Hey Mark it is supposed to be fun?

I get the opportunity to go to lots of openings and I must admit that it does sometimes become a little bit of “here we go again.” I am always looking for something different, something that will make go wow, but it very seldom happens, sadly I sometimes rate the opening on the quality of the wine because I have seen the paintings before over and over again, yes I do become a little cynical.

I have observed that artists and Gallery owners are very conservative, we always approach exhibitions the same, like there are rules about how an exhibition needs to be hung, all paintings straight, either all tops the same or bottoms, but very seldom do we hang to challenge or even push the edges hard. Now I am not saying that I am not guilty of doing the same all the time, hanging the same way we always have and really being quite proud of seeing the Gallery beautiful and symmetrical, everything perfectly hung.

So I decided to break out of the norm and do something that has never been done in this Gallery before, hang paintings on the ceiling, hang paintings crooked and just do what is not expected.

I hung the show which I will show you pictures of and even called it “ Puk U ART”, just to try and shock.

The owner came and looked at the Gallery on Friday and said “I thought it would be more outrageous than this?”

I was taken back a little, his family came and looked and had the same response, now I started to wonder if I had gone far enough?

We were to open last Saturday afternoon at 4pm, during the day lots of people came to look and see and everyone thought it was a bit of fun.

The opening came and we had some dignitaries coming and I wondered at their response to the show?

Everyone who came loved it and paintings were sold, it was the best opening night we have had all year.

Crooked paintings were sold, not the ones on the ceiling but they were a great conversation piece and everyone wanted to say what they thought. I placed a blank canvas on one part of the gallery and asked everyone to write something or draw something and many did. All in all it was a very good opening.

So what did I learn?

I am far to conservative and openings need to be fun events rather than just a showing of Art.

The paintings when hung at different angles do cause people to take a longer look at them and interact with them more.

People talked about the Art and how it was hung.

The Artists found it easier to interact with the collectors as the hanging was as much a talking point as the paintings.

People like to have fun and often Art Openings are quiet conservative events, we need to do more to make openings enjoyable.

Would I do it again?

Yes and I will from now on every opening will have something to shock and amuse in it even our most conservative shows.

I know some Artist run Galleries do some very edgy stuff and that is great but most commercial Galleries are very conservative, I think it is just what has always been done.

So I am a convert to lets get out of the box and make Galleries and Art events fun.

What are your thoughts?