As a member of a-n.co.uk (artists-network) I was invited to attend a free online drop in on 1st April on Zoom, I couldn't make this date because I had a client that day, but they kindly sent out a recording of the event which I watched last night. The event focused on how to write about your practice and getting this right is really important for any artist, so I was very glad to be able to watch and learn.
The artist who gave the talk was Narbi Price a very straightforward and down-to-earth presented and a natural teacher. He has had a very successful career as the Journal Culture Awards Visual Artist of the Year 2018, and the winner of the Contemporary British Painting Prize 2017. He was also featured in Phaidon's Vitamin P3 - New Perspectives in Painting and won a prize in the John Moores Painting Prize 2012. He recently completed an AHRC funded PhD at Newcastle University in partnership with Woodhorn Museum. You can see more about his work and life on his website https://www.narbiprice.co.uk/
Many of the things he mentioned in the lecture were already familiar to me, from my Professional Practice lessons in college, but it was still good to hear them again. (I do find it useful to be reminded about things, and it helps my confidence too). He talked about how to write, then read your work out loud as a way of spotting mistakes and repeating yourself. I learned to use this technique when writing my dissertation and am grateful to my study skills tutor for this. It is a technique which is often a help to dyslexics like myself. He also advised the writer to think of the artists statement in the same way as you would with a job application. Think about what the audience needs to know or what is required for the particular exhibition, funding applciation, press release or whatever and answer these (sometimes unspoken) questions in a methodical fashion.
He said it was important to try and engage the reader, think about who is going to read it and make sure you're not assuming any prior knowledge on their behalf. (A mistake we've all made at one time or another, I'm sure!) Try to tailor what you are writing for your audience to make it accessible. Let the statement be your voice, speaking for you - to help them 'get' your work. Think about what do they need to know in order to understand your work?
He made some key points at the end which I think are worth listing here:
Keep it simple
Keep it short
Keep it relevant
Be assertive
Be direct
Be honest
Avoid 'artspeak'
Avoid hyperbole
Avoid padding
Read it, speak it, edit it.
Good advice for anyone really when writing in a formal way, not just artists!
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