Title of book: The Curator's Eye
Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. Interview with Lauren Wright (recorded & transcribed)
3. Interview with Olivia Prentis (recorded & transcribed)
4. Interview with Jenna Banat (via email)
5. Interview with Karen Shepherdson ( recorded & transcribed)
6. Interview with James Smith (via Skype: recorded & transcribed)
7. Interview with self (reflection upon my own views and perspectives)
Curating the Uprise 2012 Undergraduate Show
8. Case Study:
Art Galleries vs Museum Galleries
9. Conclusion
Monday, 18 March 2013
New books
More books which are included in the bibliography for this project:
1. What makes a good exhibition by Paula Marincola
2. Thinking about exhibitions by Reesa Greenburg, Bruce W. Ferguson, Sandy Nairne
3. Contemporary Cultures of Display by Emma Barker
4. Exhibition Design by David Derne
1. What makes a good exhibition by Paula Marincola
2. Thinking about exhibitions by Reesa Greenburg, Bruce W. Ferguson, Sandy Nairne
3. Contemporary Cultures of Display by Emma Barker
4. Exhibition Design by David Derne
Questions about the Man Ray Show @ NPG
Question number 1 and 4 were asked by myself via Facebook and Twitter on Thursday 14th March.
The other two questions were asked by other people (Agnieszka Ajchel and Chris Wickes) during the Q&A session held on Facebook by the National Portrait Gallery.
The questions they asked seemed relevant to the topic I am focusing on so I decided to include them in my research.
1. Could you please describe the curatorial process for the Man Ray exhibition in 1 sentence/phrase?
The challenge was to find and gather together the best vintage prints of his most defining portrait subjects (this was done by researching the holdings of international and private collections over a 3-4 year period), and to celebrate this remarkable work by staging the exhibition and sharing our new research with the Gallery’s audiences through the exhibition interpretation, the catalogue and Gallery activities.
2. Where did the idea for the exhibition come from?
We have long wanted to stage a major retrospective of Man Ray’s work. The exhibition was originally proposed in 2006 as a continuation of the Gallery’s ongoing series of major exhibitions celebrating master portrait photographers. The series began in 1968 with our Beaton exhibition and has included retrospectives on photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Horst P. Horst and Annie Leibovitz.
3. Is there an argument for showing some of Man Rays wider work alongside his portraiture in an exhibition like this to give the portrait work a context, and perhaps help us to better understand the artist, could this be considered with future exhibitions?
The exhibition content needed to be shaped by the Gallery’s very specific remit and specialism on portraiture. However, through the use of the showcase content in the exhibition, we’ve drawn out and discussed other aspects of his career to provide a wider context. We have also developed a varied lecture and events programme to examine and discuss how Man Ray’s photographs can be seen within the context of his life’s work.
4. What are the aims and objectives of the MAN RAY exhibition?
Part of ongoing series celebrating master portrait photographers & to gather best vintage prints & share our new research
The other two questions were asked by other people (Agnieszka Ajchel and Chris Wickes) during the Q&A session held on Facebook by the National Portrait Gallery.
The questions they asked seemed relevant to the topic I am focusing on so I decided to include them in my research.
1. Could you please describe the curatorial process for the Man Ray exhibition in 1 sentence/phrase?
The challenge was to find and gather together the best vintage prints of his most defining portrait subjects (this was done by researching the holdings of international and private collections over a 3-4 year period), and to celebrate this remarkable work by staging the exhibition and sharing our new research with the Gallery’s audiences through the exhibition interpretation, the catalogue and Gallery activities.
2. Where did the idea for the exhibition come from?
We have long wanted to stage a major retrospective of Man Ray’s work. The exhibition was originally proposed in 2006 as a continuation of the Gallery’s ongoing series of major exhibitions celebrating master portrait photographers. The series began in 1968 with our Beaton exhibition and has included retrospectives on photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Horst P. Horst and Annie Leibovitz.
3. Is there an argument for showing some of Man Rays wider work alongside his portraiture in an exhibition like this to give the portrait work a context, and perhaps help us to better understand the artist, could this be considered with future exhibitions?
The exhibition content needed to be shaped by the Gallery’s very specific remit and specialism on portraiture. However, through the use of the showcase content in the exhibition, we’ve drawn out and discussed other aspects of his career to provide a wider context. We have also developed a varied lecture and events programme to examine and discuss how Man Ray’s photographs can be seen within the context of his life’s work.
4. What are the aims and objectives of the MAN RAY exhibition?
Part of ongoing series celebrating master portrait photographers & to gather best vintage prints & share our new research
James Smith's Temporal Dislocation @ Photofusion Gallery
1. Could you tell me about the background of the exhibition and how the process came about?
i started the project in 2011. it was part of the rca work. i studied
there from 2010 to 2012. the project is a combination of those 2 years.
it was part of my final show in 2012. the first image of the series was
the watch tower, which is in folkestone. that was to broaden my study on
post war landscape. and i started to look a brutalism. the ethics and
understadings of brutalist movement and i based a lot of my practice on
those writings of reyer banham.
2. Could you please describe the selection and display process?
here are 8 images in the exhibition. a time frame brought me to closure,
in that time frame of that body of work i made 8 images. there is no
more made. there are some stil in the box. i haven't printed them or
developed them yet. my process as an artist is a very slow one. i maybe
only take about 20 images a year. my editing process happens before i
take the photo.
the photo is an accumulation of months of research. i edit before i
shot. the only thing that bought it to a closure was the end of my
course. i could have continued it but i think you have to draw a line
under it somewhere.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the show? How well have you achieved them?
i don't think you can ever second guess an audience. i don't think it's
healthy. i can preach what i believe my work is about but if someone
wants to interpret it in a certain way i can only influence that to a
certain degree.
4. Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
the presentation of the work i think is spot on. my images are mounted
on the wall, on the sheet aluminium. there is no laminating involved.
it's just the photographic image on the wall. that matches my
understanding and my beleifs in photography. my approach is very
honest. if i presente the image as clearly as possible then i've
achieved goals. as far as the exhibition goes, it was the second time it
is presented. the rca show was the first time. i was happy with the
presentation.
it is quite a curious space to curate. i belief i worked the space well
enough to make the viewer intrigued and walk around.
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
to take the viewer on a journey of distance and proximity.
to take the viewer on a journey of distance and proximity.
Karen Shepherdson @ The Burton Gallery
1. Could you tell me about the background of the exhibition and how the process came about?
I suppose there are two parts to this quesion: the burton gallery's
background and then what I choose to put in here. BG - second year.
project space gallery. a space where we can show ongoing projects and a
gellry desinged for staff students and partners. with that in mind, we
have a programme, last 3 years, at this time, every year a member of
staff will be showing their work. and that is regarded as a semnificant
body of work. the first part, it is my turn. 2013 winter show, my name
had been down for just over a year, i knew i had to work toward this, i
was linked to this particular show and the link to that was also the
publication. over the year, the burton publication comes out. once
year, burton 2, second year. i knew that i had to work to an
exhibition, but also something which could translate into a publication.
background of my own work: smth i've been wrestling with, almost all my
work if not all of it, is taken literally close to home. i tend to
really cultivate my landscape, my area of living. that's why when I'm
showing away from the isle. when you show work taken close to home away
from home, it's fine because it has a sense of difference to where it's
been show. but to show work here, can run the risk of feeling very
local. i wanted to explore that. could I pull off this showing of the
local in a way that was moving beyond just the local. i don't want the
work to appear like a local exhibition. rather than local has been a
sight to creative manure for me. when i show away, I feel comfortable.
suddenly putting this work where it was produced felt much more
exposing. it's much easier to show to people you don't know.
you feel more liberated. If you fall on your face, no one knows you.
you're showing to student who you expect to respect you, this is my
work, this is what I do. you'll say to colleagues, this is my work. far
more exposing. very good for us as academics. we've all agreed, out of
all the exhibiting that we do this is the most twitchy. yet is probably
the modest of galleries.
2. Could you please describe the selection and display process?
2. Could you please describe the selection and display process?
we wanted coherence. i met with rob
as director. we were talking about the body of work that i produce, what
might work in here and we decided to really restrict the images. even
if they are diverse, they are located on the jetty or just around that
space. geographical link to them. the echoes of ebstine, they were taken
at home. but they are 800 m from the harbour. hansest, taken at the
harbour. the imag returneed, taken from the archive which had taken
images from the harbour. geographically, we decided than that would be
this notion of being close to home. that then
excluded a lot of work that I might have done in cumbria or
scandinavia. even if there's 13 works, because most of them are instant
photographs, there 100 in this one and 56 in the one over there, you can
see that there are well over 200 images in this very small space. this
is quite a large part of my work. my own archive at home probably
consists of no more than 30 frames. each of them contain 100 images. i
think I had it in mind from the time I was creating the work. i am a
repetitive person. i repeat. photographically I am very repetitive. i'd
be very unusual for me to take a single image. i don't think i've got
the single image. so what I tend to do is take an image and then i
repeat it with different subjects. normally the human being in it, not
always but mainly. my work over the past 5 years really has been about a
collation. i don't reffer to them as montages. I refer to them as a
collation where I collate a body of work. in this case, 100
people, rather 200. each is couple. right from the off, i knew that i
was going to show them as a collection. individually they are not
particularly strong. individualy there are some that are very flawed
technically. i only get one hit, i only take one picture. this one for
example was taken when the sun was not gonna hit this chap. or here, i
forgot my meter reading and I underexposed that couple. i just have to
live with that. i feel committed to the idea that it's the sum of its
parts, it's about togetherness. this couple, they are to me, perfection.
this couple dancing. i don't even think it's about the individual
image. each year I go and I rephotograph them. last year only 56 turned
up, this year maybe 36 will turn up. it'll shrink and shrink. but over
the years, this work will gain strength from subsequent years of work. i
did not want to show like this because it is expensive. this frame
costs about 1000 pounds including the film. my idea
originally was to show it digitally in order to avoid such high costs. i
tried the digital print, but i hated it. i thought it was all about the
original image. the instant. therefore the original image had to be
part and parcel of it. i remember meeting other people, and they said
it's awful as digital. so just go with it. this is all computer cut. i
then mount it. it takes about a week to mount it. 2 mm overlap, so
that's why it takes so long. it's about showing the image itself.
saying: unlike a digital image, unlike a negative, it's one of one.
there's not another one. you can't do anything post production, you just
have to accept it and when you hit, fantastic, and when you don't you
just have to live with that error. in 5-10 years time when there's
another 5 or 6 sets it will begin to feel like that. that is the
largest, that one has 56, 2 of them have 16, the rest have 4, 6, 1 and
then there are some polaroid lifts.
