Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Artist in Residence @ the Tunnel Gallery - Tonbridge School (Part 2)
During the second week of my Residency I put up the following:
And posted the following on the school blog:
This in response to all kinds of preconceptions that were inhibiting both students and staff. These inhibitions and preconceptions will/should continue to evaporate as the project evolves over the second half of the term.
Other kinds of preconceptions - among the adults mainly rather than the boys; the younger generation seems to have no trouble with these - have been about the 'expectation' of what Art is or should be; boxes to be ticked before something can be called art/Art. Perhaps this Tunnel project may become an opening into beginning to question such preconceptions ...
My aim with this project is to bring about an installation, the main focus being the process of making, with the end product being an imprint, a trace of the creative process. So it's about the experience of creating something: from the contributors' perspective, creating something individually that will contribute to the making of something together, and from my own personal perspective, creating something together, the 'bringing-about' (orchestration) of which constitutes my individual 'creation'/art work.
By which I mean that what is paramount here is the social aspect of this sculpture project, both the experience each individual has when they are in the Tunnel and the experience the sculpture installation creates by being a communal undertaking. What is paramount is the experience everyone takes away with them and what remains as a memory.
The sculpture each individual creates during that experience is a poetic object which constitutes the imprint of their experience and which, when set up as part of the installation, will play its part in the joint enterprise, the community effort. One voice in the choir. A choir of individually poetic objects.
And here is how the beginnings of the installation looked after the first batch of firing a week ago:
And this is how it looks at the moment, after the second batch of firing:
As you can see from the images above, some pieces demand more space around them; they have a certain presence that requires more breathing space.
Another aspect that is becoming apparent as I play around with the placing of the individual pieces is how narratives begin to emerge as a result of my placement choices. And I think these narratives will be different for every viewer.
The pieces that are too small or delicate to be on the floor, or need to be seen closer to eye-level are displayed on a long shelf:
Each piece is individual; each piece reflects what each person is about and/or their experience in the Tunnel. I am setting some parameters with regard to materials, to retain the tone I envisage for this project, which in turn dovetails with my own work overall (and ultimately my aesthetic). Indeed I spent the first few days of my Residency organizing the Tunnel space, bringing in some of my own work, and I have dotted various bits and pieces around in the Tunnel. And, as one boy put it, that sets the tone for the whole installation because you instinctively tune into the vibe.
So each piece is a poetic object in its own right because it is what that individual wanted to create at that time. Some tune into the idea of seeking to bring out the nature, the character of the material; letting the material speak - a core principle in my own work. Others seek/need to have more control. Many of them tune into the abstract form, some remain with the representational.
So, with this project, I'm inviting the Tonbridge School community to become (my) partners through creating a sculpture installation together.
And by focussing on the 'together' there is a strong sense of bridging the gap between Art and life. Art can bring people together; brings connections. That is one of the joys of Art.
And posted the following on the school blog:
"My Art Days Are Over"
"I'm no good at Art"
"I wouldn't know what to make"
"I was really bad at Art at school"
"I need to make something perfect" ...
All responses I've had when I suggest people come to the Tunnel to contribute to the sculpture installation. Which is why I've set up the poster ...
Other kinds of preconceptions - among the adults mainly rather than the boys; the younger generation seems to have no trouble with these - have been about the 'expectation' of what Art is or should be; boxes to be ticked before something can be called art/Art. Perhaps this Tunnel project may become an opening into beginning to question such preconceptions ...
My aim with this project is to bring about an installation, the main focus being the process of making, with the end product being an imprint, a trace of the creative process. So it's about the experience of creating something: from the contributors' perspective, creating something individually that will contribute to the making of something together, and from my own personal perspective, creating something together, the 'bringing-about' (orchestration) of which constitutes my individual 'creation'/art work.
By which I mean that what is paramount here is the social aspect of this sculpture project, both the experience each individual has when they are in the Tunnel and the experience the sculpture installation creates by being a communal undertaking. What is paramount is the experience everyone takes away with them and what remains as a memory.
The sculpture each individual creates during that experience is a poetic object which constitutes the imprint of their experience and which, when set up as part of the installation, will play its part in the joint enterprise, the community effort. One voice in the choir. A choir of individually poetic objects.
