While I have quite a bit to write about how I designed my last show at Newspace, I must admit that there was so much thought and planning, that I’m not really sure where to start. So, I thought I would write about a small piece that seemed to be new and successful.
I love going to artist talks. I love hearing an artist talk about their work, their process and inspiration. Some feel that images should speak for themselves, without the need for explanation. While I agree that it shouldn’t be necessary, it has only enhanced the viewing process for me when I’m in a large museum for instance and looking at abstract paintings or sculpture and feeling like I’m completely missing out. A curator’s guidance, tour, or translation often can transform viewing a show from frustration and even feeling left out, to making some long-lasting connection with an artist’s work. Because this latest series was more conceptual and demanded more from the viewer than in past series, I felt like I needed to offer a lifeline. So, I recorded an audio tour for the show which I’ve been told was listened to and greatly appreciated.
The question was how to incorporate the audio with the actual experience of viewing. Would I provide a cd, or some kind of download that people could prepare on a listening device before coming to the show? I eventually settled on incorporating a QR code into the title/specification sheet that I had letterpress printed locally. The QR code would enable anyone with a smart phone to use audio as an accompaniment to the visual. I wasn’t sure that a QR code (which you can find mostly on direct mailers) would actually work with letterpress printing. The artists I worked with to produce the pieces, Meegan Keegan didn’t know either. They were willing to experiment and discovered that it would and did work and ended up writing about it on their blog which you can visit by clicking here.
Here are images of how the card turned out (courtesy of Meegan Keegan):
© Meegan Keegan.
© Meegan Keegan.
© Meegan Keegan.
© Meegan Keegan.
© Meegan Keegan.
I also used a QR code on one of the project statements for a body of work titled The Lines Between Us, photographs taken on the various cross-country train rides I’ve taken over the last 4 years. The cinematic quality of my work is growing, and for this series, I wanted to incorporate a piece of music to the experience of viewing this wall of images (seen below printed on the project statement).
© Lauren Henkin. The Lines Between Us.
To create a QR code, you can go to numerous sites that will ask for the web address, text or even e-mail address you want the code to link to. There are sites (like this one) that even will create a vector .eps file so you can enlarge the code to the size you want in Adobe Illustrator.
I think, like anything, the QR code needs to be used in moderation, and appropriately. That said, I think it’s a great tool for connecting with your viewers and integrating new technologies with old ones.
Happy QRing!
