The lines between creator and curator are blurred. This is true for me personally because I am both an artist and the Gallery Director at ALG Fine Art. It’s also true within those roles. Both when I’m creating art and when I’m preparing for a show at the gallery, I look at it through the lens of a creator and the lens of a curator.
This dual perspective is never more evident than in the process of coming up with a theme for the Visiting Artists Show. When curating solo art shows, I let the artist lead. I’m a springboard for ideas and give guidance where useful. It’s much more collaborative compared to coming up with the theme for the Visiting Artists Show. For a group show with an open call, I need a fleshed-out idea to present to interested artists. The theme determines the submissions we receive and therefore the show we can put together. I’m a much more active participant in the creative process.
A behind-the-scenes look at gallery life, here is how the theme for the next Visiting Artist Show formed.
Curating “Evidence of a Human Touch”
- The spark – Inspiration often comes at the most unexpected moments. This is true of the theme for the next Visiting Artists Show. I stopped off at an antiques store on a road trip and found a beautiful copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It reminded me of all the amazing messages behind the story. To dream big. To look at things in unexpected ways. To believe in the impossible. What a great place to create from!
- The research – With this idea circulating in my head, I went down the rabbit hole. I reread Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I looked at it upside down and sideways. I challenged myself to go beyond the expected. This story was written in the 1800s but I could see so much relevance to today. The world it is set in is odd, bizarre and you never know what will happen next. In many ways, it feels like the real world. It’s also an example of the glorious human imagination. No algorithm could come up with it. In today’s time, that is so precious and worthy of celebration.
- The concept – From there, I landed on the idea for “Evidence of a Human Touch.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was a framework for exploring what makes us human and the creativity that expresses unfeigned human experience. I picked out three elements to focus the artistic mind. Curiosity, this represents how you’re creating. Belief, this is more about why you’re creating. Dreaming, this is the state of being as you create. Having a range of options like this leads to a comprehensive show that hits the art from different ways.
From initial spark to finalized concept, I thought about what it would be like to create within the theme and what it would be like to view art within the theme. If you’re a creator and would like to be part of the Visiting Artists Show, expressions of interest are open now. Submit HERE. This is the first step in the application process ahead of official submissions opening in November. If you’re an art lover, hold tight. “Evidence of a Human Touch” opens to the public on January 23rd 2027. I can’t wait to see how our Visiting Artists take this theme I’ve worked hard on developing and run with it in directions I could never have expected.