There is a reason why it is called an exhibition. There is exhibitionism involved. It is meant to display what the one exhibiting thinks is worthy of being shown to fellow humans and possibly earn some plaudits. In this case the one planning to exhibit is me and what I plan to exhibit are some of my paintings.
To put any creative work out in the public is at one level an act of conceit irrespective of whether that conceit is backed up by the quality of that creative work. I have just begun planning my first ever art exhibition tentatively scheduled for June 6 in Naperville. I have also begun making a preliminary selection of the paintings that I think might be appreciated by a few people other than me.
Over the past five years I have painted quite a bit. I have not counted them but I may have close to 200 works of varying sizes and merit. In my personal judgment their merit would be somewhere between being below average and subpar. Within that range I am choosing those I think will not trigger derision and rejection, both of which, by the way, I am absolutely comfortable with because all art begins with a measure of being uninhibited and shamelessness. Rejection and derision are built into any creative pursuit.
I just saw a 1982 work by the much-heralded Jean-Michel Basquiat titled ‘Warrior’ set for auction next month by Christie’s in Hong Kong at an expected price of between $31 million and $41 million. I have struggled to see what Basquiat’s appeal is but he is considered a superstar artist who would have been 61 this year had he lived past August 12, 1988 when he died at age 28. I have tried hard to look past my reflexive rejection of his work quite like the way I have responded to Andy Warhol but I am afraid I have failed so far. The reason why I mention Basquiat is because art has a way of finding appeal and it is my hope that some of what I have done might at the very least find a buyer or two.
Based on the response to my works on Facebook and Twitter over the past four years, I feel reasonably sure that at the very least I will not be chased by disgusted patrons out of whichever gallery I choose in Naperville. There may be a few eyerolls or sniggering though. I have decided to hold an exhibition mainly to get it out of my system the notion in my mind that what I do has at least some passable visual appeal. I offer none of this preemptive mitigation or extenuation out of any sense of modesty. If I were modest, I would not a) paint in the first place and b) even exhibit them. It is too late for that consideration.
The primary purpose of the exhibition is to make some money even if it is just ten bucks although that will not even remotely cover the gallery rent for which I am trying to find some sponsors. Equally important is to see how people respond to my art. Happily a very eclectic range of people on my Facebook has always reacted quite favorably. Even if I attribute most of the praise to social media etiquette of my very polite friends, it is safe to say that at least five percent genuinely see some merit in my work. I think that is a good enough number to take the plunge and exhibit.
