I’m on top of most of the dross, but there is still stuff I should have dealt with weeks ago. Like the telephone. The easiest access for BT was in my space. My intention was to extend the connection over three other workspaces to a mid-point near the entrance to HMS. Unfortunately the job is a tad more tedious now because artists have moved more gear into their spaces. Although the line is for incoming calls only and broadband, it will make life easier for everyone once it’s done. No excuse really.
Onto something a little more rewarding – the residency of Christopher Parkes.
There is always a pang when a show comes down, and this was true when Christopher’s residency in Standing Room ended last Friday. His miniature landscapes in response to the Allotment show had undergone a series of changes, both controlled and organic. During the last two months I had looked forward to seeing the various stages of reconfiguration and observed both the minutiae and the drama on a regular basis.
Christopher’s first landscape in the prescribed Allotment show format of a 15 inch square was contained in a pristine white box. A discarded tape lay inside. By the launch of the Allotment exhibition in mid December, there was little hint of change, but as if on cue for the Christmas celebrations, a lush green swathe of young shoots appeared – despite the seasonal cold weather. When much of the show moved to the Town Hall, Christopher chose to use remnants of the exhibition, the hooks, the screws and the various fixings as part of the installation.
The original ‘plot’ was moved due south-west and nearer to the window where the plants continued to thrive. Two unpainted boxes also formed part of the new composition. Nestled amongst the shoots in the middle container were numerous small red metal rods, peering like periscopes in different directions, directing the viewer to the matrix of fixings on the wall. Drama in mid January occurred when a schism in the earth revealed the base – a natural disaster on a miniscule scale.
The third box contained ivy and a figurine of a cat – thus encouraging the viewer to look closer and from a different perspective. Over time, I imagine the climber would extend well beyond the boundaries of Standing Room and into the rest of HMS!
There was also a fourth ‘plot’: a burial mound with a childlike toy in the form of a grim reaper lay at the head of the pile.
see www.standingroom.org
It makes all the dross worthwhile.
I was excited, but also nervous yesterday about the Artelier presentation by Nick Kaplony at HMS. It’s like hosting a party and wondering if anyone is going to turn up… only worse because Nick was on his way from London and I felt responsible. Stupid I know, because artists were bound to be drawn to this exciting project facilitating connections all over the world for free The website http://www.artquest.org.uk/artelier/' will be launched next month detailing how artists can become members. It was described a bit like a dating agency for artists and arts organisations where exchanges of creativity, resources, studios, galleries, accommodation etc can be facilitated … and on an international scale.
Anyway, we laid out the medley of chairs including fold-up, garden chairs, stools and of course the donkey easel. 40 seats in all. We stocked up with wine and nibbles and I picked up Nick from the train station. The new road works and the rush hour traffic highlighted the distance from Nottingham which took longer than normal. Would the artists travel to Long Eaton?
No worries. It was bums on all seats – with standing room for late-comers. Representatives from Southwell Artspace, Banks Mill, some newly formed studios and a few established groups from Nottingham came. We had MA students from Derby, Bianca from Creative Launchpad and a few curators too.
The atmosphere was relaxed and the talk generated loads of questions. HMS artists were as always, helpful, with plenty of offers to pour wine and clear up.
A seasoned form-filler who was used to producing figures for funders to crunch, asked me if everyone had signed in. I had intended to be organised this time, but was enjoying the occasion too much to get the visitors' book out. Jess has photographed and videoed the event so we do have a visual record.
The Allotment show came down from the Town Hall on Wednesday. Most artists collected work but many chose to have it posted. Whilst this is an onorous job, the exhibition attracted artists from up and down the country where distance might have been an issue.
Waiting lists are fluid…or so I realised when Mazhah announced he was moving to Banks Mill studios (where he will receive business support after successfully securing a contract as a freelance designer). I contacted artists on the list but they had all moved on… or so I thought. A brief advert on the HMS website immediately attracted 3 artists. I had messed up though, because one of them had already registered her interest in November. I'm afraid I failed to record her details. Anyway, I will hand over the keys to Justine today.