In english it means the reworking of something. Jenni H brought me some instant film for the spectrum camera. it was out of date in 2009. i put a picture out and something similar came out. nothing in other words. as it rolls out of the camera, the camera squidges the bottom part where the chemicals are. and runs it across the film. it's like a little dark room. the chemicals were out of date and defunct. they weren't working. you can see where it's stayed bronze and brown the chemicals haven't even run across. then Jenni told me where it came from. her aunt works at a maternity. that film was used to photograph still born babies. that image was given to the parents. they would be the only images they would have of their child. digital came along and the film expired. i can't just throw it away. it felt important. most of my free time is at the jetty. for 16 consecutive days, i went to the jetty, set up the tripod and took a picture of dawn. it felt strong and then i collected images and that's what i got. that's the story. one actually captured a little bit of the sea.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the show? How well have you achieved them?
In english it means the reworking of something. Jenni H brought me some instant film for the spectrum camera. it was out of date in 2009. i put a picture out and something similar came out. nothing in other words. as it rolls out of the camera, the camera squidges the bottom part where the chemicals are. and runs it across the film. it's like a little dark room. the chemicals were out of date and defunct. they weren't working. you can see where it's stayed bronze and brown the chemicals haven't even run across. then Jenni told me where it came from. her aunt works at a maternity. that film was used to photograph still born babies. that image was given to the parents. they would be the only images they would have of their child. digital came along and the film expired. i can't just throw it away. it felt important. most of my free time is at the jetty. for 16 consecutive days, i went to the jetty, set up the tripod and took a picture of dawn. it felt strong and then i collected images and that's what i got. that's the story. one actually captured a little bit of the sea.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the show? How well have you achieved them?
it's a very good exercise to do a
show like this because it forces you to edit and to think about
individual pieces but also links between them. that causes you to
reflect on your practice. one of the aims was for me to take stock of
what i was doing and where i was taking it. this is a very useful
excerise for me. i also had to do a public lecture. you have to make
sure you're able to articulate at least some of your ideas. the what why
and hows. i came back to that. what was doing, how was i doing it and
why. the objective is to promote the work. the publication helps with
that. it directs to other galleries and publishers. hopefully this is a
start point for a collection. i'm hoping that this is going into the
bellfast open. this is the submission. the collection might be broken up
but it might also go elsewhere. it's a place where you can share
work, it's also a place where as a practitioner I take stock of what
i'm doing. that helps future direction. at the public talk i was able to
show some work that is not shown here but that I believe is emerging
from this work. i gained response from people. i committed myself to
this project and then i aks people what their opinion is. that gives
confidence when taking another project forward. yes I think I am. the
show stands strongly. I feel confident I feel comfortable with the
exhibition. i find this space very problematic. it's good for us to
experience as a practitioner. the reflections, and that it is a working
space. i also remeber how the space looked before the burton gallery. it
was zapping of energy. the echoes of ebstine are probably the most
intimate as they depict my husband. you have to decide, if you're going
to do it, you'll do it with integrity. you take a breath and you do it.
4. Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
One of the things people have asked would be the signage. it is linked
to a chart but does not give much info. people have said they would have
like a bit more information about the images on display. gallery copy
of the publication is a response to this but it does not offer more
information about the processes, the hows and whys being explained in a
booklet or information board. we're so close to out work and we know it
so well. but we have to explain it every time. the work is what it is.
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
it's like the final stage of a difficult labor. it's like giving birth.
you've got to push. and you're tired. you've done it all you see. to me
it is about delivering it that almost physical
way. i've cut myself because i focused on the work rather than what i
was doing. i labour there's a point called transition. midwives talk
about this. a woman will frequently call out I can't do it, because
she's put so much energy in it. that's normally 15 mins when the baby is
born. as a curator, that's what you're dealing with when it comes to
the artist. they might say they can't do it. all those demons come into
the frame. it's a point of transition from to the studio (embrionic) to
the delivery of the child (exhibition). to me it feels like that. last
week when i hung the work, that day was hard. there was a point when i
went away. I came back after 1 hour and then we did it. it was all fine.
it's about a safe delivery. even if you haven't got the answer you have
to find a solution. when i hung mike ownens work he was pretty wired,
he had good people coming to the private view and he felt exposed. my
job, even if i had other things on my mind, i
had to just say it's fine. time and energy was taken by socially
stroking. making the artist feel comfortable and appreciated. Buying
cups of tea and just chatting about the work. It did not want him to
sense that we were running out of time. demonstrating a great calm when
inside there's a storm taking place. it's agony really. in this one, i
was responsible for myself but i feel a tremendous responsability for
the artist we show. i beleive curators should feel tremendous
responsability. that is our responsability to deliver the exhibition to
the very best of the artists and your capabilities. when going to a non
photo exhibition that allows me to focus more on the pharaphanelia of
the show as I don't get seduced by the imagery.
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Jenna Banat @ Photofusion Gallery
1. Could you tell me about the background of the exhibition and how the process came about?
Our Membership Scheme is at
the core of our organisation at Photofusion. We have at present around
500 members, all of which are either practicing or professional working
artists. They range from students to professional working photographers,
and in celebration of the broad and varied talent within our membership
scheme, we have organised annual members' photography exhibitions.
