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UER Forum > UE Main > Making UE exhibitions: Experience (Viewed 2103 times)
telefontubbie 


Location: Latvia, Riga
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Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< on 8/19/2015 3:15 PM >
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Hey! I know here are several explorers who had their exhibitions in galleries and so on. I'd like to find out your experience what it's like to make an exhibition? How much time does it take (make a concept, print costs, room rental, schedules etc)?

I suggested to some local explorers participate in exhibition contest, runned by museum of photography. They refused, saying "it's extremely expensive,not worth it" and so on. (it costs ~900 eur which is quite expensive here, museum doesn't pay off anything)

So the question is:
Is it possible to make a good exhibition with less budget? Last year i visited exhibition in the same museum, completely UE related - UE pictures in darkness so you have to use flashlight to see photos, also with sound effects, things and additive photo slide-show.

P.S.
I am not a photographer, i'm just wondering why there are so little UE related exhibitions in my area and how to encourage photographers i know to do something.

P.P.S.
I'd like to find out also about "pop-up" exhibitions that lasts only one to few days.




[last edit 8/19/2015 3:16 PM by telefontubbie - edited 1 times]

Maglyte 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 1 on 8/19/2015 4:44 PM >
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good printing costs that is most likely why you don't see more. Also like they say doing a show is a great way to go broke you will get oohs and ahhs but the wallets usually stay shut.




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Ganesha 

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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 2 on 8/19/2015 7:19 PM >
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There are more modest outlets for printed photography. For example, coffee shops and cafes will often host a dozen or more pictures. My wife took a photography class that culminated in a judged show hosted by a local bakery.

But Maglyte is quite right -- on both sides of the Atlantic, I'm sure -- nobody would make much money. My wife feels lucky if she can cover the cost of printing and frames, let alone a nice camera and its accouterments, good photo editing software and a computer robust enough to run it on, etc. You'd want to keep your day job, and do an exhibition for fun.

Edit; Telefontubbie, your original questions haven't gotten much attention. Here's our experience putting on a very modest non-UE show at a retirement home's small gallery. We had to schedule use of the room several months in advance and, closer to the date, negotiate put-up and take-down dates/times directly with the previous and succeeding artists. Hanging arrangements vary; this gallery had a hanging rail around the ceiling from which adjustable picture-wire strands with multiple adjustable hooks were hung. Thus, all of our frames needed picture-wire attached. (At another show in a bookstore, there was no rail; we nailed hangers right into the wall.) We had to provide placards for the pictures with titles, media, price. We had to provide an inventory of all the pictures with the same data (a spreadsheet, on which I tracked cost of printing and cost of frame). We had to provide a printed bio of the artist. We had to schedule an artist's reception, which was catered (fortunately not at our expense). This was a pretty informal show; a real gallery would have a more elaborate process.

On hanging day, transporting the pictures while protecting their frames from dings (which will kill sales) was a delicate business involving lots of blankets and towels and praying for no rain. We were able to borrow the use of a cart inside the building. The same, in reverse, took place at take-down time, involving just as much risk and trouble.

Somewhat off-topic; a friendly art store clerk advised us that the real business of an amateur artist is moving frames. She gets her frames at second hand shops and garage sales, throws away the original art, and then makes art to fit the frames she has, rather than running around buying new frames to fit the art she makes.



[last edit 8/19/2015 8:01 PM by Ganesha - edited 1 times]

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DawnPatrol 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 3 on 8/19/2015 10:45 PM >
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In order to make showing your work worth it (financially), you actually need to sell some of your work. Personally I've found that the cheapest places to display are local art walks and pop up galleries. Real galleries are expensive and time-consuming (some of the ones I looked into require you actually work there a certain number of hours a month).

Like Ganesha said, you can also always check in with local businesses and see if they're willing to hang your work. If it's for sale you can offer them commission to sweeten the deal.

However, I've had an opposite experience as far as moving frames goes. No matter where you're getting your frames, framing can still be costly if you're using quality materials (ie, even if you buy the frame second hand for cheap, there's a decent chance you'll want or have to replace the glass).

I've only been able to sell prints at one show I did in Chicago. I found that my matted prints sold a lot better than framed prints. You can sell matted prints a lot cheaper than framed prints due to lower material costs. You could even sell just the prints without matting or framing as long as you have them in a plastic sleeve with backing. If it's a large print you could always sell them in poster tubes as long as you have a printed preview somewhere.

The woman who hosted the last few art walks I did makes a living off of craft fairs. She makes tons of different stuff and sells a lot of it. She told me that sometimes people aren't willing to spend a lot of money but just want to walk away with something small and cool. That's where the unframed prints come in.

I would say just offer a variety of things, see what the crowd is like, and improve your selection for next time. There's a bit of a learning curve to it.




Steed 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 4 on 8/19/2015 11:24 PM >
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I saw Miru Kim sell one large sized photo for roughly $30 000 a few years ago. It is possible to make a lot of money if you are well established.




sirpsychosexy 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 5 on 8/19/2015 11:59 PM >
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^ and nude.




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yokes 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 6 on 8/20/2015 1:26 AM >
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I've exhibited my photography a lot over the last decade, and would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Generally speaking, exhibiting is not cheap or for the small budgeted. Doing a show on the cheap is usually (but not always) a recipe for making your work look cheap. If you can't afford to sell zero prints, don't exhibit.




