University of Derby

education-learning from the past.

i'm in reflective mood today. the excitement of the email weeks ago about inclusion in the magazine being balanced by the reality check of seeing it in pdf form, hearing people's voices in my head who i used to work with taking the piss out of me for doing something i enjoy doing and interest being shown in me because of that. it's an indication of how far i've come to this point and actually a reminder of the excitement and opportunity that lies 'out there'in the world, just by engaging in something.

when i began the course, i was really pissed off with the notion of having to learn from the past as all around me i saw people clearly not having learnt anything from the pain and success of those that went before. in local archetecture i saw specialist knowledge being ignored in new buildings and then those staff having to make do with a building not quite fit for purpose. a work round then happened and the on going experience was undermined from not having specialist knowledge informing descisions.

ok, i'm getting lost here.

at another level, when a new complex for the arts opens in your town, you expect it to be able to show a film in whatever cinema it has. apparently the local cinema in my town has two cinemas that do not have the same projection equipment in them, thus i am having to wait to see hunger by steve mcqueen. who was in the meeting when someone did or did not suggest having the same equipment in both cinemas, and who was in the planning meeting when a film was ordered and realised which media delivery system would be available to show the film. i am constantly disappointed in culture that doesn't learn from itself.

in terms of enlightenment, it would appear the light is getting further away. are we all happy with this ?

from rest comes enlightenment.

it's reading week at the university, the libary has been very quiet and the refectory surprisingly well stocked of food. After last the tiredness of last weekend, the week has been relaxed and steady. The dsylexia tutorial went well, it feels like the essay has got a beginning to the process.

In other news, the film festival I applied to has not required to show the film and there's been an excited email telling me I've been published in A N.

I feel quite flat, the exposure maybe coming too soon. The working so hard to be recognised that when there is some recognition I don't know how to behave. If we were looking for psychological insight into the self I would be able to highlight deep routed needs to be recognised as myself, a legacy from childhood. Luckily this is a blog to do with third year study of fine art so I don't need to go that deeply into it, phew, that was close.

If I had teabags, I'd have a cup of tea now, oh well, best get dressed and go buy some tea bags.

Review of Beardism, published 30th October 2008.

Abraham Lincoln had a beard, I don't know much else about him and I didn't know much about Beardism until I went to an invited gathering to see the latest collection of work at the Crompton Tavern in Derby.

As I walked into the Crompton I was struck with the number of people and the vibrancy of the colour of the work. It's not often these days that you walk into a pub with so many people in such good frames of mind and spirit. The atmosphere generated a lot of positive energy in me.

Walking around looking at the work I got a sense of individuals coming together to put work on a wall. I spoke to some members of Beardism, to discover that in their words "it's a revival of something from a much older time". I wasn't really any wiser about Beardism. I had had it confirmed that if you have a beard and you make work, you can put it on the wall.

In this current time of political and economical doubt anywhere that encourages activity and display, has to be applauded. In conversations about display there were references to certain other ways of displaying work being prescriptive, corportised and quite dull.

In conversations about the work, it became obvious that there was a freedom of choice and an in-clusional attitude towards putting work on the wall. In those same conversations I learnt that there was a non-displaying member of the group over seeing the choices of work who in another circle would be called a curator.

The Crompton has been filled with a diverse range of work and I personally have never seen that much work in the Crompton Tavern before. The downside of placing work by the pool table is that the work is a little under lit. There was an assurance that miners' helmets with lights have been ordered to permit viewing those pieces of work in the evenings. I felt reassured to hear this.

So as to who can be in the Beardism movement, well basically anyone. Just don an Abraham Lincoln beard and you're away seemed to be the message.

Beardism at the Crompton Tavern, Crompton Street, DERBY until 16th November, featuring the work of Ali powers, Matt Chell, Liam Sharpe, Adam Dutton & Chris Tree.

Review written by Andrew Martyn Sugars.

thank goodness it's monday.

the weekend is behind me, i'm feeling a little more like myself, that sapped energy i spoke of in the last post was indeed a warning of something on the horizon, tiredness like i'd not experienced before.

it's week 5 now. the constant start of something new has past now as i say it's past, so it's past. there are foundations for the work up till christmas, there are foundations for an essay, there are initial scriblings and observations in the professional practice journal. settling into a new rythem, the summer has past and i've transitioned into another period of work and focus. i've reviewed a show in derby, once i have the show dates confirmed, i'll add the review to here, it'll be my first review, it's exciting and was fun to do, certainly an insight into another circle of thought.

time for tea…

again on a thursday, hunger saps my energy.

energy sapping things so get in my way. like builders in a libary, with no explanation of why or when a return from this solace can be expected.

and all this on an afternoon of a tutorial, which was enjoyable and relaxed. there is a vibe of conformism to it all. referencing a creed work, i've added:

the work-technical perfection=the work

to my journal as a statement of response to a notion within the tutorial. i understand that everythign that is made has to be beautiful, yet if that is the case, where does art belong if it has to be within prescribed criteria. oh hang on, it's a function of art education, of course, i'm on a degree.

no wonder i have so little energy.