Cristina Tafuri: The Making of a Curator

the making of an art exhibition

the show: c o n t o u r s

In her first exhibition as curator, Cristina Tafuri showcases five artists' distinct visions of the human form, and contextualizes the human figure within a broader cultural domain.

Diverse in character and medium, this exhibition exemplifies the artists' shared commitment to the physicality of the human figure and their devotion to balancing the conscious and subconscious implications of corporeal subject matter. Amid the harshness of our body-conscious culture, these artists seek to perfect what purportedly cannot be perfected through their imaginative celebration of not only the human figure, but also of humanity itself.

Thomas Werner Gallery | 526 W. 26th St, #712, NYC | April 7-22, 2011

the artists:

Tamika Stump | Nicholas Rispoli | Lauren Woods | Uziel Duarte|Miles Yoshida

MICHELLE S. ARAGON, APRIL 8, 2011

ArtSceneToday.com visited the innaugaral exhibition by Cristina Tafuri. Held at the Thomas Werner Gallery in Chelsea [NYC], we intereviewed the aspiring curator at the opening reception held April 7, 2011 and decided to follow this exhibition and share a behind the scenes look at an art show in the making.

their perspective: q & a

	t a m i k o s t u m p

	n i c o l o s r i s p o l i Is this your first showing in a gallery? If it is, how did you find the experience? This is not my first show in a gallery, but it is my first show in Chelsea which was certainly an exciting moment for me. If not, how did it compare to your prior exhibition? My most recent celebrated exhibition was at an established gallery in the LES - one that I was very excited to be a part of. It was different than 'Contours' in that 'Contours' was much more hands-on in terms of being a part of the entire process and working directly with the curator and other artists to create a strong, cohesive exhibition. What did you learn about putting together an art show? Any big surprises? Watching Cristina organize the exhibition was truly incredible. We can all say she did a wonderful job - I'm sure it was difficult for her to balance relationships while maintaining her vision, but at the end of the day we all understood that it was her job to create the show and our job to create the work. We were a family before we started this venture, and even more so during and after this process. There was plenty of work for all involved. What was your goal going in and has it changed now midway through the show? My personal goals for this show: to produce work that is true to my own spirit, take advantage of the opportunity presented, do my very best, and continue to be grateful for the chance to be exhibited among such incredible artists, and under the direction of a talented emerging curator. I stayed true to these goals throughout. How do you believe your pieces bring new perspective to the theme of addressing the human form? TBD Any advice to other emerging artists looking to be exhibited? To emerging artists: I would just say maintain a presence in your studio as much as possible, and keep making those connections that will one day open a door for you. It will happen. Work, work, work.

l a u r e n w o o d s

Is this your first showing in a gallery? If it is, how did you find the experience?

No, but it is my first show in New York since my graduate thesis exhibition last May.

If not, how did it compare to your prior exhibition?

I found the experience exciting, more people came than I expected. People seemed to be interested in the work and stayed for quite awhile in the space. It was different than the thesis exhibition because it only included the work of five artists rather than many, and our work has a cohesiveness that didn't exist at such a large exhibit. This was also different than exhibits I have had in smaller cities because people aren't intimidated by art here and are more open to ideas that go past a painting of a lovely landscape or a nice portrait. I suppose it is because there are more opportunities and places to view art in the city that have a vast range of subject matter.

What did you learn about putting together an art show? Any big surprises?

Sadly, I wasn't able to help out with putting the show together because I live out of town (Mobile, Alabama), so my biggest worry was my work not getting there in time or without any damage. I mailed it two weeks in advance but I forgot to get tracking on my package in addition to delivery confirmation. So I had to play the waiting game and I was getting kind of nervous! Always remember to track your packages! Probably the biggest surprise for me was seeing the show all together once I got in town for the opening, since I wasn't there for the whole process. I was pleased with how it was hung and the dialogue created among all the pieces.

What was your goal going in and has it changed now midway through the show?

I didn't, and don't really have a goal with the show. Of course, like anyone, I would hope to receive more exhibition opportunities in the future. However, you can never know what to expect from things like this, so it is helpful to me to not build up any expectations. I am just extremely pleased by Cristina's professionalism and her ability to stay true to her vision while allowing some room for the advice and opinions of others.

How do you believe your pieces bring new perspective to the theme of addressing the human form?

