Even though all residenct artists had a busy week making and finalising work for the final opening we still managed to squeeze a sequential crit in. Talking about where the work is at and how we faced the challenge of practicing in the office space context and co-existent working alongside with other artists.
I am glad of where my work as arrived at and it feels the end of the residency is just a beginning of exploring this stage further. I would like to explore the turned veneered board pieces in larger scale and making them with a more precise finish for cutting angles and twists. Workshop visits to come. I really enjoyed the residency. However, having worked in a big space and project based makes me question purpose and setting of my studio. On my list to re-think..
The curation of the show grew relaxed by talking to each other and positioning work how we would see it best represented.
Noticable common ground, material and humour linking each display. The opening was a great finale for the residency both in terms of seeing how everything arrived together and how we considered and influenced each other.
Overall, there is a strong sense of research, work investigated and made in response to the space and context in general. bringin together artists with multi-disciplinary background suach as video, performance, sculpture, film and drawing made this project particularly beneficial and exciting.
Next week we will finish the Micro-residency with a post-crit meeting.
This Friday 7 June is our Private View event marking the end of the four week residency; meaning packed days ahead to make the final work. Having been away for a week makes me look refreshed at the space and its implications. There is a lot of progress in the work of other resident artists around. As I have been investigating ‘distorted’, ‘cutting corners’ and ‘efficiency’ I revisit my sketches, mock ups and material selection. I printed some images of the space and started drawing a series of potential pieces.
I identified a set of pieces which I plan to make out of veneered furniture boards. Leaving the sawn edges raw is a decision on purpose; no covering up rather showing its economy. Generally, the boards will be flat and turning up or sideways where they are confronted with a corner, or seemingly folded along an edge to continue onto the next wall, yet in a different direction. All should be self-supportive as no nailing or drilling is allowed in the space. Again, the reference to supporting structures comes up. Utilising material that is inherent to the space as well as recognised as fairly average and affordable is important for the work to function.
Reading about decision making and routine I got interested in the term of ‘false dilemma’. It is a type of informal illusion in a situation in which limited alternatives are considered, when in fact there is at least one additional option. How true is this for many decision-making moments! It can arise intentionally, for example when used in an attempt to force a choice yet also happens accidental.
Again, we arranged a group crit to discuss both state of work and preparation for our Friday finale. Resident artist Robin Gardiner felt highly inspired by having access to working in this large space. My ‘viewing platforms’ were discussed as ‘watch towers’ manifesting control and being controlled. Generally, everyone is very positive about this opportunity and the impact on making work in a different context. In fact, working alongside in the same space triggers a multitude of outcomes and possibilities as parallel responses to this large office space. Reflecting critically as a collaborative process is very helpful and reassuring.