And here is how the beginnings of the installation looked after the first batch of firing a week ago:
And this is how it looks at the moment, after the second batch of firing:
As you can see from the images above, some pieces demand more space around them; they have a certain presence that requires more breathing space.
Another aspect that is becoming apparent as I play around with the placing of the individual pieces is how narratives begin to emerge as a result of my placement choices. And I think these narratives will be different for every viewer.
The pieces that are too small or delicate to be on the floor, or need to be seen closer to eye-level are displayed on a long shelf:
So each piece is a poetic object in its own right because it is what that individual wanted to create at that time. Some tune into the idea of seeking to bring out the nature, the character of the material; letting the material speak - a core principle in my own work. Others seek/need to have more control. Many of them tune into the abstract form, some remain with the representational.
So, with this project, I'm inviting the Tonbridge School community to become (my) partners through creating a sculpture installation together.
And by focussing on the 'together' there is a strong sense of bridging the gap between Art and life. Art can bring people together; brings connections. That is one of the joys of Art.
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Artist in Residence @ The Tunnel Gallery - Tonbridge School (Part 1)
Well, I've now had three weeks in the Tunnel and they have been three very full weeks indeed.
First and foremost, however, a clarification on my closing paragraph in the previous post (26 August) "I plan, in my next post probably, to try to give a clearer, more succinct insight into what this Spheres project entails from my perspective". My mind-space has been and continues to be completely occupied by the Artist in Residency and to try and do justice to a clear and inspired synopsis on the Spheres project seems an impossibility at the moment. It will have to wait until my focus returns on my studio here at home - just after the Christmas holiday I would think. In the meantime, the 'Series/Themes' list I have recently added below the 'Blog Archive' on the right on the Home Page now includes a Fragility Spheres heading, which lists 8 labelled blog posts related to the Spheres. These posts give the contemporaneous account of how the Spheres project evolved. Less clear, probably, than a synopsis, but more alive, I would think ...
So, back to the Residency.
I'm currently on two weeks' Half Term break, although I'm going in on both Mondays and Fridays to give the non-teaching staff, who work through the holiday, a chance to come into the Tunnel to add their contribution.
Beginning with the beginning, this is the poster I put up in and around the Art Department building to invite (read encourage?) the students and staff to contribute to the project:
First and foremost, however, a clarification on my closing paragraph in the previous post (26 August) "I plan, in my next post probably, to try to give a clearer, more succinct insight into what this Spheres project entails from my perspective". My mind-space has been and continues to be completely occupied by the Artist in Residency and to try and do justice to a clear and inspired synopsis on the Spheres project seems an impossibility at the moment. It will have to wait until my focus returns on my studio here at home - just after the Christmas holiday I would think. In the meantime, the 'Series/Themes' list I have recently added below the 'Blog Archive' on the right on the Home Page now includes a Fragility Spheres heading, which lists 8 labelled blog posts related to the Spheres. These posts give the contemporaneous account of how the Spheres project evolved. Less clear, probably, than a synopsis, but more alive, I would think ...
So, back to the Residency.
I'm currently on two weeks' Half Term break, although I'm going in on both Mondays and Fridays to give the non-teaching staff, who work through the holiday, a chance to come into the Tunnel to add their contribution.
Beginning with the beginning, this is the poster I put up in and around the Art Department building to invite (read encourage?) the students and staff to contribute to the project:
10 MINUTE
ART BURST
IN
THE TUNNEL
IN
THE TUNNEL
And here is the link to the first school blog post: 10 Minute Art Burst
The school blog post was headed by the same picture with the following text:
The school blog post was headed by the same picture with the following text:
Just 10 minutes. That's all it need take from your busy schedule to contribute to the Tunnel sculpture installation. A quick BURST of creative energy to add something of you to what could become something inspired and inspiring: the whole school represented in one art installation.
You can create something small, something big, in clay, in paper, in expandable foam, in plaster, with wire mesh, with string, wire, wooden sticks, or with found-objects, with words, ...
10 MINUTES ... or longer if you like.
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
The Very First Sphere ...
... has a special significance for me. Being the first one.
The concept of the whole project still in its infancy; much thought about, much further contemplation to follow. The technique still new. The pleasure in discovering the meditative nature of the making.
