In a socially distanced or locked down society with closed galleries and museums. Art is becoming less accessible and harder for artists to get there art in this world of a ‘new normal’
Social media, blogs and websites are a great tool for artists to present work and show it to a wide audience. However, emails can be missed, end up in junk mail or social media posts might not get high engagement. But does the internet really engage the public? If art isn’t being seen in person how much is someone actually engaged? Is it getting the same response that was intended?
Considering my research on “draw yourself picking an apple from a tree” which is a tool used by art therapists to often determine the state of mind of the client. It can suggest many things about a person to the therapist such as signs of depression, trauma or schizophrenia. By taking part in this exercise it allowed friends and family to form different form of communication. It allowed them to spend time drawing, some even up to an hour, which otherwise they probably wouldn’t have done without my prompting them. Many of them laughed at their childish drawings and seemed to have a positive experience.
In terms of presenting my work, i have looked at the milk cartons that were part of a campaign to get children to look at other missing children in the hopes someone was recognised. They were placed directly with the intended viewer.
As another example Ed Sheeran’s charity collaboration with heinz tomato ketchup is another example of altering an object that is directly within someone’s home to vet them to engage with art work.
- Typically my sculptures are made for gallery space; if galleries are closed how will I get people to see my work?
- Will the work be engaged with if it is just on an object?
- If the work requires the public to do something will this be more engaged with?
Missing Children on milk cartons
Ed sheeran x Heinz Tomato Ketchup collab
Hi Toni – I like your ideas about alternative ways of exhibiting/disseminating your practice and the way you are considering how your audience might interact with your work. You could think about other public arenas – billboards, bus stop posters – but maybe the restriction of being stuck at home and the domestic scale is more relevant to your research. The idea of a message on a milk carton made me start to think about secret messages being delivered in wartime, being hidden in plain sight. Also of messages in bottles…all of this relates to isolated communities and the need to communicate at times of crisis. Just some thoughts for now! Joan