Here is a quote from a debate raging on a blog I read about the complexities of being an artist that I’m going to have to chew on for a while…..
Following up on my tame rant about mass juried exhibitions a few posts earlier, I was hanging out with a close friend of mine last night whom, during the course of the years removed from graduate school, had given up entering shows for lack of acceptance. He mentioned too that it had not only affected his confidence but also his will to keep making work. He had I suppose been poisoned by the venom of the failure bug. I think he has a point, if you make art, you want it to be seen and if you get rejection letters over and over you can’t help but feel doubt.
It got me thinking that the idea of these juried shows being the make or break is a misconception. Not sure if it is because schools don’t properly teach the stepping-stones of a successful career or not, but it seems for a lot that this is THE way to get exposure.
I’m not convinced. As mentioned earlier these opportunities are generally huge, well publicized and can get pretty competitive. And if your work is misread or needs some context then you don’t stand a chance. Admittedly an image should stand on its own, but still, sometimes it is more subtle than being in a line-up of hundreds of other pictures.
So I was thinking that I would gather up some better strategies. And more appropriate and possibly fruitful avenues to stroll down.
1) The studio visit is probably one of the best idea’s. What better way to engage someone than to invite them for a talk where you work. One on one with an individual who is engaged. (Or else they would not of come out ). It may not lead to exhibitions but at least you can get good critical feedback and you can make some honest connections with people.
2) Portfolio Reviews are great for photographers because its like a speed dating studio visit.
3) Portfolio Review Submissions where an institution takes the time with no deadline to look over your work. This is important because they are looking to become aware of work for when they are putting together shows in the future that you may fit into.
portfolio reviews can get a little pricey but studio visits cost nothing. Locally MOCA has an incredible program called Nesnadny+Schwartz Visiting Curators Program in which twice a year MOCA selects a critic or curator with national recognition to review submissions from regional artists of which they will select 4 or 5 to do a studio visit with. It’s a great opportunity for regional artists. I don’t see anything on MOCA’s website about upcoming applications so just keep checking.
One last amazing opportunity photographers is that the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago accepts portfolios for reviews. What a great service they do to see and nurture artists. I can’t imagine the amount of work that is but for a major institution like MOCP that is commitment. Check out their website for details….
Anyways, despite the seemingly terrible odds for artists to gain any recognition, I have to admit I find new opportunities everyday and often are amazed at what is out there. Just find the best best bait you can and go fishing.
Posted in Being an Artist, exhibitions | 1 Comment »
Art has an unglamorous side. Yes, I know its hard to believe. With the parties and the beautiful objects and all the hip people, who would have thought. But the tough part, the kicker, the stuff that is sitting in the shadows of the room….this of what I speak, is taxes. Really in my best Seinfeld inflection….What’s the deal with taxes?
My question for any professional out there who would like to comment is, if I haven’t sold any work this year yet actively built bodies of work, marketed, entered and exhibited is my practice still in the words of my accountant ( who I love and have worked with for years through many ventures ) just a hobby? A term that when came out of his mouth through mostly just a misunderstanding of the practice of art making, still none-the-less one that took the wind out of my sails.
He was more than obliged to tell me that I should in fact long form all my expenses but still with no sales to report the term “hobby” is like a punch in the gut. For me being an artist is being an artist but I suppose without income it is…techancally to non-art professionals…a hobby?
Even this morning when I was about to mail out my client organizer complete with itemized artistic business expenses, I scraped the idea of writing those off….because, it got to me. I now feel as if I were to claim these expenses that it’s clear I would be trying to get away with something. Why is being an artist a misunderstood venture? Maybe it’s not maybe I’m overreacting…next year when I can claim many many sales, I’ll revisit the debate….
Posted in Being an Artist | 1 Comment »
Not much happening this morning. Just sitting around thinking about these luscious little gems. Ulf Puders paintings of ambiguous disheveled temporary or transient shelters have that great paint handling about them. Thick and controlled and glowing with a reverberation of color and tone. I always love the back and forth of abstract and representation. Because so much of life is like that.
