dualitybalance

Working on several sculptural pieces – thinking about duality, exploring the idea of setting up a dialogue. Looking at the inherent material qualities of stuff I’ve been collecting that has been waiting in the studio, some of it over 35 years sitting on a shelf! Onto screens – We are Lady Parts – funny and addressing important issues. IF – great premise but lacking a script. Drive Away Dolls – gave up. Just started Dark Matter which is turning into a real mind twister. The End We Start With – harrowing example of what is to come

newthinking

Continuing the work of exploring bookwork thoughts with 3D printing – extending some of the strands of research. The pieces with the translucent material have become more complex in their construction, seeing the internal structures gives the impression of freezing individual ‘sheets’ in time. Adding colour is something I’ve wanted to get involved with for a while, defining edges and enabling the feeling of floating. The monochrome piece takes the work back to referencing basketwork, playing with the layers gives it the ‘handmade’ quality. Onto screens - Bottoms - was fun once you get into the humor, Killer – the voice over was a decision and music choice took the Smiths to another place, deep into Minx – loving the back and forth between main characters.

takingapartandputtingbacktogether

I thought that taking apart my 3D printer and cleaning it would be a daunting task, but the whole process including replacing the nozzle was not so bad – I’m up and running and a couple of successful test prints later means that I’m back to exploring what is possible at the edge of the machine’s constraints. Onto screens - Ed Sheeran’s 4-part documentary Sum of it All was moving and beautiful. First Daughter was quite sweet and not quite as obvious as it could have been. Happiness for Beginners was just sweet. Dragged across Concrete was oddly dull.

instructivepaperfolding

An instructive day at Kings, a puppetry workshop, working as part of synthetic anatomy, animating, and infusing life into inanimate sheets of paper run by Alicia Britt. Lots to think about and potentially some things to incorporate into my own workshop toolbox. If you have several lifetimes, or maybe a couple of days, there is an extraordinary show at the newly reopened Raven Row gallery – called People make Television its hours of TV from the 70s where in a modern-day short-lived experiment into public ownership of open door broadcasting the BBC provided access to cameras and the skills to make programs. All you had to do was to have an idea with a community focused issue and complete a form. Its an astounding repository, a snapshot of the 70s  in all its darkness. On the way home dropped into Big Women at Firstsite, an eclectic exhibition/collection of art made by women, the private view was solid, and it was great to meet so many familiar faces. Being in Colchester was an opportunity to check up on a large public artwork I created for Distillery Pond. Its always odd to return to former work but it was great to see that it was as I had last left it. The words cut into the stone resonated and the shape reflecting what was once there. It stands as an object that has almost lost its connection to its formation but still has purpose. Onto screens - You People – funny in parts - a return to form for Eddie Murphy, but it is what it is. The Fabelmans – awesome and so clever, a gloriously celebratory film about the making of films that explores film making. The Vow – did they run out of money at the end? The Locksmith – so many inevitable scenarios. All the bright places – just so sad. Empire of Light – gentle yet forceful.

3donascale

My largest 3D print so far - 25 x 21 x 21 cm, transparent material, 1 layer thick, no fill, no top or bottom layer. Setting out to test the boundaries of what is possible with the machine and software parameters leads to prints that are closer to basket making than hard ‘product design’. Meanwhile screens – Fleishman is in trouble – the twisted outpouring of emotions is almost too much.

foldedpharmacology

Working with some articulated cardboard structures redesigned, with a new intention, this time looking to explore the complex world of receptor pharmacology. The body is a truly amazing thing - actions as a result of actions. 

showingstuffoff

The display in the window of the bookartbookshop looks fab. It's up for a couple of weeks if you are in Hoxton. I love that the photos are a mixture of the angular structures and the buildings opposite. The pieces are from a range of contexts including NanoDTC in Cambridge, Parallel practices with the crafts council, synthetic anatomy at Kings and general studio work. New 3D printed works are shown alongside pieces created from more more traditional sculptural materials including plaster, wax, paper and cardboard. 

