Redirection and Network Timeout

Below is the press release for my solo show at the CHRC at Goldsmiths College, that runs from the 6th Sept- 6th October 2011…

‘REDIRECTION and NETWORK TIMEOUT’ is a solo exhibition by Jenny Steele at the Constance Howard Centre, Goldsmiths, from the 6th September until 6th October 2011.

Jenny Steele will showcase works from her recent research residency at the 501 Artspace, Chongqing, China, for the first time to a UK audience. Steele’s project at 501 Artspace (1st June- 12th July 2011) researched into how locals navigate physical and digital space, particularly exploring issues of governmental censorship and control. She also investigated how ancient Ming Dynasty walled city layouts reflected the current hierarchical control imposed online by the government of the People’s Republic of China, continuing to control inhabitant’s movements in both digital and physical space. Within the PRC, Western social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, YouTube and Posterous are banned, as well as numerous sites that are deemed with content that is sexual, provocative or challenging the PRC government. When a user tries to access these sites, they are redirected to a previous page, or a screen flashes up that tells the ‘netizen’ that the network has ‘timed out’. Subsequently, Chinese users are kept separate from a large majority of the supposedly libertarian internet, and they have set up their own versions of social networking sites for Fanfou (Twitter), Renren (Facebook) and QQ (Twitter, Facebook and MSN hybrid). The aforementioned networks are also governed by PRC officials, removing posts and users that are inappropriate. This process of ‘redirection and network timeout’ divides PRC online users, from all other international users, reflecting the countries historical approach to town planning that controls movement.

Through drawing, wood block printmaking, and site specific installations in Chongqing, Jenny Steele sought to map out and chart movements, and redirection, in physical and digital space, by referencing digital interfaces, historical architecture and town planning. For this exhibition at the CHRC, Jenny Steele presents drawings and woodblock prints, also displaying photographs of site-specific installations, and an architectural model of her installation, ‘Attempts to enter the Forbidden City’.

The project ‘REDIRECTION and NETWORK TIMEOUT’, at 501 Artspace, Chongqing, was organised in association with the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester, and funded by Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England. Jenny Steele is an artist, researcher, lecturer, and Goldsmiths alumni (MFA Textiles 2007). She has exhibited widely in the UK, as well as within China, Japan and USA.

Upcoming events include a presentation at RE-WIRE Conference at FACT, Liverpool (28th Sept 2011), and MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY, a 3-person exhibition at Hatch Space, London (19th- 29th October 2011). Jenny Steele is currently based at Rogue Studios, Manchester.

‘REDIRECTION and NETWORK TIMEOUT’ opens at the Constance Howard Research Centre on the 6th September 2011 and runs until the 6th October 2011.

PLEASE NOTE THE CENTRE IS ONLY OPEN TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, 10AM UNTIL 4.30PM.

Constance Howard Centre for Textiles Goldsmiths, University of London Deptford Town Hall Building (Basement) New Cross Road, London SE14 6AF Telephone: +44(0)20 7717 2210

For further information on the project, please visit the ‘REDIRECTION and NETWORK TIMEOUT’ a-n Artists Talking blog – www.a-n.co.uk/p/1266895.

For press enquiries, and any other queries, please contact – [email protected].

I have been having some downtime from my usual blogaholic behaviour – partly due, well mainly due to the fact that I have been really busy finishing off work for my show at the CHRC at Goldsmiths College, lots of family and social events, and now down in London installing the show, and doing some freelance work. I have been settling in very nicely to my new studio at Rogue, getting to know the other artists in my floor, and there are some lovely, and very interesting artists. I think it is going to be a really productive and positive time there. The artists I have met so far seem really active and motivated, so it feels like a great environment to be in.

