Not long left!
Having moved into my new studio space, written and handed in my dissertation over the two week “break” I am now fully focused on the making of my MA show. I have 1 month and 2 days until the 30th of August deadline. I feel excited, scared, sad but fully motivated to do the best job I can. It’s already been a good first week back, even allowing for yesterdays migraine attack. It was a reflief to get my dissertation handed in, it was good writing it and I found lots more interesting stuff out, especially about ruins, grand projects going wrong and the Tower of Babel.
I’ve manged to create two large free-standing toweresque structures in my space. One is rather precariuos, the other is less successful, but has offered up some interesting possibilities. I had a tutorial this morning, and it has come at a good time. The last time this particular tutor had seen my work, I was in a state of panic and confusion. This was only 2 months ago! My work was, at that point very much related to the ready made, use of materials, and more Donald Judd than where I am going now. From my recent researcg and soul searching, there is a more romantic idea coming through my work. Metaphors, signs of failure and of things that were once great.
I am considering the presence that I want my work to have, and have to think about the scale, smell and tactileness, what do ruined walls feel like? Should there even be sound? If there is, it needs to be subtle. What do ruins sound like? The lighting is going to be the the biggest consideration and could make my work look rather theatrical, but in an art sense rather than a set-design sense. Skeletal remains of buildings and ruined cities such as Detroit and Chernobyl also came up during the tutorial. I was also introduced to Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, which used to be a weapons testing site for the MOD. I am currently planning a trip there to check out the structures which look really interesting and will aid my current practice.
