For those of you who are interested, we would like to explain how we select and place pieces for an exhibition. This question often crops up. We would start by saying that there are small differences in procedure to fit the requirements of different venues. For example, at some venues, the choice of pieces is left entirely to us. This is not the case at The Savill Garden.
Our responsibility is to make a short list. We assemble a selection panel from our members to join the Exhibition Manager, Exhibition Designer and the Exhibition Coordinator. And we’re ready to go.
How do we choose? Well, there are always going to be some pieces which we reluctantly have to turn down on the grounds that they do not fit the rules set out by the venue. For example, The Savill Garden will not allow anything to be suspended from trees, and they insist that all pieces must be fit for permanent life outdoors (“Art in the Garden” is their title).
They also ask us to be sensitive to the fact that they are part of The Crown Estate so we avoid pieces with royal or contentious political/religious references. We make sure that each and every applicant has at least one piece shortlisted.
We then fill the selection with additional pieces, trying all the time to have a balanced collection - not too many owls, not too many dogs or cats, or flowers, abstracts, naked beautiful people. There must be something to suit every visitor in the Garden. There is no sacred proportion of dogs to cats, figurative to abstract. There is no dark art in the process so far; this is needed for the next bit.
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The Mermaid by Malcolm West
Standing Horse IV by Kate Woodlock
Poppy Seed Head by Terry Smart