Foreword – David Gluck

David Gluck ARCA, VPRWS, RE, NEAC

I was delighted when the Discerning Eye organizers asked me to be an artist selector for the 1998 exhibition. For me to be able to choose a personally selected exhibition of around one hundred works in total, composed of a combination of invited artists' works and those from a large open submission, was a new and challenging venture yet at the same time it was very exciting. I also looked forward to working with five distinguished selectors. I felt fairly well-informed about the particular distinctive nature of Discerning Eye as I had shown in the exhibition and had visited it over several years.

I clarified how I was going to approach my task. My aim was to bring together works in both the invited and open sections that not only reflected my broad taste in fine art, but also gave a view of current fine art practice. I was anxious to show a large number of artists, whose work I admired and who used a variety of media and approaches. I gave particular attention to selecting artists I thought could successfully resolve ideas at the relatively small scale permitted by the rules. I felt certain, from my teaching experience in major art schools, my participation as a member in several national art societies and general knowledge of the art world, that significant works are produced by artists of all ages. I therefore decided to include students, recent graduates, both young and older artists, some established and some not so widely shown. I also wished to include a strong printmaking element, as I am a painter-printmaker with an interest in all forms of printing. Therefore in the invited section I asked a wide range of artists to submit two or three pieces. The work included a variety of painting, sculpture, book-art, printmaking, both traditional and computer-generated and mail-art. At the same time I decided to use the same selection criteria at the open section judging.

I had previously sat on many selection panels, varying in size from six to over thirty people, for group shows, national exhibition-competitions and in every instance works were chosen by a majority vote. On quite a few panels I had the frustration of seeing what I considered outstanding pieces being rejected by lack of votes from other selectors, but that is clearly the nature of the process. However, the Discerning Eye open section selection was very different. The very large number of works were presented to the six selectors by a group of helpers and plenty of time was allocated for individual scrutiny. A single vote for a work meant it was put aside for inclusion in the selector's section. I particularly remember that the first work I accepted was the third work put before us. I hesitated a little, registered my vote and the picture was selected. I felt immediately that I had exposed my taste and standards to my fellow selectors. There was a certain abrupt finality similar to taking part in a dutch auction where the first to bid buys the object. By the end I had selected a large variety of quality works which I anticipated would supplement my invited works. Every work accepted had my endorsement, whereas in the majority voting system my view was subsumed. This year's exhibition stipulation of 25% taken from the open submission will, I believe, have a positive effect and give a slightly different flavour to the show with good representation from both the invited and open sections.

Hanging my section was a pleasure. My invited artists had without exception sent very good examples of their work. I laid out all the works both invited and selected. Due to the amazing diversity of the works I decided to make a very simple hang. I first established a complete wall of prints and photo-related works and then positioned the remaining pictures, sculpture and works in display cases in sub-groups which both emphasized an idea or approach and visually worked together. They were hung by the efficient Mall Galleries' handlers. I was particularly impressed with the final presentation of the two mail-art pieces by Nigel Bents who posted both his pieces and, after they duly arrived in the post at the Mall Galleries, he framed them ready for hanging.

Working with the other selectors was as interesting as it was rewarding. It was fascinating to see how their final displays evolved in extremely personal ways from the open section to the completed hang.

The Discerning Eye offers a large array of prizes which are awarded by the prize giver without any contact with the selectors. Many prizes were awarded throughout the exhibition. Several were given to both invited artists and those from the open selection in my section and I was particularly pleased that five prizes were given to my open section artists.

Every time I visit the Discerning Eye exhibition I am immediately struck by the small size of the works and how the six small individual shows, in the names of the two critics, two collectors and two artists, vary in terms of both individual selection and final presentation.

The 20 inches size limit has both commercial and aesthetic implications. Smaller works can be sold at reasonable prices - making them accessible to a varied buying public. I know that some artists, myself included, prefer to work at a larger scale. When I first came into contact with the exhibition, I found the small scale a little restricting. However, after my involvement as a selector, the Discerning Eye reminds me and, I hope, other artists and general observers, that powerful and meaningful statements certainly can be made at a relatively small size.

Every year the six individual sections produce intriguing selection differences and strikingly contrasting hangs. For me, this is the exhibition's essential strength. Is there a discernible difference between the selections made by artists, collectors and critics, or are the six mini shows simply different? These are questions I ask at each exhibition, suffice to say I haven't yet reached a conclusion, but I will still keep on looking every year!