Over the next year I will be working towards an MA in Fine Art at Wimbledon College of Art. I’m sure that there will be many highs and many lows as I get to grips both with my course, and with living in London. This is my general blog of my year at WCA, I also will be keeping a separate research blog, which will appear at a later date.
At the end of the MA Show, it was time for my work to come down. Normally, my paintings would be packed away, dismantled, rolled up or whatever, and taken away to be kept for the future, this time however, things were a little different. Despite Our Greatest Efforts… was already in a collapsed and semi – destroyed state. Further dismantling was required. It felt really good smashing the thing to pieces with a big hammer after a long hard year and a difficult few weeks. I really let go! It was tiring, and getting all the screws and nails and whatever out took forever, but was necessary so that the wood could be cut down and recycled as fire wood. It took all morning.
It Still Stands, It Can Still Make It no longer stands, and history will have you believe that it didn’t make it. With one almighty push from its creator, the precarious structure fell forwards, before dramatically twisting back on itself, smashing into a wall before collapsing in dramatic style. What remained was a sorry mess. The aftermath of something, a riot perhaps or maybe a war that was lost.
I documented the ruined structure from all angles with the possibility of it becoming a new piece of work. I have not yet decided if this is a piece of work or not, and the photos do not do the scene of the fallen tower justice.
It’s collapse felt good. It was as if I had completely let go of everything, and after weeks of tweaking, I smashed up my work in front of an audience of my peers. It was also a form of stress relief. I felt like a mad man and my adrenalin was really flowing following the collapse and my smashing up of the work. I should add that there was some beer involved too, as we had a fair bit left after the private view.
It felt strange destroying my work, as I normally like to keep everything. Having spent thousands of pounds on tuition fees, and thousands more of my own money on living in London and on art materials, it felt almost wrong to smash up my MA work, to recycle all the materials and be left with nothing physical. I do have some large rolled up drawings and two paintings. I guess it’s kind of about closure maybe. Perhaps I want to draw a line here and start again. From scratch? Maybe, although the changes in my practice have opened up lots of new questions for me, I want to reign things in a little. It’s not always possible of course to make such large scale work, so I made the most of that opportunity, now I’m thinking small and across different mediums, this I believe is all possible. My next body of work can be anything, and I am confident in knowing that.
Another post – MA blog entry. This video from our private view was posted on Youtube by ArtsLondonWimbledon. It’s a short video that captures a few seconds of everyones work.
Wimbledon College of Art – MA Show 2011
The MA is all over, but I wanted to make a few posts to round off this blog before starting a new one, whilst I am in this ‘inbetween’ phase that I have found myself in. During the MA show, we did a tombola crit, where we were paired to write some feedback on another artists’ work. Here is what Fiona Grady wrote about my work/me:
“You have been through a war.
Your work embodies the trials and tribulations we face daily as artists. We are asked to measure our abilities through success vs failure. But what if your work is about failure is it possible to succeed?
It Still Stands, It can Still Make It encourages the viewer that yes the artist is conscious, he struggling but he is trying. The leaning tower stands strong in the space echoing its predecessors as it reaches to the Heavens. It highlights the architectural features of the space activating the slats of the ceiling and cements itself to the ground casting light and shadow in the space. The lamps gently warm the room as the paper and tarpaulin rustle with breeze creating a calming ambiance. Combined with the work of Katie Goodwin the room starts to transcend reality moving into an unknown space and time.
But what is the key to the work? I think it is the metaphor – the tower is you. It embodies your ambitions and emotions, it exists, but it is also fragile and precarious. The burst of energy in which was created reflects your determination to push the boundaries of your knowledge whilst indulging in your dreams. This emotional involvement heightened the challenge to build and complete the work as much as you can tend to something nothing is ever really finished. As you assert it stands, it tries; but can something so personal ever be complete?
The grand plans of your work were seemingly scuppered by the separation of the towers and the following collapse. However this split allowed you to part the towers and view them as individuals. The frustration you felt in compromising your work gave you the power to let go and this release of misery can be felt in its cataclysm. Despite Our Greatest Efforts… became ruptured, it was disowned and therefore you broke, kicked and destroyed it without feeling the precious empathy of the artist. There is no limit to this piece it is the death of the idea, the fracture of your ambition and in turn dystopian.
But have you won the war? In war no one is really a winner but you learn from the fight. You have asserted yourself, pushed your boundaries, relinquished some control and liberated yourself. The work is more powerful than you imagined and it has opened up the possibilities of your practice.
You are an artist and your work has a future.”
Fiona Grady
Last night was the private view at Wimbledon. It was a good night, a good turn out too despite a little bit of rain. Having my work in two places was quite fun and I found myself forgetting my second space for a large portion of the night. Throughout the day I had some really good feedback too, so that was great. I also managed to sell one of my limited edition prints which was very cool.
Before the private view started we met with the tutors for a drink, thanked the technicians and toasted the show.
The show runs until Thursday and is open 10am – 7pm and our online catalogue and website is available at http://www.wimbledonma2011.com
Woah, a more than a month since my last post. It has been a manic 5 weeks, but all my MA work is done. I will post soon about my experiences throughout the last part of the MA at Wimbledon. It has been a rollercoaster.
I am pleased with my studio work. It has been a journey. It has been a great year and I am glad that I did it, but I wouldn’t want to go through all that stress again anytime soon! I am so glad I got on the course this year, as there is no way I could afford the course fees next year due to the fee rise, and the following year looks even worse. I hope this isn’t the end for MA Fine Art courses, maybe this is something I will write about before winding this blog up.
The show opens tomorrow, and the private view is on Monday 5th Sept, 6pm – 9pm. Please come along!
Dates: 2 September 2011 until 8 September 2011
Private View: Monday 5 September 2011 / 18.00 – 21.00
Open to public: Friday 2 September – Thursday 8 September 2011 (closed Sunday 4 September)
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 10.00 – 19.00 / Saturday: 11.00 – 17.00
Here are few images of my MA show work, that I’ll write more about soon.
I am an artist based in Bath. My practice is situated between drawing and sculpture, with scale and materiality being an important factor in the reading of the work. Large cement based works on paper alter the architectural space of the gallery by hanging from and across the ceiling down onto, and along the floor. Free-standing precarious constructions respond to both their architectural surroundings and to ideas of dystopia. I graduated from Wimbledon College of Art in 2011 with an MA in Fine Art, and from the University of Plymouth in 2005 with a BA (Hons). http://www.ianmaslen.com
