Emily Gray is a Gallery Night Guide as well as a talented local artist and curator. Check out our interview with her below!
Q: You are an artist and also work at the WaterFire Arts Center gallery. Can you tell us a little about your art and how it impacts what you bring to your perspective as a guide?
A: It is a wonderful thing, to be on both sides of the artist/curator relationship. Having both experiences makes both roles better. My artistic practice is deeply rooted in spirituality and family history and feminine identity, concepts which I explore through painting and sculpture mostly. Being an artist is to look at the world and see beauty and pause to be inspired and receive. This aids me as a curator to connect with artists and take joy in collaborative vision and spatial design. As a Guide, both identities are beneficial - I can speak to both the meaning and curatorial designs of an exhibition and also honor the artists who are showcased.
Q: Art can be experienced many ways. What do you see as the difference in the experience of seeing art with others on a Gallery Night tour and viewing art on one's own?
A: Experiencing art with others on a Gallery Night tour offers a chance to have a conversation about the artwork with tourgoers, artists, and curators. The format is a collective journey that can give way to really fun connections, allowing folks on the tour to exchange interpretations that can deepen everyone's appreciation. As a guide, I’m able to provide context and stories that might not be immediately apparent, enriching the experience further. Viewing art alone is also very important. It allows for a more personal, introspective engagement. Both ways are valuable. I see Gallery Night as a great way to get to different art spaces, to then come back to, on your own time.
Q: Besides the WaterFire Arts Center, of course, what are some of your favorite galleries and/or public art spaces in Providence?
A: I am always impressed by the intentionality and research that goes into shows at Brown’s Bell Gallery. It’s nice to have longer exhibitions to have the chance to experience them several times at different stages of the year. I am also entranced by our peers, AS220, who are on a similar monthly schedule to our exhibitions at the WaterFire Arts Center. In addition to other Gallery Night partner spaces, I love the new pop-up apartment gallery spaces like Apartment 13 and East Manning St Projects. These spaces embody the spirit of Providence and are confirmation to me of our artistic Renaissance.
