The people that work behind the scenes making an exhibition seldom get to say anything about the experience, so with Fabrica’s new emphasis on giving all aspects of its operations a voice, I thought it would be worth marking the deconstruction of the show with a post.
I am often involved with the installation of exhibitions at Fabrica and am accustomed to the amazingly friendly, family-like atmosphere of the place. So much so that I sometimes wonder if the work done before and after a show opens plays a major part in the close knit nature of the place.
The design of the exhibition House of Vernacular, from the beginning was a collaborative work in its own right, Martin Parr and the directors of Fabrica fleshed out the look and feel of the ‘environment’ as though it were an installation. Colin Holden Associates were brought on-board at an early stage to allow the practicalities of the build to influence the design constructively, and the many elements of each room and location were the result of playful experimentation that everyone felt they had an opportunity to influence.
This approach requires trust and a certainty that the broad experience of those involved is pulling together – luckily Fabrica, Colin Holden and the many freelancers working on the show have a collective expertise that is formidable, add to this the sheer optimistic enthusiasm of the volunteers and it was never in doubt that this exhibition would be something special.
It was really gratifying to notice that the public felt the need to compliment the setting for the exhibition as much as the images that were exhibited. At the opening I got a bit concerned, from all the comments that I heard, that the setting was slightly overshadowing the show, but openings are strange things, and it was good to walk around the exhibition the next day and realise that the show and its environment worked brilliantly.
And so it became time to remove Bogota, Brazil, Germany and all the other places that had become integral parts of Fabrica, it had all fitted so well, I was not sure that I could even imagine what Fabrica’s single massive space looked like anymore. I felt a bit sad about taking away the spaces that I had come to associate with a particular group of people at a particular time – A really enjoyable 2 months.
I wonder how many other galleries can say that their process is so well integrated across all levels of involvement, that a volunteer invigilator can also have been involved in the design, construction, and removal of the actual work, not as a special experiment in worker relations but as a matter of course? In my experience, many galleries waste this opportunity by simply ‘getting in the builders’ and for a few days everyone stays out of the way.
It took 3 days to dissolve the thing, and just like the build, it was a delightful bonding experience with lots of laughter and one memorable quote that just about sums it up
“Creativity is alright but it’s not as much fun as demolition”.
Many thanks to everyone involved.
