Matter. Noun.
Words are extremely important to me; I don't say I'll do something if I know I can't get it done, and I don't use language that doesn't match up to my meaning, which is why I agonised over this exhibition title for days, scribbling down lightbulb moment ideas and crossing them out just as quickly: "Right Here, Right Now". Nah. Too Fatboy Slim. "It Will Die". Nah, too Uncle Monty. "Death Becomes It." Nah, too Goldie Hawn. And then I got it: This Temporary Matter! Not only is the concept behind the exhibition the temporary matter of life itself, but the work on display is to be created out of temporary materials/matter too! Freakin' perfect!
Matter
noun
noun: matter; plural noun: matters; noun: the matter
Physical substance in general, as distinct from mind and spirit; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses rest mass, especially as distinct from energy.
"the structure and properties of matter."
A particular substance. "Organic matter."
synonyms: material, substance, stuff, medium
A subject or situation under consideration.
"a great deal of work was done on this matter."
The present state of affairs. "We can do nothing to change matters."
And I agonised over the Call Out wording just as much:
"...bringing together ephemeral works created in materials that also have a definite life span. The show's duration will therefore serve as a ticking clock for each work's actual birth and death, and the use of interesting/experimental mediums will mean that the work will challenge traditional notions of material choice and longevity in terms of meaning as well as substance."
And so my intention is to provide a short-lived home for conceptually and physically exciting works that are absolutely unable to be shown in the same way again. Instead of archive quality paper and conservation grade framing glass, I'm talking chalk drawings, piles of photocopies intended for gallery visitors to take, or performances pieces that'll only happen one Wednesday afternoon over a 9 minute slot during the entire festival. If it fits the brief of temporary, then I want it! The more the merrier! Be inventive, experimental, exciting and most of all, use this to show the world who you are and what makes you tick. After all, "You're Definitely Only Here Once" (Nah. Just too damned long).
I'm regarding photography and film in its own right as a documentation of a past act as opposed to a medium suitable for the 'present' nature of this event. Therefore, if you'd like to submit your film or photograph to this exhibition, use it as an interesting opportunity to think/display your piece outside the usual box/frame: site specific projections, (gold dust-like) Fade to Black Polaroid film, Snapchat, digital film deleted after the exhibition's end, etc...
Fire me any questions and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
I look forward to reading your awesome proposals!
Z.x