Redirection and Network Timeout

I enjoyed the rest of my time in London, finishing up on friday lunchtime at a group crit with fellow artists with Harriet Hill and Hannah Westwood. I discussed my project and experiences in China, against the noisy friday traffic outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall, as both the RFH and QEH were occupied with Vintage Fair events. We also discussed our upcoming exhibition at Hatch, MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY in October, which we need to get going on. I have recorded all my talks and crits when in London, so I will forward you to the online versions when I am happy with the editing

I also managed to catch the Pablo Bronstein exhibition at the ICA, which was well worth the trip across town with my filming gear.

This weekend, I have been gathering all documentation for my project, editing them, and finishing off my activity report for the Arts Council. Here are some excerpts from the written report;

My project ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’ at the 501 Artspace, Chongqing, China, was very successful in relation to achieving the initial projected research and studio based outcomes. I also undertook extensive opportunities to network and learn about the current Fine Art environment in China.

I followed my research plan, beginning in the first week by documenting (in visual and written form) the local urban architecture, site visits to historical architectural Ming Dynasty layout towns, and holding discussions regarding digital occupation and censorship. The interviews relating to government control on-line were sensitive and challenging due to subject matter, and also due to translation and communication constraints. I documented research in progress through written log, photography, drawings and a daily blog on a-n ‘Artists Talking’, which was the most visited blog of June 2011 in their monthly top ten. I received feedback through comments on this blog, and also other feedback that was sent by email directly to me.

I met with local Chongqing artists and curators on a daily basis through studio visits, learning of their practice and the conditions of working as an artist in China. I also documented many of their practices on my blog. I intend to create a multi user blog to sustain these relationships, where previous artists from the residency programme and local artists in Chongqing can exchange research, ideas and new work on-line.

I also visited the Degree show of the Sichuan Fine Art Institute, where I discussed delivery of Visual Art Higher Education in the UK and in China with members of the Fine Art department and graduate students.

In Week 2 and 3, I developed my drawings into a series of 3 Wood block prints, which I printed using the facilities at the Sichuan Fine Art Institute. I further developed these prints with drawing, paint and three dimensional cardboard relief. I also created a series of 3 pencil drawings on architectural paper which explored navigation through digital and physical spaces in the local environment. I additionally constructed a large map drawing, ‘Old Habits Die Hard’, which outlines the separate social networking sites in the UK and China.

I created a series of 3 external spray paint installations around various routes in the Huang Jue Ping area where my studio was located. I also constructed a spray-paint installation in the entrance hall of the 102 studios where I worked. I finally made a large installation using paint, pen and foam board, entitled, ‘Attempts to enter theForbidden City’ situated in the 501 Other Space, where I exhibited the final works. The final exhibition, ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’, was held at the 501 Other Space, 102 Art Loft, Huang Jue Ping Street, Chongqing, China, which opened on the 28th June 2011 until the 9th July 2011. I exhibited 4 drawings, 3 Woodblock Prints, 1 large wall installation, and four photographs of the external site installations. I gave an Artists Talk about the research residency at the Opening on the 28th July 2011, which was translated into Mandarin by YanYan the Gallery Director, and Jenn Be, his assistant.

I have blogger’s guilt from not posting for quite a few days. I have been down in London now since Friday evening, for various events and freelance work.

Last Saturday, I gave a talk at Camden Arts Centre, as part of the Artists Practice Day, about how I attempt to disseminate my practice, and my recent residency in China. The talk went very well, and we ended up focusing on my project for just under an hour. I know because I videoed the talk, and the 60min tape was just about used up! I am going to post excerpts on-line – once I manage to edit it.

Comments and constructive criticism were, as always, very insightful. I was particularly interested in comments relating to my heavy, and sometimes overly thorough approach to on-line marketing of my work; ensuring that it is on every artist directory possible. A comment from artist Emma Leach (who also offered many insightful responses – suggested minimising the amount of sites I upload onto, keeping my blog for work in progress, and finished work for my website only. This astute comment – although mainly driven by common sense – has helped me to reconsider the amount of time that I spend uploading. I am always left thinking- could I be researching or making when I have editing or uploading? Another option offered to me was the idea of hiring an intern. I have problems, on an ethical and personal level, for using someone for free. I think people should always have to be financially rewarded for their skills, and I am not in the position to offer that yet.

