Presentation Does Matter

I have reviewed literally hundreds of exhibition proposals throughout my career. Compiling the requested materials—in an organized fashion—is half the battle in acquiring a slot on the gallery’s exhibition schedule. Presentation is important. Content is everything.

Typically a proposal consists of 12-20 images of the work to be shown, An Exhibition Statement, Artist Bio, and Exhibition Resume. I suggest that these elements be created as a series of collateral pieces. They will reflect the “personality” of you or the exhibition. Think of it as branding a product for market. For example, everything related to apple …ipod, iphone, powerbook… they all have a similar look and packaging. There is a reason for this. It’s to etch the brand identity into the mind of the consumer. When you send a proposal to a Curator, you want them to remember your presentation. The way in which the work is presented will help to etch it into the Curator’s mind. When submitting work for solo exhibitions, remember the importance of presentation.