JUDITH STEWART – Residency
The first 2 days have been spent establishing a rhythm – getting used to the space, pacing myself, realising that it’s already 3 o’clock and I haven’t eaten … The way I’ve done this has been to focus on the material aspects of the work I wanted to try out, the stuff I haven’t got the clear physical space needed to really see whether what I think will work in my head does do it in practice. My time is normally spent out in the field or at the computer, so the physicality of the images really gives me an opportunity to experience them in a different way as they are dramatically different and at the moment I’m pleasantly surprised (I think). Today I’m going to add some video footage to the mix, provided I can get all of my technical equipment to speak to each other. This is proving an ideal setting – the shrieks of the geese outside providing an additional soundtrack.
Judith Stewart
Here’s a rather evocative image sent to us by Judith Stewart ahead of her residency this week. As I sit staring out of the Project Space windows (which incidently need a clean) over a rather damp, green scene, the arid and browned landscape in the image looks strangely appealing.
Now in a more focussed mood:
Veronica Sekules will give a talk about The Culture of The Countryside on the 13th June; a subject we at the Project Space are often musing on. In what way does our position in a field at the edge of a small market town in what is often (overly emphasised in my opinion) called the wilds of Norfolk affect our audiences, our curatorial decisions, the artists who participate, the artwork we choose to show……. ? Should we go with it or push against it?
Any way, during the talk I think Veronica will bring along some artefacts from the Sainsbury collection to discuss and handle.
Here is a picture of the new (old) Nissen Hut that has sprung up next to our studios in a rather surreal manner, complete with a splendid earth work. It’s nice to think that the tree poster from my Residency, flyposted onto a corrugated panel of hut has now rejoined the corrugated brothers and been re-integrated and subsumed into the finished structure.
Dominique Rey
We’ve got a busy time coming up with our first selected residency with Judith Stewart, who’s also having an artist’s talk on 14th June and also our talk on the 13th June by Dr Veronica Sekules from the Sainsbury Centre. I don’t know what to talk about first or where to start. Perhaps I’ll return to this subject when it’s less sunny, the bunting over the road is flapping less and the sparrows in the hedge are more subdued.
Debby Besford’s talk went well and we had an interesting lot of questions afterwards. We bought a copy of her book, “The Boudoir of the Burlesque Performer”, for our nascent Project Space library.
It seems strange to be able to finish the talk still with daylight streaming through chinks in the window blackout material and no need for torches outside or the floodlight to stop vistors stumbling in quite the wrong direction. We must ger better window screening though.
One of the unforeseen benefits of the talks is that is has given speakers the chance, if they wish, to practice a new presentation or practice discussing new work infront of a (usually!) freindly audience. I suppose being located in a field lends the space an air of informality that can be relaxing.
Debby has got some postcards printed to publicise the show of her photos we are hosting and also the workshop. I took a nice snap of her modelling one at the talk…..
Dominique Rey
