VCE STUDIO ART UNIT 4, OUTCOME 3: ART INDUSTRY CONTEXTS

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1 Jesse MARLOW, Laser Vision from the series Don t Just Tell Them, Show Them, 2011, pigment print, 46 x 69cm, Collection of the Horsham Regional Art Gallery, gift of the artist, through the Australian Governments Cultural Gifts Program, VCE STUDIO ART UNIT 4, OUTCOME 3: ART INDUSTRY CONTEXTS Students must examine and explain the preparation and presentation of artworks in at least two different exhibition spaces, and discuss the various roles, processes and methods involved in the exhibition of artworks. The Exhibition Space Type of Gallery/ Exhibition Space (commercial/ public gallery): Public regional gallery. The gallery is funded by local government (Horsham Rural City Council), the Victorian state government (Creative Victoria) and through donations from the public. Name of Gallery/ Exhibition Space: Horsham Regional Art Gallery Location: 80 Wilson Street, Horsham VIC 3400 Unique features of space: As a public gallery, HRAG collects, and conserves artworks which belong to the local community. The gallery also exhibits touring exhibitions. The gallery has recently moved back into the old Horsham Municipal Offices, which is a part of the Horsham Town Hall. The Horsham Regional Art Gallery has been heritage listed and retains the art deco features that remained after modifications in the early 1980 s and late 1990 s. The gallery has gallery/museum standard exhibition spaces with protection from natural light and environmental controls. There are 4 spaces on the first floor dedicated to the permanent collection on the first floor. The first floor spaces are dedicated to the Mack Jost collection, the Wimmera Collection, the Photography collection and room for a collection of mixed work. There are 3 exhibition spaces on the ground floor that host travelling exhibitions or exhibitions made from work outside the HRAG permanent collection. There is a collection storeroom with storage for the permanent collection, offices for staff and a room for education programs. Since its inception the Gallery has specialised in the collection of Australian photography. Commenced in the 1970 s when photography was just beginning to gain recognition in Australia s public galleries, HRAG s photographic collection has since grown into one of

2 national significance and has a clear collecting commitment to both contemporary and historical works. The Artwork Date: 30 January 1 May 2016 Title of Exhibition: Jesse Marlow: Street Photographer Name of Exhibiting Artist: Jesse Marlow Art forms being exhibited: Photography What are the materials and techniques that the artist has used? All of my personal work is still shot on film. I still love the process of shooting film; the suspense between shooting a photo and having it processed and then viewing it on the light-box. My camera of choice is a Leica M6 with a 35mm lens. I haven t changed lenses on that camera for four or five years. I try not to complicate things by having different lenses to choose from. I like to keep things simple so that I can react quickly to any situation Jesse Marlow Negatives are scanned and any editing is done in the digital darkroom on computer using programs like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. Photographs have been printed using archival ink jet printers on smooth photographic paper. For information about Jesse Marlow s practice is available in his interview for Desktop in 2010: What is the theme or subject matter of this exhibition? For me it s not about the location. It never has been. There are great photos to be taken wherever you are. The photos in my series Don t Just Tell Them, Show Them have been taken wherever I ve been over the last few years from Stockholm to Alice Springs. This exhibition explores a decade of Jesse Marlow s photographic practice from the series Wounded , his recent series Don t Just Tell Them, Show Them, and an individual work from recent commissioned series Leica Q Camera and City of Whitehorse. Set in the environment of the everyday, Marlow s photographs explore the banality of modern day existence through themes of abandonment, suburbia and daily rituals. He often

