Democratic art

One of my favourite art galleries in Sydney is the tiny Gallery8 in Millers Point. It showcases unique contemporary art from around Australia, and is run entirely by artists, for artists. Although the standard white walls of Gallery8 make it no different to any other gallery in layout, the sense that the showcased art is done so with the artists’ best interests at heart (implied in ‘artist-run’) makes viewing the artwork seem almost an act of democracy – in the same way reading articles of citizen journalism feels.

Artists do not always have the opportunity to exhibit their work, whether due to cost, curation or lack of space. The online space, which is often spoken of as a liberating technology, gives artists the same opportunities as citizen journalists. Although some galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Modern Art display some of their showcased collections online, our feature will seek to explore how artists whose work is not featured in a physical gallery use the online space, in terms of showcasing their work and connecting with other artists.

The web feature would act as a case study on how artists are using the online space. The web feature might also act as a hub for the artists and our target audience mimics Gallery8’s audience – of the artists, by the artists, for the artists.

Image source: Gallery Eight