Final Countdown

Can someone please tell me when time started flying by so fast?  It's somehow December and that means a lot of deadlines are approaching, one of which means coming back to Texas.  But before that happens, there are A LOT of projects/papers that need to be finished.  This weekend I'm going to lock myself in my room and churn out an art theory paper on postmodernism and globalization.  Then I'll be compiling the final version of my strategic plan for fundraising.  I need to apply for a grant, create a 5-year plan and draw up creative details on some original fundraising events.  Oh, and my exhibition is opening next week!

my exhibition poster (italian version)

Yesterday I was at school all day, but not in class, I was installing the artworks in the castle courtyard which was quite an endeavor.  Planning and executing this exhibition has perhaps been some of the most useful practical knowledge I've gleaned so far.  I am now incredibly familiar with Murphy's law, that is, if anything can go wrong, it will.  And it does.  First of all this would have been great as a group project where I could manage and delegate, but considering I'm the only one in the course I did everything myself.  Developing the theme, selecting the artworks, writing the curatorial statement, creating the logo, doing the (preliminary) translations, designing the posters/flyers (and distributing said posters/flyers), writing the catalog entries, writing and doing research for the catalog essay, designing the catalog, writing the press release, organizing the location and permission for hanging, managing the artists, scheduling the installation/opening, negotiating with a local business for sponsorship (5 bottles-o-vino for free), collaborating with the local library for volunteers, creating wall labels and curatorial statements in 2 languages, (I mean do you guys need me to go on?)  Let's just say it was a huge undertaking, even for a final project.  The hardest part?  Working with Italians.  (I say that with the least-intended discrimination, of course.)

Tom Johnson, Untitled, charcoal on paper, 250 x 170 cm, 2010.

Originally I wanted the show to be up from December to February but a few weeks ago the administration informed me there was another exhibition planned to be installed on 15 Dec and the other artists wanted to be the only ones on display.  Meaning my exhibition would last all of one week.  I finally convinced them to de-install and then re-install once the other exhibition was over (3 days), because I had worked really hard on this project and it would be a shame to only show the works for one week.  Then they gave me problems about trying to install 5 days early, but the artists had to arrange vans to bring their work plus bring people to help them hang.  Their issue was that a guided tour was happening over the weekend and no one would be here to supervise the works, so I had to get the artists to sign a liability waiver.  Yay, legal.  

Rocío Aguilar-Nuevo, RIMSKY KORSAKOV Flight of the Bumblebee, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 200 cm, 2011.

So Thursday, the morning of installation, I am informed that we can't put any holes in the walls of the courtyard because "this is a very old castle."  Yeah, I get that, but I'd been given permission by the highest decision maker who decided to change their mind at the last minute.  And what is that thing behind your head right there, oh, a kitty calendar with a nail holding it in the wall, isn't it?  Whatever.  So I had to negotiate with the library and borrow 4 metal stands for some works I wanted to mount on the wall.  Fine.  I printed and attached all the labels and information guides when the first artist arrived with his work.  The minute he comes through the door someone tells him he's not allowed to put the works up today.  Subsequently there is was an argument (in Italian) between me, the custodian, the student services coordinator, the artists/my professors and the event manager.  There was poor communication between the staff, each had their own opinion and no one knew where to turn.  I said I didn't understand why putting beautiful artworks could in any way be negative for the university, if anything it will be a great addition to the tour and they should all be trying to help me with the project, not impede my efforts with bureaucratic nonsense.  But, that's Italy for you in a nutshell.

my prof and her boyfriend installing her works, to give you a sense of the dimensions

view from across castle courtyard, I really like the multiple perspectives the space provides

We finally are granted permission to install when I realize one of my artists brought not only the wrong number of works (5 instead of 4) but he didn't bring the right ones!  Two of them were not selected for the show, meaning I had three I wanted but was stuck with 2 extras that I hadn't cataloged/designed in the layout/generally prepared for.  Ugh!  So I made a last minute decision to shift the set up and include all of them, since it seemed silly to leave a nice drawing in a dark dusty corner of the castle.  By the late evening we had the paintings attached to the metal stands via zip-ties and all the works were positioned.  Suddenly all the stress from the day melted away when I saw how the paintings and drawings played with the space.  Everyone still at the university came to peek at the show and they all said it looked so much better than before, that the courtyard felt more warm and the university had more vivacity.  I felt good about my work, despite everything that went wrong in the process.

inner hallway of castle courtyard

view across the courtyard

Friday I went to the local copisteria, aka photocopy/printing store, and got 5 copies of the catalog printed in color on nice paper.  One for me, each of the 3 artists and one for the university.  Cost me 12 euros a copy (egad!) but they look amazing and I'm going to see if the university will reimburse me for the expense.  Once I saw the catalog printed, (even with one work that didn't even make it into the current show), I felt extremely proud of what I had produced.  I called the university and had them contact the website designer somewhere in New Hampshire so they could attach the pdf of the catalog online (the file is really big, but worth a look! And while you're at it you could check out the front page of the university website to read a testimonial from yours truly.  What can I say, I like to keep in the campus spotlight.)  The show is opening on 7 December, I can't wait to have an end of the year celebration and see all of my efforts come to fruition!

me being thoroughly excited about the printed catalog

super awesome and professional looking (not me, the catalog, clearly.)