Grow An Exhibition

Work for people to see or people to see your work?

This is my first big art project and it has been a huge learning experience. For the last two years I’ve been growing plants to turn into paper and subsequently into artwork. Having harvested the crops I started serious work on planning the exhibitions in January, thinking that I had almost four months to make work and promote the shows. Now here I am, two days before the preview and I feel as if it’s been more like three and a half months planning and promoting the exhibitions and all the other things associated with an ACE project, and making the artwork has been largely squeezed into the last three weeks… while still finishing off the planning.

So I ask the question again. Do you spend your time making work for a few people to see or should you do a lot of promoting, getting the advertising just right, so lots of people see work that has been hurriedly made, framed and presented?

Natural Imperfections is the culmination of a two-year Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England funded project ‘Grow an Exhibition’.
Artist Adrian Mundy has been growing and harvesting plants, predominantly flax, that have been turned into hand-made paper. Through manipulation and mark making this paper has been transformed into 2-dimensional and sculptural artworks. Natural Imperfections will showcase the work in an exhibition at Tuppenny Barn, where the majority of the plants have been grown.
Natural Imperfections addresses the dichotomy of the unpredictability and uncertainty of nature and Adrian’s desire and ambition for perfection in his work.

An accompanying book documenting the entire ‘Grow an Exhibition’ project has been produced and will be launched at the Tuppenny Barn opening.

Preview: Friday 22nd April, 6-8pm
Open: Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th, 10am-5pm
Monday 25th – Thursday 28th, 11am-4pm

Tuppenny Barn, Main Road, Southbourne, West Sussex, PO10 8EZ

www.adrianmundy.co.uk/grow-an-exhibition
Facebook: /growanexhibition • Twitter: @plants2paper

The last time I blogged I was at the end of my documenting exhibition and here I am now just over three weeks until the first of the two main exhibitions. Where has the time gone?

Perhaps I was enjoying the sun lounging on the beach or spending time with family and friends? Chance would be a fine thing. I’ve been inundated with all the admin that needs to be done on a project like this. Sorting out publicity, technical details to do with the exhibition, writing and getting the documentary book ready to print (a big thank you to my project manager Julie for doing the artwork and technical stuff), and all those other little things that soon add up to days lost from the schedule.

I would like to say the work is coming on fine. Well, it is, but only in my head! As the exhibition draws nearer and all those admin jobs get ticked off I do see a time very soon that I can start making.

On a positive side, I’ve found a late runner for the President of the United States of America lurking in my studio! ;-)

I had hoped to blog every day leading up to, and during the exhibition openings this week, but as I’ve found out with everything to do with this project it is very tiring.

The exhibition looks great. That’s not just me being big headed, visitors have told me that throughout. The preview went really well with good conversations and comments – quality over quantity.

This last week I have been working in the gallery on sample pieces. Due to all the meetings, emails, planning, etc, this is the first time I’ve been able to sit down and start concentrating on the artworks. My wall planner is above my desk and I keep looking at it and starting to worry that the first ‘proper’ exhibition is only 7 weeks away. In that time I’ve got to produce all the pieces to show, write the accompanying book ready to print, finalise the workshops and there was one more thing… ah yes, sleep. But then us artists are very good at working right up to the deadline.

The exhibition at Art Space Portsmouth finishes tomorrow (Friday 4th March).

My first project exhibition seemed a long way off at the turn of the year but it has come round very fast. As I’m learning with everything to do with this project, things take at least twice as long than you think they will. It took me all day Monday to crop, layout and produce print files for the photograph strip that will go around the gallery.

Yesterday, Julie, my friend and project manager, and I started to get the gallery ready and hang the photographs. That is after I cut them to size and stuck them together, another job that took longer than I thought!

Today we will put the rest of the photographs up and arrange my ‘studio’ area. When my exhibition is open to the public next week I will be working in the gallery, making sample pieces, extracting more flax and planning the final pieces. Do drop by and see what I’m up to.

Natural Imperfections – Documentary exhibition
Venue: Art Space Portsmouth
27 Brougham Road, Portsmouth, PO5 4PA
Preview: Friday 26th February 6-8pm
Open: Monday 29th February – Friday 4th March 12-4pm

For a recovering agoraphobic, perfectionist with M.E. this project is starting to get to me. Too much to do. It’s all taking 2-3 times longer than I had planned, my energy levels are on about 20% and I haven’t even got to the first exhibition. Stressed! I think I’m going to ask Rescue Remedy if they would like to sponsor me!