This week has been full of acquiring and learning. The great arrival of the materials I previously ordered was a moment of excitement and relief. I also now have photographs of the beautiful obsolete buildings that I found in my first week adorning my studio space. As well as the many new objects bought or found.
I have been on a hunt for old suitcases and briefcases since my arrival. One of the ideas I wanted to pursue within my time here, is the concept of portable art. This has a lot to do with the fact that for a long time my work seems to have been getting bigger and bigger and more difficult to install, move and afford. The idea of portable, convenient art seems to fit conceptual and functionally neatly into many subjects I want to explore. Portable work also has a unique independence of its surroundings, in other words… the gallery space becomes instantly where the work is. I am fond of this ideology and hope that from experimentation I will create something that fulfils my satisfaction.
The mission of finding suitcases brought me to discover two amazing things. First, the realisation that now is the time of des braderies (flee markets in the north) and secondly, the existence of a French Emmaus. This information was kindly given to me by Fred Martin, an artist I met whilst on the trip with Fabrica last week.
Emmaus is an international organization and is basically a massive charity shop warehouse full of everything that people don't want anymore. I have been to an Emmaus before (as there is one in Brighton) but not of this scale. Thanks to Sylvie, who yet again gave me a lift, I acquired a perfect suitcase, a briefcase, 15 jam jars, some old pictures frames (which I wanted the glass from) and an electric fan. The place in itself to me was quite phenomenal, an odd but organised assortment of all objects that are out date, used or old set in the surroundings of two warehouses and a courtyard. I only spent 17 euros there and feel that maybe another trip later will be inevitable.
All these objects as well as the arrival of “the things that I forgot” from home and the most recent scavenge of an electronic organ from down the road, means that studio #2 is happily filled with projects and ideas. The frustration of the lack of used and old objects has been dispersed as I now feel more accustomed to my surroundings. I now know it is pointless to try and get anything from the shops at lunch time, apart from bread. And I am even beginning to look the right way before I cross the road, an instinctive habit that is hard to break!