Much discussed with fellow artists. And consequently ideas about how, why, when and who burgeoning and flourishing. Periods of engrossed making followed by (longer) periods of fruitful thinking and talking, and writing on this blog. (Links to relevant posts below)
And it was during one of those times of 'talking' - with a friend and fellow artist - that this sphere began a new chapter in its story. A very significant chapter in its life-story.
She was a painter, with a passion for texture (visual [as opposed to tactile]); a gentle, giving, sensitive person of great creativity. This particular visit took place some two years ago. As always the topic of conversation was Art, in general and our own, and about life.
We went into 'my shed' (read studio), as tends to happen when artist friends visit, to see what I'd been working on, and of course I spoke about the Spheres project. We had to go back into the house to continue this conversation because I was storing - or should I say 'hatching' - the spheres under the bed at the time, having run out of storage space in my studio. On our way inside I talked about the concept of social sculpture and how I envisaged that would work in the context of the spheres; about the meaning/essence of the Spiral; the importance of integrity of material and process; and of course the aspect of the 'fragility of existence'.
I took out from under the bed 'The First Sphere' - instinctively, since that's where it all began - and showed her how the one continuous coil winds its way round as a spiral into a sphere: the path of life winding its way round as a spiral, imperfections, cracks, splits, breaks along the way (the break at the end of the coil on this sphere), those imperfections, cracks and splits affecting what happens above with the next coiling, what happens next, further along the path.
As I handed the sphere to her and she reached out for it, I could sense she had found a profound connection with the whole concept. She held it with the sensitive touch of her painter's hand and contemplated it with her creator's eye; a connection with the sphere ...
She then cradled it in her arms and, softly yet closely, tightly, held it to her as we talked about the exciting potential of the idea of a network of people growing/evolving through an art project like this; the wondrous beauty of Art's ability to do that; the wonder that a sober object like this sphere can bring about such an inspiring, exciting momentum of connection; ...
An intense memory for me.
I plan, in my next post probably, to try to give a clearer, more succinct insight into what this Spheres project entails from my perspective. In the meantime, here are the links to 'relevant posts' as mentioned above:
31 October 2014 summarizes the following 4 posts:
- 3 August 2012 the experience that sowed the seeds for the concept
- 17 August 2012 only the two paragraphs immediately below the first two images are relevant here
- 28 September 2012
- 23 August 2014
1 November 2014
The concept of the whole project still in its infancy; much thought about, much further contemplation to follow. The technique still new. The pleasure in discovering the meditative nature of the making.
 |
| Pre firing, the clay not completely dry yet - 14 June 2012 |
 |
| Post firing - 1 July 2012 (in a somewhat yellow light with the sun streaming through the window) |
Much discussed with fellow artists. And consequently ideas about how, why, when and who burgeoning and flourishing. Periods of engrossed making followed by (longer) periods of fruitful thinking and talking, and writing on this blog. (Links to relevant posts below)
 |
| 8 August 2015 |
 |
| 22 August 2015 |
She was a painter, with a passion for texture (visual [as opposed to tactile]); a gentle, giving, sensitive person of great creativity. This particular visit took place some two years ago. As always the topic of conversation was Art, in general and our own, and about life.
We went into 'my shed' (read studio), as tends to happen when artist friends visit, to see what I'd been working on, and of course I spoke about the Spheres project. We had to go back into the house to continue this conversation because I was storing - or should I say 'hatching' - the spheres under the bed at the time, having run out of storage space in my studio. On our way inside I talked about the concept of social sculpture and how I envisaged that would work in the context of the spheres; about the meaning/essence of the Spiral; the importance of integrity of material and process; and of course the aspect of the 'fragility of existence'.
I took out from under the bed 'The First Sphere' - instinctively, since that's where it all began - and showed her how the one continuous coil winds its way round as a spiral into a sphere: the path of life winding its way round as a spiral, imperfections, cracks, splits, breaks along the way (the break at the end of the coil on this sphere), those imperfections, cracks and splits affecting what happens above with the next coiling, what happens next, further along the path.
As I handed the sphere to her and she reached out for it, I could sense she had found a profound connection with the whole concept. She held it with the sensitive touch of her painter's hand and contemplated it with her creator's eye; a connection with the sphere ...
She then cradled it in her arms and, softly yet closely, tightly, held it to her as we talked about the exciting potential of the idea of a network of people growing/evolving through an art project like this; the wondrous beauty of Art's ability to do that; the wonder that a sober object like this sphere can bring about such an inspiring, exciting momentum of connection; ...
