New Show Review
A new review has been posted on the Art Quilt Reviews website that I mentioned a few months back. (See my post about how this website came into existence here.) Check out Joanie San Chirico’s review of the Fiber Revolution show A Survey of Styles here.
I agree with many of Joanie’s points in this review. I’ve seen many group "art quilt" shows where it appears the goal is to just show as much work as possible but no effort is made at curating a cohesive quality show. From viewing the installation pictures I believe at least half of the work in this show should have been removed as the crowded walls bring to my mind a county fair atmosphere not that of an art gallery. There is no way to step back and view each piece individually without interference of it’s neighbors.
And I what is there to say about those peg board walls? I often tell my kids "Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should." I’m not sure I’d agree to show my work in such conditions. How is it supposed to look professional when it looks like a garage wall?
Would you show your art in a crowded room on pegboard walls just to get another line on your resume?
Fiber Revolution says one of it’s goals is educating the public about fiber art as an exciting art form. Is this goal achieved by having shows like this or are shows like this detrimental, not just to the group but to art quilts in general?
I’d love to hear your opinions. Please post them here or on the art quilt review website.
Posted by Lisa in: The Art World
Cynthia said,
October 29, 2006 @ 9:39 am
Her review is interesting. Of particular interest were the lack of curatorial guidelines and the critique of the pegboard hanging system. So for an estabished group of artists, I would think that exhibiting in this format is not promoting their work in the best light and lessens their stated goal of “educating the public about fiber art as an exciting art form”.
Of less interest to me were her crits of some of the pieces themselves. Color choice, subject matter etc. are personal and subjective. I was able to read her bias right away. It comes back to having a cohesive theme.
michelle said,
October 29, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
I have to say that I personally would not show my work hung on pegboard. I would also want to know this before anyone else got a show and chose this as an appropriate venue.
Educating the public about fiberart means that we want to raise the bar on how people view it as art. If we dont take every show we present as an opportunity to not only show our work but to present it as a cohesive well planned event then how can we expect the viewing audience to see this as a serious art form.
Just because someone will give a place to hang a show doesnt mean its the best place to hang a show.
It was refreshing to read such an open review…..
Tricia McKellar said,
October 29, 2006 @ 7:15 pm
If I were involved with a group showing in a university gallery— I think I might have assumed it was a nice location (without peg boards). Hmmm. Note to self: ask about the space.
alison schwabe said,
October 30, 2006 @ 5:35 am
I wish all aspiring artists within the quilting medium will read this review, but most won’t, and of those who do many will be hugely indignant at what they will take to be the reviewer’s unkind words to the exhibiting group as a whole and some members in particular. Why? Because although the art quilt world DOES include some practitioners working at the cutting edge, most are hugely enthusiastic trtechnically skilled hobbyists who have done a few classes, taken the whole studio artist thing hook line and sinker , and plunged into being an artist without more than superficial awareness and little personal reference to the world beyond the incestuous one of ‘art quilt making’. It is one where everyone is hugely supportive and encouraging, but the price is you have to be nice to each other in return. How I would love to be a fly on the wall at the next gathering of Fiber Revolution …
Cheryl McClure said,
October 30, 2006 @ 9:02 am
Another reason to not enter shows that are not juried/curated. I know that at first artists want that line on the resume (I’ve been guilty)……but sooner or later you just have to quit exhibiting in this kind of show.
Another thing I noted in the review is that the work has been seen over and over in the north east. Surely they should make sure none of the work has been exhibited with that group previously. Some groups go so far as to say you can’t enter anything that has been shown in a national show.
Pat D said,
October 30, 2006 @ 2:59 pm
Re your comments above:
“And I what is there to say about those peg board walls? I often tell my kids “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.” I’m not sure I’d agree to show my work in such conditions. How is it supposed to look professional when it looks like a garage wall? Would you show your art in a crowded room on pegboard walls just to get another line on your resume? Fiber Revolution says one of it’s goals is educating the public about fiber art as an exciting art form. Is this goal achieved by having shows like this or are shows like this detrimental, not just to the group but to art quilts in general?”
