i hope i learn something from this

Continuing on with practical matters I have been giving some thought to how art work is experienced. What sort of response do we get from art and what does it leave us with? There is obviously not going to be a single answer to this question. Our reaction to a piece of art can range from anger to joy to deep reflection. But is one type of response that I am particularly interested in and that is how art can increase our knowledge.

Clare Copley Gallery 1974

I was led down this train of thought after reading some of Kirsi Peltomaki book called Situation Aesthetics that deals with the work of Michael Asher. Asher is best known for his interventions into institutional spaces, typically the gallery or museum, that disturb our perception of that space. Early pieces such as the one pictured (all Ashers works have no title) involved Asher removing the dividing wall that seperated the gallery from the office space at the Clare Copley Gallery. This simple gesture directs us to the administrative and commercial aspects of the gallery that are normally hidden from sight.

This was a piece that i was familiar with and could grasp its significance. Many galleries contrive to appear as just places to show art and the commercial side of things are firmly placed behind closed doors. By removing the divide, both literally and metaphorically, we encounter an often unseen side of the institution.

But this was as far as I had ever got and gave little thought to what was actually taking place for the viewer. By visiting this space our knowledge of that institution is being increased. To use Peltomaki's term Asher's intervention is 'knowledge producing'. As an artist Asher does not just evoke an emotional response but actually contributes to what we know about art and how it functions in society. The nature of this knowledge is also important. It is not something that is given to the viewer like a report or history book. Instead it is 'produced' by the viewer after considering the work. In this sense we are given the chance to engage with work and discover it for ourselves. As a result we are left with a tangible insight, that transcends aesthetic of physical constraints, which we have arrived at after a reciprocal dialogue.

Part of the reason I never really thought of this is that I can never experience the work first hand. The production of knowledge relies on such an encounter in situ and no amount of photographs can ever compensate if this is lacking. Asher's initial intervention then is intrinsically site specific: we need to experience it first hand to fully engage with it. However as the work articulates issues that transcend that physical space we do not feel completely detached from it. So even if we get a second hand account the significance of Asher's achievements do not go unnoticed.

between thought and expression

The denouement of my degree is fast approaching and January is set up to be an invigorating if necessarily anti-social month. While the majority of this period will be spent giving my dissertation some semblance of cohesion there is also the small matter of my final project to consider. Fortunately I have been able to do just that over the last few weeks and consequentially I have some direction but also numerous obstacles.

To set the scene it would be worth explaining the basic premise of my project. In essence it is quite simple: show a series of films at a number of outdoor locations. The films will be simple, straight on shots of the location in which they will be shown. They will be projected onto a screen at night so when seen the viewer will simultaneously experience the location in both day and night. Complicated? Possibly but hopefully this mock up will help clarify things a bit:

There are a dizzying amount of conceptual and practical problems to sort out with the project and these will undoubtedly crop up in future posts. But one of the immediate issues that got me thinking is how will this project translate into a gallery space. The question is mainly a contrivance of my course as I need to physically submit something come late May. But there is a bigger question here of how does the documentation of something that is in many ways site specific alter the piece?

In this case the change is going to be significant. When viewed initially the projections will very much be directly related to the place they are shown. I aiming for a sort of gently interruption to our usual perception of a place. This achieved I hope it will allow for a reconsideration of our environment. At the heart of this project then is our interaction with the world around us and reflecting on this space. The artifice I insert into this space is a catalyst to provoke this process and the work itself is not the focus of attention. However once documented the physical site is no longer present. The project becomes seen through an intermediary and this fundamentally alters the premise of the work.

Or so I thought. After taking a walk and thinking these things through I realised that the documentation could actually facilitate the same sort of reflective response I am after. However the viewer would no longer be reflecting on a physical place but the general process of representation. For example if I produced a film there would be a film within a film. This can't help but draw attention to the tools by which we record the world around us.

When this first came to me I thought it felt a bit dry. I was concerned that I mind end up simply discussing the merits of a particular medium and the process of documentation. I want my work to have a broader reach than this and not simply address what I felt were narrow issues. But after a bit more thought I realised within the process of representation there exists the possibility to make a much broader statement. When thinking about this I had David Hockneys Joiners in my mind.

What is initially so remarkable about Hockney's work is the process he has used to record his subject. We recognise the use of photography but the feeling of dislocation we get is not something would be usually experience when viewing an image. In short this is not something we are used to seeing and the photograph seems unfamiliar in this role.