An intense memory for me.
'On a passé un bon moment' as they say. A very special moment had, a very special experience. Which is precisely what this whole project is about: creating a special moment, creating special, significant experiences.
I plan, in my next post probably, to try to give a clearer, more succinct insight into what this Spheres project entails from my perspective. In the meantime, here are the links to 'relevant posts' as mentioned above:
31 October 2014 summarizes the following 4 posts:
- 3 August 2012 the experience that sowed the seeds for the concept
- 17 August 2012 only the two paragraphs immediately below the first two images are relevant here
- 28 September 2012
- 23 August 2014
1 November 2014
Friday, 21 August 2015
Two More Spheres
And now for something a little different, although this project also ties in with the Tunnel Gallery Artist in Residence project to some extent.
Following on from my posts dated 1 November 2014 and 31 October 2014 about the Fragility Spheres project, two more spheres have joined the group, which is now back up to eight.
(As before, the spheres have simply been placed in a formation in my kiln shed to illustrate the new additions and the overall group, not with a purpose consciously to explore the 'placing in formation'; that will come later.)
The group had been reduced to six when, in July, one of the larger white ones was taken to continue its story in the Netherlands. This Dutch 'participant/contributor' (still searching for the right term) spoke about his connection with the particular one he chose because of its weight in the hand and the change in density of the coiling as it progressed, which he identified with the change in the intensity of life from youth to older age. I hope he will expand on this further on this blog, as is the plan for the other people who have become involved up to now.
Another larger black one went to continue its story more locally back in June.
In November last year I referred to 'Phase 2'; eight months on, this should perhaps be named phase 3, but this Spheres project has certainly been very much in my mind over this time and has matured very positively. Indeed one of the people who has one of the spheres talked about them as having 'been hatching', which I rather like the sound of.
One of the developments has been that I came across the term 'fragility of existence' the other day and liked it, and prefer it to my previous 'fragility of life'. So, I shall refer to them as such from now on.
I plan to work on adding (another two or three) to the group before the Autumn Term starts at Tonbridge and will actively invite the participants/contributors to join in the logging of this project by giving an update of their sphere's life-story to date.
I shall get things started by logging the story of the very first sphere I made for this project.
Following on from my posts dated 1 November 2014 and 31 October 2014 about the Fragility Spheres project, two more spheres have joined the group, which is now back up to eight.
(As before, the spheres have simply been placed in a formation in my kiln shed to illustrate the new additions and the overall group, not with a purpose consciously to explore the 'placing in formation'; that will come later.)
The group had been reduced to six when, in July, one of the larger white ones was taken to continue its story in the Netherlands. This Dutch 'participant/contributor' (still searching for the right term) spoke about his connection with the particular one he chose because of its weight in the hand and the change in density of the coiling as it progressed, which he identified with the change in the intensity of life from youth to older age. I hope he will expand on this further on this blog, as is the plan for the other people who have become involved up to now.
Another larger black one went to continue its story more locally back in June.
In November last year I referred to 'Phase 2'; eight months on, this should perhaps be named phase 3, but this Spheres project has certainly been very much in my mind over this time and has matured very positively. Indeed one of the people who has one of the spheres talked about them as having 'been hatching', which I rather like the sound of.
One of the developments has been that I came across the term 'fragility of existence' the other day and liked it, and prefer it to my previous 'fragility of life'. So, I shall refer to them as such from now on.
I plan to work on adding (another two or three) to the group before the Autumn Term starts at Tonbridge and will actively invite the participants/contributors to join in the logging of this project by giving an update of their sphere's life-story to date.
I shall get things started by logging the story of the very first sphere I made for this project.
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
'Going Against It'
In my previous post (dated 5/07/2015), I spoke of 'another way of questioning by taking the 'uncomfortable' to the extreme in order to show/highlight the point', and 'there is an equally valid artistic viewpoint that your questioning can resonate equally clearly - if not more so - by going completely against it' (referring to the 'aesthetically pleasing', in this instance).
As I explained, I personally inherently find greater expression in the aesthetically pleasing as my interest in 'form' shapes my thinking and feeling on the subject.
