‘Mountain Whispers’ Banff Artist In Residence

THE TOWN AND ITS RESIDENTS

One of my primary motivations for coming here, was to: ‘Research and develop new work specific to a particular location; where the environment becomes the primary source of the work created.’

Working with the two main historically significant museums (Whyte Museum, Banff Parks Museum) allows me to create work that is historically and site specific: based on real historical evidence and material. Both organisations are very accommodating once you explain what you are doing. Researching and utilising the materials at the archives/collections is helping me to include/recreate more authentic artefacts.

Utilising these organisations and my work’s focus has led to interesting connections with locally based people, living and working in the area. I’m surprised with the amount of contacts that I’ve established over a short space of time. This is partly due to kind of town that Banff is and the focus of my project. Once I start talking to residents, they happily recommend other people to talk to.

With a population of about 8,000 residents. Everyone knows everyone else: this included the staff at museums, who would tell me a name of someone that might help me with my research. I was told to look them up in the phone book, or told of a location I could find them; they were always in the phonebook. That allowed me to deliver hand written letters all about town, which only took about an hour and a half. This was the best form of communication for the older-aged residents that I was seeking. Without fail they telephoned me back, and most of them I visited in their homes. Where they shared their memories and photographs.

Another aim, which works side-by-side with this was to: Investigate new forms of participation involving ‘non-artist’ communities; where they become creative ‘partners’ in the creation/content of my work.

While I’ve been hoping to develop the stories that I’ve documented from this group, into my own work, I’ve had to make a decision. It comes down to time and resources. The most important aspect of this aim—to gather personal/individual stories related to Banff—I’ve managed to do. What I’ve learnt through this residency, is that unless this was my only focus, it would be hard to do in the time scale. I’ve documented the stories through audio and photographs, when worked into my fictional story back—in the UK—they can be communicated to my participants online. From the stories I’ve collected, I can see that it’s something that can work, just over a longer timescale maybe a six-month residency.

After spending the best part of two weeks researching and documenting. I’ve decided to focus on resources at Banff not so easily accessible back home e.g. photographing the landscape and access to the large scale archival digital printers and technicians.

It’s hard to find time

It’s been ten days since my last post. Mountain Whispers involves working all over town, so not being just based in the studio, it’s hard to find the time to sit at the laptop to reflect; there is always something you can only do here and not at home. However, you’re reflecting all the time and processing a lot of information and experiences. Life here is very, very busy, with maximum levels of stimulation.

The four weeks are speeding by and already I wish I had more time here. Everything is set up, in order that you can totally focus on your work. Bedrooms are cleaned daily, the dining room means there’s no shopping to get, no food to cook. People are working everywhere and all hours of the day as it’s a 24hr studio. It’s really intense but that’s something we all seem to share, regardless of discipline. I’m just in that place, where you are having a really intense relationship with your work, to the exclusion of everything else.

RESOURCES IN BANFF TOWN

My work has a history focus and so I’ve been spending some time at the Whyte Museum‘s archives. The staff are very helpful, and the collection is very accessible. Amazing photography collection.

The Banff Parks Museum (which is just a great museum of taxidermy) had closed to the public for the season. However, after contacting the curator, he generously opened for me, and even opened some of the cabinets for me (with extremely delicate exhibits) so I didn’t have to photograph through glass. I couldn’t imagine this happening at home.

I haven’t yet been to the First Nations Museum but one of the artists here (Lisamarie Johnson) seems to have spent most of her three week residency with the Stony People who live close by. I’m trying to find out more about them.

VISUAL ARTS RESIDENCIES: Independent & Thematic

It’s only by being here that I’ve realised the true difference between the two main residencies on offer, I’m talking specifically about the two different visual arts residencies. BAIR (Banff Artist In Residence) artists function within an independent study programme. What that means is, that you are provided with space and facilities but not direct tuition, seminars, lectures or critical debate from faculty; they facilitate. This is different from the Thematic Residencies, where the residency faculty do engage directly with artists, through critical engagement, seminars, etc.

I can only offer observations on the current one but there’s a lot of structure, events and interactions. From my perspective as a BAIR artist, it’s rather intense, but the artists I’ve spoken to seem to be getting a lot out of it. I think that if you choose the right thematic residency it would be a really positive experience.

OTHER ARTISTS HERE ON RESIDENCY

I’ve spoken to several other artists about contributing to this blog later in the process but here is a short summary of some of the artists I’ve been spending time with and primarily why they’ve come here. For some it’s about facilities, others time, and others being around other artists.

BAIR residency:

Katherine (Canadian) — a glass-worker/caster who wanted to experiment with carving transparent stone.

Caroline (British) — a sculpture working in ceramic, she’s just graduated from Brighton and heard great things about the Banff Centre from her tutor.