That Hockney is able to make something as ubiquitous as the photograph appear strange is quite an achievement. Our expectations of the medium have been subverted and we are left to reflect on this unusual style of presentation. That are our assumptions are confounded allows us to reflect on how we would usually engage with a photograph. In newspapers, magazines and adverts the image us usually presented as a cohesive entity and is employed to convey a clear message. But Hockney reveals that this is not a characteristic inherent in the medium and the photograph can be put to quite different uses.

So what may initially appear as a comment on representation acts as the starting point for how the photograph operates in society. Such a point seems particularly relevant in a media saturated world and increased awareness of how such media are constructed is surely of benefit.

For my own work then I hope the way it is presented directs you away from the rather dry technical issues of presentation and towards a broader consideration of the media and how it is used.

Metaphysics

Amidst the ongoing dissertation writing process i am consciously making an effort to distract myself. This may seem a little odd but it is a useful tactic in the fight to remain productive. I do this because i know that i will, at some point, get distracted. Armed with such knowledge i will occasionally give myself a small break which allows some respite from the rigors of writing.

Such breaks could involve a walk or household chore but today i decided to take a look at an anthology of conceptual art. One of the pieces that i came across was Metaphysics by Jaroslaw Kozlowski:

Jaroslaw Kozlowski Metaphysics 1972

This is actually the first of the three pieces that formed Metaphysics. In this first part numbers were written on the image and exhibited opposite various phrases (a selection of which are to the left of the image above). In the second part,  Physics (not pictured), the image is now a projection with the same numbers written directly on to the projection surface. In this instance a recorded voice reads the phrases rather than them being written down. The third and final part, Ics 1974, dispensed with the image and projection. All that is left are the numbers on the wall and the recored voice.  Gradually then the physical elements are reduced to a point where there are nearly dispensed with completely. 

It took me a while to piece together in my head how the work took shape. From the information i had it was difficult to get a clear idea of all the elements and what the experience of viewing them would have been like. The main reason for this was that i was viewing Metaphysics in a book and not in the original context. As such many of the key elements are missing for me. I have not seen the second piece, read all the text or heard the voice reciting these phrases. So i am viewing this work in a greatly reduced form and not in the way Kozlowski would have intended. 


But once i had worked it out, and formed what i considered to be a plausible account, i found myself in quite a different place to the one I started in. This place was the relationship between the two photographs. I really enjoyed the abstract representation of the photograph that the numbers produced. Visually the numbers were intriguing in themselves. On the photograph though they act differently and almost like a catalogue of the various items seen there. It encourages the viewer to explore the frame of the photograph and consider all aspects of it: not just what is in the centre. There is clash then between the highly referential photograph and the abstract, speculative nature of the numbers.


After reading the text though numerous other issues come in to play. We have to consider that each part existed at a separate time (there was roughly a year between each part being shown). The viewer may have been aware of these other parts or not. But in either case there is the idea of a serial exhibition with each part relating to others but equally standing alone. This is not something i have come across often. Usually an exhibition is self contained and does not usually refer so directly to work exhibited elsewhere. I couldn't help but imagine a sense of lack upon viewing the work and the feeling that it isn't all quite there. But this is surely intentional. It gives the impression that art does not have to be complete and contained within a single place. Instead it can refer to other locations and situations. In doing so it engages our imagination and asks us to think. This sort of work then exists more in the mind of the viewer than the physical objects presented before us. 


So from thinking about representation and issues decidedly photographic i moved on to curation, institutional conventions and materiality. Such a dramatic shift is the result of context. How work is presented can greatly affect our interpretation of it. This can go as far as to introduce new ideas that radically transform our perceptions.


Ok back to work......

a thirst for knowledge

I love to learn. Personally i find that there a few better feelings than acquiring a new skill or bit of knowledge. It really is quite remarkable that in the space of a few hours you can go from not being able to do something to finding yourself in quite the opposite position. There are obvious practical benefits to such a process but the positive affect on your state of mind can be just as important. 

For example, below is short film i put together this week. I say film, it is more of a glorified slideshow really. But even so it marked my introduction to the world of online video sharing (a process made all the more easier by the beautifully designed vimeo). It undoubtedly took me 10x longer than the average 9 year old to work out how to do this but nevertheless it was a distinctly satisfying experience. The results are below. 

