CHOOSE ME

DEAR BABS: How do I get a studio visit with the curators of Made in L.A. [The Hammer Museum biennial]? None of my artist friends know how to get works considered for the
biennial. I wish there was more transparency in terms of how they survey the emerging and under-recognized artists in LA.
 —Alisa Yang, MFA, Los Angeles

Dear Alisa, What a great question, and timely indeed. The Hammer just announced the artists participating in this year’s Made in L.A. While I appreciate your question, I felt I needed to go to the source. I contacted Hammer Museum Chief Curator Connie Butler, and this was her response via email: “Made in L.A. was conceived as a curated biennial rather than a juried exhibition. So while our Made in L.A. co-curators do receive many inquiries and suggestions along the way, the particular studios they visit and the final selection of artists is based on a long period of research and ultimately their curatorial vision. The Hammer curatorial team regularly reviews submissions to the curatorial department and always welcomes being introduced to new work.”

So, there you go. I can see where this answer may be somewhat deflating, as it’s sort of on the lines of “Sure, send me your resume.” Submitting unsolicited materials usually feels like a road to nowhere. If you would like a decoding of the answer above, I would say that your work should be out there in the Los Angeles area in order to be seen by the Hammer curators. Your art should have the attention of LA curators and dealers. Take a look at the Hammer staff, go to their openings, note past Made in L.A. artists. Were they already enjoying an art career in LA? The answer is yes (I’ll save you the research time). Ironically most recent Made in L.A. shows almost always show recognized artists, opposite of their original intent of showcasing under-recognized artists.

The Hammer did provide the address for submissions to the curatorial department by mail—and the team reviews materials on a quarterly basis: Hammer Museum, Attn: Sarah Gnirs, 10899 Wilshire Blvd.,Los Angeles, CA 90024.

Babs says, get out there and show your work. If it’s good, it will eventually get attention.

Babs cares. Please email questions to askbabs@artillerymag.com