I was in Colchester again for the first time in ages last weekend. I visited the First Site gallery and reminisced about how, in 2015, a lively, enthusiastic audience participated in my 10×10 project. For one reason and another, I haven’t been able to present the project since and can’t believe it’s now eight years since the last objects were exchanged, left in the 10×10 cabinet by the general public in Colchester. It was a particularly pleasant day, I recall – the local community engaging with the project in a really thoughtful and considered way.
Scroll on from that time and five years ago, 10×10 should have been part of the Deptford X festival, the Colchester objects up for exchange with an entirely new audience. But I had to cancel at the last minute due to illness. I was gutted at the time, I remember, but I had no choice in the matter and was in hospital throughout the entire run of Deptford X that year.
And so, I’m extremely excited to be able to show 10×10 at this year’s Deptford X fringe festival. This year, the Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary and organisers are particularly keen to include projects from previous festival years.
I’ve always loved this project – love the way it’s unfolded in quite unexpected ways. Many of the stories associated with the objects left behind are quite remarkable. One day I really will record them all. For now, it’s all about sprucing up the 10×10 cabinet and locating the box which holds the 100 objects exchanged at First Site in Colchester. I have very little recollection of any of these objects so it will be fascinating to see what’s there and what I have to display in 10×10′s next public outing. The theme of value and worth runs deep in this project and while on the surface, objects might look pretty worthless, the narrative behind them gives them a much greater value. As I asked in the original 10×10 literature, at a point when I had no idea how the project would evolve: ‘Would it be people’s generosity or meanness that triumphed when it came to the value of the objects that were bartered? Would the piece be ‘worth more’ at the end of the process?’
If you’re familiar with this project, all of the above will make sense. If not, and you’d like to know more about it, this link leads you to a short synopsis of what 10×10 is all about: http://www.katemurdochartist.com/10×10.html
Details to follow re further dates and times but Deptford X has its opening night on Friday, September 22nd from 5-9pm. The 10×10 cabinet will be on display, upstairs in the ArtHub gallery at 5-9 Creekside, Deptford on this date and then open for exchanges to be made on Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th from 12-6pm.
Everyone is welcome.