As a footnote to this celebration of learning it is worth briefly mentioning this projects significance in terms of my own work. The subject itself is probably not something i am going to pursue but it was very interesting in terms of deciding what shape a project takes (a recurring theme of late). For example this project has a high level of transience. The water gets bigger, smaller and is a constant state of flux. Ift is the transient nature of the work that i want to emphasise. So this piece need to be shown in a way that helps articulate the nature of the work. The internet video then is quite a suitable way to show it. Usually viewed fleetingly and not existing in any physical form it is in itself a platform in flux. Another suitable way to show this would be a projection as again the light occupies a tenuous physical position. 

4 types of chalk

Amidst all this writing and drafting (and writing and drafting) i have been trying to keep up the practical side of things. So most weeks i have tried to do small, instinctive type projects just to try and get a feel for what i will do for my last project at University. The most recent of these has tentatively been titled 4 types of chalk. 


The project was pretty simple. I went to a nearby chalk cliff face armed with a pack of coloured chalk. Then just below the chalk line, on a man made wall, i drew a simple chalk line. I photographed the results and that was the project done.

I was left with a lot of photographs. They showed all stages of the process and from a number of angles.

The basic problem i had was what to do with all these images. So i spent some time looking through them and the more i looked the clearer it became that most of were not really that interesting. There was no need to have a repetitious cycle of chalk lines and the nature of the intervention could easily be conveyed with a single image. It is this image on the right that i felt was one of the most successful. There is a subtle link between the natural setting and my own intervention. Also the lack of colour not only gives the image a simple feel but also helps establish this link between the cliff face and line. The coloured chalk is clearly brought in to this place but the white chalk could plausibly have come from the cliff itself. As such it creates a dialogue with the site and becomes more about that specific location.  So we end with a single image. It was a bit hard to let go of all the images i had taken and also accept that the project was going to be different to how i had originally envisaged it. But it was an important process to go through and ultimately the work is more interesting as a result.      

getting dissed

Over the last few weeks i have led something of a sheltered existence. My life has revolved around my laptop and getting into dissertation writing mode. Now while this has been punctuated with trips to work, and occasionally the corner shop, the majority of the time i have for school work has been spent typing.

While such a secluded lifestyle is certainly not healthy the writing process has been more or less enjoyable. Certainly there have been days where is has felt like there was no point turning on the laptop. When you've written for 5 hours and got about 200 words, that you know will have to be done again, your heart does tend to sink. But luckily those days have been in the minority and overall steady progress has been made. Until the last few days or so when things started to get tough.

The obstacle that presented itself before me was this enigmatic proposition: how does a photograph work? Not in the technical sense but in the what sort of relationship do we have with the image and how do engage with it sense. Complicated stuff by all accounts. To try and simplify things and get my thoughts straight i made a diagram:

The first thing that i assumed was that the photograph is not an objective document. Regardless of whether we are taking the photograph or looking at one we always bring something to the process. So on the diagram we have the first layer of 'conceptualisation'. This may represent an extensive period of planning with lots of research and careful consideration. Or it could simply be choosing to shoot portrait instead of landscape just before taking the shot. Either way these decisions affect the final image and are one way the author can make known their presence. 

'Photograph' seems simple enough - you take the photo.

'Event gets pointed to' is not so simple however. It relates to Thierry de Duve's essay Time Exposure and Snapshot: the photograph as paradox. In this essay De Duve describes how the photograph will only ever 'point' to an event. It will not make statements about it or literally recreate it for us. Rather all we get from the image is the vague declaration: 'look at this'. 

Once the event has been pointed to the context in which it is displayed further informs the viewing process hence the  'layer of fabrication/more conceptualisation'. This is a space where the photograph is presented to us and this can be manipulated to privilege certain readings. For example the same photograph displayed in the gallery would be seen quite differently to the one in the newspaper. This part of the process can be controlled and planned for in advance so we have an arrow going back to start. Equally the final context can affect what we photograph and how. So we have a double headed line to represent this relationship.  

After all this we arrive at 'almost infinite possibilities'. When we view the image we always have the option to interpret it how we see fit. We may be directed towards a specific reading but this can always be challenged. This is because all the photograph can do is point to an event. As a medium photography in unassertive and it requires other elements to make its statement more forceful (the newspaper caption being a prime example). But left alone the image is a vague and suggestive thing. It hints at much but confirms little. But surely it is this speculative process that makes photography such a fascinating medium.

