http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 In Certain Places Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:12:55 +0000 a-n rss generator a-n The Artists Information Company and contributors edit@a-n.co.uk technical@a-n.co.uk http://www.a-n.co.uk/img/logo.gif http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "You've missed a bit" mouthed the passer by at the window. I had started painting a red strip, stripe, around the walls of shop unit 15. First coat finished 30th June, back today for second coat. Bought 2 globe lamps from Preston covered market. I saw one and logged it, saw another and asked how much "£5", I'll go back to the first one and see how much they want. "£3" and they've got another, I can have them both for a fiver. BOGOF, beautiful. Back at the shop cleaning one of the windows an old guy asks what's it going to be. I start to talk about art and he says "Tomatoes?". I correct him and say something about art again. He says it used to be a cafe but they couldn't afford the rent. This morning, whilst I'm driving, my phone rings. Withheld number, I answer, hypocrite. I had a feeling it would be Berrys, the timber merchants. The sales guy says for collection and I have to correct him and say for delivery and then he says can't get the lengths I want and would charge for cuts(30p per cut). I explain that the reason why I'm using Berrys is that I was advised I could have these lengths (1.8m) and that there would be no charge to cut as no need because these lengths in stock. He asked who I spoke to, damn. I work in a call center and that's gotta to be a golden rule (ownership). He said he'd ring me back, I asked if he could ring me back in 10 minutes (giving me enough time to get home and out of the car).  A minute later, withheld rings again. He asks if it's rough sawn carcassing that I want, yes I agree. Delivery will be this friday. To the Harris? No to Old Vicarage off Tithebarn, like it says on the order form. I ask him to ask the driver to ring me ten minutes before hand.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 A pair of passers-by asked what the shop was going to be. "An art exhibition." "You're gonna sell art exhibitions?" They wanted to know where I got my atlases from, I told them the story. They offered me a tenner for both. What happens when everyone has everything?  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 It's all good in the wood. The phone vibrates and I pick it up. It's Berrys, the delivery man asking where exactly I want the wood. I say you were supposed to ring me and he says he did, twice. I later check my phone and I missed the call because it was on silent. I ask him to ring Ken, St. Johns Shopping center manager. He rings back to say it goes to answer machine. I give him the best advise I can as to where to leave the wood, next to the second grey door; he says there are no grey doors, they're all green. He says he'll leave the wood between the 2nd and 3rd door, I apologise for missing the call. I've painted the ends of the wood black and need turps to clean my brush so I go to the pound shop/stop across the way and it's £1.49. I try B&M Bargains, they don't have any so I try the other pound shop, it's £1.50. Yesterday I bump into a guy I used to work with who is now working as a Parking Attendant (traffic warden). I tell him I did the weeks training but the prospect of the abuse put me off. I confirm the following: PAs have to be wearing their hat to issue you a ticket and if they hand you the ticket, don't accept it, just get in your car and drive off (if it's on your windscreen it's too late). Do not catch the ticket if they throw it at you!  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Tartan paint "So that's how they do it?" "Do what?" The passer by was referring to my hazard tape covered planks, she explained that she thought they were painted. Another lady asked what was happening and I told her there was going to be an exhibition in the shop. She said I could sell it and give the money to charity! "Job for life there mate!"... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 You've been playing that for two days now, you're not getting much of a tune from it. Or words to that effect. I am imagining the work men in the souks of Marrakech; the wooden spoon man. Sat there, on the doorstep of his shop work space, making wooden spoons with a mountain of wooden spoons piled behind him. Curator Captions... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "It looks like a tent." "Have you been here all night?" "Are you selling Hazard signs?" "What's it going to be?" "An art exhibition" "An art exhibition! There's enough art in Preston already." "Where?" I asked as she carried on walking. I guess people who ask you questions whilst they keep on walking aren't really interested in having a conversation, just an answer to the question. This was particularly interesting because of Fiona Flynns letter in this months a-n. The difference here being Preston, as compared with, London. Preston has The Harris and PAD. Another passer-by wanting to buy the worlds? End of august mate. "You're weird" says the girl walking past, I ask why, no answer. She walks past again and says the same thing. I think about saying "You're stupid/thick/ugly" but what's the point? I'd honestly actually prefer her to be able to articulate the reason why she thinks its OK to tell a stranger they're weird but..... "Is it going to be a big wasp?"      ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 I told Charles (one of the ICP Team) about the lady saying too much art in Preston already and he read it as a positive; the work of In Certain Places working, being noticed. I've edited interview with Charles and Elaine, two of ICP team, for radio show on Preston FM 103.2FM Tuesday 14th July 18.00-19.00. Music to include Tom Waits, The Specials and The The.