vce studio art - horsham town hall · victorian state government (creative victoria) and through...

EDUCATION PROGRAM..P:\EDUCATION\Worksheets and Glossary\VCE Studio Art\Art Industry contexts HRAG (Erewhon).doc

Clare Milledge, The Bisanity of Self, 2016. Installation view Artspace Sydney, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and the Commercial, Sydney.

Photography by Zan Wimberly

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 national significance and has a clear collecting commitment to both contemporary and historical works.


The Artwork

Date: 19 November 2016 – 29 Janurary 2017

Title of Exhibition: Erewhon

Name of Exhibiting Artist: Brook Andrews, Mikala Dwyer and Justine Williams, Tony Garifalakis, Claire Lambe, Clare Milledge

Art forms being exhibited: installations

What are the materials and techniques that the artist has used?

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What is the theme or subject matter of this exhibition?

Question: Read the wall labels for the Erewhon exhibition to find out more about the exhibition theme. Write your interpretation of the text here:

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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? What is the temperature like?

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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.

Erewhon is exhibited in the Handbury Gallery – the largest of three gallery spaces on the ground floor dedicated to regularly changing exhibitions.


Exhibition layout.

Use the floor plan of the Handbury Gallery and the blank sheet to sketch the exhibition layout. Include any room furniture. Write explanations if you need to. Take photographs to help you remember.


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.

Email 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? This exhibition is supported by NETS (National Exhibition Touring Scheme). NETS enables exhibitions to be developed to be able to tour to other galleries. Galleries pay for the loan of these touring exhibitions. The gallery also supports this program and is funded by the State Government through Creative Victoria and the Horsham Rural City Council.

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.


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

Curator (continued)

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 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 and delivers education 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.

Coordinates afterschool and holiday programs.

Office Administration x0.8

Office Administration (continued)

Front of house including retail.

Manages HRAG volunteers

Manages functions and events at the gallery including catering.

Office administration.

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 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 150 – 200 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 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.

vce studio art - horsham town hall · victorian state government (creative victoria) and through...

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