friday saw the selection of the work and allocation of prizes at the 6th form suffolk art exhibition at Wingfield. a wonderful day looking at dedicated, thoughtful work. we were led by the workbooks (sketchbooks) which illustrated the thinking and wider context of their thinking.
sunday saw the opening, handing out of certificates and a presentation by myself about the use of art and the role of artists in society - http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/opening-suffolk-school-art-exhibition
the catalogue is very smart and has a text about my connection to the creative process.
- catalogue text
Trained as a Graphic Designer at London College of Printing now London College of Communication I started out printing books, using them purely as containers for information, binding images and text. The bookworks I made went onto challenge the notion of what a book could be through developing concepts such ‘bookness’ encompassing ideas like ‘form as content’ and ‘constructing narrative through manipulation’. My working practice takes the elements from the design world of problem solving, such as the idea of a ‘brief’ and combines it with the open possibilities of fine art practice. I have a history of creating pieces that explore the potential of text as image and the relationship between text and image within forms. I work within the public space to develop interventions that are socially engaging, creating work which makes the individual aware of their presence and supports the individual in owning their environment.
I write this to illustrate my connection to some inherent themes embedded within my life. Change is a given but a challenge to us all and we as a society are in constant flux. I have a devotion to the margins, to the edge – to creative activity that is not the mainstream, to the hybrid - the book with its numerous collaborative possibilities that go towards their creation.
My connection to the creative process is through ideas related to book. Dance, music, performance, film and storytelling could be seen as having more in common with the book than the content printed within. Sequence, order, control, revelation, and an acknowledgement of audience are at the heart of what I do. This lateral approach is what artists bring to a problem.
An exploration of the ideas around a sense of place has been at the core of my practice. This could be a personal mapping of my surroundings, working with a Parish Council to celebrate its specialness or researching the history of a specific space to create appropriate and meaningful pieces of public art. I am interested in work that communicates with people and leaves space for the viewer, to enable them to stop and reflect. This has got to be a good thing. The work I am involved in with pupils and students has its roots in attempting to make the world a better place through creativity. I have a belief in art as an enabling force, as a way of engaging with this world, of seeing its beauty and opportunities and supporting the individual in developing their own understanding of what it is to be.
I write this to illustrate my connection to some inherent themes embedded within my life. Change is a given but a challenge to us all and we as a society are in constant flux. I have a devotion to the margins, to the edge – to creative activity that is not the mainstream, to the hybrid - the book with its numerous collaborative possibilities that go towards their creation.
My connection to the creative process is through ideas related to book. Dance, music, performance, film and storytelling could be seen as having more in common with the book than the content printed within. Sequence, order, control, revelation, and an acknowledgement of audience are at the heart of what I do. This lateral approach is what artists bring to a problem.
An exploration of the ideas around a sense of place has been at the core of my practice. This could be a personal mapping of my surroundings, working with a Parish Council to celebrate its specialness or researching the history of a specific space to create appropriate and meaningful pieces of public art. I am interested in work that communicates with people and leaves space for the viewer, to enable them to stop and reflect. This has got to be a good thing. The work I am involved in with pupils and students has its roots in attempting to make the world a better place through creativity. I have a belief in art as an enabling force, as a way of engaging with this world, of seeing its beauty and opportunities and supporting the individual in developing their own understanding of what it is to be.
