I'm sure the arty folk reading this already know what I'm going to say
When you put together an exhibition - be it a solo show, a group show or a massive arty-type event (of sorts) - the whole is always more important than the parts... all the bits have to be cohesive, tell your 'story', complete (not compete with) each other... so as you are hanging a show or creating an event you need to be quite ruthless: culling anything that doesn't work to complete that whole...
sometimes that means work that you might be passionate about has to be left out... and work that you feel unsure of is suddenly right..... ahhhhhh its all about the company you keep!
here are a few things (some of them pivotal works from my research) that we (ie my supervisors and the director of switchback gallery) decided to leave out of the 'codex infinitum' show
Caelum non
animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.
‘They change their sky, not their soul, who rush across the sea.’
‘They change their sky, not their soul, who rush across the sea.’
Guerrilla artwork undertaken during
Sculpture on the Edge exhibition 2011,
300 origami boats folded from the
pages of 2 volumes of Colliers Encyclopaedia
released at dawn on an incoming
tide, collected at low tide.
Bermagui Harbour.
Terras
irradient ‘Let them illumine the earth’ 2012,
27 volumes of Encyclopaedia
Britannica each illuminated by a small candle,
Cuttagee Lake foreshore
non omnis
moriar ‘Not all of me shall die.’ 2012,
One volume Encyclopaedia Britannica
illuminated by a single candle
Cobargo Cemetery
oh and then there's honestum circuli - the virtuous circle
(but I'll show/tell you about that next time eh?)
...
Just goes to show how hard curating can be…each of these works speaks to me and is special I think.
ReplyDeleteahhhck - you are so kind xx
Deletelove the boats...am using some myself at present, as formwork for porcelain!
ReplyDeleteahhh, outtakes on the cutting room floor - always some of the best stuff.
ReplyDelete[but how do you shoosh the onlookers away when you are setting these up in public? I'd be asking/pestering you to help light those candle-books!]
I'm quite happy to talk and what-not with onlookers (I usually don't have that many - as I work in rather 'unusual' or remote places...) but ther ehave been some rather hilarious ocassions - and every one of these shots has a funny moment to share
Deleteok do you see the 'boat' shot?..... I was out pre-dawn in bermagui to set this up - and the only 'audience' I had for my unannounced 'artwork' was a dog (and his owner) the dog lifted its leg and gave a wet salute of support... tee hee hee...
do you see that bridge in the background of that second piece? .... welllllllll there were a few vehicles that travelled over the (one lane) bridge while I was trying to get my shot of this piece.... one decided to stop dead centre of the bridge (blocking the non-existent traffic I should add) ----- here was me on the sand below gritting my teeth mentally begging the big 4WD to 'move along sonny - nothing to see here' as it was in the middle of my shot! --- I WISH I could have heard the conversation on board ('oooo mildred - what the heck is that? - is is an alien invasion?' teee hee hee heee)
and finally - in the cobargo cemetery - wellllll it took me quite a few nights to 'get' my shot - (storms... wrong light... etc etc) FINALLY when I was 'in the zone' I was startled by a jogger (welllll I think the startle was mutual... I mean I think the poor guy almost had a heart attack - here I was lying on the ground in the cemetery post dusk... with books... and candles.... and camera.... I don't know who jumped highest me or him!)
ahhhh arrrrrrrt - you can't say its not fun sometimes!
Thank you, ronnie!! I am a fool for the backstories and I had a sneaky suspicion that you had a few tales (tails?!) lurking. I'm certain that jogger is still telling one himself.
DeleteCarry on now, with those "alien invasions" tee hee ... !