"Photofusion
Salon 2012" was our fourth year of organising an exhibition for the
Members of Photofusion. In the past, around 15 artists were selected to
exhibit a recent body of work in the gallery, with a further 25 on an AV
showreel. However, due to the growing popularity of the event, we
wanted to be able to showcase a much larger selection of our Members'
work. Therefore, we decided to give the whole exhibition a new and
improved make over, by making it a Salon show. This enabled us to select
over 120 artists to exhibit on the walls of the gallery, and then
another 41 on a showreel.
2.
Could you please describe the selection and display process? (referring to framing, lighting, display and mount)
Members were invited to submit a body of up to 10 images, a statement
and a bio from a project that was completed in the last year. The
Photofusion Gallery Committee then went through the submissions and
selected the successful applicants to be in the show. One image was
selected from each successful submission. Due to the extremely high
standard of work that we received, we ended up letting through 160
prints to go on the gallery walls, and then a further 41 which went on
an AV showreel.
The
successful applicants chosen to exhibit on the gallery walls were then
given a maximum print allowance of 1m wide, and were allowed to exhibit
their work as they pleased - either framed, mounted or pinned/magnets.
We did not want to set restrictions on this, as that would defeat the
point of a Salon show. It was then at the curation stage that I had to
take into account the colours of frames etc. so as not to have too many
of the same hanging styles next to each other. The sizes of the prints
also ended up varying in size from 30cm to 1m, which definitely made the
task of curation more complicated.
In
the end, the prints were presented as a mixture of hangings and
frames/mounts and sizes, on all four walls of the gallery, covering them
from floor to ceiling.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the show? How well have you achieved them?
The
aim of this annual show is to offer our Members a platform on which
they can showcase their latest body of work. A handout was available
which had the website and email of each exhibitor, so that viewers could
view the rest of their work. There was also a catalogue which
accompanied the exhibition and contained short project statements for
each image exhibited.
Therefore,
overall I think that the initial aim to showcase the talent of the
Photofusion Membership scheme was successful, as was offering them a
platform on which to present their work. For some, this show was one of
their first, and so it offered them an insight into what goes in to
putting together a group show - which from their point of view involved
how they wanted their work to be presented within the gallery, getting
it printed and framed, and writing their own biography/artist
statement. For the other more experienced photographers, this show gave
them the opportunity to showcase a more recent body of work, to gain
more exposure, to network, and potentially make some sales/new clients.
Overall, this annual exhibition brought all our Members together,
allowing them to network and gain professional exposure.
4. Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
After having gone through the stressful curation of this year's show
with 160 prints, I now know to limit the number of prints for the
gallery walls for next year. We were close to not being able to fit all
of the prints in on the walls, therefore next year I will limit the
number of successful applicants allowed through to approximately 120.
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
The curatorial process was extremely challenging with a wide range of
themes, aesthetics, framings/hangings to consider in quite a small
gallery space, however, the outcome was an exciting and inspirational
photography exhibition.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Man Ray @ The National Portrait Gallery
Another exhibition I have come across and has caught my attention is the Man Ray Portrait Show on Display at the National Portrait Gallery.
Terrence Pepper was in charge of curating this show and he has posted valuable sources of information about the show on the NPG blog.
http://www.npg.org.uk/blog/man-ray-portraits-in-print-continuing-research-and-dialogue.php
& some reviews of the show:
http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/man-ray-portraits/reviews.php
I would try to get in touch and interview Terrence Pepper but I am aware of the fact that it's close to impossible. His schedule is probably very busy, like Marta Weiss's. Therefore, I have to make use of the information available even if it does not exactly match my needs.
On the National Portrait Gallery Facebook page I have seen the following announcement:
What would you like to know about Man Ray, his techniques and his sitters? This Thursday (14th March 2013) we will be running a Q&A on Facebook and Twitter with Helen Trompeteler, Assistant Curator of Photographs of the Gallery. www.npg.org.uk/manray
I am going to try and obtain some answers to at least 2-3 questions from my list of 5.
I have no idea if it is going to work but I have to do my best.
Terrence Pepper was in charge of curating this show and he has posted valuable sources of information about the show on the NPG blog.
http://www.npg.org.uk/blog/man-ray-portraits-in-print-continuing-research-and-dialogue.php
& some reviews of the show:
http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/man-ray-portraits/reviews.php
I would try to get in touch and interview Terrence Pepper but I am aware of the fact that it's close to impossible. His schedule is probably very busy, like Marta Weiss's. Therefore, I have to make use of the information available even if it does not exactly match my needs.
On the National Portrait Gallery Facebook page I have seen the following announcement:
What would you like to know about Man Ray, his techniques and his sitters? This Thursday (14th March 2013) we will be running a Q&A on Facebook and Twitter with Helen Trompeteler, Assistant Curator of Photographs of the Gallery. www.npg.org.uk/manray
I am going to try and obtain some answers to at least 2-3 questions from my list of 5.
I have no idea if it is going to work but I have to do my best.
Marta Weiss - Light from the Middle East
This is the response I received from Ms. Weiss after asking her if it were possible to answer the 5 questions I had in mind.
Dear Andrada,
Thank you for getting in touch. I'm afraid I'm extremely busy at the moment with deadlines for my next exhibition (Making It Up: Photographic Fictions, opening 3 May), but you may find these published interviews with me useful:
http://www.ideastap.com/ideasmag/the-knowledge/V-and-A-Marta-Weiss-curating-light-from-the-middle-east
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/features/light-from-the-middle-east
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/world/middleeast/03iht-m03-photos.html?pagewanted=all
Good luck with your research.