3 plays with humour and scale making us unsure of what the subject is. Musing on his own injury, he found solace and humour among the injured on the street, leading him to develop the Wounded series. Like when you buy a new car for the next few months all you will see out on the road is that make of car. Having my arm in a sling and unable to take photos for a couple of weeks, all I began seeing out on the street in my daily travels were people in similar situations. Seeing people go about their daily routines despite some kind of visible superficial injury, inspired me and the idea quickly developed into a project. Ten works from his award winning series Don t Just Tell Them, Show Them, show the influence of architecture, painting and film with inspiration coming from the Australian Modernist painter Jeffrey Smart to French film director Jaques Tati. The series is a visual reaction of Marlow s encounters in his daily travels; searching for the unusual in the ordinary. Jeffrey SMART Corrugated Cioconda 1976 Oil on canvas 80.8 x 116.6cm National Gallery of Australia Film still from Mon Oncle, 1958 by French film director Jaques Tati. Winner of the 2011 International Street Photography Award, Marlow s commercial practice and reputation as a street photographer has led to many commissioned series, including shooting with the new Leica Q camera on the streets of Melbourne in the lead up to its Australian release in 2015, and a commission from the City of Whitehorse to create a series of images that reflect the old and new urban streets of this iconic Melbourne suburb in It is the uncertainty of street photography that continues to stimulate Marlow. Through his acute observation, we are reminded that if we let it, over-familiarity can make us blind to what s really going on in the world around us. The recent gift of work from the series Don t Just Tell Them, Show Them, will find a home in our photographic collection amongst the iconic images by Mark Strizic of 1950 s, 60 s and 70 s Melbourne and Glenn Sloggett s images exploring the dilapidated fringes of contemporary Australian suburbia.

4 Exhibition Design How is the work displayed? Is the work displayed in groups? Is it framed, pinned to the wall, sitting on the floor, in a display case, on a screen etc? Is there labelling? What is the lighting like? Is there lots of wall space or are the works close to each other? Is there room furniture? Have the gallery walls been painted? Is there vinyl lettering for the title of the exhibition? Has the design taken into consideration a specific audience/ the number of potential viewers? As the gallery is housed in a heritage listed art deco Municipal Office the spaces are defined by the original building structure. The ceilings are quite low and some of the gallery spaces are narrow which reflects their original use as offices or meeting rooms. This has enabled some spaces to feel quite intimate, as they are unable to hold large numbers of viewers. Jesse Marlow: Street Photographer is exhibited in the Mann Gallery a smaller gallery space on the ground floor dedicated to regularly changing exhibitions.

5 Exhibition layout.

6 Marketing Is the exhibition marketed towards a specific audience? People interested in art, local community, gallery members, artists, schools. Each show is marketed towards the same group plus any mailing lists that the artist may provide. The format or appearance of the publicity/ marketing material changes to represent the art in the exhibition. How is the exhibition promoted to the target audience? List or collect some examples. lists, hard copy mail lists, Horsham Town Hall Season brochure, shows are listed in Art Almanac, Art Guide, Horsham Town Hall website, social media (gallery Facebook page), advertising in local papers, media releases are sent to local newspapers, radio, education program, opening event, artist/curator talks. Does this exhibition have any major sponsors? The exhibition is made up of 10 photographic images from the HRAG collection and six on loan from the artist. Horsham Regional Art Gallery has funded the exhibition independently. The Horsham Regional Art Gallery is funded by the Horsham Rural City Council and the Victorian government through Creative Victoria. Roles How would an artist go about getting their work exhibited in this space? The Director plans an annual exhibition program a year or two in advance.. The Director attends other galleries and keeps up to date with the contemporary art scene through professional reading. Based on this research and knowledge the Director will approach an artist. Sometimes an artist may approach the Director. The Director can also select exhibitions that are touring from other galleries. The gallery has a policy of showing a balanced program of work by emerging, mid-career and established artists; works that relate to the galleries collection, the local area, and to wider Australian art practice; and photography and other mediums. How are artworks selected for exhibition? Who selects these? The works are selected by the Director in collaboration with the artist. The Director may see an artwork by the artist that is appealing and approaches the artist about how this may fit in with the gallery exhibition program. The artist would then submit images of artworks based on these ideas. The final selection is then made through collaboration between the Director, curator and the artist. Who is the curator accountable to? (gallery owner/ artists) The curator is accountable to the Director and the artist.