I equally appreciate, however, that others want to 'go against it' to put their message across.
Let's take the relatively obvious example of the work of Jeff Koons. The jury is still out on whether there is indeed a message - he himself claims there isn't, although he has said in relation to his 'Jackson and Bubbles' (as per billboard.com) 'For me, Michael Jackson served as a kind of spiritual authority who could help people feel secure in embracing their culture, whatever it was', so perhaps there is a (straightforward) message.
When I look at the whole of the Jeff Koons art train I see the ultimate example of modern-day consumer society, i.e. 'pushed to the extreme'. Apparently, Koons doesn't shy away from admitting he's always wanted to be rich and famous; he's doing that very well.
Take his 'Balloon Venus' (as per time.com) or 'Poodle' for instance,
they epitomize
- either everything that's wrong with today's consumer society, and does it very well;
- or everything that's wrong with Jeff Koons, which it also does very well.
It's either provocative, questioning the issues of where society is going and where Art is going by taking kitsch to the extreme, or it's simply loading more stuff onto the runaway consumer train.
The former, in my opinion, would be more worthwhile ...
A choice between the Rabbit or the Venus of Willendorf? ...
As I explained, I personally inherently find greater expression in the aesthetically pleasing as my interest in 'form' shapes my thinking and feeling on the subject.
I equally appreciate, however, that others want to 'go against it' to put their message across.
Let's take the relatively obvious example of the work of Jeff Koons. The jury is still out on whether there is indeed a message - he himself claims there isn't, although he has said in relation to his 'Jackson and Bubbles' (as per billboard.com) 'For me, Michael Jackson served as a kind of spiritual authority who could help people feel secure in embracing their culture, whatever it was', so perhaps there is a (straightforward) message.
When I look at the whole of the Jeff Koons art train I see the ultimate example of modern-day consumer society, i.e. 'pushed to the extreme'. Apparently, Koons doesn't shy away from admitting he's always wanted to be rich and famous; he's doing that very well.
Take his 'Balloon Venus' (as per time.com) or 'Poodle' for instance,
Daniel Roland / AFP / Getty Images Jeff Koons himself poses in front of Balloon Venus, flanked by Roman marbles, at the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt, Germany, on June 19, 2012. It’s a play on "Venus of Willendorf" a curvaceous female figure made in the Paleolithic period that is thought to symbolize fertility.
Michel Fainsilber A smaller version of the Venus with a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne inside went on sale in September 2013 and costs 15,000 euros (about $20,000).
- either everything that's wrong with today's consumer society, and does it very well;
- or everything that's wrong with Jeff Koons, which it also does very well.
It's either provocative, questioning the issues of where society is going and where Art is going by taking kitsch to the extreme, or it's simply loading more stuff onto the runaway consumer train.
The former, in my opinion, would be more worthwhile ...
A choice between the Rabbit or the Venus of Willendorf? ...
Hiroko Masuike / Getty Images A balloon in the literal sense, the silver Rabbit designed by Koons floats through Times Square during the 81st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22, 2007.
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
BUT ART NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD ...
... (my closing statement in my previous post) because artists today live and work in today's environment. They are confronted with the things that happen around them, each one in their own (very individual) environment. An environment that is very different now from what it was 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 ... years ago.
Therefore, the work they make today is going to be/needs to be very different from what it was 5, 10, 20 ... years ago. Art moves on because society moves on, and because artists work in response to their environment, be it social, physical/environmental, political ...
Ai Wei Wei makes the Art that he makes because of the situation he is in, as he explains in the video below:
Ai Wei Wei
I make the Art that I make because of my situation: where I live, the life and experiences I have and have had, the thoughts I have in response to what happens around me in my close environment and in the world as a whole. This includes what is happening in the world of Art today.
So, why did I say, in my post of 16 July, 'my soap is a sculpture'? To me it is Art because: it came about through happenstance; it has no (artificially imposed) monetary value; it explores the boundaries of what Art is and questions what Art is through its material and the process by which it came about; it is aesthetically pleasing. (That's enough to get on with for the moment).