Best wishes,
Marta
I shall read the interviews she has sent me and attempt to provide answers to the 5 questions, based on what she has responded.
Dear Andrada,
Thank you for getting in touch. I'm afraid I'm extremely busy at the moment with deadlines for my next exhibition (Making It Up: Photographic Fictions, opening 3 May), but you may find these published interviews with me useful:
http://www.ideastap.com/ideasmag/the-knowledge/V-and-A-Marta-Weiss-curating-light-from-the-middle-east
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/features/light-from-the-middle-east
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/world/middleeast/03iht-m03-photos.html?pagewanted=all
Good luck with your research.
Best wishes,
Marta
I shall read the interviews she has sent me and attempt to provide answers to the 5 questions, based on what she has responded.
Chris Beetles Gallery
Notes I made after speaking to Olivia Prentis who is the manager at the Chris Beetles gallery.
After seeing this second gallery which was quite different to the one I had seen at the Turner, I thought it would be interesting to make a comparison between the two types of galleries which are available to the public. First, there are the galleries located in museums and then there are the galleries which aim to sell work as opposed to display it and make artworks accessible to viewers.
This comparison shall be continued and included in the publication.
Interview with Lauren Wright
1. Could you tell me about the background of the exhibition and how the process came about?
I saw rosa work the first time at an art fair and she also had a show at the Tate. Liverpool Bienial. I saw the work, was intersted in it. Asking her to create the downstairs gallery. Relationship between inside and outside. We decided that it wasn’t quite the right thing. She responded strongly to the space and excited about the gallery and location. She was excited about the Turner because we don’t necesarilly show photography. It wasn’t something she originally thought of.
I saw rosa work the first time at an art fair and she also had a show at the Tate. Liverpool Bienial. I saw the work, was intersted in it. Asking her to create the downstairs gallery. Relationship between inside and outside. We decided that it wasn’t quite the right thing. She responded strongly to the space and excited about the gallery and location. She was excited about the Turner because we don’t necesarilly show photography. It wasn’t something she originally thought of.
The
work
developed around that. She was approached by the corner house in
Manchester. they commission artists to created films and therefore we
decided to collaborate with them on this project. We wanted work that
hadn’t been shown in the Uk before. Work
upstairs was created in the last year. some of them (central
commission)
subconscious society. Rest of the work was shown in galleries in Europe
or was in the process of being created. Discussion about creating a
project between turner and corner house which would offer a detailed
overview of her practice. Both shows reflect everything she’s interested
in. Enhanced by both expos.
Thinking about the space: originally we were going to show moving pieces (the film) and then I thought it would be interesting to do something to elevate the work. Most of it is on the floor so I wanted to use the height of the space. Rosa was in the space first but then we decided to do the Carl Andre show and so was thinking about the relationship between work. text pieces became more interesting. we were conscious about the relationship between them.
2.Could you describe the selection and display process (regarding framing, lighting, display, mount)?
Thinking about the space: originally we were going to show moving pieces (the film) and then I thought it would be interesting to do something to elevate the work. Most of it is on the floor so I wanted to use the height of the space. Rosa was in the space first but then we decided to do the Carl Andre show and so was thinking about the relationship between work. text pieces became more interesting. we were conscious about the relationship between them.
2.Could you describe the selection and display process (regarding framing, lighting, display, mount)?
Rosa always thinks about her expo as a conversation between the work.
she imagines each of the work having a
personality in the space. it's very intuitive and she had an idea of
the flow she wanted to create. we kind of started from the position of
certain ideas and then things went in the direction we more or less
thought they would. it was about thinking about the impression you get
when you enter the space, about what you can see from outside, which
things you see first. we wanted the first space (west gallery) to
provide an introduction to a way of thinking about film which then gets
explored in the bigger installation which is the heart of the show.
introduction and then the bigger pieces unfolds.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the exhibition and how well have you achieved them?
introduction and then the bigger pieces unfolds.
3. What were the aims and objectives of the exhibition and how well have you achieved them?
we wanted to do something that was going to be quite different to what
we tried before. conscious that Rosa is the first artist we've shown of
her own. solo show, and is not a highly established artist. she's had a
lot of shows but she's younger than Tracy Emins. she's less of a house
hold name. work that would be very engaging. broad audience: not
necessarily art dedicated. accessible to audience but also attract
people interested in contemporary art. work across historical and
contemporary art. Turner, Carl Andre, her. historical continuation,
interesting way of thinking about time and traveling through space.
4 .Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
4 .Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
I would have probably anticipated more about the physical reality of the work. we've never shown film.
We've shown moving image but not movies on projectors. Guess work involved, speak to people who have worked with film before. Challenging to manage. wouldn't have shied away from that. better prepared and made more of an effort to get a wider projector.
working with the artist? lovely person to work with. we developed a good relationship quickly. i needed to write a summary of her work for a funding application and she liked the way I described the work and she trusted that I would do a good job with the show. it's different with each artist but there has to be a moment when they trust you and it's much easier if that happens sooner. some artist are control freaks but then they feel they know where you're coming from and how you'll handle the work. she knows what she wants but she's very quiet about it and that's a bit of a challenge because you kind of find out afterwards that something isn't quite right but in general it was really easy. collaboration with corner was great. 2 curators from corner and myself plus rosa. 4 women working on the subject.