Responses to research and studio practice were also insightful:with regards to the broader scheme of undertaking residencies and developing work on my projected outcomes.

The other artist that presented was Diana Taylor, who recently returned from a scholarship/ residency for 3 months at the British School at Rome. Diana, who is a painter, spent the majority of her time researching into perspective painting in wall fresco painting in Rome. In response to this, she created a series of paintings, as well as a minimal wall painting that incorporated the painted works on board.

As ever, it was a useful event and an opportunity for reflection, development and networking. The next Artists Practice Day is on the 22nd October, and they will focus on the process of applying for funding.

I have been doing some freelance work for a Fine Art Installation company that I used to work for. It has been lovely to see all the old faces, and I am going to continue working for them on a freelance basis, while I am back down in London for various events.

For the past few days, I have been at the INTERFACE 2011 Digital Humanities conference at UCL. It has included presentations from a broad spectrum of research backgrounds; relating to the loosely held together area of digital humanities.

Yesterday afternoon, Professor Steven Scrivener gave an opening presentation on the research process or methodology within art and design, particularly focusing on research through reflection/experimentation. I managed to have a discussion with Steven after the presentation about my own thoughts/predicaments regarding proposing projected outcomes of a doctorate project in the area of Fine Art in a studio based PhD. Steven referenced Donald Schon’s ideas of research through experimentation and surprise rather than from a problem solving approach. Following experiences last year, when I could not gain funding for a PhD project; I have been thinking further about the whether I wish to pursue this, and how this will impact on my practice.

This morning I presented a lightning paper on my research in China, ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’, which I also filmed and will upload when I get back home. Unfortunately, as with many people, I ran out of time, and I did not manage to complete my presentation. However, many people approached me afterwards, and we have exchanged contact details so I can send it to them afterwards. I will say I was one of the few people presenting that was not on a doctorate programme, so I guess I should feel pleased to have been selected to present. It was definitely worthwhile.

Today I’ve been finishing off presentations, job hunting, reading and researching, and for the first time in nearly two months making a proper meal! Which is terrible to say as when I was in China, I mainly bought food, and since I have been home I have been a guest. I made a Guinness, steak and cheese pie with puff pastry which was my first time!

I have been enjoying using computer generated visual charts for my presentation at the Camden Arts Centre on Saturday. I have been thinking about how I can use these more in my work. I love the colour scheme, generic aesthetic and faux utopian order to them.

I am heading off on an adventure to London tomorrow. Looking forward to getting back and getting settled into my new studio.

The past few days have been filled with preparing presentations for the talks I will be giving next week, looking at flats, looking at studios and following up job leads.

The lightning paper at the INTERFACE conference is very short, so I have put together a short narrative, trying to use my drawings as illustrations to the ideas I am very quickly talking about. I have also been following up the reference that Chris Connery, the signologist I met in China, told me about – the theorist Geert Lovink. I have been reading his PhD paper which he has made available online-some very interesting ideas relating to the politics and the hierarchy of the physical city reflecting the supposed utopian libertarian space of the international internet.

I am also preparing my presentation for the Artists Practice Day at the Camden Arts Centre. The presentation is about how you document and disseminate your practice. I am trying not to make the visuals too much like a lecture, with text, bullet points (or as people say power pointless!)but I think it comes down to feeling my words feeling supported by visuals,thinking visually, and also if someone does not wholly get what your saying, they may get what they are seeing. I have also found some excellent chart making tools in power point. I would like to try and use these in my artwork.
It has been interesting thinking about how I do document and disseminate my practice – and how I can develop these approaches. Most of my dissemination is by the internet, social networking, but my physical face to face dissemination feels a lot more limited to an existing group of people, that does grow but not very quickly.

I decided this afternoon to take a studio at Rouge Studios in Manchester. It is cheap and a big space, and we will hopefully get a flat city centre near Piccadilly so the location is good. It seems like a very occupied block, with some interesting artists, and a few people I have met before are there so it is an exciting step. I am pleased also that I got past the selection committee! I need the space for upcoming exhibitions.

Next steps is a home and more paid work!


And a few more final shots..