Meet the Fall 2020 Interns

Compiled and edited by Nicole DeSimone

This Fall, UVA was delighted to welcome six interns who helped advance the organization’s core mission. Each intern brought their own personal set of skills to UVA, but they all had one thing in common: the belief that local art enriches our communities. Read more about our interns below:

Cecilia Christman graduated from Boston College in 2019 with a degree in Art History. Since then, she has interned at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where she contributed to exhibitions that privilege the voices of women, Black Americans, and Indigenous people. Her professional goals include pursuing a purpose-driven career in which she assists underprivileged communities and individuals. Cecilia is excited to support the Allston-Brighton arts community and to promote social change through her curatorial work at UVA. Outside of the arts, Cecilia is passionate about environmental justice and animal rights. On the weekend, you’ll find her exploring Massachusetts State Parks with friends.

Cecilia Christman

Nicole DeSimone is a freelance writer in the Boston area. She studied English and Journalism at Simmons University, where her poetry appeared in the school literary magazine. She hopes to bring her passion for writing and communications to Unbound Visual Arts and to learn how multimedia communications can better connect nonprofits to the communities in which they serve. In addition to writing, Nicole loves browsing bookstores, watching old movies, and taking long nature walks.

Nicole DeSimone

Karlena Fletcher is a fourth-year BFA candidate at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. She is studying Painting, Art History, and Arts Leadership. She believes that art should be accessible to all and hopes to bring that passion to her work at UVA as she learns about the curatorial process and how to elevate the arts within a community.  Karlena loves to travel and explore new places (especially places with good art museums), but when she’s stuck at home she enjoys cooking, crafting, and watching movies.

Karlena Fletcher

Instagram: @artbykarlena 

Enrica Gabriele-Smith is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she earned a BA in English and minor in Economics. She is excited to pursue her interest in development and arts administration, and hopes to bring her technology skills and passion for nonprofit work to Unbound Visual Arts. In her spare time, she enjoys taking ceramics classes, baking, and working on her creative writing projects.

Enrica Gabriele-Smith

Wenshuai Shi is a photographer. She majors in Photography and Integrated Media at Lesley University in Cambridge. She is mainly working on studio photography but also dabbles in street photography and video. She is a lover of galleries and museums. Her enthusiasm for exhibitions and curation led her to Unbound Visual Arts, where she can have a better understanding of visual art and apply her technology and knowledge to web design and exhibition. Outside of work, she is a fan of horror movies and horror games.

Wenshuai Shi

Caitlin Thompson is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Music in Flute Performance with a minor in Arts Leadership at Boston University. Caitlin is currently Treasurer for the nonprofit, Colorful Bridges, and is passionate about accessible interdisciplinary arts education. She hopes to bring a diversified perspective as well as her strengths in writing and communications to Unbound Visual Arts. She hopes to continue strengthening her knowledge and experience in the nonprofit arts sector and to work in development and grant writing. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys watching TV, cooking, and travelling.

Caitlin Thompson

Thank you to the interns for all your hard work!

“Meet the Artists” Event Showcases Work of Summer 2020 Interns

by Nicole DeSimone

Unbound Visual Arts was thrilled to host a Meet the Artists event for our virtual exhibit, “Momentary Spaces,” on Wednesday, November 11. The exhibit, which features the artwork of four Summer 2020 interns, explores the idea of the temporary and the current. The 24 guests in attendance had the opportunity to hear the artists speak and to ask them questions about their work. Guests were also treated to a piano performance by one of the artists, Cynthia Bryndis Schilling. 

In addition to Cynthia, artists Sofija Chroneos, Rachel Hargreaves, and Julia Marcantonio were featured. All the artists except Julia were available to participate in the virtual event.

Sofija Chroneos, Weight and Circumstance, 2019

Sofija, an MA candidate in Art Education at Boston University, shared photos of her sculptural installations, graphite and charcoal drawings, and digital photographs. She explained that much of her work shown in the exhibit focuses on “the political role of objects and things that are non-human.” 

“My studio…was full of objects that I would continually collect, not anything in particular that had any sort of particular meaning, but that I could see creating one of these forms,” Sofija said. “These works really were inspired by the forms themselves and creating these temporary pieces with them.”

