Just to Say

Not forgetting the fabulous people I've met in Edinburgh, looking forward to the exhibition! p.s please press older posts at the bottom of the page to see the blog in its entirety.

Images of works in final show.

One year on...whats changed?

Photo of my undergrad studio (detail)

I thought it would be interesting to end my blog with some thoughts on what I have gained from doing this MA course. Firstly, I want to compare my degree show work (June 2009) and then this current degree show, produced just over a year later. For my undergraduate degree I produced a work as shown in the image which consisted of latex dipped in melted sugar which was melted to different temperatures in order to produce different consistencies and colour and also added some pigments. The cocoon forms hung from the ceiling, there were 200 of them set in a grid formation. They were set above hundreds of painted egg shells. Over the duration of the show, the sugar due to the humidity reverted back to its liquid form despite having a high level of viscosity. The sugar dripped continuously and smelt incredibly strong. It was a multisensory work and very successful, born from months of experimenting with different recipes and research in how to slow down the humidifying of the sugar in order for it to not disintegrate entirely in one day. The work was about processes and pushing material boundaries and sex and bodily functions.

So... where did I go from there? When I arrived at Edinburgh, it was a very different environment to my previous Uni. I decided to do an MA in order to professionalise my practice more and engage with my sculpture in a different way within a critical community.I was open to my work changing form (which it has) and ready to move onto a more sophisticated level of engagement with my sculpture (again, yes). When I arrived the aim for my work was to achieve a subtle uncertainty in the object; leaving it open to the viewers interpretation (still a concern, maybe achieved?) I also hoped that on completion of an MA I would be even more confident with articulating the wider context of my practice and find the most successful direction possible of expressing my values in my artwork with a high level of expertise and professionalism (for me this has been achieved).Still interested in the multisensory and materials (particularly ephemeral) and investigating sculpture I made use of the research facilities as well as started off by continuing my little experiments in my studio but found the space quite difficult to work in so my work undoubtedly was affected by this. I went on to produce an ambitious work for my project space in February. This consisted of 1 tonne of forest mulch and casts of my breasts and strawberries, made into mushrooms/fungi which was installed in the project space room of the college. I then went on to complete a three week long residency in Chicago where I produced the work entitled Calcareous, based on the architectural history of the city. I also learnt printmaking, a technique I had not previous had the opportunity to experience, and produced a print as part of a group show. After this point, for the first time in almost 3 year I picked up a paintbrush again and drew and produced more two-dimensional pieces. I think I needed a little reflection from sculpture and explored another form for a while, a positive move I think. Following this, we moved into our new spaces (hooray!) and I started to start thinking about the impending degree show. Not having the ability to complete a work I was planning due to technical difficulties led to me to go back to my usual preoccupation of experimenting with things to hand.

I have realised how important this stage of making is to my practice as a whole. Experimentation has always been key. See image of my undergraduate studio and my postgrad (although to be fair, looking at my undergrad one is a little bit stressful..maybe I've become slightly more tidy!) But this time, rather than develop one thing I had been playing with in my studio into a bigger and monumental installation, I have very naturally used my intuition to create works which stem from the original experimentation but have a very different, more controlled and considered outcome. I am pleased with my progress this year...let’s see what the future holds.

Titles: Just to Say ECA venue

14 Always the pretty one, board, lampshade, rolled blind, plaster, chalk, breeze block, dress, 2010

15 I thought of you continuously, wood, stool, wheels, paint, candles, elephant, 2010

16 The character, stool, drawer, unfired clay, wood, elastic bands, 2010

17 Dismembered, unfired clay, glass face, cast of testicles, mould, 2010

18 In the balance, Scales, chalk, gloves, wood, 2010

Copyshop works:

1 An exposure, clay, latex, mirror, natural loofah, cast of peeled sweet potato, 2010



2 Waiting, suitcase, breeze block, pin, cups, 2010



3 The lost and found, trolley, pine cone, wood, bottle, forks, net, 2010


My piece ideally would be viewed as one work spanning across two locations. This is in order for relationships to be built and a dialogue connecting the two spaces to be made. Another artist who has also made the same work in two separate locations is Ann Hamilton. The work parrallel lines/accountings consists of one being confrontational and full and the other of ‘lyrical emptiness (Hamilton, Bruce: 20)’.In contrast to the other artists who are presenting supporting works in the Cowgate space, the fact that my work is started and completed at and between the two spaces is significant. Each piece in the show becomes: a relationship situation, a point in time, an object in use, something disguarded. K Hunter (personal communication, 26th July 2010). It is up to the viewer to dictate their own narrative based on what is offered through the work through associations with materials, groupings and in relation to other pieces within the show. The walk inbetween the venues perhaps has a potential to heighten this sense of duality between two spaces. The break in the work is significant as it is the menadering between, and the things that happen between two spaces which become the more siginificant.


All the titles have meaning for me; I hope the viewer will consider the relationships between the materiality of the work as well as the concept to which the title refers to. The titles also give the work an identity which all the individual components of the pieces did not have before being used for their new role.

Always the pretty one, board, lampshade, rolled blind, plaster, chalk, breeze block, dress, 2010









I thought of you continuously, wood, stool, wheels, paint, candles, elephant, 2010








I wanted to keep my statement quite down to earth. I am not interested in applying lots of art theory onto these works. My intention for the statement was to inform the viewer of how I approach making my work. It's honest and a good summary of my relationship to sculpture. The last paragraph commments on how on how the viewer might recieve the work. It is not too directational as the main focus is on intuitive and individual response.

The quote below is included in my artist statment. It is a quote from my favourite author Angela Carter. This text is taken from her novel 'The Bloody Chamber' a selection of short stories. Carter has an interest in the myths and stories of Western culture as well as the theories of Freud and Lacan. Her writing style is vivid, theatrical and full of extravagant narratives and sex. I find her writing incredibily inspirational for my sculpture.Her writing is often, wrongly, stated as being adult fairy tales, but what Carter intended was to: 'extract the latent content from the traditional stories and use it as beginnings of new stories'. I feel the same way about aspects of my art. In using the found materials, the viewer immediately engages with intuitive thoughts related to that objects function but the context is different. Placing it with contrasting materials, the object has a new story. I chose this particular quote, as I enjoy how one element affects another, almost like a tiny story within one sentence. I would like to think that these steps might be mentally taken by the viewer,as they see the work, where it is placed, in it's setting, amongst other works, and they begin to associate with it. Observe it and notice details, their own analysis is individual and the work becomes part of the viewer in a subtle but unique way.

“The bunch of keys lay, where he had left them, on the rug before the library fire which had warmed their metal so that they no longer felt cold to the touch but warm, almost, as my own skin” Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber, 1979.

Friday- last day!

Claire Barclay, Ideal Pursuits (detail) 2003
Installation at Dundee Contemporary Arts



Last day! The show looks great, really pleased with it. See photos. Painted floor, got all our statements mounted, title page final version printed.

Statements are always hard to write. I have always been consistent with my responsiveness to materials but nervous about pinning the work down too much. I like to keep things quite open-minded because that's the way I approach my work.

The sculptural baggage, interest in materials, in casting, failed casting, metaphor for a failed relationship, doesn’t quite live up to the promise.

Evaluation of show.

