A global conversation is a joint exhibition program launched by 21 galleries and local art exhibitions in the face of a pandemic. One of the results of the chaos caused by Covid-19 on the art market is that galleries have come together to create schemes for pooling resources and collaborating.
The most recent expression of this collegial spirit is Galleries Curate: RHE, a new collaborative exhibition initiative that brings together 21 galleries from around the world, in locations from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo, Cape Town to Calcutta, and Los Angeles to Beirut.
At the start of the pandemic, an unofficial group of international galleries and local art exhibitions clubbed up on WhatsApp in order to discuss how to deal with the new challenges of the global crisis. The initial exchange took place between dealers from the three Art Basel committees – Hong Kong, Miami Beach, and Basel – but soon the original 12-member group expanded to include 21 galleries.
It was from these conversations that the Galleries Curate program was formed, expressing what its organizers call a “dynamic dialogue” between the individual programs of each of the participants. Cofounder Sadie Coles says that they compared notes on how to deal with the situation, and then when they got back to work, we wanted to do something to show their solidarity and pleasure in talking to each other every week. She also added that her colleague gallerist Chantal Cruzel suggested that this solidarity could be expressed by holding a joint exhibition dedicated to one topic.
Launched in January, the first part of this joint venture is Galleries Curate: RHE, which takes the form of not one but a series of solo and group exhibitions, as well as speeches and public appearances, all based largely on the overarching theme of water.( RHE comes from the Greek Panta Rei, which means “everything moving”).
These thematically related projects will take place between January and May and are coordinated by French curator Clement Delepin, who is also co-director of Paris Internationale, an art fair initiated by the gallery. Along with all physical exhibitions, RHE will also consist of an ever-expanding digital platform. The platform has a growing archive of materials related to the works on display.
Jean Motte in Brussels presented the first RHE project. It lasted from January 4 until January 16 with a digital presentation of works by gallery artists Francis Ales, Giovanni Anselmo, and Latifa Echakhch, all of which have a water theme. This specifies a group exhibition called A buoy if not a beacon, which is already on display in the gallery.
Then, on January 17 (until February 27), Sadie Coles and Tanya Leighton pushed the idea of collaborating even further with Tempest, a collaborative mixed show of artists from both stables at Berlin’s Leighton Gallery that captures the transformative potential of water, both physical and metaphorical. Participating artists include Alvaro Barrington, Pavel Buehler, Monster Chetwynd, and Oliver Larik, and the charity Water Aid received 10% of the sales.
Finally, on January 23 (until February 27), the Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris opens Rhé, an exhibition of eight works highlighting the “power of this irreplaceable substance.” Additional projects and local art exhibitions will open in other galleries over the next months.
Following this inaugural dispersed exhibition of many different parts, Galleries Curate’s plan is to invite new contributors and add additional curated chapters to spark a global dialogue about thematic relationships between galleries, artists, and their audiences.
According to Coles, it is an expression of new thinking and solidarity between individual galleries that have come about thanks to Covid. This kind of business is so global today and this makes the exhibitions international. The co-founders of the project say that they really love the feeling that they are all connected.
TATE AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES
Globalization has changed the way art is produced, presented, and collected, and the conditions for understanding it. New forms of cultural dialogue and international exchange are developing with the participation of artists, institutions, and the public within and between cities, regions, and continents.
Tate develops joint programs and initiatives with a range of partners, bringing our employees and collection together with programs, audiences, institutions, and individuals in many different parts of the world.
Tate aims to engage audiences in art and dialogue through partnerships and projects and harnessing the potential of online content and engagement through social media. Reflecting on and contributing to a new understanding of historical, contemporary, and contemporary art – its contexts, trajectories, and stories – through research, collection, temporary exhibitions and community programs is another of its goals. And one more goal is to develop strategic partnerships with museums, galleries, local art exhibitions, and art institutions for mutual benefit and exchange.
Tate has partnered with a wide range of galleries and museums to enable more people across the UK to enjoy fine art, share collections, and stimulate discussion about art and ideas. This includes a number of strategic initiatives and joint projects, including local art exhibitions.
Participants can take part in a collaborative program of events, projects, talks, and workshops hosted by contemporary artists, writers, and performers.
Tate Modern has several ongoing projects for and with the local community. Residents of Southwark or Lambeth are free to participate in these projects, including a community film club, a community garden for Bankside residents who have limited access to open space, and regular special exhibition previews where locals have access to the gallery to view the current special local art exhibition for free.
ARTIST ROOMS
ARTIST ROOMS is a collection of contemporary art. Created in 2008, the collection includes major works by over 40 artists from around the world. The guiding principle is to show the work of each artist in special solo art exhibitions.
IN THE ART ROOMS, visitors from the United Kingdom can see important works of art. Since touring in 2009, nearly 50 million people have visited over 180 exhibitions in over 85 museums and galleries, from Penzance to the Hebrides and Belfast to Llandudno.
ARTIST ROOMS gives people the opportunity to participate in creative projects, learn more about art and artists, and learn new skills.
PLUS TATE
This is a dynamic network of fine arts organizations across the UK that exchange ideas, knowledge, skills, and resources and collaborates on joint programs. The Plus Tate Network aims to support the development of the visual arts in the UK by creating an atmosphere in which exchange and partnerships can flourish.
By sharing experiences, Plus Tate members enable more audiences to participate and interact with contemporary art. With the help of Tate, this is supported with thematic workshops hosted by various network members across the UK, subject specialist working groups based on professional practice, and exchange of skills, an annual leadership forum for directors.
Art in the time of COVID: 10 galleries from India and Dubai came together for a one-of-a-kind digital exhibition
Launched for online art exhibitions, the In Touch platform was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented closure of public places and cultural institutions around the world.
Even in its darkest times, art has the power to elevate, bring about change and influence. Take, for example, the COVID-19 quarantine time when art negotiations, conferences, exhibitions, and auctions are suspended. But creativity cannot be contained, and in response to this pandemic, a futuristic new century digital platform called In Touch has emerged that brings together a wide range of programs, local art exhibitions, and artists from different galleries.
At the first event, 10 galleries from India and Dubai showcased the work of artists relevant to this unique time. The Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai gallery reached out to artists during their isolation to see how they were doing.
While some were unable to pursue art, others shared works that speak and relate to this time. Their show “Out-site / Insight” is thus a compilation of the work done in this moment of isolation, as well as others that talk about isolation regardless of constraints.
Experimenter exhibition “We Survive Together” is based on the ideas of collective action, hope, and cooperation. The curating showcases the work of different artists, each different from the others, but still related to their theme.
The local art galleries hope that in the works of the artists, viewers will discover things that are pleading, perplexing, and arousing.
