For this class your final project will be shown together with your colleagues work in a classroom exhibition. Each one of you will need to think about how the whole room is organized as well as how your work is shown within the space. To this end, the room will need to be cleaned, tables moved to the sides, and stools stacked to make way for the exhibition.
Take time to pick out where and how your work will be seen best. Think about how the audience will encounter the work. Does it need to hang from the ceiling? Is a large wall space needed? Do people need to move around it or go inside it? Do you need a table or pedestal? Do not crowd your work or allow someone to crowd you. We should understand what exactly is your work, and there should be space around it, what we call a visual pause.
Remember you are your arts best advocate. After all your exploration, thinking, making and in some cases re-making you want it to sing in the exhibition!
If you are showing:
On the Walls, Floors, Ceilings:
Please start early to mark off a space on the wall, ceiling or floor using tape and your name. Keep in mind that it is important to communicate about space. If you do not understand how someone will use the space, or if you need a specific space (like a corner) please discuss it with the group. As you begin to put up your work, be careful not to get too close to someone else’s piece. We need a visual pause between the works so that we focus only on your piece. If you use the ceiling, please do not hang anything extremely heavy. All work should be up the evening before the crit.
A Video
Please arrive about 20 minutes early on the day of the crit with your finished video on a thumb drive. We will put your video on the computer and screen it with others during the crit. Make sure that you have a start and a finish to your video that clearly shows a title and your name.
Something else:
If you plan to do a performance or would like us to consider looking at your work outside the classroom, please see Michelle and Brett.
Here are a few other questions you may have:
How should I title my work?
All work should be labeled. If you have a video, using a title or end page is the best way. For everyone else, you should create a title card that clearly states your name, a title (if you have one), the materials used, and anything else you would like to say about your piece. For instance, maybe you would like us to understand something about the process or the research or when or where the project was produced.
The card should be clean, neat and printed out digitally. It should be placed to the right of the work about 3 feet from the floor. While this is just a guide and what we will do for your show, when showing in galleries, it is the consistency throughout an exhibition that is important. Please no last-minute handwritten cards.
What if my project is interactive? How do I get people to participate?
There are many ways to do this, you may post a sign, have a couple of friends start so that people know that they are allowed to touch/enter/explore, or you may encourage them yourself. You may also design your piece so that it encourages this by it’s shape, size or other clues. Remember that people have been conditioned, ‘not to touch the art’ so you may need to be clear about your invitation to touch!
Can I paint the wall?
If you would like the wall to be another color behind your piece, you may paint the wall, but you will be required to repaint the wall before you leave for December break.
What if I have a performance?
If you are creating a performance, consider doing it beforehand on the site that makes the most sense for the work. This way you do not have to show it in Cohen and squeeze it into a short time-frame. Document the work using video, sound, and/or images. Keep in mind that you are trying to capture the essence of the work. Think beforehand about what are the most important parts. Do you need a close-up view? Do we need to see it from far away ? After you think through what you need, get a friend to help you, and don’t be afraid to let them know what you need in turns of documentation. You might also consider showing ‘relics’ from your work within the class, such as the costume, props or other important objects.
What is the best way to show a sound work?
You may use headphones, speakers, your computer or even create a ‘sound booth’ by using a small room to focus the listener. Think about the nature of the work, how do you want the audience to experience the work. Do you want to share your work with one person at a time, with many, should it be loud, quiet and in a darken space, or outside?
If I need a projector can I get one?
If your project requires a projector or computer, ITS may be able to lend you one for free. You will need to reserve in advance by filling out a registration form in their office. The ITS Equipment Lending office is located on the 3rd floor of Perlman Hall. ITS Equipment Lending staff can be reached at 607.871.3009.
http://my.alfred.edu/its/index.cfm/fuseaction/helpdesk.student.cfm
Posted on November 18, 2011 by ruralscape