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11/01/2007: "Doubts, Questions & Certainties [continued...]"

If September started out full of promise, October turned out to be a call back to reality. Too many plans failed to live up to the expectations I had built up over the summer. But when I think about this past month I don’t necessarily see defeat, doubts were cast aside and questions were answered even if they came the hard way.

I had given-in to Fernando’s enthusiasm. I had pledged not to, but by early September I found myself filling in an application form for another biennial and handing over two large paintings. Fernando got his rejection letter first, mine arrived two days later, we both decided to delay retrieving our work until the exhibition was running and we could catch a glimpse of the show in one single trip.

In the meantime we focused on our [OD] group show at the Medical Doctors’ Guild in Lisbon set for the first week of October. The motivation behind this one was that they have a gallery to sponsor the arts and we were on a high to have been fitted in to their calendar – the medical class seemed like an appealing niche to target and the gallery lady’s talk sounded promising.



It must have been the arrangement of the celestial bodies. The opening of our show was on the same week as the biennial and there can be no denying that the forces weren’t willing to play in our favour either way. I’m not overly knowledgeable concerning things astrological though I do believe that the positioning of planets and stars affects things around these parts.

Now, one could say that our misfortune was due to our lack of experience or commitment but I can assure you that this was not the case. In the first situation, yes, maybe: we chose our paintings unwisely – rather, we submitted our work unwisely – but I’ll leave that for later. In the second, however, we covered more than the angles we artists had agreed to cover in exchange for 40% of sales, but to no avail, because as we would find out at our own expense there really wasn’t a gallery to speak of beyond the walls that carried our paintings.

Fernando had submitted all materials for promotion purposes two months ahead of the show and the gallery had agreed to our own design for the invitation and posters they would send out. Early September things still seemed to be running smoothly. The first signs of danger arrived around the time we got those rejection letters. The planets, the stars!

1 – Our proposed opening date and time was changed to a Monday night [22.00h] which was more suited to the doctors’ busy schedules, so the gallery claimed. We couldn’t really argue, could we, it was her word against our gut-feeling.

2 – The gallery could only hand us invitations [for family and friends] five days [Thursday?!] before the opening and the medical class would be notified through internal memos and the ‘usual means’ of publicity, whatever that meant. Our gut-feelings were twitching and turning by now.

Clearly, these were not good omens. On the spot Rui, Fernando and I decided to send a digital image of the invitation via e-mail to all our acquaintances to be on the safe side. We still remained starry-eyed in our belief that the bulk of visitors would be the said medical doctors. We were still in September, the celestial bodies were still moving into position, we still harboured hope.

The second onslaught of unexpected changes came when we made arrangements to leave our work at the gallery a day or two before the show and discuss with the gallery lady where to place which paintings and how. We had printed-out a detailed plan after several visits to facilitate things. In this way all we had to do on the opening day would be to double-check for minor details and set the lighting appropriately.

So, then came 3:

3 – We were only allowed access to the gallery Monday morning [11.am]… at which point we also discovered we would have to bring down the previous artist’s work because the gallerist was too busy and the artist could only come later in the afternoon!

Fernando and I [Rui had his Monday students to tend to] unloaded our 30 some paintings, cleared the walls, set-up the show, adjusted the lighting and left a pen-drive with the final alterations to the price-list for the gallerist to print out while we headed home for a short rest and quick meal before returning for the opening. All in all, the gallerist helped us hang two paintings… and the artist who’d gone before us was still retrieving her work when we walked out the door at 7.00 pm! We walked away with a sense that we had left behind one hell of a show.

4. 5. 6. 7… would be far too many to mention. By this time the planets and stars were firmly fixed into place and if anything else had to go wrong it would… and did. The gallerist actually managed to mess-up the information we had left on the pen-drive claiming it carried a virus; not one single doctor or administrative personnel from the guild showed up; and to top things off, one hour into the show we discovered that the gallerist had gone home… but the list could go on. Talk about a screw-up. At around midnight we decided to call it a day and headed back home, but as we walked away we still felt we had left behind a great show. We had kept our part of the deal.