My final work reminds me of Claire Barclay's installations. They find their final form on site and are carefully composed combine a multitude of differing elements. She combines handmade objects with ones crafted to her specification. She improvises with these when she arrives at the gallery space. So the end form is unpredictable until this point. Her hybrid objects often suggest a particular function or allude to natural forms; however they remain elusive through their displacement. Barclay exploits the physical properties of her chosen materials – leather, canvas, metal, rubber or fur, for example. In using materials such as these Barclay encourages us to engage with her work on a instinctual level. An object’s form and context within the installation combine to trigger a widening range of associations, from the domestic and utilitarian to the fetishistic.
Many of these associations can be applied to my own work for Just to Say. For example, the work ‘an Exposure’ which is constructed out of a combination of found objects with more traditional art materials. There is a cut and sliced block of clay with a thin layer of latex painted on the top. The clay has a triangular piece of mirror which has sliced through the clay and remains wedged. On top of this sits a cast of a peeled sweet potato and sitting behind this is a long natural loofah. The clay and plaster cast are more often associated with art materials, but the loofah, mirror and object that is the cast have more domestic and everyday associations. I find this work very bodily and also sexual. The sweet potato is skinned and protruding out of the sculptural in a phallic position. The latex, reminiscent of skin, is also dripped down the back of the clay giving it a further reference to sex. The loofah, usually used for washing and exfoliating the skin, offers references to the naked body and a stripping away of an outer layer (through exfoliation), which is mirrored with the fact that the potato was peeled. This is why the work is called an exposure, all elements have a rawness to them which is unashamed and all have references to a physical action taking place which has the result of leaving things pruned and bare.


Using materials salvaged from my immediate environment. I like to think I have a good intuition for juxtaposition and seeing the possibilities within the simplest of materials.I enjoy finding ways to ‘recontextualise; , especially with materials which are incredibly familiar to us such as potatoes or massagers or candles. I am interested in the feminist perspective but I don’t necessarily enjoy all of the art. This does not mean that my work is entirely non-gendered however, as I am aware that some of the objects (in particular ‘always the pretty one’ and ‘dismembered) have a feminist aesthetic. But other works are more less directed towards a gender (the works in the copy shop). Having some works more overtly feminine than others isn’t inconsistent as I still think the works all possess and ambiguity and potential for narratives to be drawn. All works also derive from the same thinking and making attitude, it’s just the outcome was slightly different.

All works have a white component to them, whether a plinth, or object or structure. This imposes a certain unity between the body of work. Colours in the work are generally quite subdued, more natural organic colours but occasionally I throw in something more spontaneous such as bright blue chalk or bright red netting or a sash of hot pink.

Thursday

My main priority today was deciding which pieces for the final show will be exhibited as well their layout within the space. Although I like all the works, Dean recommended that I be brutal and make some simple straightforward cuts. I had roughly lain out the work in the space and set up each piece as how it should be shown. Removing the one's which I had decided were to go in the copy shop was the first move. Then cutting one more made such a difference. The work looked fresher and the two clusters worked well at developing relationships between the works.

Installed at the copy shop today. Managed to get all our works into the van so only one trip was needed. The space was actually smaller than I'd remembered and the floor isn't great. But it was good to take down the 'To let' posters as this gave us a better sense of the light in the space. As I am working this weekend, it was necessary for me to have my work installed today. Firstly, we helped Catriona install her 'Green room'. Then Lindsey discussed potential plans for her paintings and drawings. We were very excited about our external space but it has also been a challenge as we were not able to become intimate with the space before the install, as opposed to E25 where I have been working for the last month. This meant that for Catriona's site specific work it was a gamble at it's success however, it's worked extremely well which is great. In retrospect, I think my sculptures are slightly too big for the space. I perhaps should have taken some measurements and made objects based around this. One of my works (Eau de Cologne) had to be cut from the show because it was too large. So I have ended up exhibiting a combination of works which I had not expected. This is not a major problem as I am pleased with the whole body of work and since seeing the works in situ, the three selected do seem to work well together. Being a smaller space, we have work for pretty much every avaliable space, with all three of the other artists exhibiting two-dimensional works on the walls. I was slightly worried as I didn't want the space to look bombarded. Particularly as I have definately learnt through moving and editing works in ECA that less is definately more when it comes to these sculptures and their surroundings. I won't be able to see the show in it's final state as I can't get to the venue when the other artists install but I trust their judgement with curating their works around mine already in situ.

Title list & floor plan.

Curatorial issues..