- Happenstance: some artists call it accident(s), chance, coincidence. (Cathy Wilkes, see below, speaks of mysteries (of the mind), not knowing why ... ). Happenstance is paramount in my work - and excites me in other people's work - because I see it as an essential constituent of creativity itself. By continuously being open to happenstance you give creativity a full free rein, which, to me, is what creativity and Art are about. Seizing the moment, opportunities, possibilities whenever they arise during the work process, and, very importantly, creating a mindset, an environment in which these can arise. This 'work process' is continuous, in that it exists within the studio as well as outside of it. My work is constantly in my mind, as is Art itself. It is part of an artist's mindset, indeed I think it is the artist's mindset. It means I see beauty and interest all around me, and I therefore see the potential for 'Art' all around me. So, when I see a piece of soap that has changed over time into something 'interesting', i.e. beautiful AND questioning, I am in wonderment of it and am excited by it. And I embrace it as part of my work and work process.
- Monetary value: artificially imposed by the 'art world' (and consequently the art market, particularly the secondary art market) it distorts and ultimately wrecks Art and kills the creative process.
Furthermore, the material - soap - is not considered a 'noble' or 'rich' material in conventional art terms (how can it not be noble? It cleanses and purifies); it is considered an 'everyday' material - a 'poor' material as in 'povera' in Arte Povera - so the monetary value of the material itself is ... well, no very much. And that's the very reason why it is noble to me. It takes it away from the staid predictable, with simplicity, and brings vitality to the concept of Art.
- Questioning and exploring boundaries, because it is a bar of soap and I have used no 'artist's skills' to make it. Very importantly though, my sensibility as an artist did enable me to tune in to the moment that the soap had stopped being simply a bar of soap and had become something else.
Another way of questioning is by taking the 'uncomfortable' to the extreme in order to show/highlight the point, and, for fear of expanding too much here, I plan to go into this more closely in a subsequent post.
- Aesthetically pleasing: the subject of aesthetics fascinates me and I need to learn much more about it (why we feel it is 'pleasing') but at the moment I see it as either you go with it or against it as an artist. I feel I personally find greater expression in the aesthetically pleasing. It is what I naturally look for in every form/shape I see emerge during my work process; that is part of who I am as an artist. My interest in 'form' shapes my thinking and feeling on the subject - as my 'form-finding' pieces illustrate (posts dated 23/04, 17/04, and previous posts as cross-referenced) - but there is the equally valid artistic viewpoint that your questioning can resonate equally clearly - if not more so - by going completely against it. The latter then of course fits in very strongly and explicitly with my point about 'questioning'.
Both texts below illustrate some of the points I have made immediately above. They also illustrate very well my point about Art belonging/fitting into its time, and consequently, Art moving forward.
Cathy Wilkes
And
Lustwarande '15
Therefore, the work they make today is going to be/needs to be very different from what it was 5, 10, 20 ... years ago. Art moves on because society moves on, and because artists work in response to their environment, be it social, physical/environmental, political ...
Ai Wei Wei makes the Art that he makes because of the situation he is in, as he explains in the video below:
Ai Wei Wei
I make the Art that I make because of my situation: where I live, the life and experiences I have and have had, the thoughts I have in response to what happens around me in my close environment and in the world as a whole. This includes what is happening in the world of Art today.
So, why did I say, in my post of 16 July, 'my soap is a sculpture'? To me it is Art because: it came about through happenstance; it has no (artificially imposed) monetary value; it explores the boundaries of what Art is and questions what Art is through its material and the process by which it came about; it is aesthetically pleasing. (That's enough to get on with for the moment).
- Happenstance: some artists call it accident(s), chance, coincidence. (Cathy Wilkes, see below, speaks of mysteries (of the mind), not knowing why ... ). Happenstance is paramount in my work - and excites me in other people's work - because I see it as an essential constituent of creativity itself. By continuously being open to happenstance you give creativity a full free rein, which, to me, is what creativity and Art are about. Seizing the moment, opportunities, possibilities whenever they arise during the work process, and, very importantly, creating a mindset, an environment in which these can arise. This 'work process' is continuous, in that it exists within the studio as well as outside of it. My work is constantly in my mind, as is Art itself. It is part of an artist's mindset, indeed I think it is the artist's mindset. It means I see beauty and interest all around me, and I therefore see the potential for 'Art' all around me. So, when I see a piece of soap that has changed over time into something 'interesting', i.e. beautiful AND questioning, I am in wonderment of it and am excited by it. And I embrace it as part of my work and work process.
