Heading out his morning the phrase ‘cutting corners’ came to my mind. Originally used in travel terminology as to take a shortcut since cutting along an alternative path is faster than going all the way round. More frequently used for taking the easier way, shortcutting became tagged with bypassing an instructed route to gain competitive advantage – being more efficient.
Back to the displaced rectangular surfaces and to repeatedly examining the floor layout makes me opt for the raised skirting boards as constructed margins. Those trying to be as linear as possible yet cannot refuse being instructed to detour around pillars, wall extensions and boxed in utilities. Not surprising, strictly keeping to the right angled turns. Here is when I start injecting my playful layer and projecting distorted angles varying in degrees.
Sketching it out on the carpet floor I use vinyl tape to work through its visual impact. Again my work-in-progress photographs are a crucial tool for editing and critical reflection. Reviewing this on screen at my late night home shift I decide to make them out of functional MDF primed skirting boards. After some attempts of sawing distorted rectangular frames, I am disappointed of not getting my head around calculations. However, consulting my resident technician clears the picture and I even get support in the making. Phew. Time is running as logistics are kicking in along with kids-off-half-term. Some tricky gluing but all done soon. Stepping back and yes! I do see distorting as an enforced process that seems to generally reflect on the space’s politics work.
On site, a different mind-set kicks in; working in the office project space rather than studio or home feels like a sharpened focus in a temporary reality. I catch myself aspiring to be even more efficient. Although I do realise, four hours on site is not ideal to work. That’s why my second shift of assessing, thinking, researching and writing is happening in the ‘other hours’ – on the train, late at home or even during time with my little people.
The other day some of the resident artists met for discussing work, the status of skills in artistic practice and impact of developing work. Everyone contributed productively to the in-progress of making and occupying space. Even more, the artists enjoyed playful-explorative ways of interacting with performative aspects of some work.
Our Micro-residency opening is set for 7 June 2013.
