Test-bed exhibition

I had presenting on the test-bed exhibition today. Attended presenters are less then I expected as I thought I got chance to learn more about organising exhibition space from other. Still, I learnt a lot from today's exhibition, from tutors' and peer feedbacks to me and to other presenter, learn a lot about utilising the space to showcase artwork, that with different material and form. Moreover, the variation of presented artwork also give me ideas on how audience deal with the artwork as a whole, not only the content but also the selection of presenting medium and organisation of the available space, that make it coherent to the artwork and draw audiences into the environment.

The action of roaming around the room and looking at the works, including mine, I actually found myself standing in two position, as an visitor and also the presenter. This experience has given me a new perspective in judging my own artwork. As a visitor, how I see the works on wall, the quality of presentation, what is the impression, etc. and also when comparing to other exhibited artwork, are mine reach the standard to be exhibited along other artwork?

Also in the process of preparing the exhibition, I found the media that presenting my images (since my original intention is to present images) is very very much influence the quality of exhibition. Even though this exhibition faced a small group of audience and is not that formal and my printed artwork just for temporary presentation, I have learnt how quality of medium left impression for audience, and how they read about the artwork.

By showing work to the 'public' I received many feedback with different perspective, realising the potential to develop further, understand what audiences are expecting, in the idea of artwork exhibition. At start of the comment session,  feedback from peers seemed to more familiar on the role of 'conceptual artist' and 'character designer', allow them to understand my work that similar to my perspective. Tutors (Alison and Jo) in the other hand, gives comment quite similar to what I heard from Gill in tutorial, concerning about the narrative of the characters and I should have tell a background story for them to understand the characters. After that, they fell into a little interesting debate on to what extend my work goes under the role of conceptual artist or character designer. The outcome balanced opinions from two sides: the narrative that they are looking for are still important because of the environment of university study that meant to gives space for student to explore, establish and experiment, and more like to see a complete work. Because different from industrial role, what I am doing now do not have external support from ready-made story and media, which lead to the problem that audience will have no connection to a specific narrative like they looking at published video games. I am surprise by why I never thought of this when look at other artist work. I think I am heavily relied and influenced from how the online artist practice their role. On the other side, students come to a point to agree with the importance of narrative in presenting the characters and suggested a lot of example of work to reference to.

Lastly, I have to say that I am not pleased with my presentation. My excuses are: I am really not familiar with the culture of exhibition and due to my pursue of career, I never thought of any opportunity in exhibiting my work; I just started my making process and I have no much completed work to show. Honestly, I do not prepared well enough for this exhibition, missed a lot of elements and consideration of details and bad speech in introduction. I think I have a lot more space to improve  in the aspect of presentation and I think I may request another session of test-bed exhibition that show a clear idea of space set up that I feel more desirable and also error testing any variable, missing part and space to improve towards a more appropriate presentation.