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OwlsFlight 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 7 on 8/20/2015 4:35 PM >
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Posted by Ganesha
There are more modest outlets for printed photography. For example, coffee shops and cafes will often host a dozen or more pictures. My wife took a photography class that culminated in a judged show hosted by a local bakery.


^ This is probably the best start. Maybe try out a juried show. See how much time, money and energy it takes to do one, or even a handful of pieces, and then calculate things from there. Once you decide to do a good sized show, you usually have to sign a contract so the place hosting the show's doesn't get left with blank walls making no money if things go bad. You don't want to get in over your head if you are not prepared to do so.

It is a lot of work, and can cost a lot of money, but over the years you can find ways to cut the cost of things just by doing some research and reading a bit. Buying pre-cut mats is expensive, but once you start cutting your own the cost comes down a bit. Making your own frames is a bit of work, but once you get used to it, things aren't so bad. Once you make your own frames, you have the freedom to make whatever sized frames you want, and cutting glass or plexi to make that work isn't too hard either with practice. Repainting bought frames or old frames is also a possibility.

Just remember, know ahead of time what your getting yourself into - fully! And sharp blades on anything that cuts is the way to go.





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yokes 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 8 on 8/20/2015 9:59 PM >
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Any coffee shops in your area that exhibit local artists?




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PreacherLA 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 9 on 8/23/2015 2:13 AM >
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I did a display at an art show, at a local restaurant. I had many people looking at my photos and asking all kinds of questions about how i got a particular shot or something but nothing sold. It was a good experience though.




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telefontubbie 


Location: Latvia, Riga
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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 10 on 8/26/2015 4:26 PM >
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Posted by Maglyte
good printing costs that is most likely why you don't see more. Also like they say doing a show is a great way to go broke you will get oohs and ahhs but the wallets usually stay shut.


Yup,prices for large prints are high. Multiply prints by 10 or more and - haha, that's the money you can buy a new camera.
But in this case, story is not about selling photos in exhibitions, here it's not a common business thing. Here it's more about making people think/relax/gain together/discuss/gain together common-minded people.

Ganesha - Thanks for sharing experience, very interesting. I didn't even thought much about transporting - additional worries and costs.


Posted by Ganesha
Somewhat off-topic; a friendly art store clerk advised us that the real business of an amateur artist is moving frames. She gets her frames at second hand shops and garage sales, throws away the original art, and then makes art to fit the frames she has, rather than running around buying new frames to fit the art she makes.


Cool idea.

Posted by DawnPatrol
Personally I've found that the cheapest places to display are local art walks and pop up galleries.


Thanks for suggestion. There are some pop-up galleries/art spaces here. And this is probably the best solution for a place. I have been to many pop-up galleries/events and i remember these exhibitons more vivid than exhibitions in more formal places. Maybe it's about double-discovery and difficulties with finding right building (if exhibition is located in large factory area or even a floating workshop). I should gain information about these kind of places and more importantly, people and organizations who are into creating 'mobile art spaces'.

Posted by DawnPatrol
She told me that sometimes people aren't willing to spend a lot of money but just want to walk away with something small and cool. That's where the unframed prints come in.


I have noticed artists prints additional "shit" for their exhibitions - postcards, journals, stickers, even safety matches with pictures on package. Bad thing - additional costs...but it works as an advertisement.

Posted by yokes Doing a show on the cheap is usually (but not always) a recipe for making your work look cheap.


Cheap might not be the word. Sketchy or negligent, perhaps. And that's saaaad.

Posted by OwlsFlight
It is a lot of work, and can cost a lot of money, but over the years you can find ways to cut the cost of things just by doing some research and reading a bit.

Once you make your own frames, you have the freedom to make whatever sized frames you want, and cutting glass or plexi to make that work isn't too hard either with practice. Repainting bought frames or old frames is also a possibility.


Of course, research is neccessary. Being informed is a key to pretty much everything, at least to begin with something.

Cool suggestions, thanks!

Posted by PreacherLA
I did a display at an art show, at a local restaurant. I had many people looking at my photos and asking all kinds of questions about how i got a particular shot or something but nothing sold. It was a good experience though.


I think it's neccesary to be open for feedback.


- - -
All answers are somewhat helpful, thanks.















[last edit 8/26/2015 4:28 PM by telefontubbie - edited 1 times]

Maglyte 


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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 11 on 8/27/2015 11:58 PM >
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Generally speaking, exhibiting is not cheap or for the small budgeted. Doing a show on the cheap is usually (but not always) a recipe for making your work look cheap. If you can't afford to sell zero prints, don't exhibit.\

definitely seconded on this, don't try to chintz on printing it looks so bad you will wish you had not done it, better to have fewer that are printed well than a lot that are not.

the more you know about printing the better, you would be surprised at the printers that cannot recognize a color cast or do color correction that well but will charge you a mint




mmmm. mandias.......
Ganesha 

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Re: Making UE exhibitions: Experience
< Reply # 12 on 8/28/2015 4:02 AM >
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Suggestion; order one test print from a printer you're considering.




"The beauty of mediocrity is that anything can make you better." -Jeff Mallett
UER Forum > UE Main > Making UE exhibitions: Experience (Viewed 2103 times)


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