After graduation, it was quite challenging to set up a working environment where I can start my practice. The opportunity of a designated creative space deemed essential for continuation. Artsite ltd approached me with the possibility of having my own studio for a year accompanied by a solo how at the end of residency year. Since I left art education, I started to build up a balanced professional practice.
Making something with an obvious everyday output creates interesting and differing reactions, outcomes.
Part of the audience approach the gallery with a pre-ordained idea of art-experienced in their intentions and some of them feel that the commercial display avenue is a cheapening of the art-ideal; while people who access the place because of the shop-like outlook feel comfortable to look around and engage with the goings on as they would in everyday shopping situations.
And there are the viewers who enjoy the meeting of the two and do not find the concept foreign at all.
For me all it matters that the participant has a willingness to experience and nothing makes me more satisfied then seeing people engage with the work.
Thanks for coming and hope to c u later.
The all-over experience of the EMG show has already had a profound effect on me. It carries a feeling of end-beginning, a renewal of all research and process be it material or mental. Seeing the accumulated work of the last couple of year’s efforts, trials and errors and experiencing the reaction of others to all the different projects, ideas and pieces definitely charged me to engage with new ideas and to approach my current ones with a differing outlook.
The experience made me realize how I continually reused and re-calibrated certain elements and pieces from my repertoire. This made sense at the time and thought me new ways about display and interaction. I do feel now that a period must end and I have to take the work forward with the introduction of completely new work.
I will use the invigilating time to let these thoughts buzz around in my mind and find routes on which they settle, and after I will look for the right outlet.
Everything Must Go Opening 19.10.2012
A very successful opening evening indeed.
The day didn’t go without glitches, technical difficulties aged me a couple of years yesterday, but it was all worth it as the work functioned according to plans.
Finally I achieved my goal: people freely engaging with the work without any instruction. I did present a situation where the obvious nature of its everyday function allowed all to have a constant action at the ready. And those instant communities did form, micro happenings and conversations emerged out of the action of shopping and watching TV, reading through a book.
At the last minute( early morning yesterday) I even edited the music track for the opening with samples from the bbc sound library (thanks bbc), containing PA announcements and shopping background …
All in all I am satisfied.
The video part of the project did not turn out as I envisaged due to the illness of my technical genious
GET WELL ANDY PRESTON!
but managed to loop the videos and the audience got to view them, though they did not have the choice which I would liked to give them: to decide on the selected video themselve via remote.
Hopefully it will be up and running before the end of the month.
Thanks for allwhoe came last night and hopeto see more of you during the next two weeks.
Tomorrow is the big opening day…nerves are settling into a constant buzzing.
Managed to set up the video system thanks to the technical assistance of Andy Preston (Edge-Effect).
Finally the Sale Area is ready to go too.All elements been priced, tagged and hanged.
Tomorrow is only cleaning , technical check-ups, placing titles and statements.
Must finish the book tonight to make sure all the elements been modified.
I.E:
names changed
Photographs altered
Hopepeople will turn up and interact with all the elements.
I made everything as functional and engaging as I could.
Lets create instant communities!!
And another days work done, another day closer to the opening.
Everything looks good, and even the sale area morphed into a comprehensive unit. Much to do still but I can fully capture the final outcome now. And I must say I like what I see.. it is very close (if not better) to what I envisaged.
Completely encompasses the ideal I was looking for: a commercial area with lots of spark and goings on, compact with function that calls for action from all that come in touch with it.
The living room is almost fully done, all is missing is the book, which I intend to finish up tonight… some collage work to be attended to… and the videos must be installed.
The commercial-display is complete. Very exciting, cant wait to see what reactions will come..
Prising is in progress which seems to be the most work and thought consuming part of the work.
Need a PA!!
