When thinking of a college internship you see coffee runs and filing cabinets. The last thing you’d expect would be taking day trips for photography shoots and flying in a B-25 Bomber, but that was exactly what I got during my internship with Artpace.
From day one the team at Artpace began showing me the ropes of the studio department. The tasks ranged from studio lighting and the perfect paint job to proper packaging and shipping for art. Things began to seem normal after the installations for the Hudson (Show)Room had been completed; I got hands-on experience with one of the artists and thought I had, finally, gotten all the studio lingo down. Then we began the preparations for the Fall 2014 International Artist-in-Residence program.
After packing up the Summer 2014 exhibitions the artists studios were left with a single table and chair. The building was humming with the anticipation of seeing what the artists would soon fill those rooms with. Since their arrival I was given the opportunity to assist the artists one-on-one and everyday was definitely a new learning experience. If a road trip to a ranch to assist Anna Krachey with shooting for her show is the only thing on your itinerary for the day then there really are no complaints. Top that off with assisting Takashi Arai with filming for his video installation by smashing pumpkins and then dropping even more while flying in a B-25 Bomber. These are just a few examples of what makes an internship at Artpace more than just your typical internship.
The most memorable part of this experience was the conversations that I had with the Artpace staff and resident artists. No one was ever short on advice, allowing me to take away the most knowledge that I could. What I gained through this experience is invaluable, and I owe any success I may have to the staff at Artpace for giving me the tools to confidently go forward.
– Rian, Fall 2014 Studio Intern
If you are interested in arts administration, development, studio, or education, apply to be an Artpace intern today! The deadline for Spring 2015 Internships is January 1. Check out the application . . . here.