- Monetary value: artificially imposed by the 'art world' (and consequently the art market, particularly the secondary art market) it distorts and ultimately wrecks Art and kills the creative process.
Furthermore, the material - soap - is not considered a 'noble' or 'rich' material in conventional art terms (how can it not be noble? It cleanses and purifies); it is considered an 'everyday' material - a 'poor' material as in 'povera' in Arte Povera - so the monetary value of the material itself is ... well, no very much. And that's the very reason why it is noble to me. It takes it away from the staid predictable, with simplicity, and brings vitality to the concept of Art.
- Questioning and exploring boundaries, because it is a bar of soap and I have used no 'artist's skills' to make it. Very importantly though, my sensibility as an artist did enable me to tune in to the moment that the soap had stopped being simply a bar of soap and had become something else.
Another way of questioning is by taking the 'uncomfortable' to the extreme in order to show/highlight the point, and, for fear of expanding too much here, I plan to go into this more closely in a subsequent post.
- Aesthetically pleasing: the subject of aesthetics fascinates me and I need to learn much more about it (why we feel it is 'pleasing') but at the moment I see it as either you go with it or against it as an artist. I feel I personally find greater expression in the aesthetically pleasing. It is what I naturally look for in every form/shape I see emerge during my work process; that is part of who I am as an artist. My interest in 'form' shapes my thinking and feeling on the subject - as my 'form-finding' pieces illustrate (posts dated 23/04, 17/04, and previous posts as cross-referenced) - but there is the equally valid artistic viewpoint that your questioning can resonate equally clearly - if not more so - by going completely against it. The latter then of course fits in very strongly and explicitly with my point about 'questioning'.
Both texts below illustrate some of the points I have made immediately above. They also illustrate very well my point about Art belonging/fitting into its time, and consequently, Art moving forward.
Cathy Wilkes
“Uncompromisingly introspective” sculpture
CATHY WILKESUntil 4.10.2015
Lentos Kunstmuseum
Linz, Austria
Lentos Kunstmuseum
Linz, Austria
And
Lustwarande '15
Rapture and Pain – Or a status quo in contemporary sculpture
Lustwarande 1529.08 – 25.10.2015
Tilburg, The Netherlands
Tilburg, The Netherlands
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Why Do I See My Soap As a Sculpture?
Having asked a lot of questions in my previous post (16 July) and left them open as food for thought, I now need to explain why I feel 'my soap is a sculpture' - not to force my opinion on anyone, simply to give my own personal perspective and perhaps make access/engagement with it (my soap as a sculpture) easier.
And that 'own personal perspective' is paramount in this discussion.
It strikes me that the essence, the fundamental question, in this enquiry, when you strip it right back to the very heart, is: what is the purpose of Art? What's it for?
The video below is Alain de Botton's perspective; in my opinion somewhat traditional in its outlook and content but a good way in to this enquiry. It addresses that very question of what Art is for, and, very importantly, it implies/suggests, that the answer is different for everyone.
Once you begin to go through the process of forming an answer to that question of what, to you, Art is for, then the consideration of other answers becomes a possibility, provided of course that the initial formation of one's own answer doesn't become a rigid list against which all Art is to be considered/judged, and if all the boxes aren't ticked the pronouncement 'This is NOT Art' immediately and inevitably follows.
After all, Art needs to move forward. Art exists in a contemporary context because artists live in the contemporary context, i.e. the artists of the past lived in their time, as present-day artists live and work in the present day, in the society of today, in their society. We can enjoy the Art of the past now and we can enjoy and, very importantly, admire the Art of the past within the context in which it was created.
Alain de Botton explains how we can enjoy the Art of the past today. A lot of the artworks of the past that we admire now were controversial in their day, because they were questioning the conventional, they were moving Art forward. We enjoy them now without being (negatively) affected by what was then controversial because human consciousness has moved on, has evolved to the point where those artworks no longer push us out of our comfort zone.
BUT ART NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD ...
And that 'own personal perspective' is paramount in this discussion.
It strikes me that the essence, the fundamental question, in this enquiry, when you strip it right back to the very heart, is: what is the purpose of Art? What's it for?
The video below is Alain de Botton's perspective; in my opinion somewhat traditional in its outlook and content but a good way in to this enquiry. It addresses that very question of what Art is for, and, very importantly, it implies/suggests, that the answer is different for everyone.
