The opening in the Mudd Gallery Last thursday was everything fun about art openings, without all the stress or pressure of a large-scale event. Having been raised by a museum worker, I've been to plenty of events in galleries and museums, and most of my memories from them are related to being a small child and being told repeatedly not to be too loud, make a mess, or touch the art. Because of this, I sometimes get anxious at formal events like openings, because there's such a specific social code in that setting, and being surrounded by much older, much more cultured strangers doesn't help much.
However, because of all the work our class put into this project, I think we all felt a sense of ownership of the show, and pride in both our artwork and in the event itself. For one, I think most of us were happy with our own art, so we were excited to welcome our friends and acquaintances to see our work. In addition, because of the nature of the tiny gallery, the intimate setting and the junk food served, people felt more at ease than they might in a more formal gallery setting.
I really enjoyed preparing for this show, and being part of the team behind it all made me feel capable and at home at the opening. For once, it was everyone else who had to feel slightly nervous and on edge. Now I know how the insiders feel. Maybe the people who create those formal gallery events have the right idea after all. The power is... intoxicating... . . . . . .
Good point about ownership; I got that sense too, and now that I think about it there was this insider experience about it. Don't get too power drunk though.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I like the power of being an insider. I also get nervous at formal events, I'm always worried about how to act and who to talk to and I end up spending a lot of my time just staring at the same thing over and over so I have something to do. But this opening was so relaxed and so in tune with the vibe of our class that it wasn't intimidating at all.
ReplyDeleteWilla, Willa, Willa, don't feel nervous. I try to take it lightly with things like this. It's real neat to be able to put the dumb things we made (speaking for myself, of course) up on a wall with alight pointing at them. It seems like a very high art, professional thing to do, have a gallery opening, but treating it like it's what you do everyday I think is really important in helping an art-life to come naturally and fluidly.
ReplyDeleteThe relative informality of the event did make the gallery feel more free to explore and less of a test of patience. Having friends visit our show did loosen the tension we may have felt upon opening day and made the overall experience less of a chore and more a valuable experience, at least that's how I felt about it. I agree with you that the small space we had available to us did lend a more intimate atmosphere and helped entice conversation, especially with the complementary food and beverages as well as the books that were laid out on the pedestals, where I noticed many people gathering there more than at the walls where the prints were hung.
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