Project Me

The last three days have been great. I have really enjoyed putting together the show with Klas. As I finished up this evening I had to admit to being very pleased with how everything looked. Just over four years ago Klas and I showed together at Målhammar, and just like four years ago the process of working together has been simple and inspiring – a pleasure. I could not ask for a better co-exhibitor.

There are some pieces which could belong to either of us, and some which are definitely our own. The works play off and with each other well. If there is something that unifies the exhibition it is perhaps our shared passion for materiality. In our discussion with the local writer and journalist Gunilla Edström it became very clear that both Klas and I want our practice to extend beyond whatever motivation(s) we may have had to create the work: the work has to work on its own (material) terms. And without wishing to sound too smug, I think that everything in Rest does that.

Klas’ material of choice is wood, mine cloth, though we have both dabbled in the other material. Yesterday Klas revealed that he took a foundation course in textiles including lacemaking before studying fine art sculpture. My final project at Dartington was in principle a piece of wooden furniture requiring me to learn a significant number of carpentry skills. Perhaps there is something in our histories that lends an ease to our co-curating of our shows. Again, just like four years ago, we each turned up with a number of pieces which we had not specifically named or shared images of beforehand. Of course we aware of what each other is doing but now that I spend most of my studio time in Uppsala and that Klas has been busy with other projects we have less day-to-day contact and knowledge about what the other is up to. That did not seem apparent was we quite smoothly started placing works in each of the three galleries. With just one or two re-positionings things were pretty much settled.

Each room has a distinct character – it’s just that I am not sure what that is yet … but I know that they are there. I look forward to getting to know the exhibition over the coming weeks – not that I will be invigilating, that is taken care of by the art association’s management committee. After tomorrow’s opening we have a ’Meeting with …’ evening for the association’s members and guests. This will be held in the gallery, how and what the exhibiting artists choose to present is open and the majority settle on a blend of biography and practice (inspiration, technique, working process). We are thinking of something more discursive, extending from our studio practices to encompass our broader work in the cultural sphere. Both Klas and I work in the visual arts sector, Klas as a consultant for public art agencies as well as a project leader, and I have my educator role. We both are on management committees for arts organisations, and we both have strong opinions on what is required to develop and support artists professionally. I think it might be interesting to speak about this for, and with, the association members – most of whom are art-lovers rather than being artists themselves.

The discussions that we have had while installing and over lunch have been lively, ranging from our frustrations with time demanding bureaucratic systems and our limited time handling materials to concrete ideas of how two of the organisations that we are involved with might collaborate on an ambitious project to promote artists from the region to new audiences beyond the county lines. Whenever I get together with Klas we have the most stimulating conversations. It would be fantastic to work together with him on another kind of project, it feels as if it would be a natural thing to do – and that is very exciting.

Yesterday evening I attended the my friend Mireia Rocher’s opening at Galleri Duerr, Stockholm. I am of course biased but the show is great. It was also great for me to be reminded how much work goes in to producing a good show … seeing and hearing Mireia down the corridor from my studio has kept me focused these past few months. Next Saturday I have the opening of a two-person show with Klas Hällerstrand so a not quite last minute reminder was very much appreciated.

Our show is somewhat different – not only is it a double-header rather than a solo exhibition, it is also at an art association’s gallery* rather than a commercial gallery … and it is in Enköping rather than Stockholm. Nonetheless it is a big occasion for me as I previously was on the associations committee and it is where I do the majority of my art workshops for children and families (part of my job at the local council). Even without these two factors it would be a big deal and a significant show for a number of reasons.

Many of the pieces that I am showing are new, and they seem to be taking my work in a new direction. This is exciting and maybe even a little daunting! Alongside pieces fashioned from second-hand clothes and vintage fabric are three large works made in new material: two single flags and a pair of flags. I have thoroughly enjoyed making these new pieces (all of which are currently untitled, and which may well still be so come the show). New materials and new processes – the flags were made on my new (new to me) sewing machine. Previously hand sewing things has been an integral and time consuming part of my process. Did that though give me too much time to think? There is very different energy around these most recent pieces, and I am enjoying their lightness.