Puder is no new comer to art. And he has great skill in paint pushing. In the US he is represented by Kavi Gupta whom has an intriguing and lively stable of artists.
enjoy! Happy February.
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I have wanted to update my website for a while. Before I was using a blog format because fo the urgency of getting some work online to be able to direct people to. Plus the blog was extremely easy to update. However, I never felt like it was as professional as I wanted but was worried about having to find someone to work with every time I wanted an update and then pay by page for design, etc, etc…well dreams answered, help has arrived, I put my url under my pillow and the website fairy came at night to answer my call. ( That sounds entirely just plain…wrong, but you get the picture ).
Enter Big Black Bag, this great template based all-in-one hosting business. saved my life, registered my domain, offers a fully customizable and easy to use programing interface.
enough of the plug…
2 late evenings later and I have a live site. Ribbon cutting ceremony, champagne, cheeses and a sweet email contact form for easy communication. So its official: www.brandonjuhasz.com is open for business.
check it out…
Posted in Being an Artist | 2 Comments »
Sorry for the terrible word play in the title, I just couldn’t resist. Okay, So I was wondering something lately because as I have gone through my taxes I realized I have entered a bit of competitions, juried exhibitions and or open calls. The kind you pay for. The ones that are both fundraising opportunities for galleries and I am sure great chances for artists to get their work in front of influential people. But, I have to admit after looking through some of them I think, is this the best way to go and or to spend your resources? We all know building relationships is the key to a successful career ( beyond making great art ) so at what point do these “international” and or “national” opportunities not make sense any more?
Gallery open calls and grants and residencies and portfolio reviews and even local juried shows to me seem much more of a positive endeavor. These faceless classified-section exhibitions seem like the lottery. ( I hope this isn’t sounding bitter, I don’t mean it to, I am just thinking about the best way to spend resources both time and money ). I just picture work flashed on the screen so quickly without context or whole lot of time to think? Like what if the work is subtle and the impact isn’t felt with just a breeze through, does that kind of art get passed by?
I entered a show recently in which I am sure thousands of others did, when I got the list of winners I noticed that 2 or 3 of the 7 winners already had ties with the gallery, previous exhibitions, etc… Now I am all for making connections and playing to your strengths and your contacts. So I guess my advice would be to choose wisely and submit where you think your work really fits. Like if there are open calls for an exhibtion with a theme or idea that your work would lend to the dialogue.
I am certainly curious about other artists experience with paid for entry fee “international” juried exhibitions? Any success stories, thoughts, or nightmares? Any chance to get your work out there is key. Are 30-40 dollar entry fee exhibitions a cornerstone or a fraction of building your career?
Ultimately like most artistic endeavors the experience is subjective and relative to the jurors concepts and idea’s about what kind of work they respond to and thoughts on that exhibition. It doesn’t mean much more that do you fit into their idea’s at that time. So…I guess submit away and if it works it works. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
Posted in Being an Artist, exhibitions | 1 Comment »
I’ve always had a soft spot for Bill Frisell, I admit I love jazz in all of its manifestations, except maybe the Wave which is not totally bad except for the flashbacks to long root canals in the dentist chair. But Frisell is always a trailblazer and an artist rooted in a nutrient rich, diverse history yet he can break away from nostalgia and or bop reincarnations and make completely original music.
His new work, an album called Disfarmer, was a commission to create a soundtrack to an exhibition by an early 20 century American photographer Michael Disfarmer. Here is the excerpt from Amazon, iTunes by the way wants 14 bucks for the download…what a rip gross over charge for a digital product even something this great, Amazon has the physical album for 14.99 and Frisell always has great design. Exit rant now.
Here is the review:
The late Michael Disfarmer was an odd, curmudgeonly character in the rural community of Heber Springs, Arkansas, who, despite his anti-social character, chose to record the stark images of his fellow townspeople, during the 1940’s and 50’s, in cheap black-and-white photographic portraits. Decades after the photographer’s passing, a cache of work made by this solitary and oft-reviled man was rediscovered, and he has come to be regarded as an important outsider artist. Among the many drawn to his plain yet deeply evocative pictures was Chuck Helm, Director of the Performing Arts at the Wexner Center in Columbus, Ohio, who introduced guitarist and composer Bill Frisell to Disfarmer’s oeuvre on the hunch that Frisell might be inspired by it.
