I guess that most photographers crave seeing their work framed and hanging in a gallery. At least I do. There is one obstacle to that, however - money. Not only for printing (which is relatively cheap, depending on the materials you choose) but for exhibition space.
In Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, where I live, having your work exhibited is a costly business with murky end. Few people go to exhibitions so if you aim at selling your work that way, you'll have a hard time. One-to-one sales work much better since people get to actually meet the person that had created the image and hear the true story.
In general, to do an exhibition in Bulgaria, you need some connections to gallery curators so that you can get a slot at a lower price and yet have some time for your works to be displayed. The bad news is that galleries are not that many and the most desired ones are very few. I, unfortunately, lack those connections, yet so this one was completely off the table, at least for the time being.
Alternative spaces are also very few since the concept of alternative galleries is relatively new in Bulgaria so most people don't even know it exists. Supermarkets and most stores are totally against having works of art distracting the potential customers and as for cafes - they would also require some payment to let you display your work on their walls. On top of that, most cafe or restaurant owners would then demand to keep the works after the exhibition is over since 'they look so good on our walls' - and that basically means you give out your work for free.
So, having an exhibition of prints is quite the ordeal.
As a part of my project, Culture Crossroads, I did plan an exhibition of works but I didn't mean to have it done this early. I have a few spaces in mind and I think I might use the help of the other members from the Association of Professional Photographers to get decent place at a decent price. Some business centers also have places for art works and I might ask the UNESCO club for help. Still, since I was in and out of Bulgaria and missed the whole exhibition preparation and excitement, there was no way to arrange an exhibition of prints for just three weeks.
Still, the idea remains open for my Final Major Project.
In general, to do an exhibition in Bulgaria, you need some connections to gallery curators so that you can get a slot at a lower price and yet have some time for your works to be displayed. The bad news is that galleries are not that many and the most desired ones are very few. I, unfortunately, lack those connections, yet so this one was completely off the table, at least for the time being.
Alternative spaces are also very few since the concept of alternative galleries is relatively new in Bulgaria so most people don't even know it exists. Supermarkets and most stores are totally against having works of art distracting the potential customers and as for cafes - they would also require some payment to let you display your work on their walls. On top of that, most cafe or restaurant owners would then demand to keep the works after the exhibition is over since 'they look so good on our walls' - and that basically means you give out your work for free.
So, having an exhibition of prints is quite the ordeal.
As a part of my project, Culture Crossroads, I did plan an exhibition of works but I didn't mean to have it done this early. I have a few spaces in mind and I think I might use the help of the other members from the Association of Professional Photographers to get decent place at a decent price. Some business centers also have places for art works and I might ask the UNESCO club for help. Still, since I was in and out of Bulgaria and missed the whole exhibition preparation and excitement, there was no way to arrange an exhibition of prints for just three weeks.
Still, the idea remains open for my Final Major Project.
No comments:
Post a Comment