Once you begin to go through the process of forming an answer to that question of what, to you, Art is for, then the consideration of other answers becomes a possibility, provided of course that the initial formation of one's own answer doesn't become a rigid list against which all Art is to be considered/judged, and if all the boxes aren't ticked the pronouncement 'This is NOT Art' immediately and inevitably follows.
After all, Art needs to move forward. Art exists in a contemporary context because artists live in the contemporary context, i.e. the artists of the past lived in their time, as present-day artists live and work in the present day, in the society of today, in their society. We can enjoy the Art of the past now and we can enjoy and, very importantly, admire the Art of the past within the context in which it was created.
Alain de Botton explains how we can enjoy the Art of the past today. A lot of the artworks of the past that we admire now were controversial in their day, because they were questioning the conventional, they were moving Art forward. We enjoy them now without being (negatively) affected by what was then controversial because human consciousness has moved on, has evolved to the point where those artworks no longer push us out of our comfort zone.
BUT ART NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD ...
Thursday, 16 July 2015
My Soap Is a Sculpture ...
Continuing to log my preparation for the Tunnel Gallery Artist in Residency I plan to document this stage of the process of the project with photographs of objects of interest and a variety of clay forms. The found objects are either newly found or long treasured and the clay forms are newly made and some are part of past explorations.
In fact I have been doing such 'explorations' for several years now. Some I have logged on this blog, others not, because they existed in an as yet undefined context. The context, however, has now become defined with the Tunnel Residency. Which is one of the reasons I'm delighted with the prospect.
The purpose of gathering these finds and clay forms is to instigate questioning and discoveries. Questioning about art, sculpture, 3D form, installation. And discoveries about working with chance, seeing and finding things of beauty and artistic interest in our surroundings, be it in nature, at home, at school.
So ... I'll begin with one of the more challenging, and most recent, 'finds': a bar of oatmeal soap (hence the flecks), two remnants of an almost used up bar stuck to a new one and then used for some time, creating the softer, rounded contours. The images are rather two dimensional, so the sculptural element is somewhat reduced here. Still, it is clearly a three dimensional object, with an aesthetic beauty, and all the more beautiful - in my eyes - because it came about through happenstance. I saw it one morning and thought 'this is interesting, visually/aesthetically and conceptually', 'this is Art'.
Is it Art?
If I hadn't said it was a bar of soap, would you relate to it/connect with it as a 3D painting or a wall sculpture? Can you see beyond the fact that it is a bar of soap? More easily probably in these images. If you saw it here, in real life, you might find it difficult, impossible even to see anything but a bar of soap. But what if it's displayed on a plinth?
In an art gallery?
Would that make access to it easier?
Would an audioguide explaining what the artist is aiming to achieve make it possible for you to engage with this sculpture?
...
In fact I have been doing such 'explorations' for several years now. Some I have logged on this blog, others not, because they existed in an as yet undefined context. The context, however, has now become defined with the Tunnel Residency. Which is one of the reasons I'm delighted with the prospect.
The purpose of gathering these finds and clay forms is to instigate questioning and discoveries. Questioning about art, sculpture, 3D form, installation. And discoveries about working with chance, seeing and finding things of beauty and artistic interest in our surroundings, be it in nature, at home, at school.
So ... I'll begin with one of the more challenging, and most recent, 'finds': a bar of oatmeal soap (hence the flecks), two remnants of an almost used up bar stuck to a new one and then used for some time, creating the softer, rounded contours. The images are rather two dimensional, so the sculptural element is somewhat reduced here. Still, it is clearly a three dimensional object, with an aesthetic beauty, and all the more beautiful - in my eyes - because it came about through happenstance. I saw it one morning and thought 'this is interesting, visually/aesthetically and conceptually', 'this is Art'.
Is it Art?
If I hadn't said it was a bar of soap, would you relate to it/connect with it as a 3D painting or a wall sculpture? Can you see beyond the fact that it is a bar of soap? More easily probably in these images. If you saw it here, in real life, you might find it difficult, impossible even to see anything but a bar of soap. But what if it's displayed on a plinth?
In an art gallery?
Would that make access to it easier?
Would an audioguide explaining what the artist is aiming to achieve make it possible for you to engage with this sculpture?
...
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