All this helped to clarify my thoughts a bit but translating all this into academic terms while relating it to a specific discussion is going to be a bit tougher.

Minimal?

i've been thinking a lot recently about definitions. Why do we call something a given name? What characteristics of an object actually allow us to define it? By what criteria do judge our definitions as valid?

This existential questioning about the nature of things was provoked by this image from Dan Flavin's retrospective at the Guggenheim:

Untitled (to Tracy, to celebrate the love of a lifetime), 1992

The reason this piece provoked such thoughts was that it contradicted what i had thought  about Flavin. I had always seen Flavin as the quintessential minimalist. His work was not concerned with demonstrating authorial skill but rather with creating 

a dialoguebetween object and space. When we look at a piece like the nominal three (to WIlliam Ockham) it is not the technical skill of the artist that we marvel at. The simple materials used and basic arrangement prevent any such reaction. Rather by keeping the objects simple we move away from thinking about them in isolation towards a consideration of how they interact with the context in which they are displayed. Flavin's work then is an important turning point in art and paves the way for conceptual art and site specific practices. 

Under the literal definition of the word the work is 

certainly minimal. Firstly there is not much to the lights used  by. They are basic strip lights that could be bought anywhere. It is also minimal in the sense that very little production is required to make the work. The lights are just attached to the wall. But the work is also part of the Minimalist tradition. Beyond the physical properties of the work the concepts that inform the piece adhere to principles of a specific genre of art. It is a combination of all these parts that make the piece such a clear articulation of Minimalism.

When we turn to Untitled (to Tracy, to celebrate the love of a lifetime) the work feels quite different. The work could no longer be described in any physical sense: it is simply too big. Yet in many ways it still adheres to the principles so indicative of Minimalism. This not a piece that fails to take into account the place in which it is being shown. Rather the strong vertical column draws our attention to the spiral staircase that surrounds it. It is not trying to overpower the space but enter into a dialogue with it. Within this dialogue elements of both parts are revealed. The light from the sculpture literally, and metaphorically, illuminates the staircase. In turn the stair case provides and ever changing platform from which to view the work. It is this sort of relationship that was integral to Minimalism and this is continued here. 

But there is no escaping the fact the size of the work introduces a degree of monumentality to it and this seems to contradict some of the principles shown in the earlier piece. It may be Minimal is principle but not so in execution. So can both pieces be said to represent Minimalism? I guess it depends on how you define it. If a piece is defined solely by its' concept then yes they could. But this neglects a huge part of the work and seems unsatisfying. Rather we should not use definitions so stringently. To define anything in fixed terms is an injustice to the mutable nature of the world we live in. Instead lets accept that things develop and change as is necessary. We can borrow and combine various aesthetics and concepts but ultimately is the end product the is of consequence.  

moving to your head not my hand

There comes a point when you have to decide what sort of work you are going to produce. what issues will it deal with? what is the focus of it? how would you like the viewer to respond to it? It is this sort of question that came to mind while i was looking at the work of Ceal Floyer recently.

Autumn Rhythm 1950

While looking over her work the idea of the gesture came to my mind and how important this is in positioning the work in a certain place. It might be helpful to look at a few examples here to try and get to the bottom of my thoughts. The first is Autumn Rhytmn by Jackson Pollock. One of the most famous pieces of modern art it is immediately recognisable. And it is certainly a distinctive piece of work. The dripping style of painting has become synonymous with Pollock and we can't see a similar style of painting without recalling the historic precedent. Amoung Pollock's many achievements then is to have an instantly recognisable style. This achievement should not be underestimated and is quite a feat in a world of competing painters.

As a viewer though we are placed within a specific and narrow frame of reference. This is a painting about painting and a painter. There are no external references here and the work is contained within the boundaries of the canvas. As such it is self referential not seeking to explore ideas beyond the application of paint. As well as this we contemplate Pollock's unusual technique and his skill in bringing harmony to such a seemingly random process. Although it may not look like it this is art in quite a traditional manner. The singularly skilled figure has a unique vision which is presented to the world.

