On Opening Nights and the Stress that is entails
I am still gathering feedback for my online exhibition #TheWomboftheCovid. If you have not seen it yet, which rock were you under. Jokes apart, I want to talk about certain experiential differences between a “normal” exhibition and a “new normal exhibition” namely a virtual one.
While the last few months have been so strange for all of us, I was also engrossed in creating this body of work and marketing it, in the most organic way possible to find true followers of your art. I used various channels and platforms and have collated the information required for the reports etc. In fact still in the process of doing those.
It was then that I thought what about the emotional report. What about my personal experience and how it felt to exhibit in such a manner? Of course, I was very excited and yes, there were nerves as to whether it will resonate and whether I will get a certain number of viewers. Thanks to the divine I did make more than my expectations and I thank my family, friends and art followers for this. Some of you shared it with your friends who in turn shared it with theirs. Feel so thankful to the small world we now inhabit thanks to the world of technology despite the ‘no fly zone’. (yes yes hint hint, name of an artwork)
The 21st August: I had created a build up to 7:30 p.m. on www.joyotee.com
So much so that there was, a huge spike, at the said time slot. Some people even had to wait before they got to see the exhibition. I was with a friend at her place and I was pacing up and down. My partner and my friends were like so excited. I sat down in one corner and told myself, there done. Its out in the world just like a baby I birthed. From here on, it is on its own journey. Saying that I got up and started enjoying the evening.
On retrospect I was thinking of an actual opening night where I would have arranged for food and drinks and would be dressed as all eyes would be eventually on me and of course the artwork. Here there was no such pressure. There was no pressure to have to talk shop or talk art, to sell the work or sell my point of view. Here I was, sitting, seeing the hits graph go steadfastly up, happy in the knowledge that it was being viewed and viewed in places I have yet to visit and by people I have yet to meet. Yes I missed out on interaction something that is fodder for artists. Especially since the creative process is so lonely and this is the only evening we come out and play.
Nah, I think I enjoyed that, that space to be removed and let the baby do its own talk now that it was out of the womb and had set its ball rolling. Always helps that there was no pressure to sell in this exhibition thanks to the support given by NAC. However, we had a couple of sales and gratitude for that too.
How will I exhibit next? Ah well, why don’t we just wait and see. For now, you have loads of art to view on my website and Instagram handles @joyoteesart
