Final Project - Exploring the Gallery

‘Exploring the Gallery’ is a documentation video series that deals with the work and effort that goes into building a gallery exhibition. There is so much information to be found in books and articles online on how to run a gallery, but there is hardly any information in terms of videos. In a series of 4 videos posted on YouTube I wanted to address the beginning process of choosing artists to be exhibited, to the middle process of hanging up the work, finally leading to the end result.

Video 1: Proposals

The conception of an exhibit begins with an idea, and is put together through one more artists. Video 1 of "Exploring the Gallery" deals with the steps of how these artists are chosen. The importance of a well written proposal , can mean the difference between having an artists work exhibited, or having it rejected. Even when the proposal doesn't sell, just the act of  carefully explaining ones artwork alone, can help build a possibility to be exhibited in  future events.          

Video 2: Installation

Art like many things, comes in different shapes and forms, and can therefore be installed in many ways. Video 2 of "Exploring the Gallery" deals with the challenges the gallery faces when installing work. From the lighting to the measurements, there is so much detail involved in installation, that goes far beyond simply hammering a nail into a wall.  

Video 3: Promotions

No show can be complete without audience, which deals with the subject of Video 3 in "Exploring the Gallery" on promoting an exhibit. In this ever growing technological age, promoting an exhibit goes far beyond simply sending out postcards, but having an online social media presence, that connects with the audience. 

Video 4: Success

There are many elements that can make the difference from a good to outstanding exhibit. Video 4 of "Exploring the Gallery", essentially covers all of the topics previously discussed in the series. A show is first created through an idea, followed by a selection of the artists. How the artist/gallery chooses to hang and display the work can have an impact on how its received. If the artist/gallery fails to properly promote a show, then the result  is a failed exhibit one that inherently was not well planned. 

This project overall challenged me to look at and understand, how videos are done. Just one short 2 minute video included hours and hours of different footage; I had recorded all semester long. As both the editor and director, I had to make decisions in choosing what footage I would include into my project, and learned the hard way on the dos and don’ts of filming.

The hardest part of this project in the end was not trying to get the right footage by constantly filming as much as possible, but really just in deciding what I would and wouldn’t include in the videos with the limited amount of interviews I had to my disposal. This project was very much a learning process for me, I don’t consider it to be complete, and in fact want to continue working on and improving the content, since there is so much more that can be done.

LINKS

                                                      Youtube Playlist

Tumblr

                                                  Bonus Footage