7 What are the roles of the staff employed at this exhibition space? Consider who selects work, hangs work, sets prices, designs exhibition space and layout, determines the colour of walls or other decorative elements, handles works, markets work, writes information (labels and catalogues) Role Responsibilities Director x 1 The director works with the gallery staff directly and creates a long term vision of the gallery s collection. Responsible for decisions about finance and the running of the gallery. This includes: o Allocation of staff. o Allocation of resources. o Marketing strategies. o Budgeting. o Artwork Acquisition. Promotes exhibitions and increases (newsletter, media liaison, radio). Organises and manages programs and events run by the gallery which are to do with permanent displays and exhibitions. Responsible for targeting appropriate audiences. Organises artist talks. Plans, coordinates and researches current and future exhibitions. Writes catalogues, essays and other written material. Prepares grant applications. Represents HRAG at art industry events. Fosters good relations with government agencies and representatives. Cultivates an effective network of patrons, partners and sponsors. Liaises with representatives from other organisations to build the profile of the gallery. Briefs board members and council about HRAG projects. Presents opening night speeches and introduces artist floor talks. Builds and maintains relationship with sponsors and Council. Writes artwork acquisition proposals. Curator x 1 Manages the galleries permanent collection. Plans, coordinates and researches current and future exhibitions. Writes catalogues, essays and other written material. Prepares grant applications. Assists in education programs. Looks after maintenance, conservation and storage of the

8 Curator (continued) gallery collection and its documentation. Organises the gallery space layout/presentation of artworks. Offers advice on framing, mounting and presenting artworks. Helps maintain gallery building. Undertakes condition reports for travelling exhibitions and permanent collection. Transport of artworks. Collaborate with artists in the exhibition program and respond to media enquiries. Handle artworks in accordance with appropriate conservation practises. Maintain exhibition budget. Apply for funds and acquit grants from time to time. Attend HRAG openings and exhibitions. Write loan applications for the use of works outside the gallery collection. Writes artwork acquisition proposals. Curatorial Assistant x 1 Write loan applications for the use of works outside the gallery collection Employed for week of an exhibition installation (Labour). Patch and paint walls. Handle artworks and assist with hanging. Assist with labels. Education Officer x 0.5 Expands the public s understanding of art. Develops programs about exhibitions and the permanent collection for students and the public. Manages HRAG education database. Promotes and markets education programs. Liaising with and reporting to representatives from state education and curriculum bodies. Researches the artwork of exhibiting artists and creates online educational resources. Developing education programs for gifted and talented students. Maintaining the education facilities. Office Administration x0.8 Front of house including retail. Manages HRAG volunteers Manages functions and events at the gallery including catering. Office administration.

9 Office Administration (continued) Manages book-keeping and records, including time sheets, petty cash, payment and issuing of invoices. Assist at gallery events Update gallery website Organises mailing lists, publishes newsletters, invitations and press releases. Manages membership and databases. Overseas bookings for public programs. Oversees the HRAG annual report. volunteers Front of house Retail sales Assist a gallery events HRAG Board Volunteer positions (mostly interested community members or business people) Ensure the good governance and management of the gallery. Do not initiate the direction of the gallery exhibition program or gallery collection. Meet bi monthly HRAG Acquisition Committee A group of volunteers who meet every 6 months to approve and discuss the acquisition of new works for the gallery. Handling and conservation of artworks Who is allowed to handle the artworks? The Director, curator, curator assistant, and/or the artist. When artworks are transported specialist art handlers are used. They are trained in handling artworks correctly and use transport that has environmental controls. How are the artworks stored? The majority of framed works are stored hanging on racks from D rings on the back of the frame. The racks slide out with work hung on each side. This method of storing framed works allows the curator to see the works without touching them. It is also helpful for planning an exhibition. The racks are lettered and numbered to match our electronic cataloguing system. Smaller framed works are stored in bays sitting back to back and front to front. Archival material sits between the works to minimise scratches and damage to the surface of the work and frame. The gallery holds a small collection of sculptural work which is stored in bays or on a raised platform on the ground in the collection room. Works on paper are stored in large plan drawers or in solander boxes. Works are laid flat and are preferably mounted. When moving large unmounted works on paper the curator