On holiday my friend from art-school and I asked ourselves two questions when looking at other artists’ work: 1, did they play with the material(s)? and 2, did they have fun? We acknowledged that these questions might not always be relevant however they opened up space for the two of us, both of whom are prone to over analysis, to start looking at things from a different (unusual for us) perspective. I think that despite my starting point for the works they would receive a yes/yes.

Klas and I have three days to install the show and have decided that we will both arrive with between eight and ten pieces from which we will curate ’the best possible show’. I much prefer this idea of working together with the pieces in the space, to having a predetermined vision of where particular things will be. Both of us work on quite large scales with very particular materials and it is important to us that the show works as a whole as well as allowing individual pieces to shine. If the success of the image for the exhibition is anything to go by then this way of working should be good for us.

The image – a diagonal composite of a work by each of us – is a thing in itself. We hope to achieve something similar with the show. I was a little nervous when I suggested the collage image to Klas; it is not every artist who immediately accepts someone (especially another artist) cutting their work in half. I am very grateful that he not only liked the idea but actually produced the image – photoshop and such packages not being my forte. And it amuses me that I wrote the short text for the association’s autumn brochure. With a few minor grammatical corrections my text, written in Swedish, was approved by both Klas and the association. Interestingly I found it tricky to translate the text into English for my bilingual mail-out. I wanted the texts not only to say similar things but to be similar lengths so that they looked neat side-by-side. Hopefully I achieved this.

Tomorrow I will pack up the pieces that are here at the studio in Uppsala, and drive them and some tools over to Enköping. There are a few things that I need to finish and fine tune once I know where they will be placed. It feels as though we have a good amount of time to make a good show. It really helps that we know each other well and in addition that we are both calm and considerate people. This evening I will think about prices … and perhaps while sitting quietly with them some titles for the new works will come.

Rest, Stuart Mayes & Klas Hällerstrand
Opening 27 August, 12 – 3pm
Exhibition continues to 18 September
Enköping’s Art Association, Tullgatan 18, Enköping, Sweden
Saturday & Sunday 12 – 3pm, Wednesday 5 – 7pm

*I feel the need to apologise for, or explain, the website; it was made by and is maintained by an elderly member of the association who also designs all of the publicity material. Unfortunately the website is not a reflection of the rather elegant brochures, posters, and invitation cards that he designs.  Please do not judge the gallery by its website!

I am excited and bit nervous to return to the studio on Monday. It’s been too long since I was last there – save for simply dropping off some materials a few weeks ago. An intense two weeks of summer-holiday activities for children were followed three weeks of (re-?) decorating my apartment in preparation for its immanent sale, then a week away, and then getting the apartment ready for the estate agent’s photographer . Although I was very disappointed that my trip to the UK, the first since well before the pandemic, was cancelled at the last minute those ten days I suddenly and unexpectedly had here were put to good use tidying up the rather rushed painting, fixing small but important details, and starting to take things to re-cycling and charity shops. The arrival of my old college friend three days before our planned week away camping was great as she enthusiastically got stuck into sorting out the neglected balcony.

The day after my friend left the stylist (!) came by to look at the apartment before returning on Thursday with a van load of cushions, throws, flowers, super fluffy white towels, and even bottles of very good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The ’styling’ was good fun, the photographer arrived, took photographs, and was away again in half an hour. As soon as he was finished in one room the stylist swooped in and began de-styling (?), she was packed up and leaving thirty minutes after the photographer. I am very curious to see the photos, and very keen to get the apartment on the market.

So with my work here all but done (I ’just’ have to keep the place as neat as possible, ’thin out’ the stuff the cupboards that potential buyers are mostly likely to look in, and ’re-create’ the styling to the best of my ability – I’m not rushing out to buy a dozen cushions,) I can now switch my focus to my very upcoming show – opening Saturday 27th August.

