Artist in Residence: Ackworth School

Documentation of the show at The Wig, in Birmingham for The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Vinyl Art Space Residency Project. This is the third selection of photographs and include the works of Samuel Cook, Ryan Curtis, Jean-Philippe Dordolo and Sophie Victoria Elliott.

Exhibition info: 1/5 ENCOUNTER
Venue: The Wig 55 Great Tindal Street, Birmingham, B16 8DR
Opening: 12 April 2013 (18H00 – 21H00)
Further dates: 13, 14 April 2013 (11H00 – 16H00)

Project Overview:

THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE CHAOS

A multi-site project that revisits and refines the methodology of the Floor Plan for an Institution: The Auditorium. Consisting of a series of five events, four artists will take it in turn to appropriate, re-imagine and remake each other’s work; de-coding and re-coding practices to form new interpretations and insights.

Documentation of the show at The Wig, in Birmingham for The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Vinyl Art Space Residency Project. This is the second selection of photographs and include the works of Sophie Victoria Elliott.

Artists: Samuel Cook, Ryan Curtis, Jean-Philippe Dordolo and Sophie Victoria Elliott.

Exhibition info: 1/5 ENCOUNTER
Venue: The Wig 55 Great Tindal Street, Birmingham, B16 8DR
Opening: 12 April 2013 (18H00 – 21H00)
Further dates: 13, 14 April 2013 (11H00 – 16H00)

Project Overview:

THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE CHAOS

A multi-site project that revisits and refines the methodology of the Floor Plan for an Institution: The Auditorium. Consisting of a series of five events, four artists will take it in turn to appropriate, re-imagine and remake each other’s work; de-coding and re-coding practices to form new interpretations and insights.

Documentation of the show at The Wig, in Birmingham for The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Vinyl Art Sapce Resdiency Project. This is the first selection of photographs and include the works of Sophie Victoria Elliott.

Artists: Samuel Cook, Ryan Curtis, Jean-Philippe Dordolo and Sophie Victoria Elliott.

Exhibition info: 1/5 ENCOUNTER
Venue: The Wig 55 Great Tindal Street, Birmingham, B16 8DR
Opening: 12 April 2013 (18H00 – 21H00)
Further dates: 13, 14 April 2013 (11H00 – 16H00)

Project Overview:

THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE CHAOS

A multi-site project that revisits and refines the methodology of the Floor Plan for an Institution: The Auditorium. Consisting of a series of five events, four artists will take it in turn to appropriate, re-imagine and remake each other’s work; de-coding and re-coding practices to form new interpretations and insights.

Previous to the exhibition for TSLoT in Birmingham I had a decision to make; bring work previously made that I have no precious connection to or create a new body in response to the challenging brief.

Now, the brief ensures the artist knows they are relinquishing all authority over their work, so it would naturally make sense to give over work you feel is ‘put to rest’. However, I felt that this would not be embracing the emotionally chaotic implications of an artist re-working pieces of work fresh out of your mind, your hands and your studio.

The most recent piece made in response to the project brief was a 10 x 10cm paper relief contour model. There are 6 layers to this relief and it is all hand-cut from 350gsm weight paper.

The idea behind this piece:

a drawing exploration [I struggle to use the word drawing and separate it from painting, may be I shall invent a word that bridges that fathomous gap!] of landscapes I visit was photographed using the supermacro setting. The intention was to explore the surface of the drawing/painting as if it were a landscape, finding intriguing features that mimic the geological and erosive world we occupy. A close up photograph was then selected and I disected the contours of the photograph, creating a 6 layer relief contour model.

TSLoT Vinyl Art Space, Birmingham.

The initial invitation to do this residency project was one of excitement. Being approached is a privilege that I am yet to be used to but with this excitement came a natural fear, a fear of the inevitable. What other artists have been invited? What work do they make? Will I be able to make work that succinctly expresses the core of my practice?

I wasn’t worried about the intention of the project as my work embraces flux. To hand over the authorship of your artwork to another artist to re-interpret until it has be re-done 4 times. What will be left? This opportunity would allow me an opportunity to view my work through the eyes, brains and hands of others.

The initial introduction of one another’s work began with a sprinkling of awkward silences encased in a freezing warehouse where the kettle barely had chance to rest! What became apparent though was the ability to creative a narrative between all 4 artists work without force. Something to be noted was the humorous element that there were three other artists that were male and I, of course, the only female. The humour came in when the artworks were all revealed and presented and a blindingly evident theme that came from my male counterparts was upright structures. More simply put, the three phallus in the room! What became more intriguing was two of my collages were then hung on found objects [floor boards] and leaned against the wall, creating a visual harmony between the upright structures and my own floor and wall mounted ones.

None of us knew each other, we were not told what artists were to be involved until the last moments and communication was discouraged [a paranoid person may suggest the men were in cahoots but I’m going for the ‘happy coincidence’ side of curious].

I now await in excited apprehension for the first re-working of my work. Will I be offended? Will I be astounded? Will it move me in any emotional way or merely enable me to distance my self from my work and view it through a more objective critical eye?

Only time shall tell…