Well, I haven’t had a two week break from blogging for a while! That wasn’t intentional, it’s just that well, there has been too much life for virtual activity. Thinking about it, this is probably the right way round!
I have been making a real effort not to work every day and evening of the week, and I count blogging as work, even though it doesn’t seem like it. I’m sure a lot of people don’t distinguish between work and life as they are so inextricably linked, but I have begun to realise (albeit incredibly slowly) that a) I work better with gaps b) I am more excited about my work after gaps and c) it is essential for mine and my husband’s happiness that I am not a walking art bomb.
I have also been staying at Yorkshire Sculpture Park for a week, without internet – aside from the odd snippit of openzone on my mobile for twitter. I was in archway house and had the boathouse to work in. Although I have been to the park numerous times in the past 18 months, this is honestly the first time that I have explored. Wellies, thermals and waterproofs on, it was just a joy to walk around all day (it’s big) and get soaked and exhausted. The technicians all go to the local every day at 5pm after work, so I happily joined in with those trips to get warmed and dry again. It was an eye-opener talking to the technicians about the park and other artists! No Diva-ing from me I promise guys! But no, their understanding (as artists some of them) about how much pressure artists are under is what enables them to support people through the exhibition process. One technician explained that, from what they’ve seen, it doesn’t matter what stage of the career, artists always put themselves under an immense amount of pressure and they often go through the same process. Even if the stakes are higher, the pressure is (proportionate to experience) exactly the same. This makes sense, although I am a bit disillusioned that the image of being a calmer, older, more experienced artists has been taken away from me!
Honestly, I have struggled to get to grips with making work in a park, I just don’t see my work in that setting or responding to that environment. However, this week something clicked and I began to see the park as a construction. It is built (landscaped) after all, and on the overcast days, the architecture in the park blended in with the trees and ground and it all just sort of became one. There are follies hidden in the conservation areas (so of course I haven’t seen these as a member of public before) and I loved finding those.
A man called Cyril Peake, who taught at Bretton College in the park for 30 years, is incredibly knowledgable about the history of Bretton Hall and the family who built it. He gave a 3 hour walking history tour for staff on the Wednesday, so I got to tag along. This was a real turning point and just brought the place alive for me. In the afternoon he also gave a slide show, so I just spent the day in the past, and it was wonderful. The real point of interest for me though, is the student housing and communal areas that will get knocked down soon as part of a plan to return the park to it’s original (18th Century) plan. These 60’s buildings have begun to deteriorate so quickly, even though they have only been vacant for two years. It’s fascinating to think about the decision of what stays and what goes, and how that may be seen in the future. The judgement about value here is based on a number of factors, but I hope in December I can get into them and take some photographs with the view to developing a site-specific performance.
