Finally, I have made it back into the studio for the first time this month! Shocking really although it feels really good to be here. In my studio I have hanging up my outfits from past performances and a Safety on board leaflet, which I stole from my last British Airways flight. I have a fascination with ‘how to’ illustrations and the step-by -step instructions of escaping from somewhere. Feeling frustrated with the art world I recently made a statement on twitter: I dreamt of riding a bicycle full fucking stop. I heard the start of this phrase on TV, which I get a lot of my inspiration from and in the spur of the moment I added the full fucking stop. I like the aspirational idea of a bicycle, which can mobilise you although I cut this short reflecting the reality of limited to non-existent social mobility.
For a while I have been thinking about doing an intervention and feel I would like to use this statement somehow. I read on twitter a complaint about the lack of labels at the Frieze Art Fair, which seem to be out of fashion. I love a well type set label and have set my statement in this style. As soon as I typed this into Word it reminded me of the famous ‘fcuk’ French Connection campaigns. Could I simply place this statement on a crisp white t-shirt? I could flash mob somewhere, but were? I did consider wearing funeral attire, wearing a label, using myself as the artwork. However I really like how I could scale this work up by using other people. I think Michael Mayhew has inspired me. If you live in Manchester, would you wear a t-shirt and be part of an intervention?
I have been keeping my eyes peeled for any interesting artist opportunities although I am finding it difficult to find the right projects for my work. This does bring me back to the idea that I need to be creating more or my own opportunities although I am finding this difficult with working more hours in the shop. Michael Mayhew is curating and facilitating a fascinating live art project called In Remembrance, 11 11 11, @ Platt Chapel, 168 Wilmslow Road, Manchester which has different parts to the work which starts with a marathon of performances over a period of eleven hours. The second part of the project is a call out to artists who want to document the event in some way. Finally this documentation will be re-used as a second piece of work in the form of an art installation. Clever really, bringing different artists and skills together which will continue the making process to create multiple pieces. I have applied for the documentation part of the project, proposing to blog throughout the eleven-hour event. Fingers crossed for this one. If you are interested in applying or want further information about this event follow this link:
http://www.inremembrance.org.uk/
Tonight I have been working at the arts centre and I do find it funny the random things I see around the place. We have a lot of stuff just piled and stacked, sometimes with a partial screen placed in front of it to try and disguise the mess. I intend to take photographs of these piles of stuff every time I do a shift. There was a show on this evening a performance called ‘The Great Gatsby’ and for some reason we had to have this notice up. I just think it’s silly letting people know in advance what’s going to happen in the performance, before the audience has actually seen it.
Well it seems the power of the blog has pulled me back in again and yesterday I found myself wandering back into making something (please see previous post for video link). This came about from combing my video frame by frame for a still shot. Whilst doing this I found that the video had a slow, mesmerizing and shape shifting effect on the image. The short clip I have edited has transformed into a ritualistic dance and I like how my body and hair changes shape whilst the audience appear to be very still. I do have a tendency to stumble upon work unexpectedly. I forced myself to go to a performance event on Saturday in Manchester although some of the work was good it worried me that there were only around fifteen people in the audience at one venue. I recognised a few faces although this concerns me that these events are made for a niche audience and not a wider public. Is there an audience here for live art? If people are not seeing this kind of work, how can there be any understanding of the art form? At the moment video is giving me a fresh outlook on my work and I love how easily it can be distributed on the Internet. Making the video yesterday has given me a lift and reminded me why I need to make art.
Re-using something old to create something new:
The Evente, Devil Remix, 2011.
Let me put you in a trance with my devil dance. Follow this link:
http://youtu.be/ZDyH3HEypak
Everything seems to be happening at the moment potential job offers and a possible re-location. Exciting and nerve racking stuff. I have been feeling a little jaded with making work and the art scene. I genuinely thought after my MA that things might take off a bit more for me, which I don’t feel they have. I am struggling to continue trying to be an artist the fight has left me. Right now I feel like my performance training has given me more skills to work in retail than to be a successful artist. So what’s wrong with that? I genuinely enjoy working in retail and the ever-changing environment is well suited to my personality. Working in retail has clear development structures to progress within the company were as being an artist doesn’t. If a gallery represents your work, is that a mark of success? If you are not, how do you then measure your progression? Who knows maybe I will start making performances about the ‘customer service experience’. There is no knowing if your work is good or if you are moving on with your practice, which can feel pretty empty. Or should I respond to these signs that things haven’t taken off so just let it go, enjoy what I have achieved and move on. For now I am not making anymore work and want to throw myself into something else. I feel a change is coming. Out of the studio for now.