Installation of the solo show at the Constance Howard Research Centre, has gone well. I am pretty happy with how the drawings, prints and photographs look, but I had a problem with the model which means I have to go back next week, or send it down. Its a real pain but, you live and you learn. There is not going to be a PV, as the centre is currently without a Curator but we are having a closing event and I will be giving a talk. I have decided to take it down myself, as I have been offered some more freelance work, and I am going to start on research for my next show at HATCH in Deptford. My head still feels in the solo show but I need to move on quickly as I need to make the most of these trips back and forth to make the cost of the journeys worthwhile. I am going to be observing how users of the Faircharm Trading Estate use the space, and also how they use digital space. I want to create some kind of map to chart the movement, through the space, and the times and locations where people occupy it. I am feeling excited about the project.

I came back up north this weekend. On saturday I went to the Factory Nights event at Stoke Festival Gardens site, facilitated by rednile projects. It was a fantastic afternoon, really interesting and I met some great people.

I spent last week sorting out my new studio at Rogue (although there is still a lot of painting and deep cleaning to do), but it has been great to start getting settled. I have postponed the decorating, as I have really had to get down straightaway to start sorting the logistics of my exhibition at the CHRC next month. I have started making a maquette of the installation which is a first for me. The idea of using such a process came from research in Chongqing, particularly a visit to their City Town Planning museum. I also headed up to Scotland at the end of last week, for a short camping trip to the Black Isle, and to pay respect to my mother and grandparents graves. It has been a lovely quiet trip full of reflection and walking. I am on my way to Edinburgh now for some more meetings, then back up to Aberdeen for a family event, and then home to get on with the making for the exhibition. I am thinking about the benefits of considering work more, pro- crastination and thinking longer.

The second part of the ACE report –

The exhibition ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’, will also be shown at the Constance Howard Research Centre Gallery, Goldsmiths College, London, SE14 6NW from 6th September 2011 until 6th October 2011. There will be an Artists Talk and Closing Event at the CHRC. I will also exhibit the works in the Riverside Gallery at Waterman’s Art Centre, in December 2011/ January 2012, also accompanied by an Artists Talk. I will additionally exhibit work that develops ideas researched in the residency at a 3person show, ‘MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY’, at Hatch Space, London from the 19th October -29th October 2011. Since returning to the UK, I have presented an Artists Talk at the Camden Arts Centre (23rd July 2011) to 12 practicing artists, a conference paper on the research at INTERFACE 2011 Digital Humanities Conference at UCL, London, WC1E 6BT (28th July 2011) to over 100 delegates, and an Artists Talk to my Artists Crit Group of Goldsmiths MFA Graduates at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, SE11 8XX (29th July 2011).

My research paper ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’ was selected for the RE-wire Conference, FACT/ Liverpool John Moore’s University (L1 4DQ), and I will present my paper on the 28th September 2011.

I disseminated my residency project through daily posting on a-n blog, informative emails to my mailing list, posting blog entries on the Chinese Art Centre blog, listings on UAL ‘what’s on’ database, a feature in the Axis Members News for June 2011 and social network posts through Twitter and Facebook when possible (due to censorship bans in China).

I managed to produce more practice based work than anticipated – creating 4 final drawings, and 4 external installations outside of my original proposed outcomes. I found it difficult to find suitable discarded found objects for installations, as there was little that could be used locally. For the external installations, I utilised spray paint in a stencil graffiti style which I have never used before. This process was a response to the heavy graffiti over the architecture in the local area which was encouraged by the government.

Although I was very productive, I do feel that I would have been able to make more of the experience of living and working in China if the residency period was longer. Much time in the first few weeks was taken up by acquainting myself with local logistics, amenities and customs. I believe a time period of least 2 months for a residency in foreign country is required to allow deeper assimilation of the culture and more in depth research outcomes.

I also encountered problems with the quality of the recording of the Artists Talks and presentations. I used my own equipment for these purposes, and would like to have these done professionally in the future.

I also did not anticipate building such strong connections with local artists, lecturers and curators, which I have continued through email exchange since returning to the UK. As previously mentioned, I intend to set up an online forum for Chongqing and UK base artists for posting and discussing information relating to their practice and Fine Art in general. I have discussed the potential of organising a symposium in Chongqing for all previous Artists in Residence on the programme with the 501 Director, Yan Yan. I will support funding research for this activity from the UK.