Images of the Cowgate install. I placed 'Waiting' (suitcase piece) at an angle against the floor boards. This breaks up the space more than each work being face on. 'An exposure' is the first piece you see upon entering the venue. It is quite confrontational with the potato cast jutting out towards you. I like this work as it is crisp and honest. I love the rawness of the materials and the juxtapositions. It is also very human and has a sexual and ambiguous abstract quality to it. I was careful not to frame this work against anything too dominating in the room such as the door leading to the next room on the right and also any office or functional elements such as plugs. In a way the tall slender loofah also mimics the column in the almost centre of the room. The work towards the back of the room is called 'The lost and found' this piece works well with Lindsey's paintings in the background as her painting's for me have a textural and palette of landscape and shorelines which this piece sometimes reminds me of, thinking of pieces of litter washed up on beaches. The work also for me is reminiscent of urban living, with chip forks (which are continuously dotted around the city), netting which one contained food, a plaster bottle cast from inside a dented plastic bottle, the abandoned and broken shopping trolley and disguarded shelf. The only element which isn't linked with Edinburgh as a city is the pine cone, this is the anomaly. It was found in Blair Athol in a wood. It is a little glimpse of something outside, which proves valuable to the structure as a whole.

I am little worried that the layout is rather predictable. But practically it was the best layout. I considered placing the suitcase work on the carpet as I feel the piece could still have held itself situated on this surface, but this would have limited access to another artists work. I had to be conscious of the doorways leading to the other artists work in the other rooms so for that reason the works are quite central. I think this allows for an interesting dialogue between the pieces however, particularly betweeen 'waiting' and 'the lost and found' which are situated slightly closer to one another. 'An exposure' works in the group but is perhaps a more 'stand-alone' sculpture.

Process

Process is important as it takes a long time and lots of configurations to find a collaboration of objects that is suggestive without being too obvious, that are also interesting enough for the viewer to find mysterious and engaging and want to try and solve the clues left by the artist. What starts off as a simple combination of two or three things soon turns into a complex narrative where every element is relevant.

During this year, I have read quite a lot of feminist theory and looked at feminist art. In my final work, whilst there are ideas about feminism, domesticity, sex, relationships, the sculptures themselves are the actual physical explorations into thinking, feeling and communicating. I use my sculpture as a way of learning and understanding through material experience.
None of the work is purely gestural since there is always intent, a support, (plinth, structure, furniture) and evidence of a careful decision making process.

Thoughts...

called 'Dismembered'
Materials: Unfired clay, glass face, plaster cast of partner’s testicles, mould and wood.

The clay has been formed has been formed into several phallic shapes separated from the testicles representing male impotence and castration. This contrasts with the symbolic entry of the table within the outer structure. The mould is further evidence of decay surrounding he male form. The glass face nestling in the clay piece shows a smug satisfaction. The unfired clay phallic shapes is a work started and shows the emergence of male strength and virility but cut off from the male body they are disguarded and have no potency or power. The clay piece appears to have been manipulated randomly or in anger or as though an initial work has been destroyed and abandoned; the viewer can decide.

called: In the balance

Scales, chalk, leather gloves, wood.
As mentioned, in my work I like to offer hints which nudge the viewer into creating a story about the objects left before them. The battered box on the bottom is scratched and scarred as well as possesses two large holes either side. This could represents a journey such as cargo from a ship. The object suggests it has a history. The scales are balanced carefully but left, why? Are the gloves lost property? In my work, a scene is created, the viewer see's remnants of an event or situation. The viewer is invited to be a detective to link the items together.

Wednesday

Today, I had all our catalogues printed (100). I also got a book out on artist Isa Genzken. An artist who Dean and I discussed during a tutorial. I do like her work but I prefer the works which have geometric concrete forms on top of steel frames rather than her mixed media pieces which are more chaotic. My work is similar in the sense that I like using found objects but it is very different in that my work has a clarity and simplicity to them. I find Genzken's a bit stressful to look at sometimes.