iwokeupanoldmantofindanaxeinmyhand

continuing to work on the 3D printing, looking at joining components to make ‘sheet’ material as well as continuing to explore flexibility. a weekend away – the Edward Krasinski installation at Tate Modern is very special. A Year in Australia has Algernon Talmage’s The Founding of Australia, a truly disturbing painting celebrating the continents founding by the British – yes - all the history taught to me really was a lie! Lubaina Himid’s sculptural pieces in her show are very special. Akram Khan’s Outwitting the Devil, at Sadler’s Wells was awesome – darkness and foreboding in bold fluid movement – I woke up an old man to find an axe in my hand, powerful stuff that stays with you. The drawings of Hokusai for The Great Picture Book of Everything at the British Museum were sublime, unfortunately, they are displayed in very low light, too far away and behind thick glass, but the detail was exquisite and the designs far reaching – rethinking Lichtenstein after a visit to the Tate. Onto screens Spencer has some great acting but is overly long……..Reminiscence – is a great idea but….Boiling Point – is a traumatic ride, no buts …… https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11127680/

 

transparencyisall

More 3D prints, working with the transparency of the material the inside and outside of the structures and be really seen and start to blur. A busy week with meetings both f2f and on TEAMS and Zoom. onto screens – the much-anticipated Free Guy was everything it needed to be, great man out of place premise, some glorious set pieces, and the flow between video and gaming was excellent….so many Easter Eggs it will need to be watched again. Gunpowder Milkshake was a truly violent romp, unsure if it went anywhere other than having roles swapped with women doing violence rather than the men. I have been a little obsessed with Simon Armitage’s latest podcast the poet laureate has gone to his shed. Intelligent banter of the highest order.

foundandaltered

I’ve been busy in the studio the past couple of weeks playing with a found birdbox and working on a new set of images looking at the large articulated structures in rape fields. It is the beginning of assessment time in Academia – looking forward to seeing the students work all brought together for their final submission. Onto screens - The Fuck it list – fun and unnecessary but definitely fun. Now deep into Mare of Easttown, series 3 of Master of None and The Underground Railway. All good dramas but I would recommend reading the excellent book by Colson Whitehead first. My new favorite radio station - https://www.nts.live/ has an extraordinary range of eclectic music.

whenworldscollide

Don’t you just love Photoshop! – in between teaching at nua I have had a week of photo editing in the studio, working with photographs I took last week of the articulated structures. Exploring how the sculptures could become a visual intervention alongside the physical one, thinking of them as tools for resistance or/and engagement. The images look towards documenting a private moment of meditation/mediation, an accidental ritual where techno meets nature. Meanwhile if you like your films full of revenge for wrong doings, a dash of mid-life crisis with a touch of The Transporter, John Wick and finally a glorious segment celebrating Home Alone then the film Nobody is for you. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7888964/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0  Thinking of moving into the world of fashion? – check out Halston on Netflix for your road map, don’t know who he is – listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDwutKpVyas

newworkroadtrip

New work - after time in the studio. Works that initially explored the space that the structured bookworks I make for the hand. Having found that I have fixed them in time by their solid state I have been looking at re-exploring the element of time through the layers on their surfaces I add and take away. A surprise trip to Wiltshire to check out the set up Messums have in that part of the world, exciting to be on a road trip in a new place to see their great spaces. https://messumswiltshire.com/ Meanwhile walks around my own house are full of the joys of Spring.

cleaningandorganising

After repainting and cleaning the studio, it was time to use it to set up a photo studio to document the recent work. They are all about initially creating a space, thinking about volume, whilst also looking a surface. Painting, repainting the shapes with a variety of materials from paint and varnish to gorilla glue and plaster and then sanding to reveal the layers. Textile students had a photo shoot last week, documenting work for this year’s on-line degree show. I took along a folded structure to have a bit of fun…….Some screens – I blame society – no. we are who we are – no. Ammonite – yes https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7983894/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Black Bear – the wonderfully clever meta narratives will make you think https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9601220/. After watching Babylon Berlin a series centred on the post WW1 Berlin scene it’s interesting to think about the many parallels with today. The rise of nationalism, corrupt politics, runaway capitalism, add in Covid, and the post Brexit vote/landscape - are we heading into the cycle that is roaring 20s and everything that follows? Searching for a series – so far it’s a no to Salvation and Big Sky.