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
We've shown moving image but not movies on projectors. Guess work involved, speak to people who have worked with film before. Challenging to manage. wouldn't have shied away from that. better prepared and made more of an effort to get a wider projector.
working with the artist? lovely person to work with. we developed a good relationship quickly. i needed to write a summary of her work for a funding application and she liked the way I described the work and she trusted that I would do a good job with the show. it's different with each artist but there has to be a moment when they trust you and it's much easier if that happens sooner. some artist are control freaks but then they feel they know where you're coming from and how you'll handle the work. she knows what she wants but she's very quiet about it and that's a bit of a challenge because you kind of find out afterwards that something isn't quite right but in general it was really easy. collaboration with corner was great. 2 curators from corner and myself plus rosa. 4 women working on the subject.
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
A process of framing an experience of an artwork.
that happens in lots of different ways. staging an encounter. creating a
field for interaction between viewer artist and artwork. the
institution is another frame because our job is to provide an
interfacing mechanism between all of these different parties and think
about what will create the most interesting response. it is not
necessarily the happiest or the best but it creates interesting
engagements.
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Advice for aspiring curators: start by just starting. organize
little exhibitions, practice like an art practice. see a lot of shows,
that's the easiest thing to do first. to be really conscious when seeing
a show. what the curatorial role is and to imagine what would have been
involved in the curatorial process in each case. the decisions made by
curators to present work in a certain way or create certain
relationships. stage a space in a certain way, create an environment. be
very aware of all these things. try things out. make little shows
with friends. get to know other like minded people who are interested
in being curators and artists. try and do stuff because even for entry
jobs you'll be up against people who have experience of some sort. you
can also do internships. the more than you can do to expose yourself to
the process the better. whether by seeing things or doing things.
What are the key aspects you look at when attending an exhibition?
What are the key aspects you look at when attending an exhibition?
Depends on the show. I'm
interested in curating as a practice. Conscious about the visual
relationships. I'm skeptical
about it but still interested in an expo trying to make an argument. I'm also aware of the voyables and how the
curators address this. The best shows are the ones in which the curator is
the least visible. There's the art. the work feels like it's doing it's
best job. the work should be able to do all the work. it takes good
curating to help make that process. it should make than whilst being
invisible.
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Rosa Barba Sketches
These are the notes I made whilst going around the Rosa Barba show. Photography was not allowed so I couldn't take any photos but instead, I decided to make a sketch of the show's structure. It would then help me when responding to the exhibition.
This is for room number 1:
This one is for room number 2:
Reformulated questions
During a tutorial in January, the questions for the interviews were reviewed and instead of asking each person 20 questions, it was decided to reduce this number down to 5 broader matters.
1. Could you tell me about the background of the exhibition and how the process came about?
1b. Criteria of selection
2. Could you describe the selection and display process (regarding framing, lighting, display, mount)?
3. What were the aims and objectives of the exhibition and how well have you achieved them?
4. Was there anything you wish you had done differently?
5. Could you please describe the curatorial process in 1 sentence/phrase?
Proforma + Feedback
PHOTOGRAPHY
Year
3 Mixed Media
Proforma
Print Name: Andrada Mihailescu
Provisional
Working Title: The Curator’s Eye
Description
of the Mixed Media Proposal including the balance between written submission
and practical submission (this section should be no less than 500 words).
My
artefact for the Mixed Media Module is going to be a book which shall contain
interviews with 5 curators from the United Kingdom. I aim to interview Hazel
Stone, who is curator of the Sydney Cooper gallery in Canterbury, Lauren A.
Wright from the Turner Contemporary located in Margate and 3 people who are in
charge with curating gallery spaces in London. I have yet to identify them.
Throughout these interviews I wish to explore the process which takes place
whilst curating an exhibition. I tend to believe that each person sees things
in a certain manner which influences the decisions he/she makes regarding a
gallery space and how the images are arranged. The questions raised and answers
received shall form the base of my research for the mixed media essay. After
the interviews are sent back to me, along with the responses, I shall go
through each of them in order to identify how every individual perceives and
develops the curatorial process.
Regarding
the questions, they will not vary from one interview to another in order to
obtain consistency. I have tried to make them precise and concise. Finding out
as much information as possible is essential when aiming to document and
exhibition and the process of putting it together from beginning to completion.
That is the reason for asking questions related to selection criteria, time
management, printing & framing and lightning techniques. I am interested in
how each specialist perceives the entire process and what his/her starting
point to creating a show is. I am curious to find out how each person would
describe the curatorial process using one word or phrase. I expect to receive
some interesting responses to that question in particular.
There
are various aspects which have to be taken into consideration and dealt with
accordingly when aiming to organize an excellent exhibition. Targeting the
appropriate audience by choosing a suitable theme and title, composing a press
release which shall capture people’s attention and make them want to come and
see the images shown.
Another
crucial aspect is being able to work as part of a team and cope with stress in
situations which might prove to be under pressure. One single person cannot put
a show together on his own because there is so much to do before everything is
completed. Even if the curator is in charge with arranging the work in the
available space, he will most likely require other people’s help when hanging
the artwork.
For
my prototype I have asked Dr. Karen Shepherdson, curator of the Burton Gallery
if she would be able to respond to an interview regarding the current show in
the Burton Gallery at Canterbury Christ Church University, Broadstairs Campus.
She was kind enough to help me and provided some excellent answers which shall
be very useful for my research. The exhibition referred to in the interview is
a group show and therefore some answers may vary when it comes to solo shows
which shall be talked about with the rest of the curators involved in my
project.
