a matter of time: curatorial tasks

It feels like I’ve been lost in time lately.  Since my last post, I have been engrossed in multiple projects including:

• working with the QuiltNSW exhibition subcommittee on the implementation of the new Sydney Quilt Show 2016 online entry form.  This fully-integrated form enables entrants to submit their entry and pay securely by credit card in one process and receive immediate e-mail confirmation.  Entries close on 14 March 2016 – don’t leave it to the last minute!;
• setting up a preliminary website for the Southern Highlands Textile & Fibre Network, updating my presentation Copyright & Textile Creatives in the 21st Century, and travelling to Bowral share this with the group; and
• receiving and returning the Australian quilts from the World Quilt Competition 2015 to their makers.  Don’t forget that entries for the 2016 competition close on 16 May 2016 – here’s the World Quilt Australian online entry form.

Curatorial Tasks

However, most of my time has been consumed with curatorial tasks for my new touring exhibition – a matter of time.  In case you’re wondering, this includes:

1. receiving and acknowledging payment of the artist participation fee;
2. tracking and receiving 32 artworks from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom and keeping the artists up to date;
3. conducting initial condition checks of the artwork and laying them out flat;
4. undertaking an audit of the combined velcro-hanging sleeves to ensure that the works are exhibition-ready.  Incidentally, this time the compliance rate has been disappointingly low – over a third of the sleeves require alteration.  Some of the artists sewed down the edges of the sleeve leaving no tunnel for a hanging rod – indicating that my revised curator directions require further tweaking to be clearer; others missed the memo about leaving a 1 inch clearance; others used super-wide industrial strength velcro in one long strip that is difficult to prise open; one has the loop velcro on a completely separate strip that may easily get lost;  others have construction issues that mean that the works do not sit flat; and others have a combination of these problems.  Argh. Where are the sleeve fairies when you need them!;
5. liaising with confirmed exhibition venues and providing publicity materials;
6. contacting other potential exhibition venues and negotiating new fixtures – look out for more announcements very soon!;
7. liaising with the sponsor Brother International Australia;
8. preparing promo graphics and daily blog posts for the just a moment series and sharing via Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest each morning;
9. updating the just a moment gallery each day after the latest detail shot has been revealed.  As of today, 24 out of 32 detail image have been published and you can see the flow of the exhibition is beginning to take shape:
10. reviewing and editing 32 artist statements into consistent style and format for the purposes of the media pack; the online gallery; catalogue and exhibition labels;
11. starting on the coding for the comprehensive online gallery that will be published in early March;
12. starting on the preparation of the print-on-demand catalogue;
13. starting to compose my curatorial statement for the media pack and the catalogue;
14. assisting the photographer for the photo shoot of the artworks;
15. reviewing the images from the photographer and arranging for selected images to be deep-etched;
16. responding to magazine and other media inquiries; and
17. making lots of lists and sub-lists for future actions!

Look out for my next post when I will share some photos from photography day.