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the heart of the city
By: Annie Harrison
A record of my first post-graduation residency at the Nexus Art Cafe in the heart of Manchester's Northern Quarter. Nexus is in the basement of the Methodist Central Hall, and I plan to work with the whole building and the people who have been involved in it, past and present. I'm interested in the role it has played in the city, particularly its relationship with Manchester's working people during the Industrial Revolution.
Annie Harrison
Having just completed my degree as a mature student, I am trying to refind the discipline and productivity that came easily at college.
My work is grounded in presence and absence. I unearth the hidden and forgotten and look for traces of human stories in particular places. My recent practice has focused on the history of Manchester and the social impact of urbanisation. I work in a variety of media, most recently film, textiles, painting and site specific work.
I bring to my practice experience gained in previous careers as a drug counsellor and human rights worker.
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annie harrison, 'untitled', bedsheets and wood, july 2009. Photo: alan sams. An image from my degree show. This piece was based on my research into Withington Hospital and former Workhouse in South Manchester.
# 1 [27 September 2009]
I start my residency tomorrow. I'm going to be working there two days a week, with two and a half in my paid job and half a day running an art workshop. I've been so excited about the residency and now that it is upon me I feel anxious. I've been reading other people's residency blogs and they all seem to be more focused and more mature in their practice. I have no evidence yet that I will be able to produce work outside the college setting - how will I get on without tutors and other students around to learn from and get feedback from.
I know how I have worked in the past - I love to work with archives and do a lot of text-based research about places and people and stories then I photograph and draw and paint to develop my ideas. That's my anchor, and from them I have to wait to see what grows.
I also know that I need encouragement, and I don't know where I will get that from in this new setting. My work isn't decorative or particularly accessible, I need people to take time to appreciate it. I don't know how it will go down.
But alongside the nerves, I feel really lucky to have this opportunity. I hope it will give me the structure and discipline to get back into my practice which has lapsed over the summer. It is also provides me with a studio, which I feel sorely in need of. I can't work at home - too many distractions. So roll on tomorrow. Now I've written down my nerves I can get on with packing my materials and looking forward to getting in there!
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