Dear Reader,
This blog (started on June 20, 2009) was not part of the initial concept of the exhibit "SUMMER SESSION".
In short, the curatorial concept of SUMMER SESSION initially was to focus the gallery's time, money and energy meaningfully into an artist's development and the creation of artwork. The show's premise was to promote creating something substantial and endearing beyond presentation. The gallery space would be used as the artist's studio. The artist, creation process, and progress of public/gallery/guest VIP interaction over the summer would comprise an evolving exhibit exploring relationships within the art world.
Utilization of the gallery as a studio space was immediately scrapped when the artist selected from the Open Call, Jerry Blackman, pointed out that he'd work better in his current workspace - a fully equipped studio with all tools and comforts needed. It only made sense to adjust SUMMER SESSION to maximize the resources available. At its heart, SUMMER SESSION is a response to the market's inevitable reconfiguration of appropriating resources.
All involved came to the same conclusion. Mr. Blackman would work from his studio. The gallery space would be used to explore the process and progress of an artist by exhibiting ideas for new works as they develop. SUMMER SESSION morphed to include a large new work completed throughout the duration of the show and a cluster of raw drawings added to, drawn from and modified while Mr. Blackman works.
As the exhibit became more self aware of its ability to inquire into art's process and progress, it became increasingly necessary to juxtapose a like-minded inquiry into the art world's process and progress. With this intention, I'm very excited (albeit feeling naked) that Jerry Blackman and Dam, Stuhltrager have decided every text, pc, cv, photo draft and email discussion will be printed and hung as part of the exhibit and posted on this blog. The decision to hang prints of all past and future supplement materials stemming from SUMMER SESSION exposes both the gallery and artist completely... Yet this action will offer an unpredicted, unique and utterly sincere perspective.
Essentially, SUMMER SESSION grew beyond its conception to become more aware of what it was born to be. Instead of constricting natural growth of a project as a gallerist (who stands to lose any control of the exhibit in her space and be seen sourly), I recognize it is more important to be apart of what this project is becoming: a true exploration of the relationship of art - artist - gallery - art world - public.
Come what criticism may, I look forward to SUMMER SESSION's viewers and guest VIPs contributing to what is as of this moment, an open dialogue.
Sincerely,
-Leah Stuhltrager
Dam, Stuhltrager Gallery
i'd be thrilled to talk more about you participating and appreciative to hear any thoughts on the project as a whole.
warm regards,
-Leah
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Dear Leah,
How are you doing? I appreciate and happily accept your offer to work with you online with SUMMER SESSION. As you may see, a lot of conceptual artwork deals with the holistic creation of relationships within the art world.
I hope to drop by your gallery and say hello next time I am down there in New York City. I am glad that my first solo show at envoy enterprises went rather well and it means a lot to me. For me, your gallery has been significant and much appreciated by me as you represented the work of my friends William Powhida and Loren Munk.
My flickr website hopefully is an extensive "catalogue raisonne" of my work and I am planning to execute an artist's book and exhibition based on this first solo exhibition in NYC. Yep, I'm pretty postmodern in liking to do an exhibition about how an exhibition comes into existence.
Also my series "art world baseball cards" and "documents" relate to the process of art marking as well as becoming an artist (particularly from SLC which is not noted for its contemporary art) within New York City as a displaced New Yorker.
The link to my baseball cards can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/phot
I hope that my work in the art world will be helpful to others as a resource and documentation of process art in motion. I appreciate your invitation and am glad to hear from you.
If possible, please e-mail me at qipengart@gmail.com or contact me via phone at (xxx) xxx-xxxx as it is easier to manage than FB (which crashes a lot on Vista).
Thanks and I hope to hear more from you soon.
sincerely, qi
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Hey there Leah,
A few things for the blog to be posted perhaps:
1) baseball cards for yourself and Jerry Blackman that I just completed
2) if possible, I would love to ask the both of you some interview questions and then upon answering, the question and answer would be posted on the blog
3) the original correspondence between you and me as well as Jerry and me would be on the blog as well.
Just some ideas for the blog and thanks again!
sincerely, qi
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i got your msgs.
we actually have a house full of food preparing for a late lunch bbq or i'd be posting them right now...! its one of the few non-work days i am obliged to spend w/ family and they call me to task on it.
i will def post everything you sent. thank you so much for your contributions!
i think it is a brilliant idea for you to interview jerry and i. i feel this makes sense to your work and could be a very interesting way to further explore the art-artist-gallery-public relationship.
i'll sneak back onto the computer late tonight and get the materials you sent posted.
with respect and excitement,
-Leah
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Hi there Leah,
Sounds good. Also just wondering whether it would be a good idea to post the emails between Jerry and me and the FB messages between you and me? I think that this would end up being a good monograph or booklet perhaps.
It's always interesting to read artist's manual on how to make it as an artist but it's much more interesting to see this process up close and personal I suppose. This blog would make for some interesting exhibition catalog I think?
Enjoy the holidays and thanks again!
take care, qi
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absolutely!
i'll post everything i've got tonight!
til then,
-L
