Supermarket Day 2
Day 2 did not start well. After such a successful day installing Play I was expecting a similar enjoyable and productive day. Almost as soon as I arrived Pontus (one of the Supermarket organisers) told me that there was a problem with Play but that I should not worry, he said he would come back when everyone was there so we could talk about it. He went to do something else. Then Estella from Kulturhuset arrived on the scene and said that it was likely that Play would have to be taken down and could not be shown elsewhere due to the combustible nature of the videotape. After explaining that the installation had been cleared by Supermarket we decided the best thing was to get everyone together to try and resolve the situation. I was more confused than stressed. It is good that I am a calm person.
Eventually, and after a less than helpful phone conversation via Estella, the chief of security arrived. The problem was not actually my work but its proximity to the glass surround the spiral staircase. The concern was that in the event of the fire the heat generated by the burning videotape might cause the glass to crack. It was explained that the glass is original (from the 1970s) and therefore not up to today’s standards. I understood that however I was a bit concerned as it was also explained that the spiral staircase is a principle exit route in case of fire. It still doesn’t sound right that a large public building can have a fire route that does not meet fire regulations, the glass in question is only ‘georgian-wire’ glass it’s not as though there isn’t a modern version that would look identical.
In the end I agreed to move Play so that it was never closer to the glass than 1.2 meters. It was either that or not show it at all. Moving it significantly altered how it worked and how it looked in the space, however I felt as though I did not have another (viable) option.
The rest of the day went well but my mood was rather flattened by the morning’s events. Roberto and I had done everything we were asked to do in advance of installing the piece, we’d sent details of the materials, dimensions and the proposed location. It seems that there was a break down in communication between Supermarket and the security department at Kulturhuset.
News of the controversial artwork spread around Kulturhuset – Hampus met a former tutor of his who was working on an exhibition in another part of building and she asked what he knew about this “dangerous artwork”. Part of me feels that I should not have compromised, however the greater part of me feeling that I took the best decision in bad circumstances. I am also aware that should I want to work with either Supermarket OR Kulturhuset again I will have far better chances than if I had been angry and difficult.
I ran in to Estella many times over the course of the fair and she was always friendly and went out of her way to help me with things that she was not really responsible for.
I am aware that artists can easily gain reputations for being difficult to work with. I always try to avoid this no matter where and with whom I am working. However in Stockholm I am (perhaps too) aware that I am also a foreigner and don’t want to risk scuppering international artistic relations! Once again I am very grateful that Hampus was there with me to translate.
After helping me with the installation Hampus also helped Roberto and Cecile. I was concerned that Roberto’s sauna was very absent, and was then amazed at how quickly he was able to create it.
Supermarket Day 1 (inc Day 0 and -1)
Play is almost installed at Supermarket. The location on the third floor is very good, not least because of the view from the adjacent window. Play hangs diagonally between the glass walls around a wide spiral staircase and the floor to ceiling windows at the front of Kulturhuset. The entire front of Kulturhuset is glass and the Supermarket exhibition hall over looks Sergels torg with its wonderful glass sculpture. The sculpture is illuminated at night (it has lights inside it) and it looks spectacular against the darkening Stockholm sky. It’s a wonderful backdrop to my installation!
Roberto is remarkably calm considering that he hasn’t been able to get on with much as he’s had to wait for the installation of the additional walls he ordered.
Cecile is waiting until the construction work is completed before hanging her delicate sculptures.
After hearing about their work I am really looking forward to seeing it. The technical support I received was great – a man in a ‘cherry picker’ put up the chains in no time. I’m very glad that I was able to prepare so much before hand. I’m used to working on my own but I couldn’t have done today without Hampus’ assistance.
Day 0
I met Roberto at the framers. Jean-Noel (the framer) was very good and it was useful to have Roberto there too as getting work framed is new to me. I probably would have chosen the same frame myself but I would have gone for the thinnest option, however it was pointed out to me that the medium weight looked more better and made the work in to an object rather than a framed print. I collect it tomorrow thanks to Jean Noel making it a priority.
Day -1
Hampus and I borrowed a friend’s car to buy the necessary hardware – two pre-cut lengths of shelf, paint, brackets and screws. I’m very pleased that Hampus is able to assist me, his ability not only to translate but also to understand what I’m trying to achieve is invaluable when discussing options with store staff. I did managed to ask for the staples for my staple gun myself …
The last photograph was taken at Heathrow on my way to Sweden, my book caught the light while I was reading at the departure gate
This time next week I’ll be in Stockholm preparing for Supermarket Art Fair. I’m getting there a bit early (two days) because I know that I need time to settle before starting work. We start the actual setting up of the stand and my installation on Tuesday. I’ve seen pictures of where it will be- it’s a narrower space than I imagined. This means the work could be deeper and more cube like, I’ll make that decision when I’m actually there. Last week I bought a suitcase for the piece and this morning I started packing. I called BA just to check that it’s alright to pack ‘art materials’ in luggage, of course they said it’s fine – I didn’t explain that the materials are several hundred (thousand?) meters of gay porn videotape. Does checked in luggage get x-rayed like cabin baggage?
I started looking at the list of other exhibitors and found some very interesting organisations and groups. Now that I’m establishing myself in Sweden I want to be a bit more focussed on meeting people and finding out what they do. There are a couple of artists’ clubs and joining one (or two) would be a good way to meet more artists and it would also force me to improve my Swedish.
