The project lurched through a tumultuous final few weeks before the exhibition was scheduled to start. The holiday period over Christmas and New Year with children and other family around cut into the time available for the final exchanges, and we positively sprinted towards 1 February.
It was interesting to see how the visual language developed during the last couple of exchanges. For my part, it was quite literally impossible to spend the time I like on preliminary drawing and exploring. I went straight in to my responses, collaging, sticking, scribbling in haste. I used spray enamel paint, household paint, wire mesh, anything to cover ground quickly. I found myself using unadulterated raw colour: powder pink, acid green, unmodulated in any way. I loved this phase. I wanted the last word, but i didn’t get it. I somehow knew my sister would do whatever it took to have the final visual say, which is why I think there is potential for continuing the conversation after the current exhibition. All conversations have their rhythms, their pauses, their silences, and this one is no exception. In one sense, it cannot finish until one of us is no longer there to continue it.
We had a fair few debates before the show. Whilst I was very reluctant to ‘talk’ about the works themselves during the period of the project, we clearly had to talk about the show, and resolving issues such as publicity wording, labelling, artists’ statements and invite design was not always straightforward.
The final hurdle was the hanging. My nightmare scenario was one of wanting to edit out for aesthetic reasons, but being unable to edit out in terms of the whole process and rationale for the exchange. I didn’t like the idea of ‘gaps’. So I was relieved that visually it all ‘worked’. We had sufficient space to give potentially conflicting yet consecutive works their place, and I was pleased with the final look of the gallery.
If you would like to see the final works, these will be available for viewing on my Life and Art blog: www.gilliansblog.wordpress.com. or copy and paste this link http://bit.ly/hJ7lf6. I have also posted my sister’s comments on the process and experience. I would like to do a further blog entry on the discussions we eventually had on the actual artwork, and the process of responding.
Action | Reaction: A Visual Conversation is on at the G2 gallery in Solihull Arts Complex until 12 February 2011.
