During the Spring 2024 semester at Stan State, ASI (Associated Students Inc.) hosted their second annual Student Centered Art Showcase, where participating students on campus got the chance to showcase their artistic talent with the added potential of selling their work. However, one student discovered that a piece she believed to have been sold, in fact, never reached the buyer.
Veronica Sexton, a senior Creative Media student with a minor in Art, submitted two art pieces to the showcase. One of her pieces was sold to the ASI director, and the other was sold to a classmate. During the Spring semester, Sexton inquired about the location of her piece sold to the aforementioned classmate, only to be informed that he had never received it.
To unfold what had happened to her work, Sexton scheduled a meeting with Katie Rotan, who was involved with the organization of the showcase.
Sexton and Rotan went over the contract given to the participants, in part of which read, “All unpurchased artworks must be picked up from SC 101 by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3rd, 2024. Any work that is not picked up within 7 days of the art showcase is considered abandoned and becomes property of the University Student Center. The University Student Center may dispose of abandoned artworks at its discretion.”
“My artwork was purchased,” Sexton clarified, “So that was really unclear to me as far as picking up my art.”
Rotan did admit fault on the end of ASI for not clarifying the conditions, as well as admitting their inexperience in holding art-focused events.
“We’re not in the business of an art gallery.” Rotan explained, “We don’t know how to plan these things, but we’re definitely working on making sure that they are successful, and successful for years to come.”
Dean DeCocker, the University Art Gallery Director and a member of the Art Department Faculty, provided insight into what goes into an art focused show or exhibition.
“When you have big group shows, it gets harder, because you have a lot of work.” DeCocker said, “It’s chaos to get it all in and out.”
DeCocker elaborates on what their own galleries do to assure both the artist and the hosts are protected.
“For every artist that comes in, we have to have paperwork that’s a contract for the exhibition. The insurance forms that have to insure all the work that comes in.” DeCocker says, “Student work was always inventoried, it was inventoried back out to them.”
DeCocker also emphasizes the importance of contract specificity so both artists and hosts have all the information accounted for.
“Our contracts are really straightforward,” DeCocker says, “So there shouldn’t really ever be a question of that.”
On the topic of what is typically done with artwork that is left behind, DeCocker explains the process of what most art and gallery spaces would do.
“It’s very specific,” he says, “You bring the work in, you’re signing your paperwork, they’re keeping your work, and then once the show’s over, what they usually do, if they have a large space, they’ll inventory the work into a space that’s secure. Then, the artist picks it up from the gallery people after.”
According to DeCocker, it’s very typical for many artists to leave their works behind for months at a time. He recounts how the on campus gallery is still holding onto some pieces left behind from last semester’s Senior Art Exhibition. The gallery or art show will continue to contact the artist until they come pick it up.
Regarding why they choose to keep the work after an extended period of time, DeCocker states, “I think because sometimes people forget, you know, or sometimes people have extenuating circumstances.”
DeCocker does confirm, however, that at a certain point, any art that remains may be dealt with differently to the space’s discretion, including disposal.
During the meeting between Sexton and Rotan, Rotan does say that ASI is aiming to improve their communications to prevent circumstances like this from reoccurring.
“We’re just trying to put on an event for students that gives them the opportunity to do this.” Rotan says in regard to students receiving recognition for their art works during the show. “Just making sure that participants are understanding these guidelines, and what we can do our end to update these guidelines– we will definitely look into it.”
Reaching out to the director of ASI, Cesar Rumayor, on what ASI is actively doing to improve the clarity and navigate possible miscommunication, he states, “It’s still a work in progress.”
