Gallery and artist study

[Merlyn]

Hello again. ^^
I just finished my first folio and I'm starting on my second now. I've decided to make a start on the theory that my teacher has neglected to teach. First, with some gallery research.
Apparently, we need to be able to talk about the structure and purpose of specific galleries, so I was going to focus on Top Arts (I saw it last week and it was amazing. I loved the monkey painting and tie dress especially. xD but back to main topic). What are some key points that I should consider when writing about Toparts or any gallery for the matter?

Also, I've decided to go ahead and do some research on Frida Kahlo as one of my artists. What is it exactly that I should be noting down? haha, thanks in advance!
 
(did anyone make it to top arts in the forum? It was amazing!)

[h545]

For the gallery research you may want to learn about something other than Top Arts. It has a different set-up to most exhibitions so it can be difficult to write about it. It's not really representative of how the professional art industry works. Also, a lot of people write about it because it's the only exhibit they've visited. I remember my teacher last year telling the class not to write on Top Arts in the exam unless we had no other choice.

Some of the things you should consider about the galleries and exhibits:
- the type of gallery (commercial, public, artist-run, online, other)
- how it is funded (government funding, sales of artwork)
- who works there (curator, art historian, etc & their names)
- who decides what gets displayed & other big decisions
- how work is selected
- does the gallery own collections permanently
- how much storage the gallery has
- how much does it cost to run the gallery
- what preservation considerations there are (lighting, air conditioning, temperature control, protective glass)
- priorities/purpose of the gallery (education, profit, entertainment)
- how is the exhibit arranged
- are there rules for visitors (no touching artworks, no food/drink)
- is there an overarching theme to the exhibit
- are all the artworks the same medium

I might have forgotten some things. You may not be able to find all the information from some galleries but if you ask someone who works there they may be able to answer some questions.

Hope this helps 

[Merlyn]

Ahhh, I see. Will I have to personally go and visit another exhibition then? Seems like a lot of work, but I'll get onto it! Thank you! ^^

[h545]

You will probably visit more galleries with your class later in the year because it's part of the study design. I think the study design requires you to visit at least 2 galleries during the year, which your school should organise excursions for. Your teacher might be saving it until closer to exam time so you can remember the galleries and exhibits better.

It seems like a lot but if you take notes while you're in the gallery and ask someone who works there you'll be able to answer most of the points on the list. You can look up some information online or in brochures but in person is definitely best.

[Merlyn]

Ah, and I'll have to name the specific exhibition when I'm talking about it in the exam?
Just another question, for the artist research, how many should I know well and what about them in particular?

[h545]

Usually you will need to say what the name of the exhibition is, but it depends if the question is asking about a specific exhibition or the whole gallery.


For the artist research you need to be able to write about at least 2. Preferably choose ones that are quite different so if you need to compare them you can find more things to talk about. When I chose mine last year I chose one popular deceased artist and one current less-known one.

For the popular deceased artist there were heaps of books and biographies. There's a handy worksheet in the Studio Arts Study Design from VCAA that says what information is required and gives a space to take notes.

I found it very difficult to find enough information on the less well known artist because his website didn't go into great detail about his life and I couldn't get in contact with him. I'd suggest choosing artists carefully to make sure there's plenty of information available or they are contactable.

[Merlyn]

Much appreciated!

I'm planning on going to the galleries these holidays, I was wondering who I should go to to ask questions about the whole layout, planning and conservation aspect of the exhibition..?