To further students’ understanding of art industry contexts, FAST and Daine Singer present a case study that looks at the operation of a commercial gallery. Kirsty Budge’s If you’re gonna spew, spew into this, is accompanied by a Q&A with Gallery Director Daine Singer as well the exhibition room sheet, essay and artwork documentation images.

As an additional case study for VCE Studio Arts, FAST presents a virtual tour of Ruth Maddison: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Guided by Ruth Maddison and CCP Director Adam Harding, students are taken through the process of organising and constructing a historic survey exhibition. 

Fertile ground accepts any and everything that is planted but, with disruption and lack of nourishment, the reality of failure and loss is inevitable. Kim Hak, Shivanjani Lal and Sophal Neak investigate the fragility of existence and create repositories for memories. They explore landscapes as shifting sites, lament the loss of ancestral land and question the temporality of place. As an ancestral survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, Kim reflects upon the cycles of life and relationship to his father and the land in his ‘Sunset’ series, and Lal on her familial history and relationship between lands (India and Fiji) in her ‘Chaapaa’ series. Shivanjani shares a series of images that are enlarged polaroids, reminiscent of a family travel album, reprinted in India onto brown paper and documenting a contemporary and changing Fiji. As Lal highlights forgotten pasts, artist Neak also gives voice to those who cannot speak for themselves in her project ‘Rice Pot’. Neak, a performative photographer driven by storytelling, explores societal pressures, traditions and responsibilities of women to nourish the community. Her photographs are the result of ongoing conversations with women from her ancestral village who found a collective voice in Neak’s visits and community workshops.

Kawita Vatanajyankur and Arnont Nongyao explore the systems of trade and farming practice. In her ‘Field Work’ series, Vatanajyankur appears silent in her physical transformation from woman to essential farm machinery who prepares the ground for harvest. Her rhythmic and robotic pattern appears endless and pointless. As Vatanajyankur engages in the act of production, Nongyao celebrates the results in screen and sound work, Opera of the Kard. An immersive operatic soundscape shares the ‘vibration’ of community at a local kard (market) with layered voices of the farmers selling their produce.  

Interrogated through the mediums of photography, video, sculpture and installation, the participating artists enable new perspectives and explorations in social space and thinking. Shared reflections on the uncertainty of place, the fragility and temporality of land, may raise anxieties about where we now find ourselves, while also empowering a collective consideration for a bountiful future, a fertile ground, on which to regenerate and rethink.

Click here to read Dr Jen Rae's essay for the exhibition.

Create your own artwork by carefully observing and recording the details of your neighbourhood or your daily journey to and from school using any lens based media. You might try different times of day or night, playing with the change in natural light. You might also choose to focus on small incidental details rather than the full scene. Select and edit your collection of images to produce a finished artwork about your experience. For instance, you may produce a time-based artwork like Charlie Sofo or you may produce a sequence of still images. Consider how to you might present your artwork in a class exhibition. 

Devices such as the colour of the walls, style of lighting and methods for hanging artworks all contribute to the appearance and mood of an exhibition.

Some exhibitions are actually devised by artists as a series of components that are then transported and assembled for the first time on site at the gallery.

Exhibiting artists and/or curators are responsible for the overall design and layout of exhibitions at CCP. In this role they act as mediators between the artworks and the viewer.

Presented as a visual sea of images each picture is displayed in close proximity to the next. The images are the collected remnants of family photographs recovered from the devastation following the tsunami in Japan in 2011. While visually effective, this exhibition is highly unusual for CCP as it is not the work of contemporary photographic artists. By presenting these damaged family photographs together in this way, the viewer is given an opportunity to reflect upon the scale of the disaster and the profound impact of this event on families in Japan. Due to the fragile nature of these photographs and their memorial significance, each photograph was placed in a clear Mylar sleeve and archival Blu Tack used to attach them to the gallery wall.

For this exhibition John Nixon used cream-coloured foolscap manila folders as a framing device for his photographs. By using business stationery, traditionally used for filing documents, as a format to organise and present the artwork, Nixon emphasises the manual ‘cut and paste’ method he used to lay out and group his images. Pinning folders to the gallery wall was a very efficient way for the artist to install and de-install the exhibition.

