As part of the brief me and eve have split the research between the two of this, this will split the workload and get it done a lot quicker. One area i was to look into was tips and advice on curating an exhibition. As this is the first time we both are actually putting on an exhibition, we thought that getting some good knowledge and advice about it would benefit us in the planning of it all.
I have searched a few websites online to gauge what advice can be given for it, after this i have brought it together into one list:
Step 1
HAVE A STRONG THESIS: When I describe curating to people who are unfamiliar with the profession, I tell them that an exhibition is like an essay on a wall: you must have a strong thesis, and the art work in the exhibition is the support and substance of that thesis. You also want your idea to be straightforward: if you can't put it into a "topic sentence" of sorts, then go back to the drawing board.
Step 2
SELECT YOUR WORK CAREFULLY: like an essay, you wouldn't want to pick poor examples that don't buttress your thesis; there must be a clear relationship between your curatorial idea and the art work that the public sees. Sometimes the thesis will develop from the art work you select--as the objects accumulate, you may start to see certain similarities and trends in the art; this could be the case, for instance, if you're curating at an independent art space and must use their register of artists, or must do a collection exhibition at a museum. Other times you will start with the thesis and then select the art work that fits the mold. If you need help finding artists and art works that fit your thesis, try MutualArt.com--they have a useful search engine to research art, artists and art articles. You can search by venue too, so you can find the perfect space that might want to exhibit your macaroni art show.
Step 3
SEE THE ART WORK IN PERSON: Whether it's in a museum collection, private collection or artist's studio, if you have the chance to see the art object in person, do it (and take your camera). There are a few very important reasons for this: you can look for any blemishes that may not have shown up in reproductions (I know from first-hand experience, it is embarrassing to have a painting in your show that has clear signs of water damage...); you can avoid general surprises (Oh, I didn't realize it wouldn't fit through the door of my gallery!); you are creating a personal relationship with the collector/artist/curator that will be helpful down the road when those inevitable hiccups happen; and if you are publishing a catalog, you'll know firsthand what the reproduction should look like (this is where the camera is handy!).
Step 4
KEEP A DETAILED CHECKLIST: The checklist is the keystone to a well-organized exhibition. I usually use an excel document, and keep tabs of the following:
• title
• dimensions
• media and collection of the art object, with a thumbnail of the art work for a visual
• when the loan forms were sent to the lender
• when you received the signed loan forms
• when you countersigned and returned a copy of the loan form to the lender
Timescale
• You may need to book a venue and fundraise as early as a year in advance.
• Designing the display, proof-reading it and printing it will take 2 to 8 weeks of discontinuous work, depending on how many posters you are producing.
• Expect 1-4 weeks’ worth of admin if in charge of organising the display transport, liaising with artists or other contributors and gathering rare display material such as show cases.
Designing your display
• Define your audience: academic? non-academic? familiar with the discipline and its language?
• Gather your material and select relevant images, data, graphs, documents etc.
Your display must be consistent:
What is the leading thread?
What will guarantee the visual coherence of the whole?
Your display must also be varied:
• Think about sizes of artwork and varying this could create an interesting display
• What colours to be used within the exhibition. Is open for any colours? or do you want a strict colour scheme
Get the scale right:
• Larger pictures and large-type text in open areas, smaller print in more self-contained areas and at eye level.
• Get the balance right between word and image
A visible ordering:
• Draw an up-to-date inventory and sit down with pen and paper to draw your exhibition plan, thinking in terms of your venue’s size and layout.
• Start with something general: your exhibition poster, a short text explaining why the topic is significant and interesting, a notice with any events related to the exhibition
• Think of spare room for any visitors’ book, book display, a wine reception, a few chairs
Costs
The venue:
How much is the venue, what does the cost include? Is there VAT included in the price
The display:
• Colour printing on unusually large paper is very costly Don’t try and stick a large poster onto a board yourself if you want a professional-looking result: it will bulge and look messy.
• Any reproduced pictures will entail copyright costs and an extra admin job.
• In my case, the costs were chiefly postage from and to France (Fedex and Parcelforce are reliable and professional curators use them) and gifts to thank the contributing artists.
The display material:
• Poster-boards
It may be that the venue rental includes the possibility to book free-standing poster-boards for free. But then again you may need to hire them at extra cost. It’s unlikely that you will be allowed to use any wall/panelling surfaces. Ask about this from the outset to make sure.
• Accessories
You’ll need some free-standing document holders to protect your labels on any horizontal surfaces. You may also want some leaflet dispensers.
Transport:
How to get all the work to the venue?
Is the venue located in a central area - transport for the guests.
Golden rules:
• Make sure all the figure you’re using include VAT!!
• Keep all your receipts.
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