This last week has been a bit about experiencing the weather and a bit about finding balance.
Throughout my stay I’ve been reading a few books of Roni Horn – whose work has often focused on the weather in Iceland and the deep relationship the people of Iceland have with it. Reading some of the reports in Weather Reports You, they can be hard to believe – but since having stayed here, just these short few weeks, I can really appreciate how the weather is a force quite beyond us.
Finding a balance is important in your work and that of time spent in a residency. Quantity of work or productivity is hard to measure but the feeling of time pressure is a constant. This is of course self-imposed, as regardeless of how much time you have, the task will be completed (just to a greater of lesser extent).
I have been quite productive in a number of different ways so I have no reason to feel otherwise – but there is quite often a nagging doubt that I could have done more/achieved other things.
On a reflective note, this stems from my lack of planning and loose proposal before arriving here. It is great to have an outline or very general idea but I think a more beneficial way of working would be to have at least one quite set objective – be it complete 20 drawings or 5 paintings of x size or etc. . . I don’t imagine it has to be too restrictive but just something more structured which would be helpful certainly at the start when newly arrived.
I have been fortunate that the other artists here are keen on collaboration, and so we have planned an intervention for the “open house” to mark the end of the residency. Looking at themes of value in art, commissioning, choice and production, we will create a “walk-thru” portrait factory. Please Wait to be Seated will feature a set menu where “diners” or “consumers of art” will choose a portrait style and even method of payment (ranging from smiles and songs to telling of facts), all done in a humorous way.
We will also have our individual work on display and it should be a fantastic event to finish up the time spent on residency.
