Since my last post the ghostly apparitions are beginning to take shape. In all their different shadowy guises they have come to adopt their own character and life. Meantime my thoughts about how they might manifest in the Redhouse proposal continue to develop.
Have been asked by Anthony Roberts (from Colchester Arts Centre) to work up a proposal for an event at The Junction in Cambridge. I am mulling over a fairly resolved piece that takes place in a corporate environment and a new idea that would be ideally suited to a theatre. The latter would use the facilities at The Junction and it is not often I get the chance to work on the stage in the literal sense. Have to have things finalised by Friday so a racing mind of ideas is competing with my teaching and a consultancy job I am doing at the moment. Juggling everything is tricky – the need to keep the wolf from the door whilst retaining enough mental space to allow ideas the space and the incubation time they need is always a delicate balance. Its also about my own integrity and only allowing myself to show work that is complete and resolved. I often wish I could be back studying on an MA like my students since the framework is there for you affording the space time and more importantly the critical feedback that is so hard to find outside art schools.
In the event, I think the Triptych symposium went rather well. This was in part helped by Anna Green's calm questioning and a strange comfort that I was able to draw from the drawings on the wall. We stood either side of the three wall mounted pieces to deliver our dialogue, referring to each as we progressed through a series of points and quotes.
Over time I have realised that the only way to progress is to challenge oneself, however uncomfortable it may seem at the time. I listened to the radio the other day and heard a voice proclaiming that without tackling challenges head on there is potential for a growing sense of self doubt. Left unchecked, this can become totally limiting.Hopefully the symposim will keep my doubt at bay for a while at least.
American ramifications continue as I am starting to prepare a proposal requested by the Redhouse Gallery. There are several stories around the sighting of a redhouse ghost and I have been asked to suggest some ideas for a semi permanent work based around this subject. The Redhouse building is three stories high and has some interesting nooks and crannies so there's plenty of opportunity for some artistic apparitions. I'll keep you posted on developments
It has slowly been filtering into my mind that I should be more disciplined in my approach to life and in particular my art practice. Making decisions driven by research interests and artistic integrity seem so difficult to make sometimes when the nagging voice reminds me that I need to do a shop at Sainsbury's or the builders need paying.
For the past few years, in effect I have combined several practices – a community one, a visual arts and performance practice and a teaching role. Of course portfolio careers are the norm for a large majority of artists but there are times when a purity of direction is longed for. Even when it is in ones own hands to direct things in that way it seems interminably hard to actually DO IT.
Enough of my ranting… heard Rosie on the radio today – Galway FM taking about the Redhouse show – it was good and it seems the exhibition continues to draw in a good number of visitors.
I am concerned right now about getting ready for a show in Norwich that opens on Monday 16th Feb. It is called Triptych and is a project initiated and maintained by several HE's – Norwich University College of the Arts, Dublin University, Loughborough and more. The show is based around drawing and will include a seminar on the Thursday (19th) with several of the artists in the show speaking about their work and research. I will be speaking with the theorist Anna Green and we will discuss and converse around my drawings and her reading of them within a framework of theorists such as Freud, de Certau and others.
I am mildly apprehensive and wish I were better read.
I am not sure why but it seems difficult to write today. The US has been compartmentalized already into the memory section of my brain so the events of the past few days have got jumbled up.
The lecture at SUNY Cortland went well – lecturers and students attended plus the public . There were some good questions and some of the students had looked at my website in advance of the lecture which brought some thoughtful comments forward.
Just before leaving Syracuse I was given a copy of the radio interview on disk and learnt that the gallery would like to purchase the four Inishlacken videos for their collection. Very useful to have some extra dollars to use in New York.
Caught a flight from Syracuse to New York so yet more security checks . Finally arrived at the hotel/hostel where I had booked a bed in the 'Fabuloso' room – shared with five other people and with fresh bed linen and a towel. This was an upgrade from the Auberge option – 10 people and no towel! I was quite taken by the hotel website and the fact that they have an artist residency programme but not really prepared fully for the implications of a hostel room…
Just completed the interview for the new, soon-to-be-launched, Redhouse Radio station. It was taxing at times – a couple of tricky questions – but on the whole less nerve wracking than I had imagined. Natalia Mount, Redhouse curator, posed the questions and a live audience also contributed some interesting observations and queries. Once I have a copy of the recording, I will put it onto my website. Spent some time walking around downtown Syracuse and went to see close up the amazing art deco building that now houses the electricity company. I have posted an image here – note the sculpture at the top of 'Mr Electric'!
