Art Across The City 2013

Art Across The City 2013 features five new commissions from Sinta Tantra, Pete Fowler, Philiip Cheater, David Long and Olaf Breuning.

Here, Sinta Tantra discusses her work, Greater Reality of Elsewhere, situated at 229 High Street, Swansea

How did the commission come about?

ST: Just before my exhibition at Open Eye Gallery as part of the Liverpool Biennial this year, I was approached by Gordon Dalton (Project Manager for Locws International) who was interested in commissioning my work for the 2013 programme for Art Across the City. It was peculiar synchronicity because only a few days before, I had read about them in AN Newsletter. I am a big fan of their commissioned artists including David Blandy, Bedwyr Williams and collaborative duo Joanne Tatham & Tom O’ Sullivan. At a time of global recession and drastic budget cuts (especially in the arts), it’s wonderful how Swansea are really taking the plunge – investing in the town’s regeneration and future legacy.

How did you approach the local context and site?

As with many public art commissions, there’s a timeframe in which to actively engage in research. Previously, the only facts I knew about Swansea were Dylan Thomas and beaches. When visiting Swansea I was struck by the cultural diversity as seen on St. Helen’s Road. Walking past you’ll see Welsh next to Ethiopian, next to Chinese, next to an Indian, next to Italian – and coming from Bali, I was particularly drawn to the unexpected presence of an little Indonesian restaurant called ‘Garuda‘. Although I am very used to towns and cities dividing themselves into cultural neighbourhoods such as ‘China Town’ or ‘Little India’, I have never seen such a crazy cultural mish-mash on such a small stretch of road. I wanted to create a piece of work that reflected this experience and challenged the stereotypes of Swansea – injecting a sense of ‘exotica’ into the fabric of the town itself.

Can you talk about the title of the work?

“A Greater Reality of Elsewhere” is taken from a quote from Truman Capote’s Travel Sketch of New York City. I enjoy Capote’s sharp style of writing which lies somewhere in-between story telling and journalistic reportage. For me, the title symbolises the activity of day dreaming whether this be in New York City or elsewhere. Yet the word ‘reality’ also suggests danger – too much dreaming causes boundaries to blur and self control to be lost. As an artist I am intrigued by the ‘fantasy / fiction’ duality – especially in the context of pop culture and the world of art. ‘Romantic truth’, as seen in the drip paintings of Jackson Pollock, has been replaced by the ’genuine fake’ of Andy Warhol – and it is this sense of ‘hyperreality’ that I wanted to bring into my work in Swansea.

What does the palm tree symbolise?

The printed palm trees are in fact photographs taken of a 1950′s brooch which was bought on e-bay and shipped over from America. I chose this jewellery specifically to heighten the feeling of a ‘Tropical Deco’ and ‘Americana Kitsch’. The photographs were then enlarged to a scale of 6 metres in height, placed over the painted background and positioned to create a spatial tension between the geometric components of both the painting and the building’s architecture. I use palm trees in my work a lot and apart from reminding me of Bali, they symbolise ‘paradise’ and the need to capture fleeting moments in souvenir / postcard format. The palms are never natural looking and often reference decorative craft and artificiality . Enlarged to such a scale, the palms in Swansea have a surreal and ominous undertone to them whilst remaining a bit camp and ridiculous.

Can you talk about the choice of colours in the work?

Even though the majority of my work is influenced by a Western art education, my visual understanding of colour has been heavily influenced by my experience of living in Bali as a child. It is often said that ‘smell’ or ‘touch’ brings back memory. I remember things through colour – especially the way in which colours vibrate against each another. I like the idea of ‘colour semiotics’ and the associations one has to particular colours in relationship to either brand or narrative. In recent works I have combined cooler tones of English Heritage with the eye popping colours of digital advertising. For me the juxtaposition of past and present reflects a world that is consumed by the ‘now’, nostalgic about its past and a little lost about its future.

Art Across The City 2013 takes place in Swansea, 28 March – 12 May, featuring new commissions from artists including Olaf Breuning, Sinta Tantra, Philip Cheater, David Long and Pete Fowler.

Here, David Long discusses his work.

How did the commission come about?

David Long: Public and Live Art provid a portal for me to work in my element. Through my involvement with live art in the music scene, I began to establish my involvement within the local communities. I collaborated with LOCWS on an event entitled ‘Swansea Plinth’ last year and from that point my relationship with the organization gradually flourished.

How did you approach the local context and site?