It’s all very good timing as a piece of work that is currently in Stockholm might be the one chosen for a group show in London in March. So I can take Play over there and bring Glory back!
www.supermarketartfair.com
jinx, prints, the RA and butterflies
I spoke too soon! Play won’t be at the entrance to Supermarket – for reasons that I haven’t questioned I’ve been offered three alternative spaces. It is disappointing and part of me wants to know what changed from that email that suggested the entrance in the first place. At the same time I know how busy the organisers must be and I don’t want to give them a hard time. I met Andreas last year and I seems like a nice man. I’m also conscious that I don’t want to get the reputation of being difficult before I arrive at the fair and more importantly before I arrive in Stockholm – that could be a very bad way to introduce myself! When I’m there I’ll ask – it could be to do with crowd flow, perhaps having a very playful installation at the entrance isn’t idea with 9000 visitors. Play will now be in an exhibition hall – I can live with that. I’m sure it will still get attention.
As Play won’t be on the stand at Supermarket – it’s on the same floor but in a separate hall – I’ve had a print made so that there is a reference to it. It’s the first time I’ve done anything like that. The print itself is from a picture I took with my little digital camera and I’m amazed how it looks. It’s not the sharpest definition but video-tape must be difficult for any auto focus lens – it’s so reflective. Getting it framed is the next question. I think I’m going to take to Stockholm unframed and get it done there. Seeing the print – a rather handsome 50cm square – has made me think about getting other photographs professionally printed.
Kim invited me to join her at the opening of Modern British Sculpure at the RA. We spent the evening wandering through the galleries, I really like the Modernist pieces – the Hepworth’s are great. We had nearly got to the end when the attendants announced the galleries would be closing. We hadn’t counted on the bar closing at the same time as the galleries so were too late for anything more than a glass of water. It being the RA we were offered still or sparkling. Kim is a freelance artist/educator there and had been around the show with Keith Wilson that afternoon. Overall I like the show – particularly the early galleries, I want to go back and see it again (at least once). I left knowing that I am a sculptor and that I really want to get back in to the studio.
I invited Kim to join me at the London Art Fair. We had a nice chat with James Payne from PayneShurvell where I’d seen Dermot O’Brien’s wonderful installation. And also with Danielle Horn of Nettie Horn, who I didn’t know but was showing an artist Kim knew from a previous RA show. I always feel a little uncomfortable talking with galleries at art fairs, they’re there to promote their artists rather than meet new ones, so I’m always very grateful when they take the time. The fair was far bigger than I remembered and we didn’t have time to do it justice, rushing along the aisles as things wound down we noticed a significant number of butterflies – paintings, prints, collages, sculptures, butterflies, butterflies, butterflies ….
interview (i & ii), Supermarket 2011, printer, pictures
It’s very interesting to see Andrew Bryant’s interview with me online. Reading my words online is different from having read them in the word documents that we exchanged over the summer and autumn – due to various commitments the interview took several months. I really enjoyed Andrew’s questions and seeing where the discussion took us. As the reality of my decision to re-locate to Stockholm gets closer it has been good for me to read (re-read) some of my motivations – and seeing them online makes them more concrete, gives my own voice a credence that sometimes wavers.
I really appreciate the feedback I’ve received – thank you!
måg (the online NABROAD magazine) has asked to interview me. Audi (the wonderfully dynamic and ambitious project director) has sent me a series of questions. The questions have given me a really interesting insight in to my ‘professional profile’
It looks as though I’ll be installing Play at the entrance to Supermarket 2011 (the artists’ art-fair held in Stockholm). Roberto proposed the idea to Andreas and it seems to be going ahead. (Roberto – artist/curator with MOCA, London. Andreas – director/organiser of Supermarket.) It’s an amazing opportunity, and I’m nervous about saying too much before I have absolute confirmation …
I went and had a look at the venue during my New Year trip to Sweden. Showing at the entrance will mean that Play will be seen by everyone going to the café as well as the fair visitors. Roberto (who is Swedish but has lived in the UK for 20 years) has talked about how easy it is to create a ‘sensation’ in the Swedish art-scene. I wonder if that will happen with Play, I wonder if I want that! The most recent sensations in the Swedish art world resulted from a publicly staged psychotic episode and the inclusion of a video of graffiti spraying at the Market art-fair. Could an installation of hours worth of gay pornography in city funded Kulturhuset be next? I think (hope) I can say honestly that I would never make an artwork for the purpose of creating a sensation but if something that I make creates one then I could live with that.
This afternoon I “saved” myself over £1000! After only a couple of hours I managed to get my wonderful new wi-fi printer to respond to my elderly but (almost) perfectly useable laptop. During those hours I feared that I might have to buy a new computer in order to use the printer that I bought for £49. Seeing that first printed page pop out was a great moment. My calm persistence and ability to think laterally is far greater than my technical ability, so although my old operating system wouldn’t read the installation cd that came with printer, I found that I could download the driver. Problem solved! And (unaffordable) purchase avoided! Thank you internet!
Along with a couple of pictures of Kulturhuset, I’m adding some pictures I took from the plane to Sweden. I think it is the first time I’ve flown on New Year’s Eve, and watching the sunset I thought about watching the last light of 2010 fading away. As the sky got darker the window glass became more reflective. The last picture I took shows multiple reflections of my hands, the black camera is almost invisible on the triple layers of glazing.
