Material World is Winding Down

This great show has closed and tomorrow we take down the work. It is always a little sad to take down a good show and this is no exception. I've learned a lot through the process of putting this exhibit together. As in most endeavors, clear communication must be a key element if you are looking to be as successful as possible. This will be a top priority for me as I look to continue curating shows.

The three key retail elements - Location, Location and Location certainly came into play. I admit, I assumed we would get people to come out to Hyattsville to see a show with so many top DMV artists but attendance at the opening and the gallery talks was good but not great.

I put a lot of effort into documentation and the show will live on with through the online catalog.

I appreciate the efforts of all the artists (Marie Ringwald, Matthew Langley, Michael Janis, Katherine Mann, Sherill Anne Gross and J.T. Kirkland) along with the help of my wife Lori Anne (editing and great general support) and my daughter Heather for video duties. Thanks again to Jesse Cohen and Fine Arts Ventures/artdc for the opportunity to mount this fantastic show.

Online Catalog Now Available

With the show opening tomorrow, artdc.com has posted the online catalog of the exhibition.


http://artdc.com/2011/02/23/material-world/

I'm extremely happy with how the catalog came out. We have some installation views along with statements from each artist and a short essay explaining the concept behind the show and how each artist fits the concept.

Even if I didn't have anything to do with the show, I certainly wouldn't want to miss it. We have work some of the area's finest artists included. I look forward to seeing everyone.

Material World is Up

Today, I met the artists at the gallery to hang the show. There are often unforeseen issues when you get to the actual point of hanging that sometimes require a last minute change which was the case today. We moved Michael Janis to a different wall because the movable wall was not going to allow enough space for the work. There is such depth to his pieces that viewers need to look from the sides as well as straight on. I knew the gallery was making some changes to the back room so I did not have a set plan for that area but the changes that were made did not effect the linear dimensions of hanging space but did allow for larger work than before. It turns out that we had just the right amount of art work with the addition of a piece by Peter Gordon which is part of the gallery's permanent collection. Here are some images of the installation.

In the Home Stretch

Serving as curator for Material World has been a rewarding experience. It's been close to twenty years since I've put a show like this together. Some things haven't changed much. Artists are typically eager to have their work shown, especially in a truly professional space alongside other quality artists. What has changed is the abundance of talent available and the speed of communication.

The DC area has a wealth of gifted artists working in very diverse ways. Given the title and theme of the show, I specifically sought to include artists working with different media who were not using standard techniques. With fragmentation of the area scene a common complaint, I was also interested showing artists of different generations who are at various points in their careers, even attempting to pull artists working in different parts of the region together. In meeting with the artists, I found that each was familiar with nearly all of the others in the show and some had actually worked together on projects. Perhaps the scene is not so fragmented after all.

The speed of communication actually presented challenges and this is the area in which I learned the most. It all comes down to timing. With the proliferation of art websites and the influence of blogs, much information needs to be held until very close to the event. Print media still requires plenty of lead-time. Hopefully we have navigated this well and there will be a strong turnout.

Material World- artdc gallery Hyattsville, MD March 2011

Things have quickly been falling into place for the show I am curating for the artdc gallery in Hyattsville. The show will be titled Material World and will focus on artists who use non-traditional materials or tradition materials in non-standard ways to produce their work.

I've been reading the writings, lectures, etc of Philip Guston over the past week or so and he alludes to a special thing that occurs when you're not sure how a work was made and that you stop concerning yourself with that. The finest work takes on a life of its own and its production eludes the viewer and sometimes it maker. The artists I have selected for this show make work that must be taken on its own terms. The work is not about the material or technique yet they are integral to our experience of the work. While the viewer will inevitably wonder how these pieces where made, with appreciation for the craft involved- in the end, we are left to contemplate these works on their own merits.

Material World

I often joke that I only learned three tangible things in art school and only one had anything to do with technique. Back in 1984-85, when I was a foundations student at the Corcoran, I learned two of these three things. Franklin White taught me what a powerful tool the eraser can be. In response to my use of crappy, cheap acrylic colors and student grade canvas, Marie Ringwald told me to use the best materials I can afford. She showed me slides of some pieces that used glass bricks and neon (if my memory is correct). Over the long run, that statement has always stuck with me as much as a pink pearl and dry cleaning bag. I've come to understand that statement to mean, know why you are using what you are using to make your work. Does the material support the work or does it get in the way? In art, as in most things, it all comes down to balance. Do all elements work in concert with each other to create a seamless whole. I am looking to find work for Material World that finds that balance.


Marie Ringwald 2010

Making it happen

There are many ways to be engaged in the art world. First and foremost is to create work. This has always been a main pursuit of mine. The other side is to present work whether my own or that of others. In the late eighties and early nineties I was able to put some shows together and still remain proud of the shows we assembled at the short lived Praha Gallery in Norfolk. I am currently pursuing some curatorial opportunities and will use this space to help develop my thoughts as this progresses.