Keeping Time

I’m writing this in the Project Space, waiting for today’s videos to render.

It is so luxurious, having all this time to dedicate to a single project with no distractions from elsewhere. It means I can develop my equipment and my method gradually over days, fixing imperfections one by one until I’m looking at exactly what I want to see. And as I get to grips with the practicalities, the ideas have been developing smoothly in the background, as happens sometimes when I’m cooking or gardening or (ha! says Anton) doing housework.

Today’s main achievement has been getting a deliciously clear picture out of the camera. It’s been a process of further grappling with the curly-legged tripod, replacing yesterday’s cable ties with new ones that position the pen at right angles to the camera lens, rearranging the lights around the light tent until there is almost no shadow, and eliminating the remaining scrap of shadow on the computer.

The matchstick camera couldn’t pick up the grain of the paper, but in this proper camera it’s everywhere. Though I like the look of the grain, the problem is that it moves around with the nib of the pen, so the ink always looks grounded rather than skidding through space. So I’ve eliminated the grain of the page by adjusting the exposure in Final Cut. Here’s a video of what I’ve got so far.

Now I’m happy with the image quality, I’ll have a go at making the ACTUAL videos. That’s tomorrow’s job. I’d like to produce two videos that run in conversation with one another, replying and replying and replying. Not often words, usually just lines and shapes. I’ve had a go today and I can see it’ll take a lot of practice.

Next thing will be to try out the videos with the exact projectors I’ll be using for the exhibition, to make sure the colour turns out as I’m expecting.

And I’m thinking about showing the finished conversations too: the scribbles of pen left over on the paper. I like how insignificant they look, and how insignificant they are. They’re just what’s left behind after the dance, not meant to be looked at at all.

(I’m writing during the day because this evening I’m going to my second etching class. I started last week and I love it. You draw a line, and there it is in metal.)

Several hours of the morning were spent grappling in ever-decreasing circles with the limbs of a curly-legged tripod. Late into the afternoon I discovered cable ties and we are now best friends.

I was doing all this because I’ve realised I won’t be able to get the video quality of the matchstick camera high enough to project onto my big screens, so I’m reverting to an ordinary camera to make all the films. The curly-legged tripod is an attempt at a more heavy duty version of the matchstick camera clamp I made out of wire the other week.

Some success with the new setup. I’ll post a video soon. I had some of today’s experiments playing on the big screen during today’s Open Studio, and here are some of the visitor comments I particularly liked:

– “like liquorice”

– “like stitching, going through the page”

– “like a black hole swallowing up the lines”

Interesting that most people’s first responses were similes.

Walking over to the art shop to pick up some materials this afternoon, I think I settled on a form for the final work. But I don’t want to write it here yet, it needs more thought.

I moved my equipment into the project space today: four bags, some packaged paper, a rucksack and a wrapped-up sheet of glass I labelled GLASS in a moment of undue clarity last night.

The gallery’s closed to the public on Mondays, which has made for a relaxed start to the residency. Today has been mainly for setting things up and checking things work, and I think I got through everything I wanted to get done: the projectors work, we’ve figured out how to show different but synchronized videos from a single computer onto two projectors (no mean feat), the light tent is all set up, and I’ve made progress on the text itself. I’d hoped to have finished the text completely, but no.

Some things I mustn’t forget for tomorrow:

– AV cable (amp to speakers)

– support for glass (but WHAT can I use?)

– Tate Britain ‘Musica Practica’ photos

– Bodleian map

– Tate Britain map

and, in parentheses,

– our friends at the HMRC.

Tomorrow begins with a second site visit to the outdoor quads of the Bodleian Library, where we’ve programmed a performance of ‘Musica Practica’ on March 11. N made an initial site visit this morning to agree on our ideal format for the event, and tomorrow we’re meeting with a Bodleian representative to discuss it.

I got a friendly email in the afternoon inviting me to lunch at my old university to talk to them about the residency. A similar email came from another organisation who are visiting on Wednesday, in case we might find ways of collaborating on the basis of the kind of work I’m doing here. AND, tomorrow the local press are visiting to find out about the project and take photos, so I hear. Three days a week the studio is open to the public for two hours too, and I’m sure this dialogue and feedback will be immensely valuable. I’m looking forward to these conversations a great deal.

Meanwhile I can see it’ll be important to work VERY concentratedly during the dedicated private studio hours, to make sure I actually get everything done. From here, two weeks feels like a manageably long stretch, but I’m sure it’ll go by in no time.

Oh And! Come and visit!

Modern Art Oxford, 30 Pembroke Street
Oxford OX1 1BP

Project Space Residency: 31.01.2012 — 09.02.2012. Drop in any time during the Open Studio: Tuesday – Thursday, 1 – 3pm. Free admission.

Still mainly horizontal. Almost forgot:

– audio recorder

– headphones

– all the cables

On Monday I’m moving into the Project Space at Modern Art Oxford. At that point I’ll have two weeks to prepare new work for an exhibition that opens in the third week. This calls for a list.

– all the tripods

– all the pens

– lamps

– light tent

– wire & pliers

– matchstick camera, fabric tape

– matchstick batteries

– stills camera

– laptop

– laptop bracket

– projector cable

– tracing paper

– glass (A3?)

– glass supports

– tape, scissors, knife, etc

– the drawings

– cards

– folding paper

As is customary before I project I don’t want to get ill for, I’ve got ill. There’s a fever going round. So today and tomorrow I am staying strategically horizontal.