Identity Politics @ Althorpe Studios and Gallery was a great success.
We had over 50 visitors, which for the first event in a new gallery in a out-of-the-way part of a small(ish) town is fantastic!
It seems that everyone really appricated being able to speak to the artists and performers about the works and everyone loved the catalogue that MSFAC produced!
The only trouble was that a big chunk of the audiece left after the first performance… I think through not realising that there was another to come. Not for next time include times in the catalogue or on the wall in MASSIVE letters!
Some of the photos from the night can be seen on Marc’s (a studio holder @ Althorpe) flickr page with the following link >>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/9shooter/7432847778/in/set-72157630265904504/
Some other photos are attached to this post and I’m waiting for some more from other people! The video’s too large to upload anywhere, but again, next time will sort out a live feed!
Working on a site/context specific piece of work for a solo show as part of the ‘in the window’ program @ AirSpace in Stoke-on-Trent. I think I may have discussed Firewall before (and have even posted video) but the work has not been realised and until VERY recently has not even been in development at all, just waiting for an opportune moment.
I will be showing the work in the two front downstairs windows of the gallery in late august… I’ll post more about the details at a later date when everything is confirmed (it doesn’t have a title yet)!
I’m interested in how firewalls (in computing) block access to files and how if made physical can stop acces to the gallery; with this in mind the work will only be visable when the gallery is closed, if the gallery is open the work will be turned off and put away. Due to the logistics of the space back projection of the video will only work on one side of the building, in the other windows I am making a rollerblind with a screengrab from the footage orinted over. This means that it can occupy the space in a convienient manner, can be on/off/up/down with ease to allow for opening and closing and even just popping out to get milk and questions the material/immaterial devide…
The proposal I sent off for this show describes and contextualises the work by saying:
‘The work will consists of a low resolution webcam video showing a full screen of burning fire. This video will be back projected on to a site-specific back projection screen made to fill an exterior window of the exhibition space, the exhibition space will only be entered to provide maintenance to the equipment inside, other that this the space will not be entered so that the video stops access to space in the same way that firewalls stop access to information, if the gallery is open then the work must be turned off. The work will only be viewed from outside but will be available 24 hours a day providing the gallery is closed. This process of eliminating access reflects not only digital processes but physical ones as well; it is something Spanish born and Mexican based artist, Santiago Sierra has explored in Wall Enclosing a Space at the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2003 but lays more contemporary concerns around security and technology over this.’
work-in-progress
What a day!
This morning I arived at Southam’s Cardall Collection to install my show to discover that the window the work was made for had been smashed over night, not a big hole but a hole never the less! Luckily I had had extra copies of the work printed so had to quite quickly re-cut the work to fit the opposite window and install in that one whilst the broken window was being replaced!
Despite the drama, I’m pleased with the show, seems as its public facing, I really hope people engage with it and seems as its asking for dialogue I hope some develops! Please do use the #SouthamsCardallCollection tag to ask any questions you may have about the work!
Publications will be being distributed ASAP, if you’d like one but aren’t going to be in Warwickshire between today and the 16th July then please do join my mailing list by emailing your name, address and email address to [email protected] and I’ll get one in the post for you!
Anyway to the right are Photo’s of the show, I’m going to go back and get some ‘offical’ documentation when I’m not quite so snowed under! This will all be appearing on the ‘work’ page of www.ryanhughesprojects.net ASAP!
After installing this show I headed over to Althorpe Studios and Gallery to start building walls for Identity Politics and the Warwickshire Open Studios events, we got much further than I was expecting with this which has made the next weeks workload slightly less huge!
Very tired now and have a shift at Leamington Spa Art Galler and Museum all day tomorrow so am going to go and get some shut eye!
This week I visited the BIAD, School of Art Degree Show, I was really impressed! The production levels, contexts worked within, content and general presentation of some (if not MOST) of the work was outstanding! Much better than last year (and I’m alowd to say that, I was in last years show!)… There are several perople I am trying to find ways to work with if the opportunity presents itself! Jack Branscomb was a particular highlight and I have started writing a review of his work which I might upload to interface when its done, if an alternative use for it doesn’t arise! A quote from this text I’m working on is:
‘his pieces, when gathered in the gallery, create a non-place, the literal definition of utopia. They are simultaneously architectural, natural, mountainous, rural, urban and always abstracted. They are without doubt a place but it is one which cannot be visited, only remembered or dreamt of, much like the village he grew up in during my teenage years.’
Of cause I’m already working with MSFAC on Identity Politics @ Althorpe Studios and Gallery, but there work, both collectively and individually was equally excellent!
Now I’ve mentioned ID Politics I might as well mention that work on the show is going very well! Install begins properly on saturday and everybodys work is nearly finished/updated/checked for electronic saftey! PR’s have gone out to local press as well as national and international arts press… Saturday the 23rd looks set to be great! I hope you can make it!
Also starting later this week is the install of Exploring local History through Digital Thinking at Southam’s Cardall Collection; again PR has been sent out a quote from this I was quite pleased with was:
‘the idea of engaging with the recent history of technological culture as well as the local history of Southam as a town is something I find very interesting, it makes the work relevant to an audience whom may never have heard of Southam, who knows it may spark some tourism!’.
! I’ll post photos at the weekend when install should be finished!
Today I installed Marking the Internet and the Physical at Temporanea in Kenilworth, Warwickshire for ASHES2DUST.
Attached to this post (over there >>>) are some photos from the install, theres some other great things going up which I didn’t photograph but Charlie Levine did when she visited a few thursdays ago, she blogged about them (over there >>>) http://curatorcharlie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/brink-kenilworth.html
I hope some of you can make it to the opening party which is going to have band’s and DJ’s and booze and all other good things! All info for it is (over there >>>) http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/443403012355352/
Talking to Tim who runs the space I was taken by how I really like the effect that showing this work in diffrent spaces has upon its visuals! Its never been shown under such low strip lighting before which is really hightening the visual effects that the work has upon the space, loads of reflections!