Rachel Hargreaves, Duomo: Old and New Art, 2014, Photo Collage, 41″ X 32″

Rachel, a public school art teacher in Washington D.C., showcased her oil paintings and photo collages. Her collages often depict stately buildings, such as the Duomo in Florence and the White House, interposed with images of local graffiti.

“People had very strong opinions about the graffiti that was [in Florence] and was it ruining the architecture and history?” Rachel explained. “This piece is trying to merge those two realities into one thing that celebrates both art pieces, both the old and the new, trying to capture how it’s withstood time but then the artwork is also going to keep molding and developing with time.”

Cynthia, who is pursuing an MFA in graphic design from UMass Dartmouth, spoke about her mixed media photography and acrylic paintings, which are inspired by musical compositions. 

Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues, 2020, mixed media and photography, 20” x 30”

“This one was a poster about a set of preludes and fugues for piano,” Cynthia said of her piece, Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues, “Fugues are usually made up of three or four voice or melody lines that are layered and interwoven, sometimes inverted or the rhythm is doubled or cut in half. And so I wanted to show this through the use of layers and the lines and shapes.”

Julia, who is studying Modern Culture and Media at Brown University, shared digital photographs she had taken in Greece. 

“Working in both color and black and white, I am interested in experimenting with texture, flatness/depth, and attention to negative space,” Julia said in her artist’s statement. “I am drawn to puzzling images and enjoy taking an instinctive and unplanned approach to capturing photographs.”

Julia Marcantonio, Cliff, 2018, digital photograph, 29” x 42”

In addition to discussing their work, the artists present also discussed how this tumultuous year has affected their art and artistic practices.

“I’m trying to make [my work] more contemporary and political and more responsive to the daily world,” Rachel said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has given me a little bit more space to do more art than I’m used to. So that has been a small blessing among greater, more gloomier times for everyone.”

Cynthia does not have access to as many resources and as much space as she would if she were on campus. Since she did not have ample space to paint, she decided to try other art forms, such as sculpture and photography. 

“I think these limitations have actually helped my creativity and allowed me to discover new techniques and ways of doing things that I might not have if I were still in the studio,” she said. 

COVID-19 has forced Sofija to change her artistic habits, as well. “[My work has] definitely taken a shift towards 2D during the pandemic, when there’s less space to work in.” She used her art to explore “this perception that we have all this control over what we do in the world and the impact that it has,” she explained. “We act as though there’s nothing else on this Earth that could potentially react in a negative way and that’s exactly what happened with the pandemic.” 

Despite the hardships of this year, these talented artists found ways to adapt and continue making unique and compelling art. Their work shows how important creative self-expression is in times of tumult.

Thank you to all the artists featured in this exhibit! Many thanks also to the evening’s guests for their participation and insightful questions!

You can view a video of our Meet the Artists event here. 

Ten Art Terms the Public Doesn’t Always Understand

By John A., Quatrale, July 5, 2019

Today’s artists and the contemporary art community often use and refer to terms and words that relate to many aspects of art and exhibits.   Although many terms and words are understood by most in the art community, the general public is often left out The use of these terms is meant to convey something about the art, but even those non-artists that pride themselves in knowing about contemporary art are often confused. So, here are ten terms to either avoid or explain better to those that didn’t go to art school.

1.  NFS
2. Juried
3. Hanging
4. My piece
5. Opening reception
6. Mixed media
7. Group Show
8. Red dot
9. Showing
10. Gallery sitting

Here are even more terms that oftentime cause confusion. So artists and those involved in contemporary art should think before they use them without some type of explanation.

Modern Art, 21st century art, Abstract, Abstract art, Art by living artists, Artist statement, A Show, Conceptual art, Contemporary art, Driving art, Exposure, Framing, I’m showing, I have a show, I was accepted, Local artists, Modern art, My show, Pop up, Prices, Public art, Representational art, Showcasing art, Solo exhibit, Support artists, Support local artists, Support your artists, Today’s art, Untitled

Artist Sales and Promotion Ideas at Art Events

by John A. Quatrale, November 17, 2017

Many artists participate in art fairs, art expos, open art studios and similar events whose main purpose is to sell art and showcase their art.  Here are some suggestions and ideas that may assist:

