Deep Diving into the Curation Perspective of Gallery B612's New Beginnings Art Exhibition

Curation process is a journey that begins outside the gallery. With a taste of what the surrounding Art community culture is, we welcome our talented creatives to a show that brings a connecting thread to all the applicants with surrounding themes.

New Beginnings Art Exhibition 2024 is the gallery's first exhibition of the year celebrating the New Year since the Grand Re-Opening in May of 2023. We welcome each artist to share their own perspective of what new beginnings story they’d like to tell in any 2D/3D medium, genre, tone, style, and voice.

With that comes a challenge to bring the exhibition experience to life in a way that the guest audience may participate with the works as a whole or at least with respect to the surrounding artworks. There are a total of 40 art pieces created by 16 talented artists that have been selected by the Gallery B612 jury committee specifically for this show. 

A curator is an information chemist. He or she mixes atoms together in a way to build an info-molecule. Then adds value to that molecule.  Robert Scoble

For the first time, this exhibition placements were curated solely by myself as the assistant curator. We received a handful of recurring artists who submitted multiple works which help create support for a surrounding sub theme within the show. The choices I made curating the walls reflect the sub genres and themes I pieced together in order to create spaces or tiny rooms within the exhibition experience. 

As an assistant curator with a love for all sorts of visual arts, such as graphic design, creative photography, interior and environmental design, and all sorts of visual storytelling and films, this gave me a multifaceted eye to design the spaces. I used symbolic themes within each piece, color coordination, tone of voice coordination, all with the experience of our audience in mind who walk throughout the four walls of Gallery B612.

Upon entering the gallery to the left, there are a set of related pieces pertaining to ethereal life and waters, as each piece shows a variety of water behaviors. The symbols of water ring renewal, motion, and healing, making it a great motif for New Beginnings.

Of the works are such that of female figures and boats. Both of which are vessels to new life and adventure. In Tim’s piece, Catching Self, the figure is drawn into a wisping entrapment by the water wrapping her body. In others, the water is still or in motion guiding towards a new path. The main colors featured in these works are teals, blues, and various orange tones.

To the right of these, the orange set of a western America emerges with sights from the southern desert of California, the carving of totem poles, and a pleading bare tree surrounded by man’s architectural ventures. These pieces are all made by three different artists, yet boldly exude warm orange tones and western America.

Coved within gallery walls to the very right is a baby room. With the works of 3 different artists, and 2 pieces each are figures that all celebrate the new life of humans. With the grandest of joy each new baby brings, the artists show a different part of the new life journey of a child. The tonal ranges of these pieces are varying from soft pastels to stark blacks; each unique in voice and message.

An exhibition is in many ways a series of conversations. Between the artist and viewer, curator and viewer, and between the works of art themselves. It clicks when an exhibition feels like it has answered some questions, and raised even more.  Thelma Golden

In the next quadrant of the space are depictions of destination. Movement from one location to another: a contrast from one state to another.

Our tiniest submission, Vodka wit da venti, is a fun scene of a man in the city holding two opposing drinks: a vodka bottle and a Starbucks coffee drink. Yet holding a big smile on his face, he is grateful for each stage of life as he is caught between the transition between a night of parties, to a daily grind of working for his dreams. Something more easily balanced in youth. 

Iconography of mythological and pop culture characters are collected in the living room full of vibrancy and bold fun colors.

Martha Shade's piece titled, Quilted Sphinx, is a unique rendition of the famous Spinx monuments of the ancient Egyptian world, whereas Tom McIntire's piece titled, Marloe Hanrow: Famous Blue Raincoat, shows the historic inspiration taken on by Marilyn Monroe in Western North America in the 20th Century.

Around the corner to the left of the color room is a dedication to romance and love. The art works in this area give an essence of intimacy and drama about love. The tonal ranges between the pieces to the walls and furnishings are dark greys and browns, rich violets. Perfect for dreamy soft eyes of the figures to gaze upon. 

The New Beginnings Art Exhibition is open now through February 17th, 2024. See our business hours to stop by for a visit. Not all works are mentioned and discussed within this short article. Therefore, we hope you come by to enjoy these art works for yourself in person. If you are interested in purchasing any of the pieces in our current show, please get in contact with a Gallery B612 representative.

Magazine Issue 08 is now available for digital purchase and available for hard copy request.

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