How to Curate your own Contemporary Art Show

by Christopher West

With a limited number of professional galleries and exhibition venues in and around Indiana, artists are forced to expand their creativity beyond the canvas and not only create their work, but find creative ways to present it. In a world short on space and often shorter on cash, this can be as difficult as producing the work in the first place.

As you consider preparing your work for public consumption, let me assure you your efforts are not in jest. As essential to a vibrant contemporary arts scene as iMOCA, the Indianapolis Museum of Art or our University galleries, artist-run spaces are the fuel that burns the fire. Some of the most successful artists in New York, London or Los Angeles may only have the chance to present their work to the public one or twice per year, so every opportunity counts. Granted most of their gallerists have worked out the space and marketing issues already, bet even the most talented won't show their work at Deitch Projects or Mary Boone Gallery in New York City their first time out. Before Charles Saatchi ever heard of Damien Hirst, he was curating shows with both his own work and that of his associates. Hence the birth of the Young British Artist Movement.

Following are a few things to consider as you begin thinking about curating your own show. Many of these will seem obvious, but it's the little things that will set your show apart from the others. Although timelines may vary from a couple of weeks to a few months, this list is in a rough chronological order and can be tweaked and modified to suit your individual needs.

VENUE - Don't be concerned about finding the perfect 5000 square foot warehouse space to showcase your work. Some of the most creative and compelling shows I have seen in recent years have happened in a corner of a garage or a stairwell or even in a vacant storefront window. The important thing is to get your work out there for people to see. Obviously location must be considered. The farther your show is from your target audience, the less likely they are to make the trip. Don't be afraid to approach a property owner with a vacant space about wanting to do a show. Many will say no, but some would like to have the foot traffic to try and showcase their space available for lease to a broader public.

When considering the physical aspects of the space, ask yourself how your work will fit into the space? Are there architectural elements you can work with? Remember, as great as sales are, they should not be a priority at this point. The most important thing is the presentation.

PRESS RELEASE - Check in the local newspapers, newsweeklies, web-based arts calendars, etc. for the lead-time they need to include your opening in their calendar of events. This can range from a couple of weeks to a few months so it is important to get a grasp of this early. Make your press release is as clear and easy to understand as possible. Include in the first paragraph the show title, artist's name, dates, time, location, and a very brief description of the work. In subsequent paragraphs you can expand on the work if necessary. If possible, keep your press release to one page.

THE INVITATION - When we think of invitations we often think of the ubiquitous postcard. Although postcards can be very nice, do you really need 1000? Think about your mailing list. How long is it really? Maybe 20? 30? You can make your friends and family come. So pick your target audience and find a way to grab them. It could be with homemade invitations or something else creative that well separate your invitation from the myriad of other materials they will receive.

OPENING NIGHT - This does not need to be an extravagant affair. It is however important to try and grab your audience and encourage them to linger and hopefully, discuss the work. Everyone knows the old method of a little red wine. Wine and beer actually works, especially when it's free. I never expect to drink Dom Perignon at these functions and will never complain about 2-buck Chuck or a little High Life, but it's nice to have something. Music can also add to the experience but you never want it to over power the work.

DAY AFTER - Believe it or not there are many people who do not like opening receptions. Although you may not get many people through on the day after the opening, your goal is to eventually have another show. Therefore it is important to be ready because this may be when that one curator or gallerist walks through the doors. Make sure the gallery looks great and make yourself available should anyone have any questions or want your contact information.

DOCUMENTATION - This is where I would splurge a little. High quality images of not only the work itself but also of the installation in general will be invaluable as you build your resume and portfolio. Unfortunately, there is not one format that is preferred by all curators and gallerists, so I would recommend both slides and high-res digital images if possible.

FOLLOW-UP - If you do make a sale or if anyone is really interested in the work, do your best to capture their contact information while they are there and follow up after the show with a personal note thanking them for coming. The more often you can put your name in front of each potential collector or curator, the better.

Don't be discouraged. You will make mistakes and you will learn to make the next show a little better than the first. I would encourage everyone to visit galleries around the state that are relatively new to the local arts scene, but are putting on wonderful shows and are prime examples of what can be accomplished with a little determination.

Christopher West is the Curator of iMOCA (Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art.) iMOCA's vision is to bring contemporary exhibitions and programs to our community to stimulate minds, inspire new discoveries and demonstrate the vital connections between visual culture and life.

Edited by Robyn Kelly, Web Publications Manager: rkelly@iac.in.gov.
The IAC, a public catalyst, partner, and investor in the arts, serves the citizens of Indiana by funding, promoting, and expanding the arts. Funding is provided by the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.