This work consisted of 12 cardboard light-boxes, each containing a single portrait, stacked together and installed in a corner of the gallery. For this series, individuals posed holding a circular mirror in front of their faces, reflecting the blinding glare of the sun directly into the camera lens. The heads of these subjects disappear in reflected light so that their clothes and the objects that surround them become the only signs of their identity. The light-boxes emphasised the extraordinary play of light within the images. They were complex to install due to the numerous electrical connections that needed to be hidden from view.

For more exhibition examples, visit the CCP website.

Architect Simon Whibley was invited to solve a particular problem faced by CCP and many galleries in exhibiting multiple video works that include sound, for display in one sonic (sound) space. Sound bleed is one of the hurdles in presenting multiple video works. A further challenge for the architect was to solve this in a manner consistent with the artist's highly refined aesthetic. The architect was also constrained by time and budget. 

Simon Whibley's specific commission was to create a series of small spatial environments, namely exhibition furniture,  that could house video works and seating for viewers to watch time based works. The design brief encompassed practical aspects, such as concealing technology and framing different screen ratios of video artworks, but also aesthetic considerations around creating a unified viewing space that could assist and enhance people’s engagement with the artworks. Another facet of the project involved finding the best way to support the presentation of the artworks across a range of diverse touring venues across regional Australia, because each venue will present completely different viewing conditions.

The project required great sensitivity in order to avoid inserting an architectural dialogue into Rosetzky’s exhibition. Rosetzky’s artwork Think of Yourself as Plural was the starting point for developing the design concepts. Colours and fabrics in this work provided a basis for the colour palette and junctions between the various textures and materials- plywood, paint  and linoleum. Rosetzky’s composition of everyday objects also became a source of inspiration for the architect. For example, the seating is based on camping seats- a re-design and re-purposing of something well known rather than the invention of something new.

Another aspect of the exhibition design involved considering how each of the exhibition elements could be easily assembled, disassembled, packed and freighted to different locations. The architect collaborated closely with the organisation National Exhibitions Touring Support  (NETS), CCP curators, the fabricator and the CCP installation crew to work out how each component fitted together and how they could be tough enough to withstand two years of moving around Australia.

All materials used by artists contain a level of ‘inherent vice’. This inbuilt tendency towards decomposition means individual artworks must be cared for and handled in particular ways. In general, conservation and preservation of artwork encompasses two main considerations:

Materials  – A specialist knowledge of the particular materials in an artwork and a concern for the decay of these types of materials over time.

Ethics – An acknowledgement and respect for the integrity of the artwork, and keeping true to the artist’s intentions for the display of that artwork.

As contemporary art can involve experimental materials that are fragile or ephemeral, curators need to be able to select and apply a range of different measures when they are storing and handling, presenting, and lighting artworks for an exhibition.

Ironically the most effective way to maintain the life of an artwork is to minimise its handling, and store it in the dark, under optimum environmental conditions. However, a balance is naturally required between conservation and public access.

Major public galleries such as the NGV employ museum-standard environmental conditions, storage and handling procedures to prevent and reduce damage, and to restore, their collection.

Some key environmental principles are:

Temperature and humidity – A climate control system regulates the temperature and moisture levels in the air, reducing the expansion and contraction of materials within artworks over time. An ideal temperature range for storing artworks is between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius.

Lighting levels – Exposure to strong light will deteriorate most artworks. The level of light used for works on paper is usually 50-150 Lux, with 200 Lux for oil paintings.

Storage – When artworks are not on display they are held in storage, generally according to museum standards. For instance, works on paper are stored flat, between archival grade tissue paper, in pH neutral, light-, dust- and pest-proof solander boxes.

Invigilation – Museums employ guards or invigilators to monitor visitors and to ensure that they do not touch works of art. Touching can transfer invisible oils onto the artwork and can cause chemical damage. Often valuable artworks are displayed behind glass for protection.

Handling – Gallery staff who handle artworks wear white gloves and handle each individual artwork with a great deal of care.

Remedial conservation and restoration work – Highly trained specialist conservators can treat an artwork if it is damaged or is deteriorating significantly. Cleaning is the most common treatment.