I really don't think I am bringing a completely new perspective, rather, I like to think I am adding to the dialogue that has been around since the beginning of art. I am compelled to create art with the figure for the same reason paleolithic people were. It is all an attempt to understand what it means to be a human. Being a part of such a rich and complex history is what makes me want to create art, rather than exclusively making work based in post-modern art theory. Or post-post modern art theory...whatever it is labeled now. With my work I am investigating the human form as a vessel of life, and most of my work shows a figure that could be interpreted as dreaming, dead, or on the brink of death. I am also interested in masculinity, femininity and androgyny as fluid concepts both innate and placed upon us by culture. My favorite art is the type where you see the influences and origins in the past, yet the artist has the ability to create a visual language that is instantly recognizable as theirs. With time, I want to be making things that are not merely appropriations of the past, but rather an absorption of influences into a pictorial language that is my own.

Any advice to other emerging artists looking to be exhibited?

The first is to connect with other artists. Art is so competitive, however, if you don't have a community that you can discuss your ideas with and get advice with your work, it is difficult to grow artistically and technically. Furthermore, opportunities often happen as a result of knowing someone, rather than creating art alone in a studio exclusively. This show wouldn't have happened if the group didn't connect in graduate school. We were all drawn to each other for our similar visions of where we want to go with our work and careers, and our very different personalities. I happened to meet Cristina years ago for something completely unrelated, we stayed in touch, and then she got to know the group of artists over the course of two years we were in grad school together. Everything kind of fell into place.

	u z i e l d u a r t e Is this your first showing in a gallery? If it is, how did you find the experience? No it is not the first time exhibiting in a gallery. If not, how did it compare to your prior exhibition? The amount of artists was quite large for the small space in comparison to previous shows. First time curator was another difference -- so decisions tended to be made very slowly. But it all came together in the end with everyone happy. What did you learn about putting together an art show? Any big surprises? No big surprises. What was your goal going in and has it changed now midway through the show? Goal was to have as many people as possible view the work. How do you believe your pieces bring new perspective to the theme of addressing the human form? There really cannot be "a new perspective" in addressing the human form I believe. Any take on figurative art can be "new." It is a matter of interpretation and context -- at least the "new" factor. It really is more of a contribution to the infinite possibilities. For the rest of humankind as a species, we as organic beings will continue to be fascinated with ourselves and our image. We are not modeled after the image of "god" - "his" "image/form" is modeled after our own. This is just a testament to our unsatisfiable desire to continue to represent ourselves visually. Any advice to other emerging artists looking to be exhibited? Having a community/circle of artists around is a good start. Get out more but drink less.

	m i l e s y o s h i d a Is this your first showing in a gallery? If it is, how did you find the experience? No, this is not my first time showing in a gallery. If not, how did it compare to your prior exhibition? As opposed to the few other shows that I've been in, this one was definitely the most fun. I worked along side close friends and took on responsibilities that artists are usually not obligated to fulfill. In that sense, I got to participate more extensively in the show's development than in any other show, which made it all the more fulfilling and rewarding. What did you learn about putting together an art show? Any big surprises? There were no big surprises. We planned pretty well and reacted to things as they came, so there were no huge hurdles to overcome. Through the process of putting on the show, I think we learned more about each other than anything else. However, dealing with space probably became the biggest issue that we all learned from. In other words, our biggest problem was how to maximize a small space for the sake of a well-rounded show that can be comfortably viewed. What was your goal going in and has it changed now midway through the show? My initial goals were to help the show go up smoothly, get some exposure and have a fun time. After the opening reception and after going through this whole process, I definitely have become more inspired to make more work. So my goal really has shifted towards my own development as an artist. How do you believe your pieces bring new perspective to the theme of addressing the human form?That's more of a tough question. It's hard to say if or how one's art adds something new to anything in that our own thoughts are completely biased. I'm not necessarily hoping that my work brings a new perspective to the human form--my own work uses the figure as a vehicle for something else rather than reinterpreting the figure directly. I'm more interested in addressing cultural and social themes. I imagine that the mere fact that I exist here and now makes the work inherently contemporary/new, so in that sense, I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. Any advice to other emerging artists looking to be exhibited?Take any opportunity to show work; you never know who will come and see it. My initial goals were to help the show go up smoothly, get some exposure and have a fun time. After the opening reception and after going through this whole process, I definitely have become more inspired to make more work. So my goal really has shifted towards my own development as an artist.