Social engagements sessions with Italian Community young members, the elderly and mid age groups were key to realising my idea for the Sculpture. Many mornings were spent at the ICA drop in centre on Tuesdays and eventually I had decided on a small piece made from brick that some how channelled our private conversations.
The older generation spoke of loss as a result of emigrating as part of the Aliens Order for The London Brick Company in the 1950’s, feelings of isolation, still feeling foreign. Interestingly there was real mix of opinion from the younger groups saying that they still felt like an outsider at times yet fully accepting Peterborough, UK there home and where they will remain.
Outsiders – people who are judged by others to stand outside the circle of “normal”
Becker, Howard, Outsiders 1963 Free Press.
Normal to the local area in this case? In cultural identity?
After many conversations and hours of research, playing with ideas and visiting The London Brick Company (now Hansons) and local archives, I was also struck by the small scale brick c1955- 60 that was used as an ashtray by my grandfather (Nonno – Nino Barraco) that now has pride of place in my studio. I was sure at this stage that the work had to somehow (as the brick did) speak to me of home, being settled, solid and grounded.
I decided on a single humble chair, for me a very symbolic and simple but necessary piece in the home. Culturally in Sicily and other parts of the Italy and the Mediterranean, interior chairs are taken from inside the home, outside and placed in the shade to sit in comfort out of the scorching sun, often alone.
I also came across a print I had made on holiday a few years ago labelled ‘Chair Outside’ and this confirmed my final decision.
While creating the Chair Outside maquette from miniature bricks I began to relate to Richard Sennets book ‘The Craftsman. He talks about loss of the ability to create works with a highly skilled finish because of society’s reliance on new technology and machinery. The industrial revolution helped to create bigger and better but at the cost of the craftsman. As I struggled to cut the mini bricks I became aware that there would be similar comments towards my work too. There are many builders especially in the Italian Community in Peterbrough that would be scrutinising my skills…
Will they accept I am an artist, not a builder just because I’m using brick I wonder? How much will my gender play a role too. Culturally how acceptant are they of modern art, especially from a female?
However there are also other conflicts in my idea, was I creating a Chair made from brick? or a brick Chair? Does it matter? It mattered to me a lot. As an artist I felt the former was more suitable to my project. It defines the piece as a chair regardless of material however in this case the material is symbolic too. I remained confident in my idea to create a Chair made of brick with out the pressure of having the skill of a builder. I did however have the skill of an artist. It was necessary for chair together with the brick to be transformed into something of higher consideration, i.e. art.
I chose a location under a tree in the garden at the ICA. It had a natural void that seemed to be waiting for my chair. After a few negotiations and a long wait from committee members it was finally agreed it was a suitable place for a permanent Sculpture. Health and safety checks/risk assessments done, public liability dates checked, I began work the next day.
Time was limited as it was agreed I was to have the work ready to view for all at this years
Festa Della Republic, 12th June 2016 – an annual Italian celebration at the ICA, Fleet Way in Peterborough.
Working outside was a welcome change from the isolation of the studio. The discipline was the same however. I create a days work, engage, communicate with it then repeat the same the following day until its realised. On this occasion, there were few problems to solve and partly my previous experiences and good planning served me well.
The ICA garden backs on to a public footpath leading to Fletton Lakes. I had not realised just how busy this path was and so the artwork is very much on show to the general public as well as the pre conceived audience, a superb bonus I had not quite anticipated. Building the Sculpture was an interesting balance between previous planning i.e. maquette /research and the freedom to work in the now. It seems that however much time I had spent on conceptualising the work I would still kneed to work creatively, allowing the brick material (and cement) to play its part again and again. The work did however have to change and evolve due to differences in brick shape and the engineering of its overall shape. It felt like a big risk as I was not working in privacy of my studio however I believed in the project and was confident I would make it work. Being highly critical the brickwork could have been more accurate but in the long term it played out well.
Gaining funding towards costs was bonus as budget was otherwise tight. Fortunately there were volunteers to call on when the physical labour was too much for me alone. With more time to execute the project I most certainly would have sourced reclaimed materials. Financially it was not a concern as funding covered them however I would have preferred to use old bricks to work with and spent extra money on a grounds man (it was back breaking work). Using my initiative I found re-claimed slabs which helped to level the ground (remembering water drainage) and drew on any low-cost resources possible with out compromising on quality of the work. My role as an artist and curator meant that I covered every inch of the projects process. The roles seemed to merge equally and quite naturally. It seemed a case of raising awareness of your own work and managing your position in placing that work out side the studio with full responsibility all round.
Although Chair Outside is a site specific, responsive, relational and socially engaged piece of work, it is performing of its own accord now and has become something other than a chair. The tree and nature will grow and change surrounding it, filling the space with an added seasonal scenery to which the chair will unwittingly respond.
