Free Advice:

Because I don't really have the time/resources/energy to be spreading the seeds of my limited wisdom around while take my GRE, apply to grad schools, recharge my creative juices in general, manage MANY bi-costal relationships, and search for flatware as the East Coast Maid Of Honor in Nel's wedding, I've decided to just drop in some advice on curating that I recently shared with inquiring minds for you to decipher...

Later I may also share some other helpful things as I think of it so I can just refer people here and stop writing lengthy emails and doing other people's research.

Here it goes...


::SITUATION A::

HER:
You may not remember, but I was in your Freshman Seminar class ... back in the day... or at least it was back in "the day" for me. If I remember correctly, you've done some freelance curating work. I'm considering putting together a group show, and I want to know if there's a formalized way of pitching a show to a gallery (i.e. a proposal of some sort). I have other questions too about particulars, and I would love some guidance. Thanks!

ME:

I would love to talk you through this.

Where do you want to have the show or what galleries/venues were you thinking of pitching to? Who are the artists? What is the work like? ...Answering these questions will get you on your way to structuring your proposal.

HER:
Yay! Thank you soo much! The show is in the baby stage of forming right now. I'm really enthusiastic about ... Art grads. We have some really talented people, and I feel like they should be showing stuff now. So, I wanted to give them the opportunity to flex their artistic muscles. The idea is to have a theme or idea (like: "...", for example), and see what different artists do with it. It would be really interesting, I think, to see how each person interprets the idea, and how the pieces might relate when its all exhibited together. Right now, I'm sorting through the Alum I know, and figuring out who might be interested in what kind of theme.

Now, I'm worried about not having a place for the show after I've rallied people to make stuff, which is why I want to get an idea of how the gallery end of things works. How far in advance can I pitch a show? Do I need to have all the work ready to go when I talk to a gallery? Also, a few of the artists are out of state, so if they want to participate, they'll have to ship their work. Should they ship the work to me or to the gallery? Heh. I'm getting ahead of myself. :-P

ME:
a show could take from 2-6 months to create.

If you're really interested in curating young alum - maybe contact the alumnae association to send out an email 'call to artists' where you could ask if people have work they would like to submit that is completed and have them tell you why it may relate to a given theme. You would set the deadline for submissions and the format and level of completion etc. From there you can build your show and decide who is in and who is out.

*Note: if you want to curate in the future or collaborate with other alum, as you put together this project, be aware of the relationships on an interpersonal level but also professionally. Expect issues to arise but understand that you can learn from mistakes and not make them again, and not work with people who aren't hard working or agreeable. It is a privilege to exhibit someone's work. It honors them and it is something you should end up being proud of.

Onto your other questions...

Sometimes it takes a while to find your location. Other times you can build a show around a location you already have access to or have in mind. Relationships to galleries and other people with space is critical. I tried to use a gallery space ... for a year and they never even returned my phone calls. it can be a challenge. That being said, you dont have to have everything together before approaching a space but be sensitive to their programming and what they may expect from you as a steward of the space. Also be picky! Pick a location that will, again, honor the work! I have had a lot of art damaged at galleries ... . Be aware of the kind of visibility and access the space has. Build a relationship with the manager of the space.

shipping work: working with this level of artist - you might want to invest a bit in them by cutting a deal -- if you like the work, then ask them to ship it out and if it isnt sold you will ship it back to them. It should be sent to the gallery unless you have a large and safe storage space, but again be aware of the gallery's operations and dont assume they will store work for you too long in advance or after the fact.

HER:

This has been super helpful! I now feel better prepared to make this show happen, though I'm sure I'll have more questions further down the line. Thank you again!

::SITUATION B::

HER:
I just talked to you last week! Sorry it has taken me a while to get back
to you! My boss is going to be sending me more information tomorrow about
the artists, and I will send you the link so you can look at the art!

I'll just tell you a little bit about myself and what I am doing! I just
graduated from ... and I studied International Relief and Development. I
recently just got an internship with ... as a part of the
fundraising team. I am going to be planning different events at
universities and I will also be doing fundraising with corporations as
well as private parties. I will also be displaying art in a few studios as
well.

My goal is to raise $50,000 by April. All of the funds will be going
towards Wells in Niger in West Africa. Niger is the poorest country in the
world and also has the largest water drought. It cost $12500 for one well
but it sustains a community for 1,000-2,000 and it also lasts for 20
years. World Vision is the largest NGO. It is a Christian Relief and
Development Humanitarian organization and works in 98 countries.

ME:
Thank you for getting in touch with me again.

