EVALUATION SIted/Off Site and Exhibtion

Sited/ Off Site Exhibition in The Lobby 

Studio 11

 PCA

11/05/2012 - 1/06/2012

THE WORK

Fitting my work into Call 3 followed the ideas set forth in my proposal but what is more important is that the real challenge came after the planned event. It was represented in the form of how the documentation could be conceptualized rather than the artwork created. It is here where the research came into play and the real work started and with more time, I feel is yet to be completed in the form a new sculpture and publication that includes lists, drawings, poetry and photographs.

My research into Jeremy Dellor’s, Memory Bucket and his comment on the films conclusion, “It’s a romantic thought that nature goes on no matter what man’s sins” is captured within my documented tryptic and was a conclusion I came to myself during this expedition. (Dellor,2010)  The documentation represents a female triumvirate that highlights our frailty when confronted with the omnipotence of Nature and without the usual studio props the work had to rely on what was available within the environment which resulted in the unexpected exploration into balance.

How the methodology changed externally was that with my collaborators, the natural environment became  fundamental co creators in that its power and existence affected contributed and altered the work that was created individually within it. In this context, from a curatorial standpoint, with the Lobby exhibition in mind the need for documentation was in fact paramount to the success of this project as a record for future audiences. 

THE SHOW

“Curating is examining, researching and documenting a collection with the aim of making it accessible to the public. This is done through careful interpretation of the objects, space and text to curate an informative exhibition” Most of which were touched upon to some degree within the curation of this exhibition by the Cura team.(Arvanitis,2012) 

It was a particularly difficult show to curate because of the sheer quantity of flimsy different sized material, frames and monitors that had to be housed and secured in a relatively small space. The team made a point of creating a list with any special artist requests concerning the work and then worked hard to respect them.

Dale works very hard to position Daniella’s 10 un-mounted photographs centrally and evenly, a job made impossible by using a spirit level on the sloping door frame. Kate and Laura are an effective team and take over sorting this right hand area of the show single handed.

(Fig 7- 12 above)

Unlike the Lift gallery exhibition this was different in that there were very few larger objects to work the other smaller pieces around but there were two main cluster groups. The team did a good job but important decisions about how to place the 5 monitors and Daniella’s 10 6x4 photographs were not resolved adequately and as this quote indicates “The organisation, discussion and presentation of information including objects, facts and opinions, in order to create value and meaning to be understood by the public” is in fact paramount to effective curation when working in a team. (Arvanitis,2012)

The suggestion to have the 5 monitors in a line on the main left wall was a good one and this could have been reflected on the opposite wall with the placement of the 10 photographs which needed to be placed at eye level. 

The team had to start somewhere so monitors were randomly placed and the photographs were positioned off centre and lopsided above the double doors. These decisions were made quickly and without a collective agreement. When the process really got going the team worked mostly in twos with little group discussion and without a collective curatorial objective. 

As with any exhibition if an artist has a film on show they should be responsible for turning their monitors on and off. If these artists are working in Studio 11 and these monitors are still turned off there is no excuse for this lack of care and reflects badly on the exhibition as a whole. This is an on going concern and should be dealt with accordingly by the team. 


This was a very challenging exhibition to curate effectively with the time given and the numbers involved and I learnt a lot by simply watching and taking photographs. The team did the best job they could with or without the ideas I have discussed.