• Before you arrive, create a simple sketch or actually lay it out to see how your design looks. In most cases, you’ll have a description of your location and  hopefully the actually location.  Note where the windows and door are and how your tables and chairs will be arranged.
• For outdoor events, bring weights (20 lbs. +) as the wind is always unpredictable and you need to be prepared.
• Display artwork attractively, by not crowding them. Make sure all works of  art can be seen without too much difficulty. Use different surfaces and display methods, such as tables and display racks,  for different types of artwork.  Use small easels, display devices, hooks, fabric, coverings, small props, etc.  Since all art is unique, the displays should be unique as well. If it’s outdoors, remember to plan for the wind.
• Bring mid-size artwork and small works to display. Very large works are usually not appropriate for most events, but artists may decide to do so at their own discretion.
• After you set-up,  ask someone else to evaluate how a customer will view your space. Think like a customer! If you have time, visit a store  you like or another  art selling event,  beforehand,  and see what display aspects appeal to you. Obviously, you are limited as to which ideas you can utilize, but sometimes a simple idea can be achieved for a small price.
• If you are are able, don’t sit during the event, except to rest.
• Smile and greet everyone that approaches your area and give them your “elevator speech”  that is 5-10 seconds or one short sentence, such as “Hi, I paint realistic scenes using watercolors.”
• Have a range of prices, if possible, starting at $5 or $10.
• Have a 1-2 larger works to draw attention and have at least 1 framed and ready to displayed if someone bought it and brought it home.
• If you have unfinished work and sketches, bring them.
• Every item for sale should be priced.
• If the venue doesn’t have music, bring some music to play.
• Be prepared for cash, check and credit card sales. If you don’t have a credit card reader,  make arrangements with another artist or the organizers to use their  Square, PayPal, etc.   If there is enough time before the event, consider getting your own reader.  Many buyers will want to buy with a credit card, even for small purchases.  Readers are simple and easy to use and they can connect directly to your checking account.

Is Public Art Good for the Public?

By John A. Quatrale, June 12, 2017

Congratulations to Greg Cook of WBUR ARtery.  He’s put together a very fine diverse listing of the public art displays in Greater Boston.  As such, he’s done something that is has not been done before. He greatly assists the curious public to seek out and explore the art in their midst.  Greg also includes some fine commentary on his top 50 selections as well. In most cases, he tells us what the art is, where it is, who created it, and why it’s important.

I find myself being drawn to many of the works that are usually visible from or on a public way or property. As such, the list is wonderful conversation starter, the way all art should be.  So, when I say I’m not convinced that this art is what’s going to transform Boston into a cultural megacity, that doesn’t mean that the art is not good or Greg’s list is not valuable.  Rather, I’m really thinking about how art gets put into context. In other words, is the public served by public art?

Public art usually means it’s in a outdoor public place and available to the general public to enjoy and experience during everyday travels. It can be either permanent or temporary.  Many of these public art installations are as a result of an institution or agency engaging an artist  or group of artists to create a work of art. Occasionally, the art is even unauthorized and “graffiti’ like.  Other times the artist is given “free rein” to create a work that manifests their own interests and allows them to express those interests to the general public through artistic expression. More commonly, the artist is asked to create public art with a set of specific guidelines and expectations.  In almost all cases, the location dictates the appearance and the outcome of the public art. The artists may also be involved in getting community input, support and approval for what they are doing.  But, regardless of how the public art was imagined and manifested, the message presented through the public art by the artist is usually downplayed or hidden.   The venue or the sponsor is usually much more interested in filling a space that will draw attention, more visitors and a lots of interest. Even if the artist has provided commentary or interpretation, most venues hide that text and may not even display the title of the art.

Public art today is usually presented without any interpretative guidance the way today’s art might be shown in a museum or other art center, like the ones listed here.  That usually means the public is left to decide what about the public art is important and how to experience that art.  Some may say that’s the way it should be, but without some guidance, most art will be seen for its aesthetics and beauty or lack of both.  Further, the lack of interpretation doesn’t encourage exploration, meaningful learning or insights.  Guidance and interpretation and context put forth by an exhibition curator for both museum art and public art promotes public inquiry.  Additionally, most public art, unlike art in a curated exhibition, is either one piece or element and that’s makes it challenging to tell a story and present a unified message to the public.  Those works of public art have an additional problem in that that they are oftentimes situated in areas difficult to fully access by pedestrians, except from a distance. The ability to observe and let the piece’s vibrations sink in are not practical  when a piece is located in awkward spaces, such as roofs and restricted areas.