Images
depicting each exhibition will also be included in the publication and my aim
is to use my own images which I shall take at the event, instead of making use
of other people’s photos. That way, my project will be personal and reflect
engagement.
With
regards to the balance of written to practical, option number 2 would be the
best choice. 50% of my project shall be written and the other 50% will be based
on practice. My essay would have 2500 words and be accompanied by the
publication. Both of them will be submitted as part of the assignment, along
with a link to my critical journal.
Identify
the RESOURCES you will require to undertake the mixed media project.
Some
of the interviews will be recorded and transcribed therefore I will need an
I-phone to record the conversation. I shall also download the software required
to do the transcribing. A laptop will also be required as well as Blurb
software which shall be used to produce the book.
When
producing the images of the shows I will be using my own digital camera which
is a Nikon D700. Lenses used will either be Tokina 28-70mm, f/2.8; Nikon 50mm,
f/1.8 or Nikon 70-300mm, f/2.8. Other items such as memory cards, batteries and
hard drives will be vital.
Last
but not least, I will require each interviewed person’s permission to use the
answers he/she provides in my project and also be aware that they might drop
out at any given time. That is a decision I have to respect. In the situation
when that does occur, the interviews shall not be included in the final
outcome.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Books:
1.
Mieke Bal – Expository Discourse
2.
Roland Barthes – Image, Music, Text
3.
John Berger – Ways of Seeing
4.
Philip Hughes – Exhibition Design
5.
Shirley Read – Exhibiting Photography
Interviews:
·
Tim Burton
Retrospective: An Interview with Curator Ron Magliozzi
·
An interview with
Katrina Sluis, Digital Curator at the Photographers' Gallery
·
A working life: the
art gallery curator
·
Interview with Alys
Williams, Artist and Curator, Director of the Vitrine Gallery
·
Interview with
Helen Stalker, Curator of Hockney to Hogarth, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester.
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Prototype
The Burton
Gallery – The Pilgrim Hospices Photography
Competition.
Curator: Dr. Karen Shepherdson
What is the theme of the current show on display in the Burton Gallery?
This is part of our Community Month – which enables photographic competitions – often linked with charities – to show in a Gallery setting. This is a show for Pilgrims Hospices which has as its theme Kent in Focus.
By what criteria were the images selected to be part of the exhibition?
A Panel of judges evaluated work submitted for the Pilgrims Kent in Focus Competition. I have a document which shows this. Please feel free to collect a copy from me.
With regards to space, was it a difficult task finding a place for each photograph, whilst making sure the amount of visual information is not exceeded?
Not for this exhibition. There were 15 works and we have 16 spaces. None were large - in fact uniform at approx. A2 so not an issue on this occasion.
How did you choose the final images on display? Did you look for an element of consistency which inter-relates them?
See 2.
Showcasing both color and black and white pieces of work can be challenging. How did you decide which image goes where, without affecting the overall flow of the show?
This is a problem and can create an aesthetic clash. Where practicable one clusters the B&W – but often this isn’t achievable. One tends to then link either thematically or use neighbouring images which perhaps have a limited or muted palette.
What was the starting point for the curatorial process and how long did it take to complete?
Is time management essential?
Vital – we had a hour walking the space and then hanging had to take place. We had the work so would physically move them around. Time was against us – but as a community project one didn’t have to consult with the individual artist(s). You sometimes have to be pragmatic and just work at pace.
How do you ensure that each artist’s voice is heard, without being influenced by the work located next to it?
Ideally by giving each a panel in a group show. Working in themes or tonal palette can help. See above.
Regarding print sizes, why did you choose A3 as the best option? Is that due to reduced amount of space dedicated to each image or does it make the work stronger?
This was decided by the Hospice who arranged the framing. It was a cost factor as any money spent would diminish the proceeds to the Hospice.
Could you please explain why black wooden frames were used?
The framing was all selected by the Hospice. As you can see we facilited the space and hang but had little if any contribution re size and frames.
How is the viewer affected by wall color when looking at images? Is there a reason for choosing white background?
White was selected at the time of the Burton’s inception. It was a kick against the magnolia which had infected the entire Campus. We did consider grey – but white seemed the most conservative for such a public / multi-use space.
Another key element when it comes to exhibitions is lighting. How was that matter approached and dealt with?
With difficulty. We inherited the lighting and the only concession available to us was daylight bulbs – these are now used throughout the Gallery.
How did you manage to combine text, used to explain about the gallery, and imagery in the show? What influenced your decision of placing the text in that certain area?
The space for text is far from ideal – again this was an inherited factor. We try to inform the viewer of the Gallery, its context and provide some information with regards to the current show. As a very temporary show without any budget signage such as labels are very modest.
From your point of view, what creates the consistency of an exhibition? Is it only the message transmitted by the prints, or is there something else?
This is achieved through a consistency in brand / badging – from the text and font used, to the frames and the context provided. We remain consistent from the invites right the way through to labels.
How did you determine the height of the images of each flat? Why didn’t you choose to position them higher or lower?
The positioning was selected to be optimum eye height whilst avoiding where possible reflection. The top line of the frames are always consistent.
What was the main objective of the show? Did you manage to achieve it?
We were asked to give a month to community imaging – we did this with some reservation. We provided a forum for the community competitions and in that regard objectives were achieved.
Were there any concerns or specific considerations which required attention? Were they successfully resolved?
