Florence Biennale -- should I participate?

[Helenium]

I received a package out of the blue from the organizers of the Florence Biennale, which takes place in December. They are inviting me to participate. I was taken aback though, to see they are asking each participating artist for a fee of 1,800 euros, which is almost $2,000 U.S. Shipping is not included, and insurance is limited to a measly $700 per artist. And I'd have to get myself to Florence for 10 days in December at my own expense. At first I thought it must be some kind of scam where they take your money but it's not real, or like one of those tacky art web sites that say they're "juried" but are full of amateurish, dreadful work so it's clear the standards are set low enough to rope in anyone who is willing to pay.

So I looked up the e-mail of an American curator listed as a juror, and wrote to him asking what's this about, and he confirmed that this is a real exhibition. Moreover, he said the fee is not unusual for European exhibitions, everyone involved has integrity and its a worthwhile event. He forwarded my name to an American art historian who helps organize the Florence Biennale, who e-mailed me about 5 press clippings related to the achievements of artists who participated, critics who have signed on for this year, and one about Prince Charles of England's participation in a past Biennale -- he exhibited his own landscape paintings--I guess at least in his case the 1,800 euros wasn't a barrier to participation ;).

What do you all think? Does anyone have experience with this particular event or have a friend, or hey, a friend-of-a-friend, who knows what these are all about and whether it's worth the tremendous expense? I don't have a New York gallery or any international exposure, so it's enticing on one level, but my inner cynic is saying, "Yeah right, dream on, hand over your money and kiss it goodbye."

By the way, if you don't feel comfortable sharing your response publicly in this forum, you can send me an e-mail at helen@helenglazer.com.

--Helen

[RuBert]

Please note that there is another thread on this subject at http://www.sculpture.net/community/showthread.php?threadid=94

Thank you,

[Helenium]

Someone else e-mailed me to tell me that, as well. I went over there and posted to that thread. However, I think this points up a problem with the way you all have subdivided the discussion forums. I felt from the start that it was much too fragmented but I took a wait-and-see stance to see how it would play out. Now that I've been around it for a few weeks, my feelings are confirmed -- there are too many categories, which puts impediments in the way of easy flow of information and efficient participation in the discussions.

Number one, it's too hard figure out where to post so as to get to the people likely to have a useful response. I've been on many discussion lists since 1994, and I think they work best when everyone is more or less thrown in together. You don't have to read the threads that don't interest you. I think lists work better when they are more of a free-for-all. Most people do not have the time or inclination to check several different lists, and so they won't. Therefore, you're going to run into the situation that happened here, where I had a question about the Florence Biennale, but because I'm not going to check into literally 9 different areas, I didn't know that someone else was already talking about it. It's easier to log onto one forum and scan all the threads.

I appreciate that this is a work-in-progress, so I hope you take this criticism in the positive spirit in which it is offered. Here's what I suggest you do:

Have only two forums:

1. "Sculpture Announcements" (general announcements and discussion), "sculpture focus topics" and "sculpture underground" should be folded into one "General Sculpture Discussion." The distinctions, to me, are meaningless, and separate people who might spot something interesting. Ditto Figurative Sculpture. Why is that off by itself? Sculpture is sculpture, and some of us, like me, are making sculpture that blurs the boundaries between abstract and figurative. I actually think Help Center should be in there, too, increasing the chances that a technical question will be noticed by someone in a position to help. And I think the ISC/Sculpture magazine discussion should be here, too.

2. Consolidate "Calls for Artist Submissions," "Sculpture Calendar" and "Images from recent installations, etc." and "Sculpture Postcards" into the Sculpture Calendar section. That will be the place to go to look up opportunities and exhibitions, analogous to the members-only insert of Sculpture Magazine.

--Helen

[RuBert]

Dear Helen,

I appreciate your concerns, and have noticed many of the same issues. We are growing at an amazing rate so the issues that confront the forum are a moving target. In fact, mostly I have had several suggestions for many more headings than we have, but have resisted them. If I reduce the forums to just two I guarantee you we will also have many unhappy users, so it is a bit of a juggling act.

I have had people email me that they are impressed with the way the site is organized and that it feels good to be a part of it. Our growth rate from zero less than four weeks ago to more than 200 registered now makes me feel like we are doing something right, so I'm not ready to radically overhaul it yet. And with this rate of growth throwing it all together seems the wrong thing to do. The older forums you mentioned are not structured to ever become what this has the potential to be - a true online community and network of sculptors, with all the different and diverse segments that may grow out of such an effort.

This category does have excessive overlap with the Sculpture Calendar, and I am working to separate the two and give each a distinctive feel. The increasing number of posts is a good problem to have, and I will be enlisting help in the form of forum leaders to deal with double posting problems, threads that go off topic, help research questions, and keep conversations going.

By the way, I have looked up a number of people that attended the Florence Biennale and am emailing them to see if we can get some feedback from people that have actually been there.

I appreciate your input and will continue to work hard both on the forum and behind the scenes to make sure this community is a success.