So, is public art good for the public? Well, if the main objective of all art is to encourage thinking and inquiry that’s usually just below the surface of the “canvas” or the “skin” of the art, then the general public is not being served if they’re only being “fed” a mild version of the art.

Let’s continue to have public art created, but let’s assist the public in the interpretation by at least insuring that text or audio guides are readily available. An independent curator, separate from the artist, may not be feasible in most cases, but a curator would add a great deal of perspective that the artist creating a work cannot.  Also, let’s choose locations that better lend themselves for the needed time to absorb and react to the art. That’s when art becomes transformative and exhilaration sets in!

Has the Art Sector Changed in Massachusetts?

by John Quatrale, August 10, 2016

“….Massachusetts has not been a particularly hospitable environment for the living artist.”  Do you know when this was written?   Well, In 1937, the Massachusetts: A Guide to Its Places and People was published. This was just as the current institute of Contemporary Art/Boston was getting organized under its original name of the Boston Museum of Modern Art. The guide was a project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and The Federal Writers Project. It was intended to employ writers during the Great Depression. In the over 500 pages, an eight page chapter is devoted to “Art” and the authorship is credited to an individual named Dorothy Adlow. The opinions she expressed give us a glimpse of how the art sector for current art was viewed nearly 80 years ago. Here are a few quotes which may sound like they were written today.

“Massachusetts is rich in the substance of the arts….” “But since its earliest days, Massachusetts has not been a particularly hospitable environment for the living artist.” Most “.. museums specialize in the historic, remaining comparatively indifferent to the problems of the living artist.” Further, she wrote: “In Massachusetts …. resists stubbornly the experimental methods practiced in the world of art. The arbiters of taste have clung to Victorianism, or have released their energies in the study of art of remote times and remote places. The state has avoided the rapids of the mainstream of contemporary art, and has thus been safeguarded against the attendant risk and deprived of the inevitable exhilaration.”

As one surveys today’s art sector of living artists and their current body of work in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, the remnants of that Puritan and conservative thinking are still evident.  Though hundreds of today’s visual artists in the Boston area enliven and enhance the lives of everyone almost everyday, they live and work amongst us while oftentimes struggling economically.  Their collective creative abilities are manifested in their paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures and capture meaningful and emotional stories of life as well as social, political and environmental issues.  Their artwork promotes a fuller, stronger and dynamic community through inspiration, education and thoughtful inquiry that transcends ordinary daily life. These artists are not often supported or encouraged in an economic way to ensure that what they bring to the rest of society is promoted and enhanced.  Many of these artists are eventually forced to abandon, suspend or greatly curtail their talents and the rest of us are worse off for that decision.

Why are living artists struggling?  First of all, there are a large number of households and individuals with the means to purchase real art created by local artists.  The problem is that these potential buyers have not been given the best set of buying reasons or the best set of buying vehicles.  Many already recognize the grandeur of original meaningful art for their homes and businesses but few move beyond that idea.  In most cases, they fail to realize that buying original art is the engine that supports artists.  Even high incomes residents still buy inexpensive art prints at department stores or online and then pay a higher price to have those prints framed. Oftentimes, those frames are worth more than the art prints. While these prints, framed or unframed, may be appropriate for those in their early careers, keeping them for many years into adulthood shows that the message of buying affordable original art has not entered the mainstream, at least in Boston.  In other words, buying art is just not a “cool” thing even among of population of thousands of college educated households that have been taught and exposed to the importance of culture in our society. Even wealthy individuals don’t appreciate that art has value and it’s their civic duty to support the artists of today.  Unlike other professions, even other cultural professions, visual artists are oftentimes expected to “give away” their products through free exhibitions. In some cases, artists are even expected to donate or give their art to “charitable” causes so that others can make money. The system for visual artists has not changed much in the last 400  – 500 years.  If art doesn’t sell, the artist doesn’t get paid, regardless of how many see it, admire it, or are inspired by it.

It’s not that no artists ever sell their artwork, it’s that the number of sales is very low.  More people need to become buyers by being convinced that art is an investment that can be passed onto future generations and that it brings meaning and beauty to their homes or businesses right now.  Artists have accepted this premise because that’s just the way it is. In Massachusetts, that situation seems to be exasperated by the fact that there are just fewer buyers looking to support local artists.

