Just back from three gruelling days doing a filmmaking workshop with 75 12 year olds (25/day). We managed to make 18 films and a comic (pictured) about the bad thoughts they have. These thoughts were, in the main, about their utter hatred of their siblings. To be honest I used to see the workshops associated with council galleries as a sort of penance that artists have to perform when they show. But I really enjoyed it. Throughout there was an exchange of ideas and the inspiration for the photos used in the comic came from one of the kids. I might do some more workshop with school children (but only after a little rest). I must start thinking more about the foundling commission now, I’ve had approval for my ideas & I might be doing some sort of lenticular portrait of the trustees.
I had a meeting today with the curator Gill Hedley. She came to Joking Aside and had a look round. Because of her high powered reputation, I had managed to build it up into a very nerve wracking experience but luckily she was very approachable and easy to talk to. We had a chat about my ideas for the project. She seemed keen on all of them but was especially interested in the video portrait of the governers as it seemed to resonate with Coram’s & Hogarth’s initial purpose in setting up the Foundling museum. We also discussed my aspirations for the project as a whole; sales, further commissions, attracting critical attention, galleries etc. Specifically i am interested in using the commission to attract interest from some London galleries. I am suitably enthused by the project now although I’m sure there will be may problems ahead especially with siting the finished works (I do love being pessimistic)
Anyway my residency for the Bury Festival is about to begin officially so I jumped the gun a bit by going through one of the Bad Thoughts ballots boxes which is sited in the gallery. Here’s one of them:
"Sometimes I’m pleased that my father died because I know if was still here we’d fall out constantly because I’m nothing like what he would have wanted me to be."
I’m just back from the opening of Joking Aside. Had a lovely time. The curator Craig Ashley got a comic in for the opening. I cracked up as his jokes about paedophilia and intimate shaving fell flat on the genteel audience. I’m sure this was exactly as intended as the show was, at least partly, about the breakdown of comedy.