Rosario (Argentinean) — a painter, knew another artist back home who recommended it the residency after doing it themselves. She specifically come for the artist interaction, to be around other artists.

Jane & Tyler, — sisters and sculptors (USA) wanted to do some new exploratory work together, away from the distractions of everyday life, within an environment of strong creative energy.

Thematic (24 Experimental Comedy Training Camp) residency:

Briony (British) — visual artist who wanted to explore what comedy and art combined together had to offer. Not something offered anywhere else, she researched the faculty and was inspired by the work they’d done before.

Lee (British) — currently doing a PhD, is exploring the theory around ‘experimental’ comedy and how it is applied to his current artistic practice as research.

Pre-residency.

I was lucky to visit Banff back in March and so had the opportunity to visit and asked questions about the residency before applying. After applying (unsuccessfully) for other international residencies recently, I think that it made all the difference to the success of my application at Banff. Particularly regarding the residency application process: what seemed quite categorical on paper, was actually a lot more open when I spoke to a faculty member.

But the biggest impact of visiting Banff and seeing what it had to offer before applying, is that a was able to create a proposal that could only be done in the town Banff. This has contributed to my strong sense of focus as I begin my residency and the stands that I need to pull together to create ‘Mountain Whispers’.

While my primary motivation for being here on this residency is to make a piece of work that is site-specific, to people and place, it’s not my only motivation. My main studio space is at home and I work a lot off-site in participatory projects. In taking some space and time away from participatory projects—almost a sabatical—it means that I’ve spent more time in isolation. So one of my intentions for the residency is:

Working with international mentors and peers, broaden my international contacts and networks.

I think this is the first thing that happens to everybody. You meet roommates, studio-neighbours, faculty and within two days friends and colleagues. Sometimes these are visual artists, but in the dinning rooms you have the broadest range of artists: writers, classical musicians, etc. I’ve been doing a lot of talking about my work to new people, more than I’ve done in quite sometime.

The range of international artists means:

Differences in language (or you could say language ‘barriers’) mean that you have to think more thoughtfully about your own relationship to art, and particularly how you explain your own work to other artists around you.

You gain a lot of new knowledge from other artists by talking about your work. Of particular use I’ve gained information on international artists who are motivated by the same things and/or who do similar work to mine: Katherine Southam (a sculptor from Quebec) directed me to an German artist; Iris Häussler living in Ontario, Canada. Rosario Zorraquin (an Argentinean painter) directed me to Argentinean artist; Marisa Rubio. Jesse McKee (the Banff centre’s gallery curator) directed me to Vancouver artist Stan Douglas. This is so valuable and not something I come across often enough.

You can be reminded of artists you already love. In a conversation over wine and a camp-fire, Katherine spoke of an artist she loved, American artist Kiki Smith. I have been a big fan of her work, but when was the last time I looked at her work?

I’ve discovered this much in terms of visual artists in two days and I’ve only really talked in depth to a handful of people.

What are your reasons for coming to Banff?

I’ve only been here a couple of days but it’s the first question that everyone asks you. It’s also probably the most important question in the application process, why Banff? Because who wouldn’t want to come here? It’s an amazing place for any artist. While my work here is site-specific, others have many different reasons.

Visual artists here doing an independent residency rather than thematic residencies, facilities or the natural environment plays a huge part, that seems quite consistent. But after wondering was it the same for other types of artists? Musician Simon Lasky told me, “The chance to escape technology is a big draw, to get away from the city is a special thing. I find it hard to focus on my own work, back home there are so many distractions.”

My roommate said that she has seen people all over the campus, walking out in the open air, deep in their own thoughts, mumbling to themselves. So perhaps it’s a feeling that being in the natural environment gives you, the space to think.

MOUNTAIN WHISPERS

Mountain Whispers is a story that reveals the intense impression that the Banff Mountains made on an idealistic young woman from industrial Victorian England. Arriving on the transcontinental railway in 1888, she was overawed by an explosion of nature ― one she could only have previously dreamed of. Armed with a newfangled camera ― and an unusually permissive husband ― she took to the ‘wilds’ exploring the landscape and gathering stories. The photographs, drawings, letters home, conversations she recorded in her diary, uncover not only the mysteries of her new surroundings and the people she encountered, but offer glimpse into the intoxicating effect that nature can have on the soul.

I’m using my BAIR residency to research and develop a site-specific project – MOUNTAIN WHISPERS. Above is a brief introduction to the project, but more information can be found on my website (http://lokijo.wordpress.com)

BANFF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE (BAIR) PROGRAMME

The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada.

INTRODUCTION

My intention with this blog, is to document my experience and how it shapes my practice, and hopefully through my reflections reveal aspects of the Banff residency: the environment, the community, the resources available, etc. that other artists might find useful to know. I’m happy to answer any specific comments or questions from people about any aspects of the residency. Please contact me on my website.

My Banff Residency has been supported by Arts Council England.