Armley Mill Leeds residency

Well the show is up and the opening, apart from the ghastly weather, went really well. The wasn’t loads of people there but enough, and I met some lovely people and had some really interesting chats. It was really great too as some people really wanted to know about the work and I gave a few ad hoc mini tours around the gallery. Ace.

I’ve been working on this for the last 2 months and really not thought about anything else (I actually started to think of nothing else since getting the email saying that I’d got the residency in July). So there’s definitely going to be a Armley Mill shape hole in my life. Nina emend really pleased and she managed to get some figs, cranberries and posh juice and the nibbles looked amazing!

I spent most of Friday evening designing a map of the gallery and explanations of the works in kind of museum speak, which seemed to go down well. Once I’d explained what the work was about, everyone seemed to really engage with it, which was great. I’ll slap some photos of the finished works on here tomorrow probably as I really need to go and have a lie down on the sofa for this afternoon!

I’d like to say a big thanks to all at Armley mill for giving me this opportunity and to the staff and the members of the steering group. Cheers!

I did post some clips of the animations, honestly but they seem to have been lost somewhere in the ether. Maybe they will turn up, may be they won’t. I’m also a little worried as they were rather good.

I’m also worried about the snow. Got an email from Nina yesterday saying that because of the technical issues and me panicking (all calm now- see previous email) plus the threat of snow…did I want to cancel the opening? I laughed in the face of the threat of snow and keep looking at the skies. IT”S STILL ON PEOPLE!

Nina said that we could have figs as nibbles as they are in season and festive. I don’t think that they are but suggested (not to Nina that would have been rude) that we could open a tin of prunes instead. It’s a bit different? And it reminds me of my Gran.

Hey, nearly at the end of a very busy and frantic week. Thank goodness. Major technical issues have been dealt with amazingly by Frank the fabulous technician at Armley Mill. THANK YOU FRANK! The space is looking fantastic and I’ve feeling quite proud. Not off the hook yet though, still some bits to do but all should be ok for opening on Saturday.

This has been a massive learning curve for me (and the Mill too as I’m the first of the artists in the residency programme) I’m think of doing a checklist for others doing residencies…both for institutions and artists. I’ve found that leaving things to the last minute; me…always, combined with others saying that they’ve got stuff, or stuff’ll be done easily, doesn’t work. Don’t take anything at face value and as soon as you can get things done as other stuff always will crop up at the end! Major thing too, to sort out who’s in charge of what and what things are the responsibility is the artist. All this should be in the contract.

This got me wondering the other day about is this what it’s like for a self employed artist? The amount of freedom I’ve had has been fantastic but really strange. Like me having to decide the dates of the show etc. really early on, and naming it when you’re not sure what really is happening, right at the middle of the residency! Also being responsible for things and making sure that they get done, liaising with staff and ultimately making the picture of the show in your head a reality.

Every job is going to be different, with different people, spaces. themes and learning opportunities. Keeps us all on our feet eh? How lucky we are…just a shame that we’re not as valued as we should be and that there’s so many artists and not many jobs!

I’ve included snippets of the animation that I’ve done for the show. They’re from the engineering drawings in the archive and I decided to animate some of the working parts. The full animation, along with the other work, can be seen in the MillSpace throughout December.

I’m into countdown now, as the opening is this Saturday the 27^th November, and there’s still loads to do! I’ve spent the last three days glue to my mac editing the animations which I’m really pleased with. There is a slight technical hitch at the gallery though, they’ve had to order a new data projector, which should have come a few days ago but I’m waiting for one of the gallery staff to ring me and confirm that it’s arrived. As they haven’t I can only conclude that it’s not be delivered. I have to also find a way of making the projector and the dvd player/laptop secure in the space as there’s no invigilation. I’ve been panicking a bit because, obviously this is something that needs time to sort out. The technicians are great though but I don’t think that they’d really be appreciative if I turned up Thursday asking if I can have something made. The only other resort is to play the animations on the screen in the cinema….they would look good in there but would look better in the gallery! Ah we’ll just have to wait and see.

The crane drawings are coming on and the window drawings needs a bit of attention. Apart from that..oh yes and the descriptions of the work/map…Not thought about that yet….will do that in the middle of the week? I have to concentrate on getting work finished first, then I can think about other things.
Brr, it’s been ace doing this residency but I can’t believe how busy I have been . especially in this last few weeks.

On another note, I’ve got an interview the following week, about another artist in residence job. One that’s a bit more challenging and hands on. Its also part time and permanent which is perfect. It’s in a children’s centre and I’ve really excited about the prospect of working there. Fingers crossed. So I’ve got to go straight on from this to planning for a presentation. And there’s me thinking I’d be able to spend sometime catching up with friends and tv after the Leeds residency!

Invites have gone out, eek!

Millspace at Armley Mills

Sara Brannan Artist in Residence

TRANSIENT

Exhibition Opening

Saturday 27^th November 3pm – 5pm

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the opening of the latest MillSpace artist in residence exhibition TRANSIENT by Sara Brannan. The MillSpace is a new gallery at Armley Mills – a dedicated space within the mill that will be used as a catalyst for working, exhibiting and communicating with artists and the public, especially in the local area.

We do hope you can join us at this very exciting new exhibition opening.

To RSVP please reply to [email protected] by Monday 22^nd November.

Sara Brannan’s practice revolves around process and experiment and involves a wide range of disciplines including sculpture, drawing, moving image and site specific work. This work showing in the MillSpace was produced by the artist over a 3 month residency in response to the collections, the archives and of the space of Armley Mill.

TRANSIENT is used to describe the passing of time but can also be related to a Japanese expression, mono no aware, which describes the feeling of transience. The phrase literally translates as ‘the pathos of things’ and can also be explained as ‘a sensitivity of ephemera’. The saying is used to describe the awareness of the transience of things and a bittersweet sadness at their passing.

The museum houses a large array of objects and artefacts relating to Leeds’ Industrial history. The work in TRANSIENT deals with objects and materials which are part of that role, many of which are in the archives, and also items such as the cardboard boxes and the cabinets, which are used in the storage and display processes. TRANSIENT raises questions about our documentation of history and how museums construct ideologies and identities by how the past is put on public display.

Sara Brannan is an artist living and working in Sheffield, UK. Originally from Saddleworth in Greater Manchester she obtained a first class degree from The University of Salford and a MA from Sheffield Hallam University. Exhibitions and screenings including Catapult at Urbis in Manchester, in RE:animate at the Oriel Davies Gallery in Wales, Videoholica in Bulgaria, One Minute Video Festival in Aarau Switzerland and recently at Artvideo in Sweden.