In February, I went to see two shows with something in common: I had applied to both and was not accepted into either. This is not an original experience, but these ones felt...particularly humbling. The show themes were closely aligned with my style, the topics fit well into my own schemes. Exhibition opportunities are the strongest professional feedback most artists receive, so it was a real bummer.
As a pick-me-up in March, I went looking for art made by people who had also been told no. The first show was Afterlife, curated by the writer Paul Laster at Edlin Gallery, which focused on artists who had only gained recognition after their deaths, or experienced little to no success during their lifetimes. The second was the Outsider Art Fair, originally a show for artists with disabilities which expanded to include self-taught artists and those working outside traditional institutional structures. Both experiences had their takeaways, and the art made me feel something.
The Outsider Art fair
Seeing dozens of professional artists showing work and successfully making a living outside the institutional art world made me really happy. The Fair was loud, colorful, and very commercial (I saw so many lives sales) which was exciting, in contrast to a lot of other art shows with a more "formal" vibe. There was a small piece I almost bought myself because it reminded me so much of my own work, and that small, random connection made me think about the joint experience of being both an audience and an artist. Some other favorites:
(1) A lush Leather collage depicting Black workers in cotton fields- the art itself was so clean, elegant, and gorgeous, the opposite of the harsh and ugly topic they depicted. (2) A series of bodega cat paintings - perfect pop art energy, very eye-catching, commercial style of the work mirroring the commercial heart of an actual bodega. (3) Paintings by a Black artist from the Jim Crow era which were made with found paint on any found surfaces (basically using any material he could get) : his pieces were very primal , raw and very racially charged. I liked that it made some people visibly uncomfortable.
Afterlife, curated by Paul Laster at Edlin Gallery
In contrast to the above, this show was a real gut punch. Like I was genuinely sad by the time I left the building. One of the artists included in this exhibit died in poverty and had his sketchbooks (thousands of drawings, mind you) thrown out as trash on the sidewalk. Some were eventually recovered and they now sell for thousands of dollars, not a cent of which that poor man ever saw.
That possibility genuinely horrifies me. Recognition after death feels almost pointless, I actually don't care how anyone else frames it.
Back to the Point: Rejection
Reflecting on these two shows had me thinking: Am I afraid of rejection? Honestly no. The fulfillment I get from artistic inquiry and experimentation is something I haven't really found anywhere else. But am I embarrassed to be seen trying? Honestly...yeah, a little. Trying takes real effort. Rejection has no limit, and failure is deeply uncomfortable to process....
I don't have a clean answer to that tbh. I'm still working it out.
What other Exhibitions will we see next?
Romance is in the air, I guess: I’m very fascinated by the idea of a creative couple working together ( especially because it feels impossible to me), so I am reallyyyy looking forward to seeing the Lee Krasner and Jason Pollock exhibit opening in October this year. I saw that press release and added it to my calendar immediately!
In the meantime, I will also be seeing the Frida and Diego Exhibition at MoMA, which goes on till September - and this one is extra romantic because there’s an opera component involved.
After attending an enlightening panel talk from the Director of the Whitney museum a few weeks ago, I will go see the Whitney Biennial in May - I have been reading reviews and watching videos on TikTok/Instagram so I am very curious to see if my perception/opinions change when I actually see the art.
I will report back if it makes me feel something…