A challenging and relatively new area of conservation and storage concerns the highly popular time-based art form – video. Video presents challenges as technology changes rapidly and original equipment can often not be maintained in working order over time.

Institutions all over the world are looking at solutions for this vexing issue, often preferring to migrate work to digital formats. Museums are working in consultation with living artists to ensure that their intentions are understood well into the future. For example, some artists might prefer their work to become obsolete.

For more information on conservation and preservation, visit a discussion paper on the Tate Museum’s website.

The CCP only maintains a temporary (as opposed to permanent) collection and cares for artworks for the period of time that they are being handled and are on display.

At the CCP, artwork is exhibited for around eight weeks. The CCP does not have a space to store artwork on-site prior to or after exhibition, and short exhibitions do not need museum-standard climate controls.

Artwork conservation at the CCP begins with a preliminary discussion between the curator and the exhibiting artist about the nature of the artwork and their ideas on presenting the artwork. 

Curators offer advice to the artist, but do not advocate traditional conservation practices unless they align with the artist’s intention. Unlike museums in the contemporary art world, communicating the meaning of the work for the time it is on display is more important than the longevity of the work. 

The museum standard for presenting photography is to mount the print on acid-free board and then frame it behind glass.

It is important to understand that how an artist displays their work is part of the meaning of the work. Pinning work directly to the wall is often preferred for aesthetic reasons, as it emphasises the ‘object-ness’ of the photograph—the viewer can appreciate the paper stock and its weight, providing a more direct experience.

Contemporary artists exhibiting at the CCP regularly opt to pin their artworks directly to the gallery wall. This simple technique puts a small hole into the corners of the print and can result in the print warping and buckling over time. This can be minimised when the corners are reinforced underneath.

A popular method for mounting large prints is to bond them to an aluminium composite material known as diabond. This commercial process ensures artwork remains flat while on display, but is not good for conservation as it produces a non-reversible bond to a relatively unstable compound.

Occasionally unorthodox materials are used to attach artwork to the gallery walls. In the case of the exhibition Lost and Found an archival Blu Tack and clear Mylar sleeves were used.

All artworks at the CCP are handled using museum standards, including use of white gloves at all times when moving artworks and following artists’ and curators’ instructions about lifting and installing individual pieces. Artworks borrowed from other galleries arrive and leave with a detailed condition report prepared by the curator.

When moving an un-framed or un-mounted print, it is preferable to roll the work and carry the roll underneath with gloved hands, or in a tube. If the work is large and unrolled, two people must lift it from two alternate corners, on the diagonal.

If a print bends or cockles (wrinkles), this cannot be reversed or repaired. For this reason, many photographic artists have an ‘exhibition set’ of prints, separate to the ‘edition set’, which can be replaced when damaged.

Prints that have travelled (rolled) in a tube must be ‘relaxed’ before being installed; this can be done by placing the artwork on a clean, flat surface to unroll naturally, or by having small, soft weights placed on each corner to encourage flatness.

Occasionally a print will be pinned to the wall at the two top corners and left overnight to unfurl before being pinned at the bottom.

For more information about artwork preservation and conservation, visit Conservation OnLine 

Developing an art exhibition involves a series of considered selections by artists and gallery staff. This process begins when the artist prepares an exhibition proposal or comes to the attention of an art industry professional such as a curator.

Contemporary art spaces achieve a critical role in the ‘ecology’ of the visual arts, through creating an opportunity for the presentation of new, challenging or experimental ideas.

Selecting which artists will exhibit at a contemporary art gallery such as CCP is an intensive process. It often requires consideration to the formation and selection of ideas that artists and curators believe will make a lasting contribution to Australian culture.

At CCP, an advisory panel of up to eight experts discusses, argues and selects what the gallery will exhibit. The advisory panel aims to choose artists who will make a lasting impression on audiences as well as making a tangible contribution to the area of contemporary photomedia.

Once selected, an artist will usually visit the gallery to measure the space/s they have been assigned. They then prepare their artwork with the architecture of the gallery space in mind.

Artists and curators consider the space as a total environment, integral to the meaning and effectiveness of the exhibition.