So, what’s the answer?  For a start, everyone, including governments, businesses, museums, and art centers need to stop thinking that art should be FREE. It’s not.  Most already agree that other arts such as actors, musicians and dancers are not expected to “give their efforts away.” That may happen, if a performance does not generate enough income, but the intent is usually to “pay” all art performers. That is different from visual artists, who hardly ever get paid for sharing their art, except through sales.   Even the few sophisticated buyers in Massachusetts usually want some certainty that the artists are well known enough to result in increased value. That usually means going to New York Center to buy or buying from large online services.

Do artists share in the blame themselves?  In some cases, yes.  Many artists have accepted the “traditional” paradigm that today’s art must be “hung” without compensation and wherever possible, even if that means accepting inferior venues whose main purpose it to decorate the walls of those venues.  Artists have also been taught by their art schools and instructors that even their meaningful art is too complicated for ordinary viewers .  So they should strive to appeal to the public through colorful aesthetics.  Even though their art has much to teach to its viewers, artists are usually ill prepared on their own to present a strong learning component in their “shows” or exhibits.  That’s why more or more venues and organizations are beginning to utilize trained curators to help bring the art and their stories to life. Finally, artists have accepted the notion that the “art scene” is a wonderful way to refer to the sector. In fact, the notion of an “art scene’ only serves to make it harder for the general public to appreciate the economic vitality that artists bestow upon our whole economy. One way that artists do this is by being satisfied with presenting their art to other artists, the way most of them learned in college.  In fact, presenting art with a learning component,  through high-quality educational exhibitions, could be the key to changing the “environment for the living artist” that the Dorothy Adlow wrote about in 1937.

 

Curated vs. Juried for Today’s Art

by John Quatrale, July 18, 2016

Artists, galleries, both for-profit and nonprofit, collectors, museums, art centers, exhibition spaces and the general public all interact with the terms “juried” and “curated” as it relates to art shows and art exhibitions. These various actors and participants generally have different goals and expectations related to today’s art.  So, knowing the difference between the two terms will lessen the confusion and the potential misunderstandings that can result.  If the expectation is to just show and see “art,” it may not make a huge difference whether a show or exhibition is curated or juried.  However, if today’s art sector is to retain its credibility, all the entities should educate their participants to understand and appreciate the difference. As most artists know, art is more than just aesthetics and nostalgia. It’s about our culture, social and political issues and interpretation on every level and that is best done through curated thematic exhibitions. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a role for juried exhibitions. Artists just starting out can receive a lot of direction and feedback from them. Also, many commercial entities can use them to discover and select artists that they wish to represent.

A juried exhibition is one in which the “juror” selects the art for an exhibition from among the works submitted, sometimes related to a general theme and most often based solely on the quality of the artwork.  A juried show is also a competition that may or may not have prizes. Jurors can sometimes be professional curators acting as jurors so it’s important to understand this distinction. Juried shows generally are seen in non-profit and for-profit art cooperatives and art centers that rely on the entry fee to support their operations.  They seldom are seen in museums of any size or presented by organizations that organize thematic curated exhibitions.

In a curated exhibition, exhibition curators play prominent roles in orchestrating the theme and the message for investigation by the audience. Thus, a curated exhibition is one that is managed by a trained person that oversees the thematic message being presented through the artwork.  The curator is involved with the title, the theme and the storylines.  He/she writes a compelling summary introduction statement that is both descriptive and insightful, all the labels for the exhibition, and organizes the exhibition program and all content on the web.  The curator also selects all of the artwork for the exhibition through a call for art or by inviting artists to submit specific works of art. It is important to note that it is not an accepted practice to include the curator’s own artwork in the exhibition because it is difficult for most artists to retain objectivity and fairness.

So, there is a difference between a juried exhibition and a curated exhibition and knowing that difference will be helpful to both the artist and the exhibition visitor.

(Part 2) How to Locate Contemporary Art Exhibitions That Work for You: The Boston Experience

by John Quatrale, March 22, 2016

Before You Visit an Exhibition

Prior to heading to view and experience a contemporary art exhibition, here are some points to consider. Some of these points won’t actually be known until you’ve entered the exhibition.

