4. Method
4.1. Art Agency Research
4.1.1. Art Exhibition-Theo Marmolejo
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4.1.1. Art Exhibition-Theo Marmolejo
The most essential ingredient for art agency is goal setting for me. To deal with artwork transaction, art exhibition is one of the ways to showcase an artist’s pieces of work. In this digital world, all the exhibitions can be held either in real world or in virtual world. For the initial idea to promote the artist, Theo Marmolejo who is also an IMBA student, I decided to host an experimental exhibition. By this belief, I contacted a group of art-enthusiastic people about further elaborating an art exhibition for the artist, Theo. There are three necessary steps for putting up the art exhibition: preparation, progression and presentation.
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Preparation
Figure 7: Theo with the Curating Team
Ever since the idea to host an exhibition was born, our team had met regularly once a week, three months before the exhibition on November 2nd. The photos were taken on September 18th when our team members had a meeting with the Richman Café boss on the fifth floor of Nang King Breeze center, where we decided to open the exhibition. The materials I presented to the boss include vision explanation, team members’ introduction, and artist introduction, information of the activities, guest list, marketing exposure, and expectation. What is most difficult part is to accommodate each party’s interest as each party represents an unique way of thinking and has their own consideration.
For my part, I have prepared as more adequate materials as possible including the introducing slides, the painting lists, the central idea for the exhibition and etc. On the next page, there are some samples to indicates what kinds of documents are necessary.
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Figure 8: Theo’s External Power Point Introduction (Sample)
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Figure 9: Theo Painting List (Sample)
The power point introduction has two versions; the internal one is used to list the checkpoints and responsibility for each team member while the other external one is used more for promoting our mission. The mission is also restated in the central idea from page 18 to 20.
These materials involve solid interviews and discussions with the artists who will provide the ideas and raw data of his artworks. In addition to the primary data, the theoretical discourse wouldn’t be possible without academic searching on related theories. At last, the content has to be arranged in an orderly fashion for exposure in different media such as Facebook, blogger or prints.
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The central idea for the exhibition “In Between” is written by me. To work out the content and the relationship of Theo’s work, I have done several discussions with Theo to make sure that his idea of creation can match the theories that I searched.
Start of the content---When colour has its greatest richness, then form has its plenitude. -Paul Cézanne
Color has been the most essential element to reflect reality for artists. The Ecuador artist, Theo Marmolejo once states from his official website that “”Color itself is our first perception of reality.” He believes that color itself is the first impression left by reality. On November 2nd 2014, he is going to have his first exhibition on the fifth floor of Nanking Breeze center. The paintings he prepared mingled with music and motion represents his artistic expression. The subject “in Between” connotes an obscure area between two worlds full of uncertainty as well as mobility. The portraits that Theo depicted have concrete human shape but the background is filled with mobile lines, blue, green or red bringing the subject, the portrait, into motion.
Clement Greenberg(1900-1994) once asserted that modernism strengthens that on two dimensional surface, color itself can express the properties of art.
In term of subject, Theo chose the popular totem-rock stars and girls. Willingly or unwillingly, people can’t escape the popular totems scurrying around. But surrounded by this world with broken and scattering meaning, he hopes to elevate the popular culture into art level and to enable a holistic life expression into art. These iconic rock stars including Bob Marley (1945-1981), John Lennon (1940-1980), and Sting (1951-) intertwine the collective awareness of that passionate era. By Theo’s own words “In Life, there are certain moments that we must preserve. The emotion inspired by music is so profound; the best way to preserve it is by art.”
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These artworks had travelled across the Pacific Ocean and landed in Taiwan. The energy of mobility disseminates along with the artist. In the book, “mobility,” Peter Adey explains
“Mobility is a way to connect with the world, participate and analytically understand the world.” Owing to Theo’s moving to Taiwan for studying NCCU IMBA, he is able to meet art agent, Nancy who is also an IMBA student, who connects Theo to the curating company, ARTWALK so that the exhibition “In Between” is possible. After this series of mobility, each individual body involved has different corresponding relationship and position, which further authorizes the meaning to mobility itself.
In this exhibition, artworks are not displayed conventionally as is in the galleries. They will be arranged closer to life arena situation. There will also digital projection to present dimensional outlook for multiple mediums. In addition, a music DJ will also respond to the artworks in his own musical language. These two artist expression, painting and music interact to inspire unlimited imagination and energy, from which each participant can experience what Tolstoy, affirms in his art theory, “The objective and mission of art is to transmit feelings.”
In “Pictures and Tears” James Elkins endeavors to answer a question, “Why we lack profound feelings when facing pictures?” He uses almost 400 pages and has his conclusion:
“Because of lacking of love…,”In other words, Because of lacking of love, we can’t have profound meanings toward pictures, which is astonishing since every artist has poured endless love into their artwork in the hope that their audience will be able to appreciate and receive it.
Poet, Hsia Yu once said in the pamphlet, saying “ The space let by the author is more like an invitation.” for a drama “Only secrets can tract secrets” co-produced with Riverbed theatre.
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imagination. Within this kind of atmosphere, artist’s belief can be transmitted. That is the passion and love for life.
End of the content--- Progression
Figure 10: The Exhibition Site in the Breeze Center
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On November 2nd, the on-site arrangement is settled down. Since the main focus is called
“In between, ” so the style is more relaxing and friendly for access. The paintings are displayed depending on the original site, which are a wine cellar, a bar and a VIP room.
I will host an opening tour along all of the paintings as well as introduction in the VIP room. In addition, there is also an open discussion with another distinguished guest, Mr, Wu Moching.
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Figure 11: Theo with his Brother and Friend on Exhibition Day
After the exhibition, I also hosted an after party in ELEMENT, LMNT in Xinyi district for relaxation. The combination of day and night activity totally exhausted me and my family was also suffered from a loss of a family member at that time. Since this event, I have obtained enormous valuable experience in exhibiting. .
The team members are critical. They will be the support to carry out the whole project originally discussed and designed. Carrying out the project in an effective and efficient way relies heavily on coordinating each party’s interest and considering each individual’s condition and concern. The exhibition did make the first debut for the curating company as well a successful display of the artist, Theo, with his talented artwork and ideas.
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Presentation
Figure 12: Presentation at the Wine Gathering
After the exhibition, I also presented Theo’s materials in other places to promote his artworks.
On one occasion, I proposed to make introduction as well as review of the exhibition to a private wine gathering club. This club holds regular meeting every Thursday in a wine chamber. Their members are interested in art, dance music and wine.
Besides simply showing the portraits that Theo had already done, I also include those rock stars’ music as a way to demonstrate the vitality of the music artist. Despite being painted on canvas, these rock stars do have their glamorous aspect of life worthy of more exposure. By paying tributes to the classic music, the painting itself seems to have its own independent life.
For example, story of Kurt Cobain’s story even made some of the audience sensitive. Finding the common interest is the initial step for marketing.
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