Artists may therefore alter the existing architecture of the gallery. For instance they may cut a hole in the floor or wall, install carpet or paint the walls.

Each year CCP staff crafts a final exhibition program based on the selected exhibitions. Below is a list of past exhibition types:

Curated exhibitions such as Kyla McFarlane’s Without Words (2011) , Mark Feary’s Event Horizon (2010) and Naomi Cass's In camera and in public (2011). These are initiated and developed by the CCP curators to explore particular themes or ideas. Curators determine the artworks they would like to group together and negotiate with artists, owners and commercial galleries to borrow the works. They work within a budget to design the exhibition and possibly alter the gallery space to present the artworks. They usually write a catalogue essay about the central ideas within the exhibition.

Proposal exhibitions such as Sharon Billinge’s Installed in the Midst of the Visible and Sarah Ryan’s The Fourth Dimension (both 2011). These exhibitions arise from a successful proposal to the gallery. Artists are responsible for installing and de-installing the exhibition. If an artist paints or alters the environment for their exhibition, they are required to undertake restoration afterwards.

Solo exhibitions such as Georgia Metaxas’s The Mourners (2011) and John Nixon’s Black White and Grey: Photographic Studies (Photosheets) (2012). These exhibitions are presented by a single artist.

Group exhibitions such as Photocopier (2010) are exhibitions presented by several artists who wish to share the gallery environment and collaborate on an exhibition.

Award exhibitions such as the CCP Documentary Photography Award. Photographers submit their work for inclusion in the exhibition and are selected by eminent judges from the photographic and arts community. The judges also select an overall winner.

Touring exhibitions such as Taryn Simon’s An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar (2010). These exhibitions travel to and from other Australian and international galleries.

Community engagement exhibitions such as Kodak Salon. This annual event at the CCP is sponsored by Kodak. It offers the professional photographic community, students and enthusiasts the opportunity to exhibit their work at CCP. There are usually around 400 photographs on display during this popular exhibition.

Fundraising exhibitions such as Limited Edition Print (LEP). Each year an established and highly regarded photographic artist such as Bill Henson or Patricia Piccinini generously offers to donate ten copies of one of their artworks to CCP as its major fundraiser. The prints are offered for sale to CCP patrons and art collectors.

To view more past exhibition examples, visit the CCP website.

Their most effective form of marketing is word-of-mouth or social media, arising from a great exhibition, lecture, workshop or public program. CCP’s only regular advertising is listings in the Art Guide and Art Almanac and sometimes in the online community site ArtsHub.

CCP’s curators strive to generate free publicity for the gallery through press releases to newspapers. Print media is invaluable for the gallery in reaching a broader audience.

Free publicity often arises when CCP exhibitions are affiliated with large festivals such as Next Wave and the Melbourne Festival, or when CCP participates in off-site events such as the Melbourne Art Fair.

A further form of free publicity is granted to CCP on application, when Yarra Trams promote CCP’s Kodak Salon through in-tram promotional posters.

CCP has about 8,000 email subscribers who receive invitations to exhibitions openings. CCP has also created an online presence on Facebook with approximately 5,500 members. This has been a successful way for the gallery to connect with people both local and abroad.

One effective tactic has been to ask our Facebook members to tag people in an opening night photograph. These photographs provide attendees at these events with a record of themselves and their friends that can be shared, and which is conducive to viral promotion.

‘Like’ CCP’s Facebook page now.

Twitter is another form of social media being used to promote CCP, with tweets such as ‘Don’t miss this Saturday’s artists talks’ used to generate interest.

Follow CCP on twitter now.

CCP employs an in-house graphic designer who ensures that all forms of marketing and promotion undertaken at the CCP are professional, clear and effective. CCP’s graphic identity is carefully considered and maintained.

CCP’s Night Projection Window, while presenting one of the country’s longest standing and effective night projection screens for contemporary art, is also an effective way of promoting CCP to a broader audience.

Every night, a temporary video artwork or slide show can be viewed on CCP’s George Street window, giving locals and visitors to the Fitzroy precinct a taste of what they may see if they come inside the gallery during opening hours.