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Rang Alice Booth this morning regarding Making Time opportunity. I needed to find out if I had been shortlisted as I have an Assessment day to be a Bike Club Officer for CTC (first rule of Bike Club.....) tomorrow to be followed, if successful, by an interview in Birmingham on Friday which is the same day as the interviews for Making Time. I didn't get it. She didn't want to tell me, she said she'd email me in an hour or so. I explained the reason why I needed to know so I could let the other people (CTC) know and explained that I was away from a computer. She still didn't want to tell me so I assumed that meant unsuccessful. I realised, 'it dawned on me', that if I was on the shortlist she would have remembered my name and it would  be easy to say so. Instant depression. Whittling wood (c5000 sticks) for a year sounds good  to me but I didn't actually say that was what I was going to do. Left it open, which in hindsight, aaarrrrgggghhhh. Then I start thinking it's all down to who you know, I mean, I know Charles and Elaine.... Depression turns to disappointment to realisation/actualisation I am doing art, being creative. I am grateful for the opportunity, it's all good. "You've got that down to a fine art." The guy from the newsagent nextdoor wants to know what I am doing, how much it costs, who's paying for the lights - he says his service charges will go up. I say something about he'd be paying service charges if the shops were empty. He wants to have a closer look, I ask him not to touch. The first thing he does is touch it, gently, just to see how stable it is. He comes out and asks whens it going to be open, I explain that it isn't going to be 'open' for the reason he's just demonstrated. He smiles.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 I am in the back of the shop with the lights off, setting up a video camera so that I can film an hour at lunchtime, hopefully 'to capture' passers-by looking in. I try plugging in the power adapter and realise I've brought the wrong one. There is a couple sat on the bench in front of the shop and I can see that the woman is explaining to the man what I am doing. She is miming wrapping a plank of wood in hazard tape. "What am I building?" "A sculpture" "What of?" "Does a sculpture have to be of something? What does it look like?" "A tunnel." Beautiful. She explains she couldn't read the magnets on the fridge door from where she was sat. She suggested wrapping the chairs, "and a table", in hazard tape. I ummed and arghed but explained that even though that might connect the seats with the art, the seats weren't the art but a facility. She asked about the text and I explained, "Cheap Chairs!" she said. Fantastic. Another audience member asked if I thought artists with beards had more authority (I've had a shave). He said I didn't have the towel last week then corrected himself to say it was folded differently! A young girl asked if she could crawl through the tunnel. I said she could but if it fell on her whilst she was doing it then I could be sued. Her friend suggested I charge; we agreed the charge would have to be equivalent to the cost of insurance. She said she would sign a disclaimer, crawling consent. I've hooked up sound. A Tom Waits sample with a sample from The Great Escpe. The headphones look lost on the seat. Philippa organises a plinth I can borrow from The Harris. A skip outside The Harris has two comfortable chairs in it, yes I can have them. Back in the back of the shop I see someone picks up the headphones and listens. I go for a break and when I come back I know someone else has picked up the headphones because they are now ear down. I think about using speakers so that everyone can hear the sound. Is that more important than the idea, point about public/private space? Where does copyright begin?    ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Went to see Marina Abramovic presents (Dedicated to Tehching Hsieh) last night at the Whitworth, part of Manchester International Festival 09. The other day eating my bacon butty from Galloways on the corner of St. Johns I watched the street cleaner cleaning the street in front of me. Using a grabber he was picking up other peoples discarded cigarette ends. He reached, squeezed, squeezed, squeezed again. One particular butt was proving to be particularly elusive and he kept on trying, I was thinking it's got to be easier to pick it up (he's wearing gloves). Finally, success. I go back to my butty. A couple minutes later I look down the street and I see cigarette butts, here and there. Quantum physics in action; me watching changed his behaviour. He could sense I was watching and didn't want to give up, didn't want me to witness him thinking 'fuck it' but once he'd succeeded and we were both satisfied the heat was off. Can any female performance artist out there explain the prevalence of nakedness in female performance for me? A man played with the remote control digger. I've set it up so that with the controls as close to the door as possible it would be impossible to knock the tunnel over. The man moved the empty rolls of tape around, against each other. Amusement arcade. I've changed my mind, now I think I'll make it so the tunnel can be knocked down by the remote controlled digger, more poignant. Alex was awarded with a certificated for staying the full four hours at the Whitworth; I left at 22.40 and received no certificate.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Are you doing jankers? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jankers The nextdoor neighbour from the newsagent having another go. Looking into the shop saying you can't see anything, (I don't understand, there is 'something' in the shop, a visible thing) saying no more people coming into St. Johns. In the middle of our conversation/debate/argument he walks off to talk to someone else, rude.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Two planks have fallen!... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 A young girl asked "Is that where you live?". My immediate thought was 'In the shop' then thought she means in the tent tunnel wigwam 'thing'. Old school technology givin' me a hard time. Trying to put a one hour loop of a sample from The Great Escape on to VHS to make an 8 hour tape but no joy. Maybe today. I bought one of those trolleys car mechanics use for working under cars. A Dad asked if he could buy a digger.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "You look like you're havin' pure fun." A fella says he's been meaning to ask what I'm doing, people have been doing. I tell him there's only been me doing and he say's nah there was a half caste guy here the other day. I tell him that's news to me. Children having a go with the remote control digger. I watch them use the wire to pull the digger back rather than the reverse lever. So that's something to be aware of, not that I can do much about it. The other thing is; whilst one child's playing the other wants to play. Creative conflict. I'm in a shop buying re-chargeable batteries for the digger and one of the kids who've been playing with it says "There's the artist."  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "A pile of bricks, A dead cow." A raised eyebrow. A trio of scouse ladies stop and chat; they've been to Blackpool for the week, using their bus passes. They ask what I'm doing and I tell them. One of them says something that sounds like "You want to be an artist." I ask her to say it again because I'm not sure I heard her correctly, she ums and arghs, then says you "You want to be an artist." I say I am an artist. Of the variety of questions I'm first asked I try and do a Roy Walker 'Say what you see' and pass the buck back and most of the time people say tunnel. On a couple of occassions people have said bridge and that's stumped me. I understand tent, wigwam, construction site etc. but bridge.... Remembering the lady who said it looks like a bee, or was it a wasp, colony collapse.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 A toddler bangs on the window. "Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in?Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in? Can I come in?"... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 I'm in the back of the shop and I hear a women say to a man and a child "You two could do better than that." The other day I could hear the bingo caller upstairs. Elaine walks past. I wonder if she wonders where I am. I felt, sensed, a red dot on me, moving around. I followed the movement and trace it back to a couple of kids sat on the bench outside B n Ms. One of them is pointing a toy gun with a "laser sight" at me. I watch him pack it in the back of his trousers. I sat in the shop window and watch the world go by. Unrelated anecdote #1: A friend of a friend has a restraining order against her ex-husband. The ex confronts and threatens them, they report it to the police. The police say, it's his word against hers and do nothing. What's the point of the restraining order? Unrelated anecdote #2: A friend of a friend is walking along the promenade at Blackpool. A guy with a Staffy off its lead walks past. Their is a couple with a Jack Russell puppy walking past. The Staffy attacks and kills the puppy. There is a crowd present, aswell as the Police. Many of the crowd are in tears, the Police do nothing. Sunday used to be a day of rest.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 A funny thing about writing a blog is people tell you they've read your blog and then I tell them what's happened. But they'll already know because they've read the blog.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Yesterday a man asked what I'd do if he pushed over the tunnel with the remote control digger, I said I'd build it again. He laughed and left. Dismantled the tunnel today to lay black plastic on the floor. Haven't decided about the fish hooks from the ceiling yet. Some kids must've used a swear word on the fridge doors because a few moments later someone else censored them.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "Ask him, ask him!" She didn't ask me. In the shop arranging letters on the fridge door before putting them outside. A guy, who had just watched the video loop of Steve McQueen throwing his baseball against the cooler wall, walked past whistling the soundtrack to The Great Escape. I've been experiencing problems with old school tape technology; the player has stopped auto reversing so instead of the audio loop playing continuosly it's only been playing one side (45 minutes). Burned the loop to a CD to play on repeat on a CD player but then the CDs wouldn't even play! Exported the audio to a mini disk which should play for 300 minutes. Then the tape player worked all day yesterday and then today it stopped again. Found a tape playing walkman with auto reverse on the market for five pounds. Lets see what happens. Put some fish hooks up, attached to the ceiling with hazard tape. Nearly walked into them on a couple of occasions. Sat in the chair in the shop space can see the reflection of the video loop in the window. Whilst sat there I notice the wind blowing underneath the door and lifting the black plastic sheeting I've laid on the floor. Potential to knock the sculpture over. A couple of passers-by returned to try and knock the sculpture down, they thought I was going to let them in the shop and use their hands. I explained that if they wanted to try they should use the remote control digger and the remnants of the rolls of hazard tape. The son said the wire wasn't long enough for the digger to reach, I agreed and advised to try and arrange the rolls so that pushing them against the sculpture should make it possible. The dad gave it a go and said he could see what he needed to do but it would take too long. Wore a red shirt, red glasses, red socks and my red watch.