Let me just say that I think your goal is a great one. Using art as an attractive and focused mode of fund raising is a natural thing, however, from experience, I would say that... (a) you need a charismatic speaker to work with you as a spokes person for the issues at hand. and (b) you should have supplemental fund raising items as most people wont bid on art work for financial or spacial or taste reasons. and finally (c) you need someone, and this may be you, to focus primarily on the finances, both raising money and keeping track of it.

These sorts of things can never be done alone. Know who your friends are that will help you and try not to exhaust those resources.

I also went to ... . I studied Fine Art and Graphic Design. Working with designers I understand that Marketing helps these sorts of events, and working with artists, I know that partnering with volunteers and artists requires a lot of energy on relationships.

Good luck. Talk more soon,



::SITUATION C::

HER:
hope you're doing well!
Although I have no expectations because this is super super last minute. (33 hours left on the countdown.) I'm looking for 1 last reference letter required for an artist residency application. If you would be open to doing this on such short notice I can send you the project proposal I'm finishing up if you'd like to see it and will send the online application invite where you submit the letter to. I'd just need to know the best email address to send to, your title and organization as you'd like it to be and it can be uploaded straight to the ... Foundation which I'm applying to.

ME:
email me and I will do it tonight which should still be in time.

HER:
I sent you the invitation. I was not sure what to say your title is. I put Curator, if you would like it differently I can see if I'm able to go in and update it on my end. Tonight will be fine.
Thanks so much!!!

ME:

I dont really feel like I have enough information to write this up. Whats your project about? whats your recent work about? I need more of your vision for studying there to know how to write this letter.

please advise.

(She fills me in and I look at the website for residency.)

To Whom it may concern:

I am pleased to recommend ... for your residency program. She and I have worked creatively, crossing paths periodically, since our undergraduate work at .... Her video and installation work pushed past what many of our piers would have thought of at the time, and her approach to her work was always professional.

That professionalism is why I have exhibited her work as I have gone on to curate a verity of spaces since our time in school. Her sense of movement, structure, rich texture, and composition is highly developed in her still photographs as well as her motion installation. She has proved to be a stickler for detail and quality.

Her interests go beyond that of her craft and extend also to the viewer, and even further into the community. She has a skill to reflect her own ideas, but is also apt to aid others in their creative development. She has shown consideration for her fellow artists by her involvement in founding mentorship opportunities while we were in school. She has shown her interest in her viewers by attaining a high level of craft, leaving no flaw to distract. She has also exhibited a high capacity for creative conceptualization and the facility of materialization of those ideas.

Overall I believe that she could greatly benefit from the opportunity of this temporary community for the natural beauty of it's geography, as well as the magnetism of it's cultural relevance. ... manages to include many layers of her life experience into her work, and I believe that this would deepen future work created by her, as she also would contribute to the environment shared with the other elect fellows.


::ONE MORE EXAMPLE::

Here is one more example of a recommendation letter - some details omitted...

To Whom it may concern:

I am pleased to recommend ... for acceptance into ... . I first met ... when we were working on our undergraduate studies at .... I believe we both gained much inspiration from professors ... and ..., whose careers remain active (respectively) in interdisciplinary projects, sculpture and performance. Undergraduate work sparked my interest in curatorial studies and collaboration. Since then, a fellowship at ... brought me to the east coast. This allowed me to work again with ... as well as artists .... I am now on the board for W< ("Wunderkammer", founded by Swartz) and continue to enjoy dialogue with artists working in all media, but particularly new media and installation. In my experience working with ... she has always been exhaustive in her approach to new projects. Looking for smart ways to refine craft and effectively communicate concept. She has always been able to verbalize her ideas at a superior level of intellect and comprehension, while acknowledging the dynamic picture of her work in the context of the cannon of art history, as well as contemporary art culture, and the world in general. Personally, I enjoy her work for both the depth of her thoughts as well as the qualities of her materials - which, I believe, interface cohesively. Recently ... has been teaching art at an elementary level as she builds up her body of work. Though she has excelled in this experience with creativity, bringing nuance to her class room when the bar was set at basic craft, I believe she is meant to create work and teach at a level of higher dynamism and academia. Earning a higher degree is not only critical for her to accomplish what she must, but it is a very natural next step that I believe she is prime for. Last August she withdrew before attending ... because she believed there was a better situation in which to develop her graduate body of work. Observing her dedication to the mind and the arts in practice and research I have no doubt that she would be an asset to the landscape of your program, as she advances herself through it. Her view of art making as a serious intellectual pursuit and her desire to be in a rigorously challenging program allows me to state with confidence that acceptance into your program would be mutually beneficial and honoring to the work she has already accomplished.