Original Gallery is a generous space, enough to host theLongLine, the screening, wall-based and floor-based drawing activities, a shop area and the MA students touring show, Absolute Magnitude.
Decision making around new contexts
This was the first time I made an open call to work for other artists, selected and managed them. I put an entry in the listings on Artists Newsletter:
I have myself submitted work to many listings, and regularly look at listings sites, and wanted to glean the best from experience and also create what I would respond to myself.
One lesson I take from the project is to be more up front and clear that I reserve the right to use and extract from a piece, with negotiation. Originally I called for works up to ten minutes, but the artist of one such piece objected when I suggested an extract. I accepted his whole ten minutes, but wish that I had retained the absolute right to cut. Normally I would agree with the artist – it may ruin the integrity of a work if only part is shown, especially if it has narrative elements. But this particular piece was weaker than the rest, and frankly imbalanced my entire programme. I showed many approaches to drawing in theProgressiveImage, and a couple of minutes of his piece would have been appropriate and apt, but didn’t add anything to my screening in its entirety.
New to me to was accepting work, informing artists of details, dealing with their technical issues, and following up with information and feedback. I judged this by the best communication I have received in this context, and bettering it by dealing with them in ways I would like myself.
Newer still was rejecting work. I was sent several pieces which I could not use as they were clearly outside of the remit – having even no tenuous link to drawing. I employed diplomacy – I have sometimes sent mismatched work to listings, although usually with more reason, and aim to keep these artists on board for possible future projects.
Public engagement
I linked my event to The Big Draw, run by The Campaign for Drawing, for several reasons, one of which was to benefit from their reputation and publicity for my event.
I publicised the day on local event websites, and distributed fliers and posters in the area. Previously I have not always informed my mailing list properly of upcoming events, but this time I was thorough, and also listed it on art event sites, such as Arts News, run by the Arts Council.
I emailed all my contacts in LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a professional networking site. I have been building up contacts this year, and have nearly 400. Many of these are curators and artists I do not personally know, but have a shared interest with. That has been a fascinating insight into aspects of the art world and gallery practice. I received emails and messages from my invitations, expressing interest and support. These contacts have theViewergallery projects in their awareness, and I will email future projects. These curators and artists are my public just as much as the public – they are the people I want to reach for future connections and opportunities.
My other public apart from the public were the participating artists. Of the ten showing Moving Image, eight attended. I had a volunteer who had contacted me through The Big Draw – a young woman interested in Art who cannot afford to do a degree, but who involves herself in courses and art activities. There was a core of these artists, about five, who stayed all day, helping in setting up, running activities and taking down. There were bonuses in making strong connections with other artists, one of the most important glues of the life of an artist.
We had near 100 visitors, a great amount – manageable and possible to oversee, yet plenty to make the gallery feel occupied and to give the projects a good trial and the screening a fair audience. I and the other artists were able to talk with many of the participants.
There are benefits to having multiple and varying events at an exhibition. Without lessening artistic integrity, it is possible to have interactive pieces, and works which engage on different levels - artworks which can be approached both in straightforward or complex ways. My philosophy is to offer work, not imposing atmosphere, but recognise that people wander in or come purposely to exhibitions in variable moods and states. I’d rather convince by seduction, perhaps, than bombardment. Art can be as powerful, as meaningful and definite, while acknowledging the multiplicity or plurality of the audience.
I considered signage and directions within the gallery, the venue and the surrounding area, in addition to posters and fliers. I made arrows which were distributed in strategic places, leading towards theViewergallery. These were made from sandpaper which was then laminated and written on with marker which can be wiped clean and reused. I want to integrate the fittings of theViewergallery to match aesthetically its resourceful nature.
Figure 2 MacFarlane, E (2011) Arrows 1 [photograph] In possession of: the author: London
Figure 3 MacFarlane, E (2011) Arrows 2 [photograph] In possession of: the author: London
Figure 4 MacFarlane, E (2011) Arrows 3 [photograph] In possession of: the author: London
Reflections on benefits/disadvantages for practice
I am only thinking of advantages and benefits for my practice. There are challenges in getting theViewergallery viable, and supporting itself financially – I cannot always rely on such help and cooperation from family, friends and artists. Being free of a venue, I am also free to let theViewergallery go dormant when required, and yet want to keep momentum with regular events.
The main disadvantage may be time, and focus away from my personal practice and studio time, but this is less a disadvantage than a balance – I aim to have the work centred around my own, to show my own work within theViewergallery projects, to maintain the balance of artist/curator. Like life, art and art practice, I hope to meet challenges with flexibility and resourcefulness, and to see benefits in apparent disadvantages. I doubt there is a danger of becoming more known as theViewergallery curator rather than an artist, but either is no bad thing.
Evaluation
The first project of theViewergallery challenged several boundaries, both by pushing previously held limitations of things not done before, and also into new and unfamiliar activities. I curated the exhibition by choosing the artists and work, and placing the art in a particular context. I am drawn to curatorial experiences, discerning how best to present work in a particular venue, with its circumstances and limitations. I often find the curator’s voice too strong, academic and theoretical in contemporary exhibition practice, that the catalogue essay becomes more important than the work. I come from the point of artist/curator, and interpret that for myself. theViewergallery is my practice in action.
Post script
I attended an arts consultancy session with Chris Grady on 19th November 2011, and discussed plans and ideas for theViewergallery, with a view to how it may become viable.
I am also looking more closely at various artist run galleries and spaces. There’s a list on the ICA website:
There is much to be learned and gleaned from what other artists have done, without following any particular model. theViewergallery will evolve best if I make it up as I go along, but I aim to place it within this context in contemporary practice.
Bibliography
Artists Newsletter (2011) Jobs and Opportunities listings
http://www.a-n.co.uk/jobs_and_opps/listings/
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Arts Council England (2011) Arts News
http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-news-listings/
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Arts Council England (2011) Grants for the arts guidance and information sheets http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/grants-arts/grants-arts-downloads/
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
BBC (2009) Listen to Left Bank Two by the Noveltones http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7837997.stm
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Campaign for Drawing (2011)
http://www.campaignfordrawing.org
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Campaign for Drawing (2010) The Big Draw Resources http://www.campaignfordrawing.org/bigdraw/downloads/BigDraw_Resources.pdf
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Chris Grady (2011)
http://www.chrisgrady.org/
(Accessed on 22/11/2011)
Eleanor MacFarlane (2011) Art Consultancy Chris Grady http://eleanormacfarlane.blogspot.com/2011/11/art-consultancy.html
(Accessed on 22/11/2011)
Haringey Council (2011) The Original Gallery http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/community_and_leisure/libraries/findalibrary/hornseylibrary/theoriginalgallery.htm
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
Institute of Contemporary Arts (2011) Artist run spaces http://www.ica.org.uk/Artistrun%20spaces%20(London)+16973.twl
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
LinkedIn (2011)
http://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=hb_home
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
theViewergallery (2011) theLongLine online
http://theviewergallery.blogspot.com/2011/11/thelongline-online.html
http://theviewergallery.blogspot.com/2011/11/thelongline-online.html
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
theViewergallery (2011)
http://theviewergallery.blogspot.com/
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
theViewergallery (2011) theViewergallery report 1 http://theviewergallery.blogspot.com/2011/10/theviewergalleryreport-1.html
(Accessed on 20/11/2011)
18th February 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment