Art allotments started as a weekly swap of images and ideas, like packets of seeds. We posted and received A4 envelopes of collage materials made up from what came to hand, a mix. The idea was to have an artist¹s conversation through something different, accessible and spontaneous. The focus was on doing. It has grown over a year and so now it is time to see what this looks like in an exhibition and find out what other people think. The exhibition space is a long gallery connecting two buildings with windows on one side and zigzag walls on the other. Outside is rough ground.
The thing about the art allotments and growing ideas is that it is about seeing what would come up. It has also been about working on an idea with another artist and friend. This has given two different perspectives in our choices of materials, the collages and the effect all this has on our other work. The exhibition is itself another collage to sort, place and build. There are narratives that appear accidentally, cumulatively and the ones that, for me, reappear. What I love about collage is that its like a puzzle without a picture on the box. The activity is about space and placing things, shapes, colour, noise, creating sets, and movement. The exhibition is a process in progress. I can be wary of process but in this case, it¹s key. Its great to see work recycled and returned and images have started to resurface such as figures as part of the furniture or moving through it. The process has made new images and new work to develop and grow. I find it hard recycling some images sent to me and it is hard to rip up someone else¹s images!
Ok now I am starting to worry as one of the other things is that the strength of this conversation is that it has persisted in the face of many other demands of everyday lives. I am clearing the path for this week and keeping my animation (work) sessions at bay.
Angela
