Things are appearing in my workspace now. The exhibition is starting to have a physical presence rather than just existing in my head. Plinths have been built, although being me, they weren’t a simple ‘four sides and a top’ plinth. They are ‘four sides, a top with a hole in to see the screen, a door and a little shelf for the media player, and some ledges for the screen to rest on, plinth’. And my technician Cathal Elliot has built 9 of them for me.
My last blog on here was called ‘Asking for help’ and was about when I had a Review bursary from A-n to work with people to learn new skills to realise new work at the Bluecoat last year. Looking back on that time I think the lesson of ‘Asking for help’ has really helped with the realisation of this project. Before that I would soldier on, trying to do everything myself, but working with others who can do certain things more effiiciently and effectively than me certainly has its benefits. It has also helped to have the arts council funding behind me so that I can ask for help and pay others to do the work that I need to.
Sophie Tickle has been to film the footage I need for the work ‘Displaced persons’, that was fun working with a dancer and looking at physical movement and how that ties in with my drawing and intervention practice.
The publication is now at proofing stage, so that is starting to feel physical too.
And today my Dad has been helping me out – we’ve pasted huge sheets of cartridge paper onto the semi-circular boards – the studio now looks as though we have tables covered with crisp white tablecloths. And he’s helping me by filling the holes in my plinths ready for them to be sanded and painted.
It’s all go, although at times it has felt a bit like a project management job (which is something that I do) arranging for different people to come and help, materials and equipment to arrive on time along with actually producing the content of the works. That makes me a little worried that I’m not giving enough time to the content, but that happens in my head in the gaps between all of these things I suppose.
Got to go, photoshop is probably ready for me to start putting a piece of work together.