Curators reply:
The gallery is spacious, well lit and has benches for viewing the work at ones leisure. The art department has an excellent reputation. Their students do well in their careers. Yes, the gallery has painted peg-board walls. That’s what this small girls school can afford. Should we refuse to hang our work in that setting simply because the department has a severely limited budget for walls? The walls were clean and/or freshly painted. I see no reason why exhibiting in this gallery would be “detrimental” to our group or to art quilts. If I had thought the venue itself was in any way detrimental to our work, we would never have exhibited there. Pegboard, in and of itself, is just that. If it were raw - unpainted - then it would have been harmful to our work to hang on the walls. While pegboard is hardly attractive, it is just the backdrop for our work.
My main goal in curating this exhibit was for the education of the faculty and students in the department. I wanted a large diversity of styles, etc. and as many pieces as possible to bring to the gallery for the purpose of exposure and education concerning our medium of choice. I presumed the viewer could be counted on to be able to separate one work from the next despite the proximity of the pieces. This is not a quilt show, but a gallery exhibition – benches to sit on to “be with” the art.
As part of the exhibition, several Fiber Revolution members gave a lecture on the opening day. And, the art department students have been assigned to critique the show. Talk about a great educational opportunities! Yes, some of the work was not quite up to the standard that the group should maintain – but until the group develops guidelines for its membership (which is slowly evolving), this remains a bit of a problem.
The exhibit has been extremely well received – I’ve been told that more non-art majors and more off-campus viewers have come to this show than any previous exhibit. I’m happy to have had this opportunity to bring art quilts to this setting. I believe we accomplished the goals I had set for this exhibition.
pat said,
October 30, 2006 @ 5:28 pm
Pat D, I am sorry, but pegboard does not cut it in any reputable gallery I know of and personally, I thought the individual comments were both insightful and thought provoking. Criticism is one of the most important aspects of exhibiting ones work and while sometimes unpleasant, provides both the viewer and art world a better insight into the art form. Now you did say that you were excited about the students critiquing the show. Is it any less exciting or valuable to have a peer critique the show?
Pat
Pat Dolan said,
October 30, 2006 @ 7:25 pm
In reply to pat:
Please go to Artquiltreview for my reply to the critique itself. As noted there, I found this critique (and another) to be very helpful and I have learned a great deal about curating from them.
I simply choose to disagree with the opinion that pegboard would be the only reason NOT to show in this or any other gallery. All other things being equal, the benefits in this case far outweigh the substance of the wall. The gallery does not look like a garage nor a craft exhibit.
Since most of these comments are written without the benefit of actually seeing the venue, it’s fairly easy to make judgement calls. I’m simply offering my opinion and viewpoint as curator of the exhibit.
I am proud of the fact we brought Fiber Revolution art quilts to this particular college, offered lectures, and answered questions at the opening. It was a wonderful opportunity to educate up and coming artists as well as future art buyers.
Pat Dolan
Omega said,
October 31, 2006 @ 5:42 am
There are art quilts and art quilts. There is a wide wide range of quality in the art and in the craft of art quilts. Unfortunately there is also a wide range in the kinds of exhibition, but to the visiting public they are largely all promoted in the same way.
The ability to discriminate within an art form is fudged by everyone wanting the best possible publicity exposure for their work. It is essential for education within a field to see a range of examples of different approaches to subject matter and to technique. However quality discrimination is vital for any kind of assessment of work by oneself or by others.
This is a thorny problem because every form of art has its place. The trick is matching the artist with the audience - in each direction.
Lisa Call said,
November 6, 2006 @ 10:58 pm
Omega - I think you really got to the heart of the matter with your comment on th artquiltreview website and your comment here. Thanks to everyone that has responded here and on that website - I think this is the start of a much needed dialog.
Pat Dolan - thank you for responding here.