FROM LONDON TO LOCALISM

I feel as if I am benefiting from being located in a smaller urban environment, although we still have not moved into our flat (2nd Dec, two weeks and counting…). I started my position as Lecturer in Fine Art at UCBC last week, and it was a little overwhelming with all the new information, but I am feeling really positive the job and how I can build upon the course as it exists already.

I also held the first Artist Practice Session at Rogue Project Space last Wednesday evening. The turnout was great, around 15 people, and Jacqueline Wylie and myself presented my work. Despite the cold weather, the discussion and feedback was very interesting, and there seems to be a positive response for the session to run on a monthly basis.

I am still somewhat in the research process at MMU, but enjoying it. I have started on a fe wall drawings in my studio. Similarly, I am developing ideas for the Office Party ( a one night exhibition by Ahmed&Carpenter), and group at Kraak in February. I also putting together proposals for projects and exhibits further afield.

Here are some images of the historical maps and documents I have been examining at the MMU library.

So it feels like life is starting to come together up north in ways that I had hoped, with the new job and flat moves happening in the next few weeks. For the various freelance working I have been doing around the north and shows down in London, I have constantly on the move with fresh pants and socks in my backpack, being hosted by many friends. I owe a lot of favours for hospitality…

Last week I started my residency at MMU, mainly beginning with research into cartography and ideas of mapping space. I am reading texts by Timothy Ingold, and ‘The Political Mapping of Cyberspace’ by Jeremy W Crampton. This week I am also going to be researching into historical maps of the North West, making a screen-print of the drawing from ‘Multiple Occupancy’ and creating laser cutting samples from woodcut printing. I really want to spend time thinking about the work in relation to the ideologies of mapping, and its association with power. When in China, there was a lot of production, but I would like to reflect on this further through research, and consider how this past work relates to my next body of work. With regards to materials and processes, I am hoping to make an animation, and also more three dimensional work.

The community at Rogue Studios is fantastic, and now I will be based in the North West Monday to Friday, I am looking forward to taking more advantage of the space.

I have joined the Rogue Studios steering committee which I feel really positive about contributing to for the long term. In my last studios at Creekside in Deptford, engaging in depth with the studio was not an option as it was just to time consuming and costly to travel to their meetings. Soon I will be living 5 minutes from the studios so that will not be a factor.

Discourse with other members in the studios is definitely developing. On Saturday, Taneesha Ahmed and Marcelle Holt interviewed me about my practice and recent work in the exhibition they curated at MadLab. We talked about my interest in exploring the internet in my practice and how I use on line media to expose my practice and make connections. The interview will be used to inform a social media toolkit for Full Circle Arts.

Next Wednesday 16th November 2011, I am also setting up the first pilot session of Community of Practice – Artist Practice Sessions for artists to present and discuss their work. The response has been positive so I hope it goes well.

Otherwise, I posted my first part of my four posts for Or.bits.com, entitled ‘Truth or Lies’ – to read follow this link – http://www.or-bits.com/blog/2011/10/truth-and-lies-part-1/.