Student Opportunity Deadline: Front Space Seeks Exhibition Proposals for the Spring! Madeline Gallucci (Print ’12) Shares Her Senior Exhibition Experience

Call for Submissions 2013

FRONT / SPACE is seeking proposals for Spring and Summer 2013 gallery exhibitions. Our storefront gallery challenges us to look for artwork and exhibitions that can in turn challenge the First Friday audience, Crossroads passersby, and drivers scouting for unpaid parking. See our previous solo and group exhibitions, performance, and installations below.

If you’re interested in filling FRONT / SPACE please send an email to 18th.frontspace@gmail.com by December 15. Include images or links to previous work and ideas for your exhibition and how you would use the space.

Madeline Gallucci (print ’12 and Campus Activities Coordinator) shares tips for preparing a senior show at Front/Space

I was in contact with Front/Space since the summer before my senior year. I was very interested in their programming and their alternative gallery environment. I asked for a show very early, even before they posted an open call! I sent them my images, and proposed an idea for the space. Since my work was changing so rapidly my senior year, they were a great group to work with and were cool about seeing my work evolve.  I had a studio visit mid-way through winter, when my work was finally coming together. This was important because they were familiar with their space and how it would look (especially in the very large window front!). The visit gave me a better plan for when I came into the space to install in the spring. Once I had finished my drawings, I concentrated on making site-specific installations within the space, by adding objects and architectural details.

Since Front/Space is also a living space, there was constant activity, people coming in and out while I was installing. I was able to chat, and talk about space concerns, how the show was coming together at almost any hour!

 

The group at Front/Space really helped me polish my press release– to send it to the KC Star, The Pitch etc. This was a good way of combining how we both viewed the work and provided a cohesive statement for the show.

Some tips:

-Start early! Think about your ideal space and aim high. Even if you don’t get your first choice, sometimes you’ll be surprised who will work with you. Keep a back up plan. Also research the gallery to see if your work fits into their aesthetic. Do they have a history of working with emerging artists? Do they specialize in showing a specific medium? Don’t be scared to send emails, but remember to keep it professional and ALWAYS say thank you.

-ASK ASK ASK and get out there! Sometimes word of mouth is the best way of finding out who has a space or if they have an opening date that needs to be filled. It is also very important to be at openings and network with galleries, so they remember your face when you come to them with your proposal! Sometimes that’s just as important as putting in long hours in your studio.

-Be flexible. It is your senior show, but the gallery will have the final say. Keep an open mind and realize that you might not be able to fit everything you have worked on over the semester- so work with your gallery to curate the best work for the space. Go for quality over quantity.

Thanks Madeline! If you would like to learn more about Madeline’s work you can visit her website: http://madelinegallucci.com/

If you need any guidance preparing for your senior exhibition, or how to professionally approach a gallery,  you can make an appointment with Calder Kamin, Academic and Career Advisor, ckamin@kcai.edu.