The practice of daily blogging was also very helping in providing an outlet for my ideas and promoting exchange with those outside of Chongqing. It was a pleasant surprise that the blog was so popular and so many engaged with the research and on-going narrative. I have continued the blog whilst in the UK undertaking Artists Talks and Presentations.

I also intend to produce an on-line written and visual publication of my research from the residency in late 2011,inviting artists and others involved to contribute.

The research and studio based practice has suggested multiple routes of enquiry for further engagement with Chinese Society, other foreign countries, and well as location specific research to cities within the UK – to examine the relationship between our occupation and movement within digital space and physical space.

I enjoyed the rest of my time in London, finishing up on friday lunchtime at a group crit with fellow artists with Harriet Hill and Hannah Westwood. I discussed my project and experiences in China, against the noisy friday traffic outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall, as both the RFH and QEH were occupied with Vintage Fair events. We also discussed our upcoming exhibition at Hatch, MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY in October, which we need to get going on. I have recorded all my talks and crits when in London, so I will forward you to the online versions when I am happy with the editing

I also managed to catch the Pablo Bronstein exhibition at the ICA, which was well worth the trip across town with my filming gear.

This weekend, I have been gathering all documentation for my project, editing them, and finishing off my activity report for the Arts Council. Here are some excerpts from the written report;

My project ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’ at the 501 Artspace, Chongqing, China, was very successful in relation to achieving the initial projected research and studio based outcomes. I also undertook extensive opportunities to network and learn about the current Fine Art environment in China.

I followed my research plan, beginning in the first week by documenting (in visual and written form) the local urban architecture, site visits to historical architectural Ming Dynasty layout towns, and holding discussions regarding digital occupation and censorship. The interviews relating to government control on-line were sensitive and challenging due to subject matter, and also due to translation and communication constraints. I documented research in progress through written log, photography, drawings and a daily blog on a-n ‘Artists Talking’, which was the most visited blog of June 2011 in their monthly top ten. I received feedback through comments on this blog, and also other feedback that was sent by email directly to me.

I met with local Chongqing artists and curators on a daily basis through studio visits, learning of their practice and the conditions of working as an artist in China. I also documented many of their practices on my blog. I intend to create a multi user blog to sustain these relationships, where previous artists from the residency programme and local artists in Chongqing can exchange research, ideas and new work on-line.

I also visited the Degree show of the Sichuan Fine Art Institute, where I discussed delivery of Visual Art Higher Education in the UK and in China with members of the Fine Art department and graduate students.

In Week 2 and 3, I developed my drawings into a series of 3 Wood block prints, which I printed using the facilities at the Sichuan Fine Art Institute. I further developed these prints with drawing, paint and three dimensional cardboard relief. I also created a series of 3 pencil drawings on architectural paper which explored navigation through digital and physical spaces in the local environment. I additionally constructed a large map drawing, ‘Old Habits Die Hard’, which outlines the separate social networking sites in the UK and China.

I created a series of 3 external spray paint installations around various routes in the Huang Jue Ping area where my studio was located. I also constructed a spray-paint installation in the entrance hall of the 102 studios where I worked. I finally made a large installation using paint, pen and foam board, entitled, ‘Attempts to enter theForbidden City’ situated in the 501 Other Space, where I exhibited the final works. The final exhibition, ‘Redirection and Network Timeout’, was held at the 501 Other Space, 102 Art Loft, Huang Jue Ping Street, Chongqing, China, which opened on the 28th June 2011 until the 9th July 2011. I exhibited 4 drawings, 3 Woodblock Prints, 1 large wall installation, and four photographs of the external site installations. I gave an Artists Talk about the research residency at the Opening on the 28th July 2011, which was translated into Mandarin by YanYan the Gallery Director, and Jenn Be, his assistant.