There are three new pieces that I want to make: two of these are similar to previous works so although being significantly different feel familiar in regard to the process (and challenges). The third requires a bit more attention – it’s the piece that I am installing outdoors and it therefore needs a bit more ’resilience’ testing. It is this piece that I am going to start with tomorrow.

Supermarket
My head is spinning with so many thoughts … thoughts that are closely related to being at the fair, and those that have a less direct connection but have been sparkled by something that I have seen, heard, or found myself talking about. I am well and truly overstimulated!

What to do with all these thoughts? How to keep them live? How to give them time and space? How to understand which (if not all) have substance?

Something that runs through, or perhaps is a foundation to, my thoughts just how ’at home’ I feel at the fair. I am very conscious of how important the artist-run scene is to me, and how strongly I believe in its role. Half jokingly and half seriously I suggested to another artist that artists who show (t)here five times should get a PhD. The truth in my suggestion is that what is on show at Supermarket is genuinely research. What I see and experience at the fair is artists doing what they have to do – finding news ways of making and communicating – without the imposition of academic/institutional/commercial conditions. I may not ’like’ everything that I see but I admire, applaud, and will defend every artists’ right to do it and keep doing it. It is vital that there is space for artists to get feedback from their peers, to articulate concerns in ways and means that make sense to, and belong to, their own sphere(s) of activity and engagement. It might be called a fair but I think its sole is an exposition.

exposition
/ɛkspəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/

noun
noun: exposition; plural noun: expositions

1. 
a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

“a systematic exposition of the idea of biodiversity”

Similar: explanation, description, elucidation, explication, interpretation, illustration, account, commentary, study, article, essay, thesis, paper, treatise, dissertation, disquisition, critique, criticism, appraisal, assessment, discussion, discourse, exegesis

Music
 the part of a movement, especially in sonata form, in which the principal themes are first presented.

2. a large public exhibition of art or trade goods.

“the exposition will feature exhibits by 165 companies”

Similar: exhibition, fair, trade fair, display, show, presentation, demonstration, exhibit, expo

3. 
archaic
 the action of making something public.

“the country squires dreaded the exposition of their rustic conversation”

Origin: latin; exponere – exposito – exposition

Middle English: from Latin expositio(n- ), from the verb exponere ‘expose, publish, explain’.

Yesterday over lunch in the little (half) kitchen beside the studio Mireia said something that set me thinking: you work with layers.

As I sat here sewing, as I was driving home last night, as I made dinner, as I washed up after breakfast this morning, and throughout the day I have been thinking about that seemingly simple statement: you work with layers.

Layers is not a word that I would have come up myself but it feels so appropriate. Layers are exactly what I work with – sometimes literally but nearly always conceptually. I like the imagery that comes with the word – bethat layers of clothing, geological layers … even the layers of an onion.

When I make and talk about my work there is layer after layer. Each one having its distinct and separate character. The physical layers might be sequential, the theoretical ones not necessarily. The talking could easily be as much a stripping away of layers as it could be a building up of them.

As I sit here now I am struck by Mireia’s choice of preposition: with. I look up a brief definition of ’with’ – accompanied by. A shiver runs down my spine. This too seems to be so appropriate – the layers, especially those layers of meaning, are things that accompany me. I like the immediacy and proximity of ’with’ … there’s a closeness almsot an intimacy. ’With’ even suggests something collaborative. I have described my practice as a collaboration with materials. There is something both active and open about ’with’.

While I am in this vein – the verb: work. It’s activeness, it’s physicalness, it’s everydayness all appeal to me.

In its entirety Mireia’s short phrase captures the essence of what I do. It is both specific and open for interpretation. For the moment at least it feels as though it is the sentence that I have been longing for – the simple definitive statement that describes what I do without either complication or reduction.

Thank you Mireia!

I work with layers.