None of us is quite sure yet what all that was about but we are unanimous in the certainty we extracted from the experience: in the end we were glad we didn’t sell one single piece. We certainly had mixed feelings about that, but ultimately it felt better that way – had we sold something we’d have been forced to hand over 40%, and after everything that transpired I think we would have been sick to our stomachs.

Once that was over, after the two weeks the show was up and we’d taken the paintings back to the studio, Fernando and I decided to check out the biennial and rescue the last remaining paintings we had left ‘orphaned’ and rejected in the big wide world. By this time the stellar and planetary bodies had shifted somewhat and we left Lisbon in a more cheerful mood.

We’d be collecting our work in Coruche, in the Ribatejo region, and heading deeper into the Alentejo to see and bring home a show Fernando had inaugurated in the meantime. A busy man, Fernando, he’s been doing a string of solo exhibitions throughout the Alentejo against the tide of economic recession and the effect that has on the disinterest of the local populations. He has yet to see a return on all his investment and effort and I have to admire his perseverance.

You’d be inclined to ask, what’s the point? He sometimes feels the same way and asks me if there is a point. I think there is and I tell him so. He’s got strong ties to the place, it would be wrong to concentrate only on the city-folk, or advance more intently in the city without having given ‘his people’ a chance to see his ‘Alentejo Series’. He is giving them that chance, whether they go see it or not is their business, but no one will be able to accuse him in the future of having neglected the periphery as is so often claimed in this small country of ours.

I wouldn’t do it, but that’s a different matter altogether, I haven’t got the same ties to the region, or any region for that matter, but that is another story.

It was a sunny day as we headed out of Lisbon across the bridge over the Tagus, our spirits were high even though we were going to check out a show we hadn’t been selected for. We had been unwise in our choice of paintings to submit to the show, our work really did not fit in with the general curatorial philosophy, or lack of it. We failed to do our home-work correctly and learn something more about the curators and the credibility they could bring in to the project before deciding to submit our applications. You are absolutely right to believe that deep inside each one of us was secretly looking for arguments to minimise the ‘damage’, but I know this: we were both happy and relieved to drive onwards feeling unscathed. I’ve wiped away traces of better participations than this from my exhibition history. Sometimes, just sometimes, you’re better off not having appeared somewhere.

Our drive took us to lunch in Portalegre where Fernando collected his show and then all the way to the castle of Marvão overlooking Spain. From the top it felt as if we could get a clearer view of everything. I took my camera and captured a few moments you can catch bits of in the new video I’ve uploaded together with this blog. Maybe the planets had been kind all along but I just hadn’t been able to see it.

Replies: 11 Comments

on Sunday, November 4th, jose said

The images in the post are stills from the video. easy to do these days, you go to the timeline select the spot you fancy and click the shutter. I forgot to mention here that all the artwork is Fernando's from his alentejo series: The blue-green wash 'felt' like a river and so I filmed it as if crossing from one side of the canvas to the other and then superimposed the bridge, the road is from a group of four roads he is still working on and we kept making fun of him saying it was the sublimation of something else. On our trip together, when we reached the spot where he got his inspiration he pointed it out to me, and so the next day at the studio I filmed him putting a few more touches on those pieces and thought it would be interesting to superimpose those images in the video also. It really makes a difference sometimes when you get to see things through the artist's eyes... not a necessary requirement but it can be interesting.

on Saturday, November 3rd, Texas Daylily said

I really enjoy photographs of bridges from around the world, and I like what you have done with the image in the post. Sounds like you had quite an experience!

on Friday, November 2nd, jose said

And I was worried I was going to attract the ‘stop whining’ kind of comments. I wouldn’t say that it’s good to see you’ve all gone through similar types of adversity – reassuring isn’t a good one either – but I sense from the responses that we are all sailing our little boats in the same big ocean and facing similar winds and waves.

Ellen, I think the planets and the stars will always play their tricks, I doubt that even the big guys are spared the trouble now and then, they’d just rather not let us find out.

Gordon, I think that actually I can count myself lucky, there have been more helpful people along the way than the rotten apples I’ve come across.

