turnthepagechoice

An intriguing day in Norwich. A day on the selection panel for Turn The Page. A day looking a wide range of approaches to the book. Always interesting to look at images of books rather than the actual objects. The book - a 3D object that exists in space, that often explores time, sequence and order, can be manipulated in the hand and whose materials have often been chosen carefully for their textural qualities. It was nice to meet the other selectors Tanya from the bookartbookshop, Nicola Dale from Rogue Studios, Manchester and finally Jules and Marina the organisers. Turn The Page has the idea of being more than a book fair - the cross between fair and exhibition is a good one and favours visual work that uses/explores the idea of the book. But its also about the idea of supporting local and young (in terms of their CV) artists, providing opportunities, of generating a buzz in the city and working within a very public space. So on the whole the two days in May - Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th May 2013 will be an eclectic mixture challenging the nature of the book - looking forward to it already.

grindingmalevolenttone

In the middle of an interesting week – 2 days at home making work in my 'new studio' and 2 days at NUA (Norwich University of the Arts) new name – unsure if this is 3^rd or 4^th version in my lifetime - Norfolk Institute of Art and Design (NIAD), Norwich School of Art and Design, Norwich University College of the Arts and now Norwich University of the Arts. Its history dates back to 1845 when it was called Norwich School of Design - interesting. 

Monday was supporting the 3^rd years collaborative project – some of the groups have envisaged wonderful ideas for the future and worked really well as a group - all groups are learning important lessons for the future in terms of collaboration, considering how one feels about having to own an idea that is created in collaboration with a group is a great learning curve. The Textile course team at NUA generally and the collaborative project specifically are all about presenting opportunities for learning. The nature of learning takes many forms and often what you actually set out to learn isn't what you actually learn, the important thing is to reflect on ones actions.

Tomorrow is Research into Practices Unit feedback tutorials for the MA Textile students and in the afternoon the presentations for the collaborative project for the 3^rd years which should be an excellent learning opportunity.  

Friday is working with turn the page http://turnthepage.org.uk/ I’m on the selection panel http://turnthepage.org.uk/page10.htm with Tanya Peixoto and Nicola Dale - it should be interesting to see a wide range of bookworks.

Meanwhile have to promote black moth - http://blackmothband.co.uk/ - have been playing tracks from their killing jar LP - the articulate dead and blackbird falling on a loop since hearing them as part of the chain on 6 music’s Radcliff and Maconie.

freethinkingmustbeenabled

Another full on day in London at Camberwell - the Project Proposal Crits for the MA have thrown up a number of beautiful and interesting phrases / starting points - looking at my notes and yet again Art College is a wonderful, glorious place where conversations like this take place...... Thinking about how 'page turning' can be used to explore ideas of time and revelation. create a vocabulary where you can use materials to talk for you. How do we forget ourselves? is an interesting question - continue to work with this. How do graphic scores represent sound and connect with ideas around calligraphy? What is the role of translation in your work? The idea that your work is haunted by the book is important - is reference enough or do you have to make books? How important is touch in your work? What came first time or narrative? Does light represent knowledge and learning within and from the book? Daily life celebrated...a moment of gloriousness. Science and Ureka! - how does that work? Rational scientific methodology and intuition? memories are what we have inside that we want to show to others. The idea of cycle relates in some way to the existence of numbers and patterns in nature. Are you setting out to be a deity, a God like creature, either for yourself or for an audience to develop for themselves? The idea of abstract comics needs to be explored.
After this it was off to the Tate to see A Bigger Splash - painting after performance - great to check out the intensity of Stuart Brisley and revisit the Pollack film which everybody loves. The William Klein and Daido Moriyama was a real full-on display, lashings of excessive massive printing and monstrous oppressive display structures! The photo books were stunning but the highlight was watching a selection of films by William Klein. Every piece was 'before its time' be it Who are you Polly Maggoo? A satire on the fashion industry that The Devil Wears Prada could of learnt from or Mr Freedom which appeared to pre-date everything!!!! Documentaries on Little Richard and Muhammad Ali were stunning, raw and exciting - all a must see.

