carriageARTworks

The CarriageWorks Foyer will become a mass gallery for contemporary art from Sydney's fringe.

How did you become involved with the exhibition?

This is the first year that I've worked with the CarriageARTworks event and the first time that I've been involved with the space. Nicky Ginsberg, another panel member who has a gallery in the area, approached me. It's nice to get involved in these sort of things because when you're working all the time in the studio it's so easy for six months to go by and you don't know what's happening in the outside world. It's really nice to get out and become aware of other art from the area.

Why do you think CarriageARTworks is an important event?

There are so many galleries and artist run spaces in the area surrounding CarriageWorks and as a result of working on the panel I've been made aware of about 20 galleries that I had never heard of. I think that is the point of the show. It's also great for the artists to see what else is happening in the community because, like me, everyone is often working in their own little cave. I have a studio in the area and in my block alone there are about ten artists.

It's also not simply about exposure, but also about being involved in a group show and going through all the stages, which a lot of the artists haven't done before. There are some well-known artists participating, but there are also some artists that have never exhibited before and so it's a great opportunity for them to hang alongside the works of artists that they have been very inspired by.

What's it like to be on the other side of the selection process?

Yeah, it's very interesting. I've had to judge quite a few prizes since [winning the Archibald] and it's really tough because obviously I'm critical, but art is very subjective. People have put a tremendous amount of effort into their work and then it is left in the hands of the curators. When you judge a prize you might have to explain your decision and I don't want to have to tell an artist why they didn't make the cut. It's definitely been interesting to get some perspective on what art judges have to go through.

How did the selection process work?

We went through 60 odd proposals and had very long discussions about them. Luckily, because CarriageWorks is such a big space, we were able to select a lot of work. There are something like 45 artists represented through many mediums from painting and drawing to installation and sculpture and animation, new media and photography.

Did you have a lot of arguments?

We really did. It's hard enough to make your own decisions but then agreeing on works with the other panel members takes the process to another level. Inevitably, you have to compromise. Like, ‘if I can't have that, then I have to have this'. It all comes down to taste. Everyone had his or her own angle, and I was the only artist, so it was often tough. The gallery owners [Nicky Ginsberg and Michelle Parry] make those sort of decisions all the time. They get sent submissions by artists on a daily basis, so it is probably easier for them. Paul Howard, the curator of a public gallery [Casula Powerhouse], wasn't bent so much towards the commercial angle so he and I probably didn't consider the commercial aspects as much.

How will the show be curated?

Each gallery, in its own space, might have two or three artists. People will be able to walk around and check out what the different art spaces are doing and what their style is. Also, due to the nature of the space we were able to choose some really tiny sculptures and some huge-scale installations. It wouldn't be possible to exhibit those works in the small galleries and artist-run spaces in the area. The space can also be manipulated with moveable partitions, so it lends itself well to a big group show. It is going to be very exciting to see the hung works in the space. Erin Moy