We had / have some concerns over the quality of the work – we cannot be too precious about this but clearly it impacts upon the impressions made about photography undertaken at the University. We resolve this by hanging the exhibition to the best of our abilities.
Did you always have a back-up plan if anything went wrong? Was the element of stress present throughout the development process?
We are very experienced so tend not to feel stressed over small exhibitions. There are always solutions, you just need to be flexible and know where to compromise and where to hold the line.
How important is being able to work under pressure when thinking about curating an exhibition?
Of course you need to work under pressure and to take people with you. At the end of the day there will be a PV and a party atmosphere. If you have alienated everyone in the process because you feel the pressure then the atmosphere at the PV will be not what is sought. The curator should be a creative midwife – it should not be about their ego – rather showing the work to its best advantage.
Was there anything you wish you had done differently? How would have that affected the final outcome?
The labels are very modest. But again it is the pragmatics. A 4 day / no budget show cannot have the investment that a seasonal exhibition will benefit from.
How would you describe the curatorial process in one word or phrase?
Paradoxical
Thank you for your time.
Curator: Dr. Karen Shepherdson
What is the theme of the current show on display in the Burton Gallery?
This is part of our Community Month – which enables photographic competitions – often linked with charities – to show in a Gallery setting. This is a show for Pilgrims Hospices which has as its theme Kent in Focus.
By what criteria were the images selected to be part of the exhibition?
A Panel of judges evaluated work submitted for the Pilgrims Kent in Focus Competition. I have a document which shows this. Please feel free to collect a copy from me.
With regards to space, was it a difficult task finding a place for each photograph, whilst making sure the amount of visual information is not exceeded?
Not for this exhibition. There were 15 works and we have 16 spaces. None were large - in fact uniform at approx. A2 so not an issue on this occasion.
How did you choose the final images on display? Did you look for an element of consistency which inter-relates them?
See 2.
Showcasing both color and black and white pieces of work can be challenging. How did you decide which image goes where, without affecting the overall flow of the show?
This is a problem and can create an aesthetic clash. Where practicable one clusters the B&W – but often this isn’t achievable. One tends to then link either thematically or use neighbouring images which perhaps have a limited or muted palette.
What was the starting point for the curatorial process and how long did it take to complete?
Is time management essential?
Vital – we had a hour walking the space and then hanging had to take place. We had the work so would physically move them around. Time was against us – but as a community project one didn’t have to consult with the individual artist(s). You sometimes have to be pragmatic and just work at pace.
How do you ensure that each artist’s voice is heard, without being influenced by the work located next to it?
Ideally by giving each a panel in a group show. Working in themes or tonal palette can help. See above.
Regarding print sizes, why did you choose A3 as the best option? Is that due to reduced amount of space dedicated to each image or does it make the work stronger?
This was decided by the Hospice who arranged the framing. It was a cost factor as any money spent would diminish the proceeds to the Hospice.
Could you please explain why black wooden frames were used?
The framing was all selected by the Hospice. As you can see we facilited the space and hang but had little if any contribution re size and frames.
How is the viewer affected by wall color when looking at images? Is there a reason for choosing white background?
White was selected at the time of the Burton’s inception. It was a kick against the magnolia which had infected the entire Campus. We did consider grey – but white seemed the most conservative for such a public / multi-use space.
Another key element when it comes to exhibitions is lighting. How was that matter approached and dealt with?
With difficulty. We inherited the lighting and the only concession available to us was daylight bulbs – these are now used throughout the Gallery.
How did you manage to combine text, used to explain about the gallery, and imagery in the show? What influenced your decision of placing the text in that certain area?
The space for text is far from ideal – again this was an inherited factor. We try to inform the viewer of the Gallery, its context and provide some information with regards to the current show. As a very temporary show without any budget signage such as labels are very modest.
From your point of view, what creates the consistency of an exhibition? Is it only the message transmitted by the prints, or is there something else?
This is achieved through a consistency in brand / badging – from the text and font used, to the frames and the context provided. We remain consistent from the invites right the way through to labels.
How did you determine the height of the images of each flat? Why didn’t you choose to position them higher or lower?
The positioning was selected to be optimum eye height whilst avoiding where possible reflection. The top line of the frames are always consistent.
What was the main objective of the show? Did you manage to achieve it?
We were asked to give a month to community imaging – we did this with some reservation. We provided a forum for the community competitions and in that regard objectives were achieved.
Were there any concerns or specific considerations which required attention? Were they successfully resolved?
We had / have some concerns over the quality of the work – we cannot be too precious about this but clearly it impacts upon the impressions made about photography undertaken at the University. We resolve this by hanging the exhibition to the best of our abilities.
Did you always have a back-up plan if anything went wrong? Was the element of stress present throughout the development process?
We are very experienced so tend not to feel stressed over small exhibitions. There are always solutions, you just need to be flexible and know where to compromise and where to hold the line.
How important is being able to work under pressure when thinking about curating an exhibition?
Of course you need to work under pressure and to take people with you. At the end of the day there will be a PV and a party atmosphere. If you have alienated everyone in the process because you feel the pressure then the atmosphere at the PV will be not what is sought. The curator should be a creative midwife – it should not be about their ego – rather showing the work to its best advantage.
Was there anything you wish you had done differently? How would have that affected the final outcome?
The labels are very modest. But again it is the pragmatics. A 4 day / no budget show cannot have the investment that a seasonal exhibition will benefit from.
How would you describe the curatorial process in one word or phrase?
Paradoxical
Thank you for your time.
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