Hi everyone!
After spending quite a bit of time looking at artists’ portfolios from both a curatorial and art-management perspective, I’ve noticed a few things that are easy to overlook but can make a real difference.
These are some of the points I often discuss with artists I work with.
…hmmmm)) None of this is rocket science, but a few small things can make a surprising difference.
a) Selection of work. You don’t need to show everything. Choose work that gives a clear sense of your practice.
b) Structure. Group works into series or projects where it makes sense. Their order should help the viewer understand the connections between them.
c) Captions. Include the title, year, dimensions and materials for each work.
d) Artist statement. Keep it clear and specific. Explain the questions you explore and what connects the work, without making the text more complicated than it needs to be.
e) CV. List exhibitions and other professional activities in reverse chronological order, with the most recent first.
f) Images and documentation. Use good-quality images, compress them with Squash, and add descriptive alt text.
Make sure the information accompanying each work is accurate.
g) Search visibility. A well-structured website can also help search engines and AI tools interpret an artist’s practice more accurately. Curators increasingly use these tools to research artists for specific projects. Clear descriptions, meaningful page titles and useful image metadata can make your work easier to discover.
None of this requires an expensive website or elaborate design. What matters most is how the work is selected, contextualised and presented.
I approach this as both an artist and a curator, and I see supporting the visibility of independent artists as an important part of my work.
If you have questions about presenting your practice online, I’ll be happy to share my perspective.