• • What terms are used by the organizers?  (See the list of terms and their usual classification)
  • Does the exhibition have any goals?  Sometimes they can be found on the website and sometimes in other promotional materials.
  • Are you familiar with the curator, if there is one, and/or the artists?

If you are still interested, do you like their work based on personal experience, a critic’s review, the web, or a friend?

• • Do you like the venue and have you had a good experience there in the past?  Good venues with, such a galleries and museums, tend to have the best exhibitions, but not always.
  • Is there an independent interpretation of the artwork?  Artist statements can be helpful but not as much as the context provided by an independent and unbiased viewpoint provided by a exhibition curator.
  • Does the exhibition focus on both the art and the theme? A good blending of the two is a healthy sign.
  • How much is devoted to artistic and technical aspects and techniques? If this becomes a primary focus, the exhibition’s theme often suffers.
  • How much is devoted to art history or a reference to the past? This is good sign, as it indicates that the exhibition curator is providing a extensive background for the theme, the art and the artists.
  • Who’s the intended audience, such as age groups, for this exhibition? Sometimes the promotional materials or the website will address this.
  • How long has the exhibition been planned? Good exhibitions normally take many months to plan and execute, but not always.

After You Arrive at an Exhibition

Once you’ve arrived at the exhibition, notice if the exhibition looks like it was promoted.  Is the curator’s exhibition statement of purpose in a prominent location.  This is one of the key elements of any good exhibition. Do the individual artwork labels have sufficient information in which to understand about the artwork and why it’s included in the exhibition? Sometimes a good printed exhibition program will be available that provides the curatorial statement and all of the individual artwork information as well as artist statements and artist biographies.

How is the exhibition being experienced by other visitors? As you entire the exhibition, are their others

Curated Art Exhibitions

Exhibition curators play prominent roles in orchestrating the theme and the message for investigation by the audience. Thus, a curated exhibition is one that is managed by a trained person that oversees the thematic message being presented through the artwork.  The curator is involved with the title, the theme and the storylines.  He/she writes a compelling summary introduction statement that is both descriptive and insightful, all the labels for the exhibition, and organizes the exhibition program and all content on the web.  The curator also selects all of the artwork for the exhibition through a call for art or by inviting artists to submit specific works of art. It is important to note that it is not an accepted practice to include the curator’s own artwork in the exhibition because it is difficult for most artists to retain objectivity and fairness.  Also, it’s important to note that a juried exhibition is not the same as a curated exhibition. A juried exhibition is one in which the “juror” selects the art for an exhibition, sometimes related to a general theme and most often based solely on the quality of the artwork.  Jurors can sometimes be professional curators acting as jurors so it’s important to understand the difference.

Educational and Curated Contemporary Art Exhibitions In the Boston Area

Here is a partial listing of venues and organizations in the Boston area in which some of their exhibitions include educational and curated contemporary art exhibitions.

• Addison Art Gallery, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
• Boston University Art Galleries, Boston, MA
• Brickbottom Gallery, Somerville, MA
• Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Cambridge, MA
• Concord Center for the Visual Arts (formerly the Concord Art Association), Concord, MA
• Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH
• Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA
• Decordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, MA
• Drive By Projects, Watertown, MA
• Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA
• Gallery 263, Cambridge, MA
• Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
• Lesley University Art Galleries, Cambridge, MA
• Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA
• MIT List Center for the Visual Arts, Cambridge, MA
• Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
• New Art Center, Newtonville, MA
• Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
• Tufts University Art Gallery, Medford, MA
• Uforge Gallery, Jamaica Plain, MA
• Unbound Visual Arts, Brighton, MA
• 13Forest Gallery, Arlington, MA

Part 1) How to Locate Contemporary Art Exhibitions That Work for You: The Boston Experience

by John Quatrale, March 22, 2016

An exhibition should be both powerful and engrossing.  Through their meaning and purpose, all exhibitions can provide opportunities for learning by the stories that they tell. That includes contemporary art exhibitions which are also about presenting ideas and passion through the inner depth of the artist and their artistic creations. This is age of ideas and of inquiry when the the audience wants more.

There are a wide array of contemporary art exhibitions opening all the time. With such a large number, it’s not surprising that even experienced art connoisseurs and well-trained curators that follow contemporary art are oftentimes puzzled with the wide array of exhibition experiences.   So, it’s not unexpected that the general public, even those that enjoy art on a regular basis, are even more confused with the terms that are used to identify art exhibitions. Remember, just because it’s in a museum doesn’t mean the exhibition will be meaningful or a good fit for every viewer.

