Becoming Part of Something

The last couple of weeks have been diverse! Amongst the things that have happened:

I had the great honour of curating the Salon Photo prize which was very generous of Matt to allow me such responsibility ( and daunting!) I am learning new skills which I just love! Matt and he is a very good boss!

Read more here/ see the cataologue here:

http://www.salonartprize.com/

I also managed the online catalogue ( new skills part II- hello Indesign) the PV which was incredibly busy, 1000 odd people in one night ( I felt a bit seasick as wave upon wave of people came in ) as part of First Thursdays in East London. The lovely Rachel Wilberforce ( who was selected and has a wonderful photo in the show ) , Michaela Nettell, Katriona Beales and Andrew Bryant came by as well which was great to have friends there amongst the throng!

Speaking of Andrew, he shall be curating his second show at Core which opens next week which has already been creating great debate.

I heard on R4 the other day a discussion about this very thing: People’s nervousness of robots and the like, in this context within a religious framework: basically, if a machine has no soul, then it cannot have original sin, in which case it does not need salvation , therefore a machine is like God, without sin and therefore can usurp god….interesting… do come along!

Then of course DIY Educate launches that same week. I am nervous and excited about it- feedback has been great, we have a really strong programme I feel and we now have about 20 chair sponsors which is incredible so seats for people- bonus! DIY educate feeds into my role at AIR, a desire to improve artist’s situation, to make up for the lack of professional practice compulsory components within art course, so essential, yet often neglected.

Xhibit Selection for the UAL. Being a judge for the open submission for the all UAL students, very interesting day of considering artworks for a show in March

My Work: Had an installation at Battersea Power Station for the last 3 days, incredible space. The Lost Lovers Ball was a festival created by the Secret Garden Party team ( all of whom are incredibly ambitious in their vision) . My installation, an interactive map of lost love, developed from a previous installation at Shunt a couple of years ago. One could call it socially engaged as the people make it what it is- from a barren map to a forest of stories and narratives. It was incredibly popular with hundreds of people adding to the forest, taking photos, pouring over other lost loves. I was there on hand as Lady Valentine and it was a majestic experience!

Tonight, appropriately I guess for Valentines, I shall be reading all the stories to compile….

www.coregallery.co.uk

www.rosalinddavis.co.uk

I am delighted to have been interviewed by Chantelle Purcell in one of our in house interviews: you can read it here

http://coregalleryinterviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/…

Below as well a taster

“In this interview we look to the past and survey Core Gallery’s 2010 highlights, we find out the commitment and work that goes into sustaining a gallery. I get a peek into this year’s exciting programme and discuss the cultural relevance of artist run spaces.

CP: William Morris declared in his 1884 lecture ‘Art & Socialism’ that: “Association instead of competition, social order instead of individualist anarchy” were the ways to free creativity and return it to the working man. How pertinent would you say that this statement is today? What associations have arisen from the conception of Core Gallery?

RD: I believe through sharing knowledge and working together we can only strengthen artists roles and improve our situations. Association is better than competition, that way you can build a community from which you can nurture and sustain yourself, your career and others.

At Core we have also set something of a new precedent in terms of our associate members, who are not actually in the studio space itself but contribute significantly to the space such as Jane Boyer and yourself and the artists who contribute to the space or education programme.

CP: The programme last year promoted an experimental approach to exhibition-making and placed a strong focus on curatorial concepts. How do you plan to maintain that this year?
RD: This year our exhibition programme is going to continue to be experimental, focusing a little closer to home with myself, Elizabeth Murton and Jane Boyer all curating exhibitions rather than just having guest curators.

Two shows I shall be curating this year: one with Jane Boyer of our DX winners ‘Extra-Ordinary’ in April and an exhibition called ‘Home’ with Annabel Tilley in October. With home, we are exploring this theme in the widest sense of the word- a place of fragility, transition and identity from a cross generation of artists. Artists so far for this project include Graham Crowley, Delaine Le Bas, Rich White, Freddie Robins, Peter Davis, Rose Wylie, Lucy Austin, Emily Speed myself and Annabel Tilley.

I am finding the process of curating a very interesting, analytical, critical and exploratory role. I am testing new muscles and learning an awful lot. Also working in partnership is something I very much enjoy, the debate, the conversations which lead you to interesting new paths. It is a delight.

We are also delighted to invite back Nicholas Kaplony and Andrew Bryant and we are very excited to be working with Coexist, a dynamic artist led space in Southend in a collaborative project with our studio members that will tour from Coexist to Core at the end of 2011…..

Read the full insightful interview here :

http://coregalleryinterviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/…