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Have you ever juried or judged an art exhibit? I'm very comfortable doing so now, having several experiences. But I remember my first time. I said yes, and immediately thought who am I to judge? I'm just a fellow artist, and many of the entrants have as much or more on their resumes.
Well, somebody has to be the judge. Why NOT you or I?
Still, there's the question of how to do the job. Please feel free to use any of this as you see fit the next time you are in the judge or juror role.
Should you just pick the pieces you like? You could. I am too married to the scientific method to just pick my favorites. In every job I do, I follow the seven steps.
ObservationsQuestionsResearchHypothesisExperimentsData AnalysisConclusions
Okay, so here is a summary of what I do as a show judge. I've previously written about the things I am looking for, but this is the first time I am sharing my method. I always ask other people what their methods are. Please share your judging rubric with me if you have one!
1. Observations What compels me to look again? What sneaky pieces make me seek out their awesomeness? Which ones are the most impactful and give the best first impressions? I'm careful to not exclude work that got stuck in a corner or way up high where it's not easy to view.
What technical excellence in composition, drawing, mastery of media stand out? Do any works display creative problem solving? What expresses the artistic vision in a unique way? Are there pieces with especially creative subject/color/value?
Which ones have a good balanced design?
2. Questions What does the show prospectus or theme call for? Do any artworks address these better than others? Given the venue, the type of exhibit, and the people involved, do I need to ask any other questions? For example, if this is a student exhibition or a genre such as miniature fine art or tonalism, do I need to ask myself questions that prompt more observations in keeping with the challenges these present?
3. Research Every show is different, but typically, I will do a little more research before choosing the prize winners. For example, there may be stories associated with each piece of art. Sometimes the artist's biography or statement gives more insight. Other shows are judged "blind" meaning you don't consider anything about the artist in your decision. In this case, I like to spend more time researching my own reaction to the work.
4. Hypothesis Given what I see at this point, I choose the paintings I think will likely be award winners. I can always change my mind, but these are where I start.
5. Experiments Obviously, scientific experiments are controlled and time consuming. When judging a show, this step is more like the information gathering step for me.
I will often bring my close range binoculars. I have a pair of Papilio's made by Pentax. If you don't know about these, they are great to take with you to museums, or anyplace where you are creating art from live references. They allow you to see things that are several feet away, as though you were looking at them under a magnifying glass. I can see brushwork and details that aren't obvious with the naked eye.
Another thing I like to do sometimes is to check symmetry and ellipses with a black mirror. You can do this by looking at a reflection of the art in your dark, turned off phone screen.
Do some works give the viewer a transformative experience? Do they make me think? What is the message? Is there a message? Does it offer a clear sense of what I, as the viewer, am thinking?
If presentation is important, this is where I take notes on the sculpture base or painting frame. Would curators at a museum approve of the presentation?
6. Data Analysis Some of the information I gather doesn't matter. It's just fun to see. Other things, like texture in shadows or asymmetries could mean the difference between whether a piece gets an award or not.
Also, there may be some pieces I didn't originally consider, but with a closer look they become contenders. Usually, this is the point where I start to see the creativity and concepts better. I think about whether the artist just copied an image, or if they put their own spin on it. Does the art go beyond just being a pretty or provocative visual?
7. Conclusions Finally, it's time. Unfortunately, not everyone can get an award. But when you are at the show reception presenting awards to recipients, know that everyone who did not win wants to know why. We always hear that there were so many great entries, if it was up to the judge there would be more awards, etc. But if you want these folks to enter next year (and you do!) it's the judge's job to clearly state why they chose the art they did.
I feel strongly about this. Everyone can decide whether they agree with my picks, but in the end I need to be able to defend them in a way that leaves everyone in the exhibit smiling and feeling like their art is part of a beautiful experience.
Until next time,
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