This article’s point of view is that curated exhibitions with an important theme that explores meaningful topics through contemporary art can be more satisfying and enjoyable to the audience and more consistent with the artist’s purposes and passions. That doesn’t mean that other exhibitions not meeting this preference are not good, but only that more viewers, given the opportunity, will enjoy worthwhile exhibitions that move their spirit to learn or appreciate something.  Art can be so much more than a visual experience of color, lines, shapes, materials and images.  A well crafted exhibition can draw the audience into a new world of ideas and contemplation. Occasionally, a single work of art, or a few works, can be an educational experience or tell a full story, but usually it takes a group of artworks in an exhibition with independent interpretation and guidance. Without an organized roadmap, viewers are left to react to the strictly visual sensation of the works of art, even when there are strong messages implied.  This article may not be suitable to many artists that learned in college or from other artists that it’s important for meaning when creating their art but that meaning should be relegated to the rear when their art is shown to the public.  Further, some artists even hold onto the idea that someone else interpreting their art is an intrusion into their space. But, like a theatrical production, even an actor with many talents, is guided by the play’s director and the play itself. The actor’s strength and uniqueness is through his or her ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally, just like the artist’s strength is his or her ability to create art that conveys ideas.

This article explains the various types of exhibitions, provides visitors with tips for having their best experience, offers a definition of exhibitions, explain curated art exhibitions, and then provides examples of where to see significant educational exhibitions in the greater Boston area.

Contemporary Art

For the sake of a consistent definition, “contemporary art” as a style is any fine art created in the present time by living artists.  This is an evolving interpretation from one of the past in which contemporary art only referred to non-representational and non-conventional work.  Chronologically, “Contemporary Art” follows the artistic style of “Modern Art” which started in the late nineteenth century through approximately the 1970’s.

A Definition of Exhibitions

First of all, exhibitions require context and explanation. Good exhibitions can occur in many different types of venues and cover many different purposes.  Further, visitors and exhibition organizers can have many different aims.  Thus, it’s important to know what the goal is before deciding as to whether an exhibition is “good” or not.  But, here’s one definition that can be used as a starting point to give the reader a sense as to what constitutes a “good” exhibition.

An exhibition is first of all meaningful and provides a strong learning environment. It can promote passion, purpose, issues, ideas and solutions, social change and justice, or memories. It should showcase art and artifacts, selected by a curator, in an organized and cohesive manner that helps invoke an important message. The design of the exhibition should draw the audience into that learning environment by being stunning, spectacular and/or unexpected in its own way. A number of different types of presentations, displays and stations may be employed, since audiences learn and enjoy in many different ways. Most importantly, an exhibition is a piece of art created by one or more persons to teach and convey feelings and emotions. To assist the audience, every exhibition needs the following prepared and/or managed by a curator: an overall statement, a program guide or catalog, an online presence, individual art and artifact labels that are all descriptive, insightful, accessible and easy to use.

Most people that visit museums, galleries, exhibition centers or alternative exhibition venues have at least a vague concept of what an exhibition is.  That view may be different depending on the institution’s primary purpose, such as history, art, science, etc.   But, generally, both new and experienced visitors expect to see and maybe learn something when they visit an exhibition. They come to a place to do that and be helped in that endeavor.  As a result, those that organize exhibitions have the responsibility to provide sufficient guidance of what the exhibition is about, so that visitors can make informed decisions before partaking. This article will provide needed guidance and tips regarding contemporary art in the 21st century.  Most of the material presented is primarily related to exhibitions in the USA, but many of the concepts apply to other countries as well.

Of all the various types of exhibitions, art exhibitions are probably the hardest to “get right” because the expectations for showing the aesthetic and technical aspects of art often becomes the primary goal of the organizers, which sometimes is even the artists themselves. This overemphasis on aesthetics by organizers has lulled many viewers to not look beyond the individual works of art or even ask questions outside of the visual aspects of the art. Nonetheless, with a little bit of training, organizers, artists, critics and art enthusiasts can promote and look for meaningful interpretation which will greatly enhance the experience for everyone involved.

So, the next time you hear about a “new exhibition opening” get a better appreciation of what to expect before you invest your time and/or money.