Visiting NY Studios
Posted by Steffen Böddeker
Who doesn’t want to snoop around some New York artists’ studios? I do, and I thank P.S.1 for making it possible. Studio Visit, according to its description, offers virtual presentations of artists’ studios by inviting emerging artists working in the five boroughs and greater New York area to upload video or still images of their studios and work. Their submissions stay live on the site for at least one month. As I write, there are 568 entries to browse.
There have been other museum or gallery sites that allow artists to upload images of their work. An early one is Saatchi Online, a colossal and commercial enterprise aimed at connecting artists with buyers. The database is so large, the presentation so random, and the interface so ugly that it is difficult to navigate with purpose. An interesting parallel in the architecture field is the young Architizer (in Beta), which allows architects to upload and geotag their projects. The result is a map-based database (entries can also be searched by other criteria) with lots of material that is of interest not only to other architects or potential clients, but to anyone with some curiosity about what is going on in their (or any) city.
Like Architizer, Studio Visit allows (requires?) artists to geotag their studio to create a map of artistic activity in the New York area. It also encourages them to upload photos of the building exterior alongside studio interior, and 5 artworks. The building/studio views makes for fun viewing, although some artists take full advantage of these image spaces to place additional artworks. I can’t blame them, especially since it has pride of place at the top of the screen.
What makes the P.S.1 project successful is its (seemingly) unmediated interaction with the artists. It is a generous gesture (who doesn't want to show at P.S.1, even online?). It seems that anything goes - even institutional critique is fair game, such as Brainstormers’ entry (see also www.brainstormersreport.net). And the limited timeframe will keep the database in check. Too many entries would render it useless, and it is a relief for users and increases each artist’s traffic.
The interface is simple in just the right way, as is the entry-form. My only complaint is that there is no search. Browsing by last name is ok if you do it once, but requires a few too many clicks if I know who I’m looking for or want to check a few names.
Can this platform not be duplicated by other institutions for artists in other cities? I would like to see Studio Visit Mumbai, Studio Visit Mexico City, ...
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