Thursday, October 3, 2013

SETTING UP MUSEUM SHOW


I love museums because they love us right back.  Museums present us with Beauty. Wonder. The Surreal. Heights of Emotion. Depth of Soul.  The Rare. The Common.  The Profound. Weird Stuff.  I have laughed and wept in museums, and frequently set off the alarms by staring too close.

Well, sweet breeze on a sunny day, The BAINBRIDGE ISLAND MUSEUM OF ART (BIMA) is having an exhibition of my paintings and sculptures. 

Exhibit title: 
INNER ZOO OUTER ORBIT
October 12, 2013 –– January 5, 2014.
Public Opening: Saturday, October 12th 
Reception 2-5:00 pm

Also, concurrently at the museum is A Singular Vision –– an exhibit of Northwest legend, Gayle Bard.  If you stand in front of one of her paintings you will be transported by luminosity, tranquility, and the powerful emotion in her work.

So, how does one prepare to exhibit in a museum?


First stop: my studio.   It may look like a mess.  Okay it is a mess. I'm still working on the Zen part. But what to include in the show? It took days of yes-on-this,-no-on-that meetings with museum curators.

Next, cram the car full of carefully wrapped paintings and sculptures––drive down to Bainbridge Island. 
Rinse, repeat. Lots and lots of art schlepping.

Barbara Helen Berger came by to see how the installation was going. Her spectacular show just came down from this very spot in the museum.  I hope you got to see her work in person. Truly breathtaking. 

 Oh, man, how do I make sense of all this?


 Fortunately, the brilliant museum staff knows how to organize. First lay it all out on the floor. What?
 
Museum Executive Director and Curator, Greg Robinson orchestrating placement for subtle spatial balance and overall design, as well as narrative flow. Installation crew, Chuck, Charlie,  Ken and others make it happen.


 Here, Assistant Curator, Lucille, with Ken, and Andy measure, place, hang and level the art.

 Wow, that's much better.

 One of my sculptures called Moon Poetry Machine.

 This flying bird sculpture came to me in a dream.

 Yellow man now lives inside a glass case. He said he now feels kind of like the Hope Diamond.

There is still loads of finessing the details, but the show is open to visitors!  Yay!! Please come see our show. The museum is free. I would love to see you at the opening. 

13 comments:

Faith Pray said...

This is so exciting! Congratulations! I can't wait to bring my tribe and check it out.

Dawn Simon said...

Congratulations! It will be exciting to see your work there!

Robin Weiss said...

Looking forward to this one! Congrats Richard!

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Thanks darlin'. Bring the tribe and we will get tribal.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Thanks Dawn. Look forward to seeing you at the museum.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Hi ya, Robin. Hope I get to see you at the show. I am wowed every time I see your new work.

Half-heard in the Stillness said...

I wish I could be on the next plane... wow, congratulations on your exhibition!!
I love all your brilliant paintings and sculptures, they're smashing.

My Mum and Dad used to live in a Museum, so I know just how much preparation and arrangement is involved in getting all the exhibits just right. Oh I wish I could visit.

p.s. I think your studio looks just perfect.

Hugs Jane

Julia Kelly said...

So good to see what you are up to- and the pictures, especially of the sculptures- fantastic!Wish I could get up there to see it!

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Half-heard, so nice to hear from you. If I had a private jet I'd fly you out to see the show. I t really has been a blast. How fascinating to hear about your folks living in a museum. did you live there as well?

Thanks for your kind words.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Hi Julia, great to hear from you. It's been a while. It feels like I have been living at the museum. Lots of details to iron out. The sculptures have been fun-I am making them all out of re-cycled stuff.

Half-heard in the Stillness said...

A Happy New Year to you and yours Richard. Hope you are safe and well the weather over there looks treacherous on our news-reels?

Jane

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Hi, Half-heard In the stillness...I hear you. I've been quite swamped by life. I enjoyed reading your most recent blog post, Jane. Spent some time behind the "Iron Curtain" way back when as well. Czechoslovakia was mysterious, grand and beautiful. Your travels sounded exhillarating.

Half-heard in the Stillness said...

Hey Richard! Only just made my way back here as I've been out of action for a couple of months.
You are quite right Czechoslovakia was grand and beautiful in places, wonderful old buildings, just not where we were unfortunately. Open-cast mining area, mud mud and pollution....but the countryside was stupendous!!

Stay well Richard, even if swamped.

Hugs Jane