Week 6 CSAD MFA

​It’s been a good week. After getting rid of the offensive tooth and splitting my toe open, I had to slow down and look after myself and feel so much better for it.
 
I added some yellow mohair stitching to the CD ball and made a tool to knit a rope to add as tendrils on the top. I am thinking of the work more in terms of installation now, bringing my love of curation into the mix and creating an environment rather than presenting a sculpture. I need to make more milk top tendrils and have reached out to the woman who collected them all to see if she is still collecting.
 
I saw an exhibition in Leeds last year at the Henry Moore institute which was really interesting. Strange glass shapes and casts of soft things (made hard) thin metal supports and a huge carpet. The Sculpture magazine I have borrowed from collage has an interview with the Artists, Julie Crabtree and Willian Evans.
I relate to their way of working. 
“The composition of elements changes in every iteration; for us, nothing is “complete” or “total”- the exhibition is a frozen moment in the continuation of things.”
My work involves the explorations of what I can do with the materials, how I can transform them in order to get the most out of them which usually involves accumulation and repetitive processes. The presentation is dependent on the context and the space I am given to work with.
More from Crabtree and Evans,
“…the objects weren’t made with the final installation in mind. Each was a product of a contained experiment exploring the materials and potential processes and applications that can be employed.” 
 
I found the artist Alexandra Bricken (ex-fashion designer) in "Vitamin 3D.." and her approach to materials also resonates. 
“Every single ingredient gives out some type of energy. I try to put them together as a whole, to give them a connection.”
I have always thought that by using simple platonic solids I allow the materials to create a narrative of their own. The combination of different materials starting a conversation and by moving into installation I am forming an environment in which that story can develop.
 
My tutorial with André was really good. I am getting better at talking about my work as my understanding of what I do and why I do it increases. We talk about installation, and he directs me to Sarah Size who creates these enormous installations, the likes of which I have seen at the Venice Biennale and have always blown my mind. How does the artist collect all the stuff? How do they decide what goes where? Why?
We talk about having a collection of objects which can be employed in whatever way seems fit, like stage props.
I tell André about my research into political Art and my ideas for running a series of workshops to try and evidence whether participation in creative activities can change people’s point of view, “A case study”. (It could be helpful in structuring my dissertation.)  We talk about how art has always been political in the sense of its use as propaganda. The research continues. He suggests I read Suzy Gablik’s “Re-enchantment of Art”, so I have it reserved. We talk about the extinction of the human race, getting old and the work the next generation have to do. A good tutorial. I really like André. 
 
Friday, I met Rosie and Paskaline at the Umbrella gallery to check out the space and what we have to do in relation to event planning and marketing. The group in there at the moment are third year illustration students from College of South Wales. They are really helpful and give us free reign to explore the space. We discuss curation and I am looking for ways to hang the milk top tendrils. I’m going to have to make something, but how? We explore the rest of the building. It is a great space but mostly empty. "A sign of the decline of Capitalism." The capitol Centre. There have been things hung from the large dome at the top of the space and the clips are still there with clear lines hanging from them. 'Could I reach them?'. Paskaline asks me to film her. She is making a film which we encourage her to show at the exhibition. I remember the mike stands I was given on site and head back there to pick them up. They might work as a base for tendril rails.

In the afternoon there is a forum for all master’s students. I call in the studio and Meg is working on her washing machine. She wasn’t in a good place yesterday but seems to be more positive today. Washing machines are such an important invention when it comes to women’s liberation, it’s a great subject. She is planning on having it ready for the show next month.  
Rosie and Paskaline are at the forum when I get there, and it has already started. We are meant to be talking to people we don’t know as I sit with Rosie. She is talking to an American sounding woman from illustration. We move around and I talk to a woman who is researching children’s stories and working with children. She is lovely and has read “women who run with wolves”. Two other women join us, another illustrator who is working with childhood toys and Julie, who is my age and doing Global design (Chis Evans’ friend from week one) she is off to Thailand for 6weeks, I’d like to get to know her better. The most exciting connection however was Miriam, second year master’s student, Russian(?) and working with clay and flowers. I show her my “Mother” from the Sculpture Cymru exhibition in Aberystwyth and she say’s “You get it!”  We have added her to our group chat, and I hope we can work together. She wants people from different cultures to plant flowers that represent their culture in her sculpture’s womb. I want to plant a red rose (obviously).
 
I load my car up and head home. I’m buzzing but by the time I get home I’m tired. The neighbours are partying, and the band are here. We play early on Saturday night. Our new Saxophone player is ACE!! Just call me Poly I say to my mates, “Polyester?” “Polyamorous?”
The set goes down well and I’m home before bedtime.
Now how do I turn those mike stands into rails for the milk top tendrils?