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 "a passage cut underground" - Chambers dictionary definition of a tunnel. If what I've been building isn't a tunnel, which is what I think I've been building and what I see when I look at it, what is it?... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 'Constructive criticism' from the man eating his pie sat in the chair outside the shop. He liked it better when I was in the shop, moving. I asked if art had to have movement. He wanted to know what it represented. I asked him what he thought it looked like. He reckoned it was some kind of barrier, stopping you. We moved to the right so we were looking down the tunnel. I agreed that if you were approaching it from the sides then it does look like a barrier but what if you approach it from the front, is there a way in? He liked it more from the front, looking directly in, 'perspective' he said. Who was going to buy it he asked. I told him I didn't think anyone was going to buy it but that was part of 'it'; part of the exhibition, exhibiting in a space traditionally used to sell. He said if he had a room long enough he might like it. Yesterday the local skate shop used the fridge doors and the magnetic letters to advertise a party. Today there was only abuse!  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Advertise here... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Elaine asked if I needed showing how to turn on/set up the projector for Teresa and Dominique. I said it's OK, you did it. Elaine laughed. I didn't mean...... It seems that my comment is negative but that's not the case. I watched  Elaine set up the projector earlier in the day and didn't think the projector was able to project a reversed image but Elaine went through the menu and hey presto the text flipped so that it was the right way round when viewed from the outside. So, I knew that following the menu logic, I too would be able to set up the projector if it didn't automatically default to the way Elaine had set it up. Which it did, phew! Is this making sense? The point, the point is, my comment, assumption, was actually positive. My practise is based on this fact/fiction "I could do that." You too could wrap wood in hazard tape.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 A week has past, passed, since my last 'post'. Friends have been asking how the exhibition is going. I met a friend outside the shop last week and I thought he said quarter past five, he says he said quarter to five. What that means is that he saw how it's going. He said there was alot of interest from all kinds of passers-by. I know that people have been listening to the audio because every time I go I leave the headphones facing up so that the sound can be heard as you walk past. Every time I come back they're the other way round. I know that people have been using/playing with the digger because the rolls of hazard tape are gathered around the base of the scuplture. And everytime I go back at night to turn off somebody has 'written' something on the fridge doors with the magnetic letters, usually your basic low-level school standard graffiti.   Somebody shoved the remote control through the letterbox! Somebody tried to pull an empty roll of hazard tape back through the letterbox. Somebody stole the sign saying "it's ok to listen" off the plinth. But nobody has managed to knock the sculpture over. Yet.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 I went to see my Dad the other day and he was with an old hippy friend from school who was talking about 'retail therapy' and the fact that shopping is addictive. You know somethings wrong when the hippys have complied to consumerism. Next thing you know it'll be a new range from Nike; Nike Hippy, Nike Goth. Been thinking about a tee shirt that says SHOPPING SAVES LIVES.  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 Something different with the letters. ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 My nextdoor neighbour from the newsagents having a go again. Apparently some kids moved the chair from outside my shop window and blocked his doorway. My initial thought when he tells me this is 'What's the big deal, move the chair.' I ask when the alleged offence occured and he says Saturday. That's interesting because I haven't been opening the shop on a Saturday so there wouldn't have been a chair outside on a Saturday. There's a couple of screwdrivers on the floor that weren't there when I left, strange. Look for their little kit but cannot find it. Someone may have manouevred the bulldozer so that they could reach through the letterbox and taken the screwdriver set. "The end is near." Have started to remove myself, my presence, my art, from the shop unit. What happens to it now?  ... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830 The show's over. The music from those cartoons starts playing in my head. Now what? The material is removed. My allotment becomes storage space, potential, more sheds/studios.... Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/543830