I’m now into day four of seven of invigilating the exhibition, and while the week so far has been slow in terms of visitor numbers (I suspect it’s because it’s mid-week, with people at work) it has given me a lot of time to reflect on the exhibition, and my residency at AirSpace Gallery as a whole.
The proposal process was very useful in creating clarity in my mind about what I wanted to do with my solo exhibition. The installation of the works went very smoothly, it’s how you always hope an install will go. Now the exhibition is up, and I’m opening up the gallery every day for a possible audience, without sounding like my ego has outgrown the size of my head I have to say that I am rather proud of what I have managed to accomplish.
All of the comments and discussions I’ve had with people who have viewed the exhibition have all been very positive. I have received a lot of praise about my work, which is wonderful, and what I feel is most important is that people actually understood my work! I have always been fearful of making artwork that nobody really gets, or understands, so the fact that everyone who I have spoken too has seen what I am trying to say within the work is brilliant. These conversations are always interesting, as people always give you a new way of looking at your work, from a different perspective that you may not have ever come up with yourself. One man in particular was so eager to come and see the exhibition, he asked if he could come in early, a few hours before the private view. He was waiting for his wife and said he wouldn’t be around later on, but definitely wanted to have a look around.
While visitor numbers have been quite low during the week, I’m not taking is personally as several factors have probably contributed. The weather has been so cold, with ice and snow that has just cleared and most people tend to work during the week. My family and the most important people in my life have all seen the exhibition though, so I am happy! I know that it isn’t a reflection on the quality of my work, it is just the nature of these things, and who happens to be walking by at any particular moment. However, I have noticed that a lot of people have actually stopped and looked in the window, and they stopped to look for one reason or another, for better or worse. The worry that I didn’t achieve what I set out to do has well and truly disappeared now.
I think that now is a safe time to say that I feel that my first solo exhibition has been a great success.
