BEING THERE
Today…. a small Pool Arts posse loaded stuff from the studio space at Brazenose Street to the lovely big space at The Fed. This was in the midst of a relatively mild bit of a massive storm.
We talked to Sam, who is also on the 5th floor, (machine) knitting work for a piece relating to the campaign for an 8 hour day. For me, this delightful chat served as a prompt to not get too immersed in research and actually begin to work out how I am going to respond to information, rather than searching for more and more.
And so to the PHM. It was really helpful to see the Gallery without an exhibition in it. Led by Nicola, we split into two groups and worked with floor plans of the space: to the idea of exhibiting around a central structure, or a dynamic design ~ using the existing display boards and cabinets. Museum staff were on hand to put the boards into the shapes we’d come up with. Given the PHM’s emphasis on the fight for democracy, we then had a show of hands on the preferred layout. Fence-sitters like myself were allowed two votes! Having said that, we all agreed and were aware that this was not a final decision and might well change when our work is actually completed.
Some of us were newly converted to using the white-painted wooden boards, before Nicola presented some more options. On screen and on paper she showed several examples of a quite different approach – what sticks in my mind is the cardboard boxes, open at the front. As well as this making the exhibition a very different use of the Community Gallery space, it would be an echo of the research process, discovering material in archives.
Thinking is a joy, decisions much trickier… the gallery space is the stunning old engine room. Having said that we want the audience to see our exhibition first, rather than be drawn to the architecture. Pointing this out, Nicola made a few suggestions of how we might achieve this, and the idea of putting the time line on the floor, in vinyl did not require a formal vote.
Each time we’ve had sessions with Nicola, I’ve been meaning to write something up. This time I’ve done it. I always come away happy to learn and think about what we’re doing with Furiously Mad in new ways. And I guess the regular high number of members at these sessions means I’m not the only one.