art galleries are truly the most fantastic places and must be secured from the mob!
And then the train - and as ever a most useless service -  cancellation and then a-slow-stop-start-grinding-missed-connections-no-information-resigned-to-being-badly-treated-experience - for a change - started at London Liverpool St 6:30 - Darsham at 10:15

studentmemories

First day back in London after the break and all is very good - proposal presentation review at Camberwell on the Book Art Course for this year’s full and part-time students. The was some really wonderful ideas at their very early stage and it gives us all the chance to propose, project, and support - it is in its intention a very supportive experience where the students must go away with their heads totally swimming with ideas, almost subsumed by the possibilities. Concepts and starting points such as Analysis of phenomena, Creating work that explores the idea of forgetting oneself, the receipt as a found but authored text and the idea of work haunted by the book.
Then off to Shepard's in Victoria to buy paper, for the unpicking and rebinding - sticking to the rule of only buying papers that are 'invisible' for the project was hard. As a student I spent most of my grant in this shop when it was known as Falkiner's Fine Papers in Long Acre and then Southampton Row - often going without food as a result! And now I have money to buy whatever I wanted ...... but i did stick to my rules.
Finally I managed to get to the Whitechapel to see a show of The Aspen magazine - wonderful - inventive - challenging - again my student self emerged - I spent a lot of time with these in the Special collection in the LCP library - they are now at Chelsea if you wanted to actually touch and turn pages so watching the films in the Gallery are a must. Downstairs is Giuseppe Penone 'tree piece' nice but obvious - I much preferred the copy of the river bolder in the corner. While I am there i must recommend the small show upstairs - Collection Sandretto Re Rebaudengo: Viral Research. The exhibition takes its name from a piece of work by Charles Ray and the rest of the work in the show is all black and white. 

howmusicworks

A good break so far – spent a lot of it with a present I bought for myself – How music works by David Byrne. In amongst the astute theories about the music business from the perspective of a musician are some insightful personal comments that have enforced some thoughts around sound and made me reconsider the role of music in my life. The relationship to space and technology was particularly good. As a fan it was excellent to read the background to the thoughtful, intelligent music that has been in the background since 77 was played in the art room at Binley Park Comprehensive. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Byrne Gone back to the source More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, Remain in Light and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts have been on the turntable all Christmas. 

12 12 12adayoftwohalfs

the morning was spent working on an application that required a new artist’s statement –

I have a history of working with the book form and its associated processes, including printing, paper construction, typesetting, design, image and text, binding and book structures. The more conceptual issues of narrative, editing, publishing, production and display are also a large part of my work

These very practical issues are underlined by how my work and ideas in general are conceived and developed, which is through the exploration and utilisation of ideas at the root of book; sequence, control, communication, and revelation.

Navigating a practice where physical outcomes and practical issues are dependent on the opportunities available with each individual context enables flexibility and a huge range of outcomes to be defined as my practice from permanent sculptural installations to ephemeral giveaways and presentations. At the core the investigative values are focused, which is simultaneously liberating and supportive.

The book, a symbol of power and knowledge is seen as a vehicle to communicate directly; it is a form that is understood in these terms. My practice often repositions its context and by redirecting its purpose the work challenges these very notions. The art becomes a question rather than an answer, a collaboration in the mind and hand between maker and reader/viewer/audience.

The practical aspects of the book form, of disseminating information; of making things clearer are also questioned. The bookworks I make explore the idea of form as content and their manipulation enables multiple narratives creating a space for the reflective experience, taking time to connect, look, listen, and consider.

Recent work has seen my practice move away from large scale consultative, structural public art interventions and returning to physical making, using and developing practical skills to make objects/things. Supported by a GFA Arts Council Grant I have been exploring the role of the fold within historical and contemporary textiles and printed matter held in heritage collections within the Eastern Region. I am creating a body of work in response to the material I am encountering within the archives and collections. This will be exhibited in 6 exhibitions and support a number of workshops and talks. The second strand of the project is mapping possible entry points to the collections and looking at developing new ways in which the material could be accessed by the public.

The afternoon was spent in a care home in Ipswich where I ran a workshop as part of creative carers. The session centred on objects, touch and memory.  It was a really good time, Christmas was in the air and everybody seemed up for it – even residents who came just to watch joined in and we ended up with a card/bookwork/decoration/folding event

collaborativeresearchintwodays

The presentations yesterday were an extraordinary success. They were in the form of pitches at the end of a weeks collaborative project between small groups of students on the textiles BA at nuca. The project was the result of an internal staff workshop at the end of last Summer where ideas around learning and teaching were discussed. It was felt that students needed to have a more structured course within year three. So it was decided to rethink the two long units into multiple smaller sections - so that the students could create a wider body of work, more finished pieces and experience a range of teaching approaches.
So far so good - a mass of learning has taken place, the feedback is very positive and I believe they are better designers and individuals, more ready to take on the challenges of the workplace because of it. Looking forward to building on this after christmas.
The day today was all about staff research - an opportunity to see some of the research individual members of staff are engaged in at nuca - a space to share good practice and build relationships with people one only sees at staff events.
The morning was comprised of a range of exciting, thoughtful and professional presentations - I really am surrounded by some most excellent people doing fantastic things.
meanwhile - finally sorting the station at beccles!