10 lifts all the works up by picking up a large piece of card and moving the works to a table, this reduces the handling and potential damage to art works. Smaller works are window mounted to the size to fit the gallery s stock frames. Acid free, archival mount card is used and glycine paper (an archival tissue paper) is placed between each work. By mounting these works the curator only needs to handle the mount when getting them ready for exhibition or putting them in storage. There is an electronic and hard copy cataloguing system with information about each artwork and the artist. The electronic cataloguing system that the gallery uses stores the location of each item in the gallery collection and is called Vernon. Vernon is also used to record when works from the collection have been exhibited and for how long they have been exhibited. This assists the curator in managing the preservation of the works in the collection by ensuring that works are not exposed to light for too long. Most public galleries use this system. The gallery has a receival room or loading dock for the delivery and pick up of artworks. This can be a short term holding space for artworks so is a secure and environmentally controlled space. Crates that come with any touring shows are also kept in this room. How are the artworks looked after and protected? As the Horsham Art Gallery manages and collects work that belongs to the Horsham community it is responsible for the preservation of its artworks. The gallery does not restore artwork. The permanent collection is stored on the same level as the collection galleries, minimising the amount of handling of these works when they are moved for exhibition. The exhibition and collection spaces have temperature, humidity, and light control. Lighting: natural and artificial light can be damaging to artworks. It causes the bleaching, fading, yellowing and the discolouration of colours and breaks down fibres in natural fibres like paper and textiles. There is no natural light in the gallery or collection areas. Lighting in the collection room is by fluorescent lighting on a timer. The gallery spaces are lit with track lighting that has the capacity to just light the artwork or the whole wall. The light intensity, or LUX, can be adjusted depending on the type of work that is exhibited. Highly light sensitive art forms such as works on paper, textiles, photography and some plastics are exhibited at 50 LUX. Moderately sensitive art forms such as paintings, wooden sculpture and furniture is exhibited at LUX. Art forms with low light sensitivity such as metal or marble sculpture, glass objects and stone ceramics are exhibited at 800 LUX or no set limit. Temperature and Humidity: The temperature and humidity is controlled with air conditioning set at 20 degrees Celsius (a variance of 2 degrees either side of 20 is acceptable) and 50% humidity (a variance of 5% on either side of 50 is acceptable). This is monitored daily by the curator by checking the environmental conditions via the Building Maintenance Control program on a computer. Air conditioning units are serviced regularly to ensure that they are dust free. Exposure: Artworks from the collection are preserved by controlling the amount of time they spend in light. Light breaks down the fibres in artworks and works on paper and

11 photography are the most susceptible to damage from light. These works will be on exhibition for 2 to 6 months then rested in the collection room for 2 years. Paintings may be exhibited for up to a year and then rested in the collection room for 2 years. Pests: There are sticky pest traps at door openings in the storage area which are monitored by the curator. New work coming into the collection room is vacuumed and fumigated if needed. Security: There is a security system that alarms the collection and receival room. There is also CCTV accessible from the front desk to monitor the gallery spaces and the collection and receival rooms. The curator regularly vacuums the area to ensure that it is clean and dust free. Walkways and the floor area is kept clear and tidy so that there is no risk of tripping while carrying an artwork. There is a disaster plan and bins with equipment and information to assist the evacuation of the artworks in the event of a fire/flood etc. When framed works are resting on the floor they have an archival foam block under each end of the frame to reduce stress and pressure on the frame. People handling the works must do so using cotton or archival latex gloves so that oil from your hands does not damage the works. Works must be lifted from the bottom and the side. Three dimensional works are wrapped in an archival bubble wrap. Travelling: When the gallery works with a travelling exhibition, the curator will do a condition report for the artworks at the beginning and the end of the show; documenting any damage to the works so that the lending gallery can follow the condition of their artworks and follow up with the correct gallery should damage occur. Large travelling exhibitions will have specially made packaging and be transported by specialist art transporters who are trained in handling artworks and use environmentally controlled trucks.