I have progressed a great deal recently; just by being in a space, I have been able to put a good number of my sketched ideas into practice. The last couple of weeks have allowed me to see that unless I am physically standing in a space, actually looking at the white walls as a blank canvas, I am unable to really create anything tangible or worthwhile. This seems obvious. But I am reminded once again, that this is the fun bit: getting my hands dirty and being creative, allowing my inspiration to take form and develop in front of my eyes!!
Due to the fact that the genre of collection-based, autobiographical collections is so vast, I have been feeling the need to narrow down the subject and pinpoint exactly what it is I want to be making. If you actually think about it- I could make a collection from anything! What is preventing me using any object that surrounds me? So to focus my ideas, I need to explore a variety of different collections and see how I can experiment with the subject.
Although some of the ideas have been present for a while (in the form of the drawings and sketched designs) only now can I see that I am attempting to stretch the ‘theme’ of autobiographical collections into various different directions. Because, unless I have seen for myself what’s working and what’s not, how am I supposed to know what type of installations communicate my concept?
Really, I think it is tying in with the ‘process/concept’ debate again. Do I seek otherwise unrelated objects for their conceptual, underlying meanings or do I use (or make) objects that are intrinsically linked to me and who I am? So, in attempt to settle this, I am experimenting with found objects, made objects, existing collections of objects and photographic collections to see what is most fitting.
Taking the aforementioned advice from Michael Landy and then running with the idea of making an installation out of a ‘by-product’ of an action has lead me to the “Blue Tack” piece. This is the first artwork I have created that utilises a ‘made’ object. I would say it evolved quite intuitively; as I was thinking about what to do for my next idea, or as I was in conversation with the people around me, I found myself instinctively moulding a bit of blue tack that was on my desk in front of me. As I looked down at the little malleable sculptures I decided to keep them instead of folding them up into a non-descriptive ball again.
Michael happened to notice me fiddling with the blue tack and subsequently picked up on a significant part of my working process. This is using objects that are a by-product of an action. The receipts I pinned to the wall or the staples that I meticulously glued onto board and framed are both examples of this.
In the context of the installation, the hundreds of mini sculptures are seen bursting outwards from one corner into the rest of the white room. They are physical products of a thought process, like doodles on paper; the little pliable objects represent ideas, conversations and thoughts. The visual explosion signifies the very nature of ideas; sporadic and unpredictable, every idea and thought, however revolutionary, all started somewhere.
On reflection of this work, it felt very much as though I was putting something very private and intimate into the public’s view. Although the narrative behind the little blue tack sculptures is unclear to the viewer, to me they represent a private moment. The blue tack is a by-product of a small, insignificant action. But by choosing to display them for the public to see is where context comes into it again. By dramatically changing the sculpted objects’ context, I feel as though I am putting more of myself into the work- putting myself on display in a way.
