One artist's journey

Monday, May 9, 2011

Guerra's Woodblock


Exhibtion Review

Working in a group show has been a truly rewarding experience. In addition, however, I have learned that without complete communication from everyone, the show will not go smoothly and could potentially erupt in total failure.
Seeing my work surrounded by others, was very enlightening. These people are ones that are fighting the same struggles as I am and discovering so much about their practice and themselves. I feel I learned such a great deal about my own work and my own ability to create something that I thought deserved gallery space. I now also somewhat understand the politics of working with other artists, working with staff and ultimately working with reputation.
I was surprised by how different my work felt in the gallery space. I had been working for months in a dark garage, with concrete walls and clutter of all kinds. To then take my piece and free it from its constraints (also including a wood frame), felt liberating and unbelievably real.
When I installed my work, many people offered to help. After strings were tied and hooks were placed, it was time to hoist my work of the ground and into the air. I looked p and stared at my piece, finally falling into its right place, into the place that I could only have imagined it would ever exist in. I fell silent. Those surrounding me asked, "is this right? Tell us where to change it." For a long moment I did not respond-all at once I had been taken out of the University setting a placed into a gallery, as an artist, being asked what I wanted for my piece. The feeling struck me as eerie and all together unfamiliar to my student-self, but yet quite familiar to my self as an artist, collectively understanding what artists understand. I reveled in it, soaking up the uneasy feeling and putting out the knowledge that this would not be the last time. This is just the beginning.