Brad, if I had gone on with numbers 7, 8, 9… I would have mentioned a similar situation, though not completely [our paintings didn’t vanish] but I thought this tale was already sounding too far-fetched as it was. But when we got to the gallery on the day we were supposed to bring the show down we discovered the artist after us had already done the job two days before – his opening coincided with some of our visitors going in to see our show on the last weekend we had been allotted.

Andrew, like you say, if we don’t take chances we’ll never know what opportunities will be beckoning as we stumble and make the effort to get back on our feet, and we are the ones who have to look for ways to stay on our feet, I couldn’t agree more.

Louise, hooking up with other artists is a good strategy. It’s the way we’ve been operating within [OD] unless Fernando comes up with a new gig outside our usual ‘arena’ and gets us all exited again. His intentions are good though, mind you, and I think he’s also ‘seen the light’. The low-profile things we’ve put up don’t call for so much muscle and provide for much less heartbreak while doing the job, meaning: slowly getting people in to see our work. That’s the way in these times of recession as Walt rightly put it. Keep a low profile but don’t give up!

on Friday, November 2nd, Ellen said

Jose-
What a hassle! I keep doing the same things: trying to get the work shown & sold. What a concept for an artist! I did/ do a lot of watercolors of New England where I have a small house. Years ago, a state park facility agreed to let me hang a show in the lobby. The park is called the Flume and is one of New Hampshire's greatest attractions: a waterway/waterfall that runs at great force 100's of feet down a narrow mountain ravine. The state has spent a fortune creating walkways, trails and a visitors' center for tourists there. The info center is gorgeous: a wood building with huge windows that let in nature. There is a display area, a gift shop, movie room where one can see a short film about the area (narrated by a famous actor...forget which one). When my husband & I arrived on a 100 degree day, with 20 framed watercolors, not one of the personnel had heard of the "show." We hung it ourselves after about an hour of begging (no way was I leaving with the paintings!). The stress & heat almost caused us to collapse. Not only no sales, but the gift shop refused to accept ON CONSIGNMENT prints of the paintings that were priced for a gift shop. A downer to be sure. I must have repeated this again & again since then. I wish you much luck on your next show, Jose!!! May the planet line up correctly for your future endeavors!!
Walt- Please let me know about your Brooklyn show. I grew up in Brooklyn & live close by!

on Friday, November 2nd, Andrew said

Showing works involves inviting risk in many masks. But risk always brings a companion, whose name is opportunity. You never know who is going to buy something, or how contact is going to be made. From what I've read in some of these comments, there seems to be a lot of human chaff that bears only a few grains of substance, which artists who live from their work need to survive. It becomes a question of us becoming more efficient in finding a way to separate the two.
Today, art and artists bear a societal disdain that is in part something we created, through forming too many well meaning but unskillful ways of getting art to the public. As individuals, we must seek to avoid wasting time on unproductive enterprises, and point our energy towards things that work. That requires individualism in our presentations, because while there are certainly a lot of big fish still left in our over-fished seas, you can't catch them if you try to where everyone else is going.
In my own case, I have sold less than one percent of what I've made through galleries. Those pieces gallerists have sold have cost less than ten percent of the price of my high end work...commission not included. And I live from my work alone. It is possible, but it's a discipline that needs constant training and effort. Completely separate from the creation of the work, but no less creative. You need to update your approach as often as Microsoft updates Windows. Do we want to do this? It's a choice. I know many artists who just don't want to deal with it. Some have found other ways, perhaps finding a single individual who will do it for you. Like a gallerist.

on Friday, November 2nd, Gordon Anderson said

Ouch, tough biz!

Never had any larger works, ahem, 'purloined'...
but more than once I have had life models 'borrow' drawings to show off their physique for other gigs, and never return the work.

Does that serve me right for being gullible?

Well, I guess now I just make sure the thing is signed so at least it can do some ongoing advertising for me out in the wild...

