This week has seen the half way point come and go again in a flash. It’s been an interesting week in which I’ve taken stock of the work I have produced so far. This led initially to a brief panic attack as the footage I had shot so far was nothing like that which I had planned to shoot, and was not going to produce the effect that I wanted to with the film.
This week has also had me sleeping in three locations so far. Tonight will make it four, and then Saturday five different beds which I think will probably be a new record for me, although I can’t be sure as I have never before felt it necessary to count. This has made it difficult to concentrate fully on the problems with the footage, but I think that now, after having slept in a proper bed I have resolved more than one way around the problem.
My intention from the beginning of the residency has been to produce a documentary film that will chart a largely fictionalised history of the gallery. The film was to be largely convincing in it’s tone and means of production, with a number of subtle defects that undermine the whole thing. The aim of the piece was to generate a response of uncertainty, caught between belief and disbelief. However, the content of the footage I have collected thus far is too far from being believable to achieve this. When the initial realisation set in I encountered a certain degree of despair, however this rapidly passed, and after much pondering I am now pleased to discover the benefits in this realisation.
Although I will not be able to produce the exact piece of work I set out to produce I think that, in many ways, the film will prove more interesting, more engaging to an audience whilst dealing with similar issues as well as a few more. In addition to raising questions about the voice of authority of any gallery or art work, the piece may also touch on the voice of authority that young professionals in the arts industries attempt to project (including myself).
This unanticipated additional aspect will reflect quite nicely on the process involved in the project. The residency has been a learning experience for me in many ways, not least has been my negotiation with the local art industry, which is incredibly different to the one I am used to. Although many of those I have met here have been encouraging, there is, nonetheless, a greater competition for recognition. This fact I think will be reflected in the work now. Whether a subconscious decision, or merely a happy accident, the result could prove an interesting twist.