Monochrome Till Receipt (white) 1999 (installation shot)

Monochrome Till Receipt (white) 1999 

For Ceal Floyer the emphasis seems to be elsewhere. Floyer's work is not contained within the parameters of the objects shown but rather the object instigates a process on contemplation. A till receipt in itself may not mean much but when it is the only thing shown in a gallery it takes on a whole new significance. Key to recognising this is the minimal aesthetic Floyer uses. The scarcity and simplicity of the objects found in her work mean they are easily resolved for us as a viewer: we all recognise a receipt. Free from contemplating the actual object we are left to consider the nature of the act and relationship of the object to the space it is in. Where as with Pollock we never get beyond the object with Floyer we are hardly with it. Instead we are given a much more active role in producing meaning and it is up to our imaginations and intellect to comprehend what is taking place.

This is not to say that either approach is right or wrong. Instead it demonstrates how art can focus or attention in quite specific ways. Also as viewers we have different roles to play and cannot be sure of how to act when we visit a gallery. We can end up just looking into the frame or having our imagination extended way beyond. It is this sort of potential that makes things so fascinating 

pointing

So the experimentation continues as a new week starts with a new project:

After last weeks project i really wanted to slow things down. While i was pleased with the images i had produced they were just too dynamic for me. So i tried to produce a project that was simpler and had the contemplative tone i was after. The result is the image above that has been tentatively, and more than little obviously, called pointing. 

The image is a response to much of the theory that i have been reading recently. This has led me to realise that the photograph is actually quite a vague thing. Nothing much in it is certain and the best it can do is 'point' to something. Whatever meaning, value or qualities we give to the image come more from us, and the context in which we see the image, rather than the image itself.

I am actually quite please with the test run and think there could well be some scope here for a bigger project. Firstly it feels calmer which is a feeling i crave at the moment. The subject is still, the colours muted, and the viewer is not confronted with an action packed scene. There is space for you to think basically and the photograph itself plays a more subdued role.

I want to mention the traffic cone. When i arrived at the park the stick i had was flat ended and was never going to penetrate the soil. I tried a range of things to get the sign propped up but in the end had to resort  to the traffic cone. At the time i was worried as i thought this would spoil the harmony of the image and basically look a bit clumsy. However in the image i think it is arguably my favourite part. It looks slightly engnigmatic and also suggests that the sign is a temporary inclusion. This is clearly not a permanent fixture but something that has been spontaneously put up. It is this temporaneity that accentuates the question why is the sign there? The lack of an answer is in turn emphasised and the image becomes all the more enigmatic. Just goes to show you should not trust you instincts sometimes. 

Just to mention two big influences were John Baldessari Commisioned Paintings and Robert Barry's Inert Gases

By way of an evocative footnote i also started writing my dissertation today. Didn't go well. This is going to be tough........

in advance of a splash

As well as writing a dissertation i do actually have to complete a practical project over the next few months. This time four months ago i was not overly concerned about this. I had just completed what i felt to be a successful project (take a look here for more info) and was all set to stage a similar event for the culmination of my degree.

But at the same time i had begun to explore other ideas/mediums and felt the need to incorporates these thoughts into whatever it was that i was going to do. So by the time we arrive at the present i find myself slightly conflicted and unsure in what direction to proceed.

After a bit of deliberation i've decided to combat this by a process of experimentation and working through issues by doing as opposed to thinking. In practical terms this means that i will try and do a short project every week and examine the results as i go along.

On 10 October the first project took place:

Between us we chucked about 10 water bombs and took photos along the way. The project was made into a small pamphlet style book after and i played with a few different image sequences. The one above is the most logical but also the dullest. It feels very literal and descriptive. By showing each stage of the act the viewer is pretty much shown what they would expect. As such there is not a lot of room for contemplation and the project feels pretty much resolved.

Things got more interesting when i took one part of the sequence and repeated different versions of it. For example you would see 3 balloons suspended in mid air and never see what actually happens when they land. This makes the work more evocative and gives the viewer space to wonder what will or did happen. 

On first inspection i thought the images were good and it was close to the project i had in mind. But after a bit more thought and time with the images my thoughts began to change. There are certain issues that my work has usually dealt with, such as site specificity,  and this project was quite a departure from those. Also it feels quite dramatic which is contradictory to the more peaceful, contemplative tone i usually try to evoke. 

