The last
several months have been a truly dark time. But there is a tiny
light spot in it – a lot of people got more time for their hobbies, or works
they always wanted to finish, or some even got inspired by these macabre - but unique
conditions. And by the moment some artists may have
quite a nice set of works and believe that they deserve to be displayed.
Of course,
MoMA, The Met and Whitney are great places for an exhibition, but maybe you don’t feel confident
enough to contact them, or negotiating in English is a challenge for you, or you see art just
as your hobby – don’t worry, there still are ways for you.
How about a
local library since they're reopened? They are very likely to be delighted to have your works! Prepare
some portfolio – make pictures of your works or bring a couple of them with
you. Also be ready to introduce yourself. Prepare a short, but saturated "marketing pitch". Think of including the following:
1) You name and where you live - to highlight that you're a part of the neighborhood
2) What kind of art you do - painting, sculpture, literature, pottery etc. Keep in mind that libraries can't host any kind of group meetings now, so they can put your poem on the wall but you can't do public readings
3) Why your works are important for the community. Maybe they reflect your experience, maybe they're portraying the life in your neighborhood, maybe they were inspired by something related to Brooklyn. What knowledge or experience does it reflect? What's the story behind your works? And - the most important - who are your works for? Who can be interested or benefit from them?
Don’t make your presentation too long – librarians are busy
and they may not be able to listen to you all day long. 5-7 minutes is enough for the introduction. Also, keep in mind that the library supervisor may be out of office and you may need to come next day.
A library is not a place where you can make money. You can display
your works for free and neither you, nor the library will get any profit from it. But
you’ll have the audience! To make sure that you’ll get maximum attention check
several libraries nearby – some of them may be much busier than the others.
If your
works contain nudity or violence, a library is not the best place for it. But
it doesn’t mean that they’re doomed to stay in your closet. Check various
neighborhood institutions: bars, stores, community centers, even yoga studios!
Find something corresponding with your aesthetics and don’t be shy. Follow the
same logic – portfolio and a brief, but energetic and persuasive self-presentation.
So, no
matter if you are a young artist finding his or her way in New York or you’re
just a community member who wants to share his/her emotions and experience,
there are easy ways to be seen and heard. Yes, a library or a pub may seem less
appealing than a fancy gallery, but it’s a great place for your first step. And
you know, big art experts borrow books too.
