February 1- Activity A:

The Activity:

Visit one exhibition held in a public gallery and visit one exhibition held in a commercial gallery. 

My thoughts

The first gallery that I visited was a show that was showing within the atrium of Middlesex, I was really interest while they were setting the show up. However, I'm not so sure if this sits within a public or commercial gallery but I feel that this will add another angle at the galleries.

Photo I took of the whole gallery show

The show called 'Speculative spaces 2017' was put together by within a partnership project with AKTO interior architecture, Athens Thessaloniki and MDX Graphic design. The main whole idea for this show was water, "Water was the common ground that began our quest, influenced by its many different qualities." (words by them on one of the boards) The element of this being a 'gallery show' made by the student makes for a more interesting and personal layout, which interest me more. This is shown through the shapes, space and style that they were able to create which made for a very welcoming 'gallery show'. 

Photo I took closer up to the show

This part of the show interested me the most through the way they laid out the display boards in an unique way that I haven't seen much before. By laying this part out like this it really shows off the main theme of this show by the images on top being maps which mainly show the water. 

Photo I took within the show

Another way I feel that they have made the viewer welcoming is by including and making the viewer interact with the art. By placing these black boxes full with different sized books which show pieces of work by different students. This makes for a more impressive show through the way the view could or couldn't not go and look at these books or not. Adding an extra interesting part of the show. 

Photo I took of one of the book from the image above

    

Another element which makes this 'gallery show' more interesting and welcoming through the way they have aloud the viewers to become a part of the show through doing this. 

- Step 1: Draw your version of Tower Bridge

- Step 2: Post it our Instagram using #

- Step 3: Wait for surprise.  

Photo I took of the inside of the show

Close up photo I took of the inside

Close up photo I took of the inside

Close up photo I took of the inside

I feel that you can get more of these type of interactions within these types of galleries then public galleries, through the way there they allow the people, which made this to be more open to their ideas which are easier to bring together because there is open to interpretation in their way. However, in a more Public gallery, the Gallery itself has quite a bit of control on how the pieces should be placed so they can fill the space and show as much different work within a space.

The second place I went to was Tate Britain, which is a very welcoming place but in a different way. It is very welcoming through the way I can see some many different pieces for many different artists around the World which in my opinion makes Tate Britain more interesting through the way there is not just one main theme or idea, there are many because of all the different works from many different artists. 

Photo I took of Jacques la Villegle 1926: Jazzmen 1961

Photo I took of Shozo Shimamoto 1928-2013: Holes 1954 

Photo I took of Avis Newman 1946: The wings of the wind of madness 1982

Photo I took of Protest: Latin American Photo books

Photo I took of Joseph Beugs 1921-1986: Lighting with stag in its Galre 1958-85

Photo close up

Photo close up

Photo close up

The main interest which I feel is better than the first gallery is that a public gallery like Tate Britain open me to many different and diverse art that they have to show, from paintings to large sculptures. However, the layout of the piece makes for a less and nearly never interaction with the viewer through the way you can with Shimamoto's piece be behind glass which makes that barrier between the viewer and the piece, but there is the main reason for that is that these are very important piece from famous to very famous artist with shouldn't be touched by the viewer. Also, a lot of the work can be fragile, so the viewers have to say away. Another way this is show is with the wire around Beugs' piece which makes the piece be away from the viewer so there's not interaction.

However, public galleries have a more welcoming and better aesthetically than the first gallery through the clear white wall which for me makes for a more opening and cleaner space fro work to be. Also the work is seen better with a white background. However, with the first gallery there was too much on all the walls, which made for a more cluttered look. This to me is too much to look at once and some of the angles made for hard standing areas to look at the work.

For example:

Photo I took of inside the gallery

Overall, I feel that both styles of galleries make for very different experiences which make the viewer have many different reasons to the works within them. But comparing these two very different types of galleries is very hard through the way they both have great and not so great qualities between them. However, I did enjoy my experiences in both of else galleries.