Says Helm, the catalyst for Disfarmer, ‘To me, Bill Frisell is a uniquely American artist with a distinctive and singular musical voice, like that of Thelonious Monk or Aaron Copland. In his probing yet atmospheric evocations of American vistas I could hear parallels to the emotional truths of Disfarmer’s compelling photographs.’
As Helm suspected, Disfarmer’s work resonated with Frisell and led to the creation of a touring multimedia work, Disfarmer Project – featuring Frisell, lap steel guitar player Greg Leisz and violinist Jenny Scheinman, plus slides of Disfarmer’s photos, displayed on screens. The piece premiered on March 3, 2007 at the Wexner Center, on the campus of Ohio State University. The score was subsequently recorded in Seattle and Nashville, produced by Frisell’s longtime collaborator Lee Townsend and also featuring Viktor Krauss on bass. Along with the Frisell’s original compositions, he interpolates versions of such tunes as Arthur Crudup’s ‘That’s Alright Mama’ and Hank Williams Sr.’s ‘I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You)’ into this subtly yet stunningly beautiful set.
Oh and hey look at that, the Wexner center was integral in creating this album and the debut performance was at Ohio State. Neat-o.
What I like about this project is its metaphoric parallel to photography. It ability to interpret a place or person or event into a rich and layered story. The notes weave a mood and build a story with abstract details, sounds, smells, and narratives much like a single image (like Disfarmers work as well as many others) are well…worth a thousand words. Writing, music, photography all function in this way. It’s great to see what these mediums have the ability to do when raised by passion and talent.
Posted in Photography, music | Leave a Comment »
photo: www.acpinfo.org
I’ve been gearing up to attend a handful of portfolio reviews in the coming year or two and having never attended one I had lots of questions. It’s exciting and nerve-racking. Let’s face it being an artist by nature is a vulnerable endeavor but in a review with 6-8 people who could do and say and help in great ways, that is intense. I would imagine you have to be strong and open to criticism, just like anytime you show your work, but its kind of like the first time you get intimate with someone you really like. There is a lot on the table both physically and metaphorically.
It just so happens that Aline at Lenscratch offered up her thought after participating as a reviewer and about what she has gone through being on both sides of the table. It’s a wonderful and informative piece:
From here: http://lenscratch.blogspot.com/2010/01/other-side-of-table.html.
re-posted here:
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Other Side of the Table
I thought I pass on my ruminations from my recent experience of being a reviewer for Review LA through Center. Having only experienced reviews from the other side of the table, I had no idea how elating and grueling it is to be a reviewer. By the end of the day my eyes were literally burning and because I wanted to be completely present for each photographer (having spent their hard earned money on the review), I worked hard to stay engaged until the end. On Saturday, I met with 16 photographers back to back with 5 minutes breaks in between (and a lunch and longer breaks for the necessities of life). I spent the week before researching the photographers so that I could help them in the best possible way and give them concrete suggestions. By the review day, I was looking forward to seeing the work in person. I truly enjoyed the entire experience–from connecting with fellow reviewers, to meeting with photographers, and spending time during the Portfolio Walk connecting with more of our photo community.
If you are planning to attend a review in the future, here are some suggestions I’d like to pass on:
Take a few minutes and find a quiet place to write down what feedback the reviewers have given you. Trust me, you won’t remember everything unless you write it down. Or better yet, bring a little tape recorder.
Send the reviewer a thank you e-mail immediately, and if you want, you can follow up with a hand written card and additional materials you want to share. About a third of the people I reviewed contacted me within a day or two, and trust me, those are the people I will continue to have a dialogue with. Keep reviewers updated as to your progress and successes, but don’t take advantage of the connection.
Take a minute to thank the organization that hosts the reviews–seeing the tremendous effort that CENTER put forth to keep everyone organized, inspired, fed or hydrated, and happy gave me a new appreciation for how much effort it takes to run a top notch review.
