Page 17 - SMCK Magazine - Issue #01

LR: How did you like Schmuck?
LMC: I found Schmuck München too large and it was impossible to get to see all the things I’d wanted to. Either the timeline needs to be increased or the number of exhibitions decreased, which would be my preference.
The actual Schmuck Sonderschau, in the Messe, was quite a conservative af- fair though I was expecting nothing less. The Talente exhibition I found quite compelling.
INDIE GALLERIES’ CHALLENGES AND FUNDING SCHEMES
LR:What problems and challenges do you face as an indie gallerist in Aust- ralia?
LMC: In Melbourne, there’s an indie scene that runs alongside the com- mercial galleries. The Big Four—Gal- lery Funaki, Studio Ingot, e.g.etal, and Pieces of Eight—focus on retail sales and commissions. They all have an ex- hibition program by artists they repre- sent. Occasionally non represented artists are included in group exhibiti- ons, most notably the Mari Funaki Award for Contemporary Jewellery, which attracts the rock stars. There are some public galleries, museums, and organisations that have the odd con- temporary jewellery show.
There is the fabulous Radiant Pavilion, the Jewellery and Object Biennial, which is attracting global applications. TempContemp is different. We explore jewellery as an interdisciplinary practice, as a place of experimenta- tion, trying new concepts and ideas without the pressure of having to make sales.
Melbourne is the jewellery galleries hotspot. Survival isn’t easy for any of the various components of the system. Like most arts communities, jewellery is underfunded, underappreciated, and not widely understood. If you ma- nage to secure stable work in the sector, it’s poorly paid and overworked in comparison. Exploitation occurs. There is no established centuries-old integration of the arts and know-ledge of history in everyday life. That can also be an advantage. Grants are the usual way to get funds for a project. We secured two Arts Investment grants from the local council, Moreland. So- metimes the pay-to-play model is the only way to survive. It’s a system fraught with ethical and moral consi- derations.
Without the volunteers we wouldn’t exist. Some of our fab volunteers: Claire Vaganiance, Peregrine Costa, Jessica Phippen, Aphra Cheesman, Fiona Fitzgerald, the Insecurity Guards and many others.
LR: What kind of artists did you pre- sent in TempContemp Gallery?
LMC: In our time at Northcity4, our pre- vious brick-and-mortar address, we produced group exhibitions: I Hate Contemporary Jewellery, Do You Copy?, Schmuck/Schmock, and Radi- cal Pavlova; a one-night event.
I curated The Urban Gleaner and the Plastique Pt.II. for the Climarte festival. We also put on one pay-to-play model exhibition, In Dialogue, for Radiant Pa- vilion 2019. Our final exhibition, O, was a group exhibition by some of our in- credible volunteers.
The various artists came from all around the world. We did take a 20 percent commission on sales and have acquired some works exhibited in these shows for the TempContemp Collection. We selected pieces that we
“
I want things
to happen that I never even thought possible.
I want the industry ”
to be moved
by this happening
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Photo: Anthony Paine