Collaborations, residencies and exhibiting overseas…these are the things I’ve been trying to pull together over the last few months. It’s a mammoth project , which has so many interlocking aspects, that sometimes it becomes quite overwhelming.
I only hint at the work I am doing in this blog, as sometimes it becomes so complicated waiting for just one small piece of the jigsaw to fall into place.
Since March this year, I’ve been linking together my ties with the Norwegian group Small Projects ( who I visited earlier this year) with my own residency and with other artist groups.
The residency in Leasowe was a major part of the whole picture. It hasn’t been an easy one, I’ll admit that. I went in thinking that as I was the first artist to go in there, people would be flocking there out of curiosity and I realise now how naive that was of me. I also couldn’t be there as much as they wanted me to be – the residency was unpaid and like everyone else, I have to earn a living.
BUT – it was a learning curve and I now at least have an inkling of what is expected from all parties. It has paved the way for other artists, and with the right funding, this can be quite successful.
That is the crux of all this though isn’t it – funding.
Today, I am waiting to ‘Seal a deal’ over an exhibition space in Liverpool for a large collaborative project. I have asked for a period during the Liverpool Biennial, which is a lot to ask – but fingers crossed! If it works out, one or two of the Norwegian artists can perhaps use the space in Leasowe to work while they are here.
Life would be so much easier if I didn’t do all this of course…… but such is life.
