Every now and then the generous people at Martyr’s Gallery in Lewes offer an opportunity for an artist to take over their space for one of those very special, no-expectations, no-strings-attached developmental residencies. Their version of this amazing gift is called “Fresh Air” and I have been most fortunate to have been the beneficiary of the most recent Fresh Air Residency. So far I’ve had eight working days in the space and still have three more to go, making work I would not have made had it not been for this opportunity, at this time, and in this space. The secret of course lies in the combination of an empty, uncluttered space, and an uninterrupted stretch of focused time. Two weeks usually is just about right for me, and I’ve learned to set out with a definite starting point and a clear focus, but an open mind and enough flexibility to follow where the work leads me. Here are some images of the installation I made. It feels like a 3D sketchbook of ideas – a step on the way to something else…
…and here are some of the drawings I made. They seem to be attempts to make visual representations of some of the ideas I’ve been thinking about – ideas about human augmentation and manipulation; the merging of man-made and natural, and the meshes, networks and webs that are an integral part of every aspect of life, nature and technology in the 21st century.
