a day in the studio

Although I am primarily a painter, I did go back to school to get an MFA in Interactive Installation Art. It was something I am interested in and at the time, I knew nothing about. I learned a lot. The most important thing is that most installations are site specific. Meaning as an artist, I don’t have a finished piece that will be attached to a wall. I may have computers and wires and cameras to deal with. And my gallery director does not know what the finished piece ll look like or possibly, how it will work.

So in an attempt to make things easier for all involved, and interactive artist would make a creative brief that helps to clarify the process. The creative brief is paper. Think of it like a term paper written in college or a manual on how to use your car. It explains the idea, what you want it to look like, what want the viewer to get out of it and all the aesthetic and technical issues that may come into play as you are setting up the installation for the first time. You can break it up into sections or chapters. The great thing about a creative brief is that it really gets everyone on the same page. It also helps you as the artist clarify the look and feel of the piece.

Here is a link for a piece I did in school called, “What is Beautiful?” The creative brief includes It includes a Vision Statement, a Creative Concept, Visual Specifications and a Budget.

http://kathleenhmahoney.com/interact/beauty.html

Abstract or Vision Statement or Conceptual Consideration or Project Description or Creative Challenge

The Project description or Vision Statement is your idea. Where did it come from? Why are you turning the idea into art? What are you trying to say? Are you asking a question or making a statement?

Creative Concept

The Creative Concept is what you think it will look like when it is done. What does the space look like? How will users view and interact with the piece? This overlaps the next section, but the extra research really helps.

Examples of User Experience

Make samples however you can of the user experience. The more detailed you can get the better.  This was the hardest part of the Thesis process for me and my classmates. Each project was unique with a unique look and feel and each artist had different issues when developing a user experience. I found that creating schematics, diagrams and flow charts in Illustrator of the space from eye level and above made a big difference. Showing other artists and asking them to envision how they would react was eye-opening. Nobody ever perceives the work the way you expect them to. It is part of what makes art…art.

Aesthetic and Technical Issues or Situation Analysis

This is your opportunity to tell the person displaying the piece what to expect in terms of equipment. Difficulties due to equipment issues ca also be discussed. For my thesis installation, my technical issues included what software I used and what hardware was used to display the piece.

Budget and Timeline

These are pretty much self explanatory and may not be neccesary for every piece. How much will it cost to rent or purchase equipment for the length of the exhibition? And how long will it take to produce the piece in your studio for display? For instance, it took me 2 years to paint the paintings for my Thesis project, and just as long to write the code. I had to work backwards from the final exhibition date to figure when to set deadlines for myself. Working backwards and setting smaller deadlines for a bigger project really helps.

Influences

It always helps to look at other artists and their work to help define where your work fits in the larger art world.

Promotional Strategy

Finally, how are you going to tell people where and when and how do you know if the exhibition was successful? Print promotional materials, social networking? Invitations sent in the mail? You put all this time into a piece created to involve an audience, now don’t forget to make sure they see it. Your promotional strategy may not be part of a creative brief submitted to a gallery, but it should be something you think about and put in writing, with a timeline to include designing and printing.

Documentation

Documentation is not part of your creative brief, but it essential to being an artist, especially an interactive installation artist. Take photos of the work in progress. Take video of yourself creating the work. Do you have enough visuals you could make a video of the exhibition? For the “What is Beautiful?” piece, I would definitely film the installation of the exhibition as well as viewers responding. Then I would have something for my online portfolio as well as other galleries.

It is a lot, I know, but research and organization only make you a better artist and galleries more willing to take a chance. You deserve the attention for your work. Make sure you represent yourself in the best possible light. And remember, it’s part of the plan.