storms in a tea cup: ART AND GLAMOUR...

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

ART AND GLAMOUR...

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011

I have had an exhibition at an organic hairdresser's for a month and a half, and Martin will soon be exhibiting his earlier works (most printed matter, apparently) in the same space. It's a somewhat innovative concept for a gallery. Moreover, it is not just any old hairdresser's; I am very impressed by the amazing mirrors Pamela has chosen for the space and think a salon that has low prices but is still stylish. Pamela is considering turning her salon into a salon cum gallery if things go well. I'm not sure there are enough art lovers in Newtown though.

Martin created this beautiful poster based on "The Mystery of the Feminine" (2008)

We did not have many visitors to my private view, though those who did come seemed very interested. Our own town is located about 20 miles from Newtown, so there was nobody from over there. There is a so-called "Llani-bubble" who feel that all they need is in Llanidloes and never go elsewhere unless they absolutely have to. And an art exhibitions or even reasons of solidarity do not seem to belong to the necessities. One of our friends had perhaps come if we had organized a group of transportation. We start to think that people expect a bit much of us as we have already thrown a lot of parties and one would think that it is enough. Another thing about Britain is that one should not expect to receive flowers or other gifts for one's opening of an exhibition. It's as if people here do not take part in and celebrate other people's accomplishments (which in fact are often almost superhuman when organizing an exhibition!). It was different in the old days in Finland!

Anyway, the venue was was glamorous and in addition to the 20 works that Martin got up on the walls, I had 40 old works in a browser. I want to air the cupboards, put the old into rotation, get rid of pictures from the past ...so my prices were ridiculously low. Still I sold only two works. It has now dawned on me that no one in Britain takes a seriously if you do not show your work in a commercially established gallery. This is cultural snobbery. I have also heard that the papers think that artists can just as well pay for their own advertising ... hellooo! Surely we are doing society a favor? It costs us enormously to arrange private views but we feel that we need to, just in case someone wants to buy anything (people tend to buy mostly at openings, it seems)..