The most awful sculptures, if you can call them that, have appeared on Dover’s Esplanade. But, not to even talk about the sculpture’s merits or otherwise, the siting of them is so insensitive and takes no account of the existing work. It is almost as if someone thought there was art there already so it would be ok to stick some more in at an “arty” angle. It is depressing. (see also my comments on my news page: http://www.studio308ltd.co.uk/news/new-sculptures-appear-on.html)
Had one of those rare full days in the studio on Monday. A day like that always leaves me feeling happy.
Talking about my work to Joanna has prompted a re-write of my artist’s statement, of which here is the first draft. Any reader feedback on it would be much appreciated.
Clare Smith has been described as a “physical minimalist”: the physicality of the artist’s own body is always present in the work. Smith’s reference to grids leans towards minimalist formalism – a formalism that is subverted through the corporeal intervention of the artist’s hand – a swipe of the thumb, an unsteady mark, a loss of control.
“I subvert my own processes – what I mean is that I aim for perfection: straight lines, cleanliness, accuracy, but am unable to achieve it; I imagine that structures, ordered spaces with everything packed neatly into boxes is what will give me safety or is what I want, but actually, I just want to say stuff it, I’m going in there anyway.
My approach to work is playful – I turn things into games. Games involve the setting of rules, moves and countermoves; sometimes the rules get broken and you get away with it.”
A combination of heat, translation work, DAD project planning, meetings and the general sense of a ‘what now’ while a show goes up and comes down has kept me away from the studio for a couple of weeks – oh, and a tummy bug that kept me in bed for a day with a fever.
Went to Midnight Tango at the Marlowe in Canterbury with my mother yesterday. She loves ballroom – especially the men! I enjoyed it – amazing what can be done with just one dance. We had lunch at the theatre – there is a good pre-show menu. Unfortunately we had to send the starter back twice: the crab tart was supposed to be served warm but it came out cold. it was third time lucky but only partially as they forgot the salad dressing! And then the afternoon’s experience got anther knock when I discovered, after having bought the programme for £3.50, that for £4.00, i.e. just 50p extra, I could bought my mother a brochure with nice photos of the performance. Not having been given the option by the programme sales staff cruising through the restaurant this was really annoying. Lesson for the future – don’t confuse your audience…
The weekend has also been spent home-making – I am without my cleaning help and things had got out of hand despite my husband’s best efforts. I managed to only two rooms and some of the stairs; it’s going to be a long haul.
Also worked in the shady part of the garden – mainly clearing a path to the compost bin!
I’ve just ordered some new materials, scoured the jobs and opps section and am fired up with some ideas to get started on tomorrow.
Phew!
Went to an interesting conference at Christchurch University Canterbury on Wednesday. Joanna spoke and I pressed the buttons for the images. Then on Saturday it was my turn to speak to a smaller audience – local councillors. DAD had been invited to run a workshop on mapping as an alternative survey tool. The session was really short so it was over pretty quickly – despite my nerves, I really enjoyed it and would be happy to do more. This could be interesting business diversification for us.
The show in Leytonstone came down yesterday. I’ve updated my website with photos and also some thoughts on the seriousness of play.
http://www.studio308ltd.co.uk/exhibitions/transpar…
I am loving this heat – especially the warm evenings!
What a glorious few days! Have been enjoying being outdoors – Sunday breakfast in the garden; ‘business’ lunch in the garden’ ‘business’ meeting at the cafe on the sea front where the wild flowers planted as part of DAD’s “How does your garden grow?” project for last year’s Love Architecture festival are really thriving. They have grown from tiny plugs with hardly a hope in hell to create fantastic areas of colour in the shingle beds. All thanks to some dedicated volunteers who nurtured them in the first couple of weeks, when there was no rain in sight. It is such a powerful reminder of how integral nurturing and caring is to culture and the arts.
Clare Smith's mixed English/Chinese heritage informs her perspective on issues of identity and categorisation. Her nomadic childhood and early adulthood have meant a somewhat ambivalent relationship to place, reinforced by the sense of ambiguity that comes from her mixed identity. Smith works with drawing, print media, collage and moving image to investigate this ambivalence, with references to craft, the importance of labour and the handmade. Through her choice of materials and approaches, she creates work which attempts to create a sense of unity, an interpretation of Homi Bhabha's "Third Space" - seen as a space in which different parts can come together to challenge dominant ideas of wholeness. Collaboration is part of Smith’s practice and she is also co-founder of Dover Arts Development (DAD) together with painter, Joanna Jones. This involves working with many different artists, curation, organisation, event management, creating networks across East Kent and influencing the public realm in Dover. Clare works from a studio in Dover. She has an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins and has exhibited nationally and internationally.