Research your reviewer BEFORE you come to the review, ask them about their work, and make an effort to create a two sided conversation. They will appreciate knowing that you have an idea of who they are.
State you intentions as soon as you can. “I am looking to have this project made into a book” or “I am looking for gallery representation”…that way the reviewer can help you achieve your goals. At the same time, be realistic. If you are a beginner with undeveloped work with no track record, don’t expect a gallery to be interested. Build your resume, market your work, get published–those are the things (besides great work) that interest galleries.
Work on your prints. Your prints are ultimately what you will be selling. Great images that are poorly printed end up being just poorly printed and no gallery wants that. And if you can’t do it, get someone else to do the printing. And that’s not Costco.
Nothing happens overnight (on occasion it does!)—Museum and gallery exhibitions are booked out for sometimes up to 3-5 years. I am having a show 5 years after the reviewer saw the work…. patience is a virtue in this world.
If you don’t have a review lined up with someone you want to see, don’t assume they can see your work. Politely ask if there is a convenient time to share your work with them.
Remember that it’s not all about you. The more you network and show good will to other photographers, the more the world will open up for you. You can’t always be the prom queen, or even get invited to the prom, but you can celebrate those who do, because your turn will come and they will celebrate you.
This is very small insular community. Gallerists talk to curators, editors talk to gallerists, photographers share information regularly. How you conduct yourself is really important. Know your boundaries. Understand that gallerists are trying to make sales at events like Photo LA or at openings, they are not interested in seeing your work at that time. Show support, go to openings, meet people, and when the time is right, ask about the best way to show them work.
Remember that everyone is looking for the next new thing—that’s inevitable and make your peace with it. But also remember that building relationships and goodwill goes a long way too. If you make good work, beautiful prints, support your community, and show up READY, you will make your mark. And I’ll be cheering you on…
Thanks Aline!
Posted in Being an Artist, Photography | Leave a Comment »
Dzama/Darger
I don’t know why but I was thinking about influence recently, especially after my post about Eric Sall and how I desperately want to have made those canvases. I like them so much that I think about my work in regards to his even though they are no where similar. Perhaps subconsciously I will start arranging items differently in work or be more free with color and chance, who knows. Other shows too have been influential. Like touchstones to where I want my work to achieve, like a coach yelling this is what you have to do…this level of achievement. I guess it’s combination of admiration, being affected and or my competitiveness?
I was thinking about school and how there was an incredible photographer I was friends with. His work consistently blew everyone away, he was the golden boy. His work was uniquely his yet everyone, whether knowingly or unknowingly, emulated his work frequently but rarely achieved his level. He had tapped into his lode while others where trying to mine the same vein. Gold diggers trying to pan in his river after he’d tapped it out.
What I am wondering too, how much generational influence happens when a great blockbuster show happens at a major gallery or museum. Like Morandi or Courbet or when I was in college, everyone saw the Drawing Now show. Kids came back all hyped about drawing. Do these shows find their way into a generational psyche or do they illuminate those who were already riding the same river? Like if a great artist is rediscovered and offered a grand retrospective say like Darger and then all these kids start drawing like him, or does the show illuminate the ones who have visual/conceptual dotted-lines…the old- which came first the chicken or the egg? ( I ate the chicken and then I laid an egg )
One last note, here is interesting read on the power of influence and appropriation from Harpers Bazaar by Jonathan Lethem called The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism.
Posted in Being an Artist, Essays, life | 3 Comments »
I was awake late last night with a lot on my mind. Then I stumble on this and for some reason things seem a little clearer now…is that weird? Sorry for the non specifics but they would be boring. What matters is that Allison Schulnick deserves the success she is getting lately. Gritty sadness but beauty and fear, not a whole lot of hope but sometimes there is laughter and our experience is celebrated. I feel this work is very American. Not old American but what America really looks like now. Or maybe its just me. Check out more of her work, she is one to follow, lots of emotion and juicy, juicy paint. Like the beautiful white pristine snow after a week of road grime has turned it to gray, icy dirt.
P.S> Comments on YouTube are just ridiculous, shows how much our education system is failing us.
Posted in Painting | 4 Comments »
