resourcesdiverted?

It feels like we have been there at least a month but its Week 1 at Norwich University with new students. Nice to be back actually teaching rather than timetables and admin. Away from teaching it was a busy week which saw visits to Southwold Theatre to see Salacious Secrets in Southwold ~ A Shocking Sordid Seaside Thriller, the latest show written by Robin Brooks and Directed by Fiona McAlpine.  Akenfield at Framlingham Theatre had a fantastic background created by Laurence Edwards. A day at artstation talking with/to pupils from Thomas Mills – invited to ask questions they were all about my tattoos, but it gave me an excuse to talk about Jim. A visit to Duxford on the way back from Luton airport. If you could get past taking in all the materials and resources were used and how one could divert this all to making the world a more positive place it was a great place to observe colour palettes. Onto screens – finished The Summer I turned pretty – 1 season is enough. Hot Milk – couldn’t get into its speed or tone, Relay – excellent, Naked Gun – why.

lifechangingtrip

An extraordinary weekend in Liverpool, the Biennial was amazing - so much good work - highlights were the Elizabeth Price's film about Catholic churches, Gevdet Week's work especially the football stadiums and Nandan Ghiya's fractured photographs. It was great to be with likeminded people at the an conference which gave so much to think about especially the personal and thought-provoking keynote by Larry Achiampong and the life altering wisdom of Jack ky Tan. And then out to Crosby to see the Gormley - which in my mind was reframed by the words from the conference and looking at work from interesting artists making challenging work from around the world. And of course – a cliché but the people were SO friendly!
onto screens – The Ballad of Wallis Island - totally beautiful, wonderfully beautiful.

saintsrus

I’ve been working on an idea that came from a conversation with the Revd Clive Mobbs the wonderful cleric attached to Sizewell C. We spoke about Patron Saints; he mentioned Saint Barbra the patron saint of explosions, who knew. It connects with an idea linked to the needs of the people who build/dig tunnels, that their work would be blessed.  On reflection I’ve been thinking that it also links with the theme of construction workers as heroes. The idea was to create a team of saints, one for each worker/job, this has proved challenging as there does not seem to be a list – anyway…...a month later and I have created a whole periodic table of saints with what I think are SZC related jobs. 

cyclesreturn

A long week in France top and tailed in Nantes. This is an amazing city that has worked out that in a post-industrial world culture is the answer to having a thriving, successful city. There are wonderful, shared spaces full of art and possibilities. Most visible is Le Grand Éléphant https://www.lesmachines-nantes.fr/en/discover/the-grand-elephant/ it is actually worth actually having a ride on it. The museums and galleries are excellent - top recommendation is le unique - a best kept local secret is the plait du jour. Over the week I ate endless moules et frits, oysters, and pastries to die for. In between got a train to Pornic then cycled to Noirmoutier-en-L'lle across a tidal causeway - I do not recommend this if the red lights are flashing. Cycling through water up to the bikes crank in the dark as the tide is making the road invisible is not fun but after the 3-mile ride you do feel alive. The landscape is brutal, controlled and organised by man to industrially farm molluscs. When cycling make sure you look at the wind direction as it will determine your level of pain. Noirmoutier-en-L'lle itself is dinky, very few cars, the area appears designed for cycling around, the most challenging part of the day is working out what to eat and what wine to match it with. Managed to get some reading in - Orbital - what a gem of a book, it reminded me of Moby Dick in that it's not a book about space travel in that Moby Dick isn't all about whales. It was good to make time for reading two books that bounced off each other - both self-help books disguised as novels - The Course of Love by Alain du Bolton about relationships and Midnight Library by Matt Haig about the choices we make. They were both a little too close to feel totally comfortable but on reflection they have a lot to offer.

landedlandlanded

Some work created as a result of my engagement with SZC is to be exhibited within a group exhibition called LAND 2. This exhibition is organised by The Art Station in Saxmundham where LAND 1 is being shown, the work will be shown in the Theatre space in Framlingham. I also have some work in a group show at Barnby Chapel as part of a SZC outreach community engagement opportunity, But most of the work will be an exhibition at Snape Maltings early next year. The exhibition will be in several buildings and consist of all the work created during the year. I am looking forward to inviting SZC staff to the opening and a potential tour of the work. Thank you to all those who have reached out to talk about their jobs, without these conversations the work would be less informed. Onto screens – Mix Tape on the BBC is beautifully sad and authentic in a good way. My oxford year was what it was always going to be.

kolnismyname

7 days on Cologne - living 20 mins out in a neighbourhood and cycling in along the river gives a richer understanding of place rather than living tourist like in the centre. Travelling gives interesting new perspectives, the place acting as a mirror and enabling one to see the country you live in. Returning mainly gives the feeling of embarrassed shame. The entry point to the UK is via a dirty side entrance along a sad corridor grubby with dust build up and let's not talk about toilets. Cologne appears to have no litter, very limited graffiti, full and occupied shops and a busy, thriving feeling - we stayed close to a square with 4 bakeries and 6 coffee shops and several excellent restaurants. The boat/bar/restaurants are ace and easy. Transport is clockwork, efficient and clean - cycling is a joy. Spent the time going to world class galleries and museums and the cathedral is a must see. I saw some of the most astonishing medieval work in Museee Schnutgen and Museee Ludwig but the jewel was Kolumba, the space is awesome with the overall design followed into the attention to detail of everything - even down to the amazing door handles and leather curtain. The exhibition - artist at work was sublime in it's hang and curatorial choice. Other notable spaces include, NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne to see Nazi’s playbook at work before we truly give our world to them, Cologne City Museum tells a great rewritten story from the perspective of residents, Museum of Applied Arts Cologne for the Bauhaus, and he signs in the Skulpturen Park Köln sculpture park are a work in themselves. 

benchbenchbenchbenchbenchwiththelovelypeople

a research day at Kings working on bench with the bench team! – it was a joy. I approached the day with a very loose idea of intention, way of working or a perceived outcome. I enjoy the idea of turning up in a space and making work with limited materials. The challenge is like a tradesman, a jobbing artist if you will. I had simplified the materials and activity from previous ideas. The very broad intention was to create a system or structure that would enable individuals to create a narrative. They would do this by choosing a rubber-stamp, printing it onto a piece of paper, attaching it to a wire and then continuing on the same wire, repeating the actions until they felt they had finished, creating a linear narrative. I have several revisions after watching participants operating the structure and discussing how they worked with the materials.

The work could be structurally less complex –

Instructions – there is a need to add these – they could take the form of a lab protocol.

Example - Pick 3 stamps, consider how together they could create a narrative that is of interest to you. Print onto the paper and attach them to the wire.

For clarity there could be different coloured wires, making it easier to follow the lines.

A way of attaching the prints needs to be considered. This could take the form of small clips to enable ease and flexibility. The prints could be attached anywhere on the wire.

Rethinking the work -

there could be a 2D scroll-like version made simultaneously with the 3D piece, almost creating a record of activity. 

The piece could be a large sheet of paper, a rubber-stamp is printed, a line drawn and another stamp is added until you have a complex set of interconnected lines and visual nodal points. Each participant could work on their own diagram, but it would interlink with each other’s stamps.

It would be possible to work directly onto a bench, drawing and stamping directly onto the surface or wrapping the bench in paper. The shelves would bring height and a range of levels.