I also sent in my images for the external relations at ECA. They were interested in my work so have requested some more info on the works which I am compiling for them at the moment.

Sorted the base for the front board on my "housewife" piece (temporary title!!) added what Dean called 'punctuation' by including some chalk which I used to coat the stone on the bottom. I really like the effect of this. I need to move the beige plinth slightly more forward but I think it has come together well. I tried a variety of different bases for the board, such as wood blocks, bricks, vase etc The vase didn't work as I needed something to give the work more weight as the top with the dress template is very delicate so I needed a strong base to weight it down.

I spent a long time today trying to make decisions on which works to transport to the copy shop tomorrow. Finding this editing business pretty difficult! Have had some second opinions from the rest of the artists. I am quite attached to all the works now, having got rid of the three that I felt unsure about early this morning. I seem to have lost the ability to be objective. I am cautious about doubling up on works in the two spaces as there are a few pieces which have some similarities. I have not produced work like this before (in the past I have made immersive installations.. or just one individual work on it's own). This is the first time I have made a series of works. The show is looking strong. Catriona's wall drawing is up and Diane has completed her thread/sink piece. Lindsey has begun hanging her paintings and drawings. I now have these works in the backdrop whilst thinking about the placement of my work... to be cont

We had a discussion of whether we would include artist's statements. I think we should as the show is exciting and dynamic but there is a lot to take in and I think some information could be useful. I am currently working on my statement along with my titles. Titles will be important with this body of work as they will help encourage a narrative and also help in distinguishing them individually.

On a side note... look at the organised rubbish on my walk to college!

The elephant and the candles.

ECA degree show website

Image is up but my statement seems to have disappeared today!

http://www.eca.ac.uk/degreeshow2010/showcase.php5?id=857

Final stretch...3 days to go!

Today was buuuusy! I really feel that the show is starting to come together. It's also nice to have the other artist's beginning to work in the space as it was getting lonely. I have edited out my work, although atleast 3 more cuts perhaps need to be made? I have also played around with a few which weren't quite working for me so I spent a while in discussion with Catriona Reid as I was finding it hard to remain objective by myself. Feeling satisfied at the moment with the overall progress of the work.

The piece which has been bothering me for the last few weeks is the 'please take a butterfly' work. When moving pieces around with Kenny, the original layout seen previously on this blog was left. However, I was not keen on this one. Today, the work went through a multitude of different combinations...

-I also struggled with working on my videos. I have documented myself producing the work and I think they are quite interesting. However, they are quite slow to watch if watched in normal speed.I wanted to edit them in order to speed them up. I tried to use Final Cut on the Macs but if you have never used it before...it is the most complicated piece of software ever!! I tried for an hour but in the end had to admit defeat. The video's wouldn't even load onto the blog.I will have to add them to a disk and probably request the viewer presses fast forward or they will be there a long time!

Last alterations...

Work in progress.

This work is still undergoing alterations but I think I am almost there. I like the columme and the brush object and love the breeze block with powder. Maybe the objects on the bottom shelf aren't right?

This piece was cut the next day. Not sure about it so it was going.

No title as of yet.

I enjoyed this little thing on it's own but it needed something else. I made it by twisting play dough and then dipping it in and squirting red acrilyic ink onto it. Then I made some terrocotta balls which were splitting and placed them in the dough.

I found this object at a carboot sale. I love the colours in these objects together. I also love how the sculpture can squash itself as the metal object is a working press for fruit? It is moveable.

Please take a butterfly- alterations.

This piece has undergone many different variations. First one today, keep plinth on floor but change object to two objects. Next, I combined parts of two other pieces which needed more alterations with it. The text from both plinths was too heavy so I separated the Eau de Colongne 1927 to a different work which I am now happy with... getting there but the object isn't right.Really love this one, with the orange cast, slate and wood on top and egg and hairnet on the bottom plinth...

