Members' Show 2018
Members’ Show 2018
Preview: February 2nd 2018, 6-9pm
Continues: February 3rd to 25th 2018
GENERATORprojects
Generator prides itself on its inclusivity, and no exhibition shows this more than our Members’ Show. It is the highlight of the year for members and committee as it is a great way to meet people and be inspired, and to get a feel for Generator collective space which is open for members to use, and get involved. This year we have over 100 works ranging from a hessian and iron sculpture, painting, printmaking, photography, a giant wooden trilby, and a doll growing out of a china bowl as well as some video works.
This show acts as a sneaky peek at work by students from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and Perth College, who hire a van every year to bring work through. It’s great to see this dedication and from a curators point of view it is invaluable research, a bit like going to the degree show but with 50 artists in each room. Most early career artists in the local area will submit a piece of work.
We have introduced a couple of new incentives this year to support our members further.
Members are allocated a number when they drop off their work and this year are holding a raffle on the opening night, with one lucky member getting 5 years free membership to Generator Projects.
Artists struggle to get their work seen and often this may be someone’s only opportunity to show in a gallery in the year. This year we plan to choose a few of the artists exhibiting to create a group show. It is so hard to do this as a career, and getting shows can be impossible, so this may well give someone a lifeline, and perhaps lead to other things. These chosen artists will receive a materials budget an artists’ fee, and will be designated one of our committee members to work with. This gives our members chance to exhibit in a respected space that encourages experimentation and diversity, while giving them the experience of negotiating within a group show setting. Inevitably they will make new contacts both within and outside the gallery environment.
As with many of our shows this is likely to be the first time these artists have been paid for their involvement or given a budget. They will receive assistance in writing an artists’ statement and the exhibition will be photographed by an emerging photographer. The artists then have photos for their portfolio and a presence online through our website. We aim to bring our members work as large an audience as possible and hope to inspire further collaborations and happenings.
The relationship between curator, artist and gallery is extremely important and is the founding reason for Generator. We are learning to programme, curate, document, archive, secure funding and maintain the accounts and the building while the artists are paid a fee and have a materials and expenses budget to manage with our help. We learn together through the process of making an exhibition, publicising it and monitoring its success. Inevitably sometimes committee members are lost at sea, but with change (each committee member spends a maximum of 2 years on the committee) comes fresh ideas and energy. We want being a member of Generator to go further than just the Members’ Show, and encourage engagement with the Gallery all year, so we can truly support our local artists.
Members are always welcome to help with the install and get a feel for working in a gallery, and curating a show, and to make new contacts. We are installing on Jan 27th and 28th from 12pm til finish.
Our committee are all volunteers and it is this dedication that allows us to maintain our funding from Creative Scotland and pay artists for their work.
We are delighted that our local craft beer brewer Danny Cullen of ‘Law Brewing Co’ will be supplying the beer for the opening.