From my own viewpoint, the High Street itself had remained in the undercurrents of the city for some time. The recent development had shed light on this area that was burdened with a sense of deprivation, but is in fact an intrinsic milestone in the history of the city. Beautiful structures stand as sentinels overlooking the streets where the unfortunate aesthetics of unemployment created an absence of community spirit for many years. This was the task at hand; to give back the community its sense of well being and to invigorate further development.

Can you talk about the title of the work?

“To Begin at the Beginning” is a literal title that represents a new chapter or even the turning over of a new leaf for the community. The quote from Dylan Thomas holds an ambiguous grasp of the artwork. The ‘beginning’ can manifest itself at any time and in any form and it is only from our collaborative efforts that Swansea will see it in our lifetime.

Where does the design come from?

When painting a mural or creating live art, the physical expression of painting each line is in my eyes as valuable as the finished piece, thus my chosen subjects often lie in nature, where every form is unique to its element and environment. These organic forms can act as an interesting juxtaposition between the acute angles of the city and the organic flow of nature.

Can you talk about the references in the work?

The crux of the design takes reference from ‘Under Milk Wood’ and also plays upon the archetypal swan that the city is famed for and that act as banners with which local communities can rally around and mutually appreciate. The nature of the work also draws inspiration from further afield however; contemporary Illustrators and urban artists such as Jeremy Fish, Ericailcane and ROA have inspired a continental approach that enable the design to breathe new life into the city.

What are your plans for the future? Any upcoming projects?

My involvement in the city and the local community has only just begun. Having established myself in Swansea, I wish to pursue further projects and collaborate on a larger scale with the city. Plans are moving swiftly upon the establishment of an artist collective: ‘All One Word’ that aims to help students establish themselves within the city as well as further collaboration with communities and businesses.

David Long’s work will be situated in front of the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, 28 March – 12 May 2013 www.artacrossthecity.com

A ltd edition of his work his available to purchase via the Locws website

Art Across The City 2013 takes place in Swansea, 28 March – 12 May, featuring new commissions from artists including Olaf Breuning, Sinta Tantra, Philip Cheater, David Long and Pete Fowler.

Here, Philip Cheater talks about his commission, Land-Marked, situated outside Swansea Guildhall.

How did the commission come about?
Phil Cheater: After exhibiting in Swansea over the past 2 years as well as volunteering for LOCWS, I was already aware of their previous programs and their outward approach to improving the appearance of Swansea and raising awareness of the arts. The commission was offered to me due to the style of my work in conjunction with the other artists in this particular Art Across the City programme.

How did you approach the local context and site?
PC: The city of Swansea has been my home for the last 5 years both during and after my degree. I have always been fascinated with the various forms of architecture and how they compliment each other whilst clashing at the same time. For me the buildings of Swansea act as memorials for the cultural heritage of the city. There is also a great deal of redevelopment work being carried out in and around Swansea but certain buildings maintain their dominance so this was central to designing the piece of work.

Can you talk about the title of the work?

PC: “Land-marked” relates to the context of the piece as the sculptures are based around the strong but simple design of the many office buildings that formulate the high street and the centre of the city. Most of the time these buildings go unnoticed as most of the focus is at street level. However many of these concrete facades act as a backdrop for other events. The work for Art Across the City gives the strong geometric shapes a new lease of life by injecting colour to generate a dazzle effect. The location of the work responds to the regeneration of the city, especially as new buildings appear to be emerging from the ground on a weekly basis.

Where does the design come from?

PC: The design is based on previous works with Dazzle Camouflage and technical drawing, inspired by artists such as Edward Wadsworth, Sol LeWitt and Franz Ackermann. The Art Across the City programme creates vibrant work that makes the most of the blank spaces in Swansea. This design exploits these blank spaces by using the simple but striking patterns found in buildings.

Can you talk about the choice of colours in the work?

PC: Dazzle Camouflage alters the perception of a space or object and with the choice of colour creates a visually stimulating, and sometimes painful intervention in an environment. “Land-marked” does this buy using primary colours that already have a strong relationship with each other. The use of black and yellow refers to both Health and Safety work that I have explored, as well as Kandinsky and the use of colour theory as some colours create an awkward juxtaposition against each other.

What are your plans for the future? Any upcoming projects?

PC: This particular piece of work for LOCWS is going to be the start of a new series, which continues to explore the occurrence of pattern and camouflage in the banal and everyday.

Phil Cheater’s Land-Marked will be situated on the Guildhall Green, St Helen’s Road, Swansea, 28 March – 12 May 2013 www.artacrossthecity.com