Ross:
In order for this collaboration to work each individual practice cannot stray too far from the other, and we must have a continual correspondence through our visual thoughts.
With this in mind I am currently putting together a pack to send to Richard. He has been utilising photography to create images from his studio. My understanding is that these works are a representation of Richard’s studio practice. Sketches for ideas, collaged to create work. They act as an overview as to what Richard has been doing. I have the impression that these will grow into more sculptural forms in a gallery context and are to sit side by side with my work.
In order to make sure these don’t juxtapose with my practice Richard has asked me to send him some images from my working processes. No finished pieces, just sketches, ideas and the likes.
So this is what I will do.
What ever Richard chooses to do with these is wholly up to him but my presence will be imbedded inside each works.
I trust him fully.
Ross:
It has been a while since I have posted on here.
Working with an arts organisation can sometimes cost your practice, and finding time to create anything can be a hard push. I find myself working with a number of artists and talk heavily about their practice, but as my role does not include my own practice, it can be left behind.
Within a collaboration this can sometimes be difficult. Richard is left waiting for me to come back to him with answers and suggestions for where we are to move next. Alot of admin is required too. proposals and networking are a must in this world and if you are busy doing that for an organisation it proves difficult to get anything else done.
These are perhaps excuses and I SHOULD find the time, and I will. I have been installing images sent from Richard in the abandoned house and finding out that my own work has succumb to the weather. One flaw in house is the broken windows and the strong winds. Lets hope Richard’s work lasts a little longer.
All is not lost though, and I feel that the decline of my work is fitting to the house project. It is weathered and it is old but it remains. It will be found as it is and it’s state will fluctuate. It will get wet and then dry, it will be pinned back up then fall down again and will continue to follow a line where it’s interpretation may change. it will however continue to ask questions. Why is this here? For what purpose?
Chances are most of you who read this post will not see the house and that is fine. Your interpretation of the work lies here, and in your thoughts, that will be as ephemeral as the work itself.
This is what I like.
With so much work being produced around the country all I can hope for is a thought, a moment of interest. Something that might well dip in and out of your conscience from time to time. This reflects my print rather well I think. A state of flux which also references my recent activity in this collaboration.
It is however back at the front of my conscience. Lets hope it stays dry.
Images of Richard’s work will be posted soon, but for the time being I’ve attached an image of my latest work. Plain Cube
Richard:
I begin thinking how an exploration of image-processing and material experimentation relates directly to drawing itself. On Friday last week I hit upon a migraine in the morning, the day was shifted backwards slightly by around three hours. I managed to hit the studio around 1pm with my head wrapped in what felt like cotton wool.
I now sit writing this with extremely sore legs. Yes I had them out at the weekend, camping in east-Lothian upon the sea. The sea reflects more sun rays than you care to think – and then you suffer the consequences afterwards. To put it bluntly I am now in the degraded state of sun-stroke, with a head ache attached.
So I have managed to give myself the same affected state after the weekend as I had before – slightly dazed and huddled. Perfect then to work today (Monday) on images taken in the studio last Friday – in a mirrored frame of mind.
So… I have been thinking. The drawings I have (completed or otherwise) are also there to be photographed. There to be documented. I also have the room now to build on installations and to explore further the conference that happens between the artist and the documenting-tool (i.e. the camera). One and two have become the same I think, and the collaged digital images I am now producing reference the drawings themselves in a documented state – but they also place the drawings in to the context of a ‘wider’ yet controlled perspective. This perspective happens between two similar images recording the same objects.
I think I have used this quote before (quoting myself here): “Image directories. One image holds the centre of the next image. This image gives away its centre as it knows its own centre will have space on the image that comes after.”
This quote I hope explains things a little. The drawings are indeed part of the overall image. But further than this the images themselves, in partnership, do infuse and extrapolate collaboration. One image exists in the framing of the other and vice-versa.
The images are also accepting of the editing process, just as with drawing with pencil on paper. Their conversation or discussion allows them, in the end, to exist as directories for the objects and drawings enclosed in their composition. They are the starters for an installation technique.
