i spoke last year with an artist who at the time claimed he never fully finished any of his works. i’ve wondered if this was a good thing or a bad thing. while we chatted my gut feeling was that if nothing was ever fully concluded, how would one move on?
what actually does move on mean ? is it more a case of evolving one’s thoughts about one’s practice through the completion of successive intents.
in my endeavour to complete 12 applications this year i’m finding a need to have certain aspects of my practice resolved to point at a point when the work will be viewed and stands as a statement that i want to make at that time.
i’ve learnt of when the first application will be looked at, it’s tomorrow. today i’ve installed the latest evolution of my website homepage(1) and i’m really rather pleased with it.
one other aspect of my website i’ve been considering for sometime is the statement. having followed the Facebook thread (mentioned in a previous post) re artist statements i’ve been mind full of avoiding the over waffly version. i know where my over waffly version originates … it’s from an anxiety about what i say has a level of intellectual weight that i read in books about artists from whom we have learnt so much from their practice course. it’s an easy trap to fall into.
in thinking and considering the aspects of artist statement while making applications i am very aware that the statement is very much for each opportunity. therefore i’ve attempted to find an over riding statement within which i have the space in which to explore what interests me. i’ve made some descisions and today am happy with what i’ve decided. i’ve taken on board points raised in the Facebook thread and remained true to me. so today i’m happy to have resolved it.(2)
there’s the dodge the shredder event in Leicester on Thursday. it’s an event in which applications are looked at, considered and feedback given. i’m a little apprensive about doing this, simply from a point of view of vunerablitity. i have three applications on the go at the moment so know which i’ll look at first and maybe if there’s a chance look at the others too. i’m looking forward to getting out and meeting new people.
so reflecting upon the not finishing… my personal view of this today is that it’s healthy to be able to feel that something is finished to a point that it needs to be when seen by others. maybe for this reason i’m unsure about Thursday. time will tell and i walk head held high towards the unknown.
