Around and about in Linz

Last night I had a late realisation that I actually have a lot of work to do whilst I am here. This has been slow to dawn on me, but shouldn’t really come as a surprise as fairly typically I have set myself a serious task of completing 30 new pieces of work in this 10 day residency. After taking a day to make half one I realised I had to seriously up my output starting today. So I wish I could tell you all about the Linz Triennial which I am determined to see before I leave – but it twas not to be today…

I did however, get out for an early morning bike ride beside the Danube this morning. The Salzamt have very thoughtfully provided bikes for visiting artists – or at least I think they have as I borrowed one that wasn’t locked up. On second thoughts could have belonged to someone here but the novelty of a unlocked bike for someone based in a city (any city) in the UK is such that I presumed it was there for me. Clear crisp air and some good headspace. The challenge of cycling on the ‘wrong’ side of the road drew some comments from fellow cyclists, the meaning of which was pretty clear despite the language barrier!

I got me thinking about how POST have come to take part in this residency and how important the fact the process has been artist-initiated. POST really formed out of mine and 6 other artists frustrations – fed up with waiting round passively for someone to ‘spot’ our work we decided to set up an international artist exchange. We wanted to be more active internationally and we decided to get together to make it happen more. I am really proud of the group and we have achieved so much more together than we ever could have seperately. It’s been a pretty turbulent year for some of us in our family lives – but when one of us needs to sit out for a couple of rounds someone else steps in. Artists need to work in teams more. Constructive collaborating is a strategy that as artists we need to taking a lot more seriously in the UK economic climate.

I also managed to get out the studio at lunchtime for a delicious sorbet with Robyn (www.robynwoolston.com) and Gerlinde (www.gerlinde-miesenboeck.com). Gerlinde is one of the Austrian artists we are working with and she along with Beate and Claudia, has been totally key in organising things at this end. She is a remarkable photographer – passionate about using film and not digital means. We are all building up to the two exhibitions opening here on the 6th of July. One at the Salzamt and one at MAERZ Artist Association.

I did manage to get 5 pieces of work underway. I’m working overlaying the record sleeves with plasticene, mixing the colours and rolling out the little rows to add texture to the surface. Sore shoulder now.