Dont be too cynical though, there are still those salt of the earth people who would walk 3 miles to give you back your mislaid wallet, and not ask for a dime in return - goddamn they do deserve a free beer and a place in heaven, if that exists.

peace + keep blogging,

gord.

on Friday, November 2nd, BradMM said

Jose',

There's something to be said for Artist Co-op's...

I once exhibited at Massimo's (an Italian restaurant in Dallas, TX. USA). They then decided, after three or so weeks later that another artist could hang their works - without calling me to take my work down. They did tell the other artist they could take my works down and put them in their office (so the story goes). I happened to come in that night (with a date) - it was very upsetting - especially to discover my two best works in the show were gone. The owner refused to call the police so I could have an official record of the thief recorded. I called the police myself at the pay phone outside. The cops came, and said they couldn't make a report if the owner didn't make the call... The next week, I read the owner has filed for Bankruptcy. I went downtown and I tried to petition to court judge for a small claim and judgment. Then the owner's lawyer wrote me a threatening letter saying I had no proof of any such loss, and that they would sue me if I made any other attempts to intervene in their proceedings... The judge said his hands were tied... I thought, "Man the balls some jerks have."

I never found, or heard, of the works until about 12 years later when some lady contacted me for an evaluation of what seemed to be one of the two works. I was trying to find out who she had gotten it from and as soon as she discovered it was possibility stolen - she hung up on me. I couldn't "reverse dial" in those days. I've been stolen from several more times. What can you do? Now I'm much more careful about where my unpaid-for investments may be hung - and I always try to retrieve unsold works myself.

on Thursday, November 1st, louise gains said

I have just read your tale. what a heart-break.I really aggree with what you say.

This is such a common experience. Maybe we artist have to come up with another idea - not to expect others to risk the cost of display - maybe we have to get together in small local groups and hire a room and talk to all who will hear that we have work for sale -- maybe it has to go backwards in time to a more personal touch?
Perhaps from such small beginnings a larger result will occur.
I have little faith in asking a galley to sell my work - they have such high cost - rent - wages and all. What chance that out of 10days a year a buyer will enter who wants exactly what I have painted? I think a lottery ticket in a pool of water has more chance of success!

on Thursday, November 1st, walt said

Jose,
when we started these blogs I promised I'd talk about my successes and my failures. I also think if they are to be informative and colleagial they should cover all the ground. And yes it is always an education...just getting up in the morning is an education.

I have no events planned for my near future. I'm just laying low and painting for now. I'm talking with some friends about doing a group show sometime in the future and a larger international exchange that is too vague and too far in the distance to even talk about yet. The only thing I have planned is for the spring in NY, Brooklyn. It is purely an excuse to go back and visit the neighborhood where I did my 3 month sabbatical a few years back. Mostly I want to visit friends and get the current tempurature of NYC. So I know going in that I may not sell much.

on Thursday, November 1st, jose said

Thanks Walt, I agree with you there, I also see it as lack of incentive to be professional, and it seems to be an attitude that is becoming all-pervasive. They have only one thing in view - to make a quick and easy buck. I was commenting with a fellow-aa coleague of ours about the strategy you point out bellow, it is the wisest thing to do... I am lying low but I get carried away with Fernando's enthusiasm sometimes and join-in. Actually I don't regret having done either of these things, there's always a lot to be learnt, even from repeating the same mistakes. I didn't post this as a moaning-about-my-fate kind of thing by the way, but I figure there is no point in just telling about the sunny side of things all the time. It's good to share the ups and the downs.

on Thursday, November 1st, walt said

Jose, I can't tell you how many times things like this have happened to me. It is the down side of doing your own promotion and leg work. Gallerists for alternative spaces are never very professional. Probably the result of not really having much incentive to be professional. Sad thing is many real galleries are the same these days. I used to hear that it was the artists who were unprofessional when I first began in this affair of the heart. Now I understand why they called us tempramental, troublesome, garrelous, self centered...it's because we try to get them to do what they promised for their percentage.

During times like these (the government is telling us we are not in a recession) it is best to do one of two things...either lay low and paint...or, if you show, do it only in connection with events that will guarantee an audience. It is easier to do the first. Some times inaction is the better part of valor.