Talked to Catriona and changed it again... going back for a second look with fresh eyes today, not sure if I preferred it before? I removed 'Please take a butterfly' plinth as it is quite hard to work with, it's too directational and dictates the viewer's thoughts too heavily. So moved it onto a small low plinth and combined it with another object. This might change today.

Scrapped!

Please take a butterfly

This work I was not happy with. I like the link with the text and the object but, I don't think the height works with it, or the the wooden box and plinth combination. This is one I will continue to work with and alter. I decided the box would be better if the object on top was lower level, so it was less monumental, and emphasised the humbleness of the battered base. I changed the object and plinth to the scales, chalk and gloves combination. I feel this works better, it has more a sense of function.

Exhibition space as extended studio..

I will attempt to relate particular elements of my work to each space and I think this is particularly paramount as a sculptor. Carl Andre described the evolution of sculpture as a change of interest from ‘sculpture as form’ to ‘sculpture as structure’ and finally ‘sculpture as place’ (Serota, 33: 1996). With Andre’s floor works, he engages with and invades the space of the viewer. One particular work of mine has associatios of a run-down shop display, this responds the previous function of the Cowgate space as an abandoned shop as well as the area historically being one of Edinburgh’s poorest.


For my work, each space has become an extended studio for the degree show work. This prompts an additional element to our curatorial decisions as the more organic, in-situ aspects of my work are intuitive and unpredictable and alternate the balance with the other artists in their role as curators for the show. In this work, the ‘accidental look’ is important, I want to express something temporary, fleeting, crude and improvised, something hearty with life as opposed to statuesque. Therefore, final touches of the work in both spaces will be added the day before the show opens. These materials will have a direct engagement with the space as they will have a sense in which the work has evidence of an earlier performance/action and will result in the work beginning its riddle from the floor up as well as being rooted to that specific space, never to be replicated in the same way. This method of working is common in contemporary art as Nicholas Serota writes: ‘The gallery or museum has become a studio, promoting a significant change in the conventional relationship between the artist, the work of art and curator (Serota, 1996: 34)’. An important example of an artist working in this way is Richard Serra with his piece ‘Splashing’, shown above. In my work, studio workings and the final gallery pieces are all made with the same attitude. Working in this way has its concerns as I am aware of potentially disturbing the other artists work during my making of the piece, in general my work is quite messy/smelly to make. It might affect their decision on when to hang their work if they were worried about any possibility of their work being contaminated. It also means the display of that particular work is permanent to that place and other curatorial alterations cannot be made after that point.

Tutorial with Dean Hughes August 2nd.

We discussed how I know things have worked or are finished. We talked about the suitcase piece and how everything in that work is necessary and there is good balance. In some of the works, at this point, I had just put things together quickly to get a sense of them in an experiemental way, so they were unresolved. I need to make sure everything about the final work is relevant and important, particularly in using found objects and materials as some parts of these may need to be removed or adjusted. Dean also mentioned the works needed more punctuation, more things that related, like an echo. For instance with the domestic piece with the cake, perhaps I could use the chalks in the cake to draw with on another area of the work. This would link the piece together more. We also discussed artists: Franz West, Rachel Harrison..

Thinking about my practice.

I have a special interest in random objects and things.

'We know that trash is a welter of symbols: it is risk and fascination, foretold catastrophe and seduction, the beauty of the ugly and the memory of the human' Lea Vergine, When Trash Becomes Art. page 12.

