From never having a good studio visit to having 2 every month (or more, because you are using Zoom)?
Published: Tue, 05/09/23
The process I teach is based on my conversations with curators about their most memorable studio visits.
For example, I interviewed the Guggenheim Museum’s Chief Curator, Nancy Spector, a few years ago about her studio visit with Matthew Barney.
She said there were layers of information available, as if you were walking through a story, his story, his narrative.
When you get there (to his studio), he walks you through the story of his work.
It starts with a cork board on the wall where he shows what he is thinking about, clippings from the news, postcards, photos, pieces of drawings and sticky notes, so that is the narrative background. It reveals how he thinks a bit.
Then he shows you some unfinished work, an unfinished drawing…and talks about what it is that he is working on,
Then he shows a small painting that is not quite finished and next a video he is working on, that is also not quite finished and is less than a minute long.
Finally he shows you new work being made, new sculpture and large paintings, mostly unfinished but a few finished pieces as well
So he has walked you through his story, his process, and it is exciting…
The takeaway?
You need to have a gameplan for how you guide curators through your studio so they understand your work and are impressed with your vision.
You need a story, a narrative.
For example, in a recent studio visit (last week) in Praxis Center, this artist did something similar, in a sense, and if you watch her explain her work it is a bit wowing, partly because of how she explains it and also because in a Zoom Visit you can get closer (literally) to the work (it’s also in her home).
Watch this clip for 3 minutes
The more you practice this method, the better you get at it.
This is a piece of theatre - you are practicing how to talk, how to walk, how to guide them for the best impression. When you practice it 10 times, you’re going to feel more confident. You need to keep doing it every month, and practice.
And that’s exactly how Praxis Center membership can support you:
We do a “virtual” studio visit every month (like the one I linked to above).
It’s a Zoom meeting where you show your artwork and we talk about it.
So what you can do through Praxis is you practice your studio visit enough times that you will feel like Mathew Barney charming the curator when the actual visit happens.
Specifically, we host two types of these Zoom Studio Visits:
First, there are the ones I host myself where you can “demo” your studio visit, practice your presentation, and get feedback from me and the other artists on the call. This allows you to feel 100% ready and confident for your actual studio visit with a curator.
Second, there are going to be curator-led Zoom Studio Visits for members. I will invite guest curators who will host these visits, and you will get a chance to meet those curators, and introduce them to your art.
(If you sign up today, you will get access to these curator-led sessions within the month.)
On that note, I just reopened enrollment to the VIP Edition of Praxis Center Membership (Monthly -$59/m || Annual - $595/yr).
The doors close again on the 13th May.
In short, if you’re interested in doing these Zoom Studio Visits to make the most of the bad situation we are in with these coronavirus lockdowns, I suggest you check it out.
Of course, there is an abundance of additional features and courses you get as part of your membership besides these monthly studio visits.
Here is a quick diagram which summarises that:
>>> You can learn more about the Praxis Center Membership program here <<<
Anyway, I want to meet you, and visit your studio, and I hope we get to do one of these Zoom visits together soon.
Best,
Brainard
PS: Once the clock tolls midnight on the 13th May, this VIP invitation WILL go away… or perhaps it will get eaten like Cattelan’s $120k banana. Remember, when you join the Praxis Center (VIP Edition), you lock in this price forever even if the membership price goes up later. You can also cancel at any time.