In terms of the exploration of the banal, everyday, nothing is too humble for me to find interesting. I am always drawn to things intuitively, sometimes when I'm looking at an object, a potential 'work' pops into my head immediately. But the majority of the time, I find its use when I've been working with something else, and then it feels essential that I add in another element. Although intuitive however, I have realised that I tend to be drawn to objects that are metal or the opposite, fabric and soft. They often have a relationship with femininity such as household appliances. They often have interesting shapes and curves and are usually fairly simple in their overall structure. I like organic colours but also like to add a spark of bright colour. I love working with temporary materials. When compiling an artwork, there’s a voice in my head that's saying: right that needs to go there, and that needs to stand up, this needs to be tied or dipped or glued.... Not always do things work, in fact, the objects go through many different transitions. Sometimes I'll leave an object in one stage for a couple of weeks before temporarily installing it on something else and then changing it or adding a new found object. When I'm working, although I am aware that things can look 'thrown together', this is not the case. Everything is carefully thought about, and despite the sometimes messy and chaotic outcome, things are not made in frenzy. It is more a process of digging things out, extracting them and balancing them against one another or manipulating them. I get small pleasures out of the way some chalk sits in a bowl or masking tape wrapped around metal or a piece of window blind wrapped up...etc.

One thing that is slightly newer in my work this time, is there is more of a light-hearted approach to this piece than perhaps works in the past. This is due to my feeling more comfortable in my working environment and feeling freer to play and have fun with my work than previously. In the work, an element of humour as emerged. See work above for example.

I like to create stories in my work. Little narratives. This is why I like installations or collections of sculptures/objects as I get nervous about pinning things down absolutely. In making an installation with lots of different elements the work has a multiplicity of metaphors, making it more open ended, and individual to the viewer. I hope in the end work there is an intertwining of references to different storylines.

Today, we each brought in our individual jpeg images for our catalogue. We each used an image of our work, a quote or piece of text about or relating to our work as well our contact details. The catalogue is composed on one A3 sheet but is folded into a leaflet. Producing it on one sheet dramatically cuts printing costs! See below a mock up of our catalogue. We need to discuss with repro about the printing of it without a border as this cuts the text slightly.

The catalogue front cover consists of our show logo; it then opens up to show a map in which we have manipulated the root from the two venues. Below we have a transcript of our journey to our Cowgate venue from ECA. This opens up to reveal each of our individual pages. The back cover offers all the information needed for the viewer to visit both sites.

Bit behind on my blog!

Have got a bit behind on updating my blog. Will be discussing my progress and uploading videos of working process.Lots has changed since the image shown here!

I made a little proposal for the layout of the work at the ECA space. This is a simple first attempt at divising the show, dictated by the physical nature of our works.

Tutorial with Kenny Hunter, 26th July.

During my tutorial with Kenny, we talked about how editing was going to a primary issue with resolving my work for the show. The success of the work is going to be in how well I manage to edit and college things together. We talked about how the work still has an element of sex, with the provocative writing on plinths, smells of perfume, and colours of black and red together and, more overtly, casts of male sex organs. Kenny commented on how despite this, there is also a trashy element to the work, as well as humorous. The tutorial helped me to think about the importance of layout of my bases and how I could manipulate them in order to enrich the piece as a whole. We discussed the balance between incorporating a studio object, with some text, on an object= things start to happen! Looking into sculpture..sex & a throwaway society..trying to create riddle from the floor up.

We discussed the narratives arising around the work. Subjects dealing with, sex, glamour, also all the other baggage with it. The sculptural baggage, interest in materials, in casting, failed casting, metaphor for a failed relationship, doesn’t quite live up to the promise..

The suitcase piece in particular offers an almost British idea of sex. Empty coffee shops abandoned at the airport, or picnics. Stacking of the cups, very sculptural, multiples. As well as being a work about time, waiting.

The work with the wedding cake. I have incorporated a dress template. This work has a strong notion of domesticity, housewife, cake making..dress making. The start of a life, with the lampshade waiting to be covered and fitted. We worked on gaining a good layout of line and space within the piece. It is reminiscent of a depressing shop display. Whilst putting these elements together, it is then a question of: Is that the right studio object? Maybe it then becomes of re-making it in order to fit the base or changing it entirely.

We talked about settling for five sculptures in the ECA space. In the Cowgate, a smaller space, I envisage I will include 2- max 3. I currently have 13 objects. This is a good position to be in, rather than thinking that I haven't got enough so will have to put everything in, I will have to be selective. I can still place the rejected objects within my studio space for assessment.