So overall while i enjoyed the project and the images they are not quite what i want to do. I guess even failed experiments can produce interesting results

how to peel an orange

One of the problems with continually researching is that you can forget to actually stop and look at the images that occupy such a large proportion of your mind. You read book after book but rarely just stop for 15 minutes and look at a photograph.

the yielding stone

This feeling hit me as i was going through an ever increasing collection of notes. Amidst these scrawled on sheets was a copy of the yielding stone by Gabriel Orozco. I thought for a moment i will just look at the image and try and figure out why it works. What follows is a bit of a deconstruction of the image and analysis of the resulting parts (may go on a bit):

- it is low angled shot in the centre of which is, based on the drain and road markings, a fairly large dark, spherical object
- its' size suggests something unusual and probably man made
- it appears to not be solid as the drain has left indentations on the surface suggesting that it has been rolled
- this sensation is emphasised by the road markings and diagonal composition that also imply forward motion
- as such it implies a human presence. The object seems to large to be moved by the wind and the fact that it has not seeped through the drain suggest it is relatively and therefore heavy
- that a photo was taken just about confirms that there was a human presence
- with all this established we are left to wonder why this ball has been made and rolled
- that this has happened feels odd but not sinister or threatening. the even lighting close up angle help this
- rather it seems playful or even child like
- but the scale of it suggest more that just a whimsical childish act. to a certain extent this has been planned and the object constructed
- as such the human presence is again suggested/emphasised
- feels like we are at the crossroads of an encounter and see the ball before it continues on its journey

The first thing to notice here is the language i found myself using. It is anything if secure and every conclusion drawn has an element of guesswork, educated guesswork, but guesswork none the less. So the first conclusion i came to is the photograph is a very unstable thing and left alone does not give us much security.

The other main point of interest was the consequences this has for Orozco's work. The photograph here is able to form an open, loose dialogue with the viewer. We have plenty of space to interact with the image and use our imagination. This is the key function of the image i feel. It is not describing something but rather evoking an action. The photograph starts our contemplation of this action and it is this we focus on rather the actual photograph. Crucially this dialogue is never resolved for us and remains open. So the viewer can keep pondering the work and its significance. The photograph does not interfere too much but rather provides a supportive platform for our imagination.

.............thud

For two weeks i have been overseas. It was a fine break and for those few days the looming pressure of completing my final year at University seemed a distant memory. But this utopian existence was shattered almost the moment i landed in the UK.

I arrived home to a plethora of emails lurking amidst which was a request for an updated dissertation proposal. No problem in itself but the 3 hours to turn it out was a little more problematic. Combine this with receiving the news while being in the day job and this was a deadline that was not going to be met. One cringing email and a busy evening of typing later and it was none the less submitted.

All good then but this sudden change of pace has had quite an adverse affect on my nerves. Suddenly anxiety levels rise along mixed in with seemingly insurmountable self-doubt and a genuine fear that i am never going to do this. Not a good mind set and something had to be done.

Indexical

My solution was to buy some index cards and surely any sane person would have done the same. The aim of these cards was to give me some structure and provide a quick and easy to get my thoughts down on paper. I got the idea from looking at extracts from Dennis Oppenheim's sketch books. In these Oppenheim briefly writes down his ideas in a few short lines. Some went on to be made while others stayed in the book. I did the same and also wrote down a few keys words that embodied the sort of work i wanted to create (similar, if much less dramatic, to Serra's verb list). This was really helpful. My mind felt less cluttered and just by writing a few words i got a much better idea of what ideas might work and which wouldn't.

The second thing i did was work out all the time i have free between now and February. This sounds a bit ridiculous but has proved to be the best way for me to get work done without a constant sense of over whelming panic. Once this is done i then look at my timetable and see what needs to be done when. Each task is given an amount of time and then recorded in iCal accordingly. I have never considered myself a compulsive person but this sort of behaviour make me think again. Regardless it is doing things like this that allow me to function effectively.

Plan in place all i need to do now is the work. easy

whirr whirr whirr whirr etc

The previous week has been a bit of strange one as i haven't done a great deal of reading. Instead i have been out and about. The highlight of these adventures was Francis Aly's retrospective at Tate modern A Story of Deception. Without going into too much detail this really was a fascinating show and an excellent way to get an idea of Aly's work. It was an exhibition i had been meaning to see for some time and after the insightful comments from Sam (see post before last) i made sure i got up to London for it.

projector

Alys had been one of main people i had in mind when i wrote the research proposal for my dissertation. His work relies heavily on the documentary process with video and still imagery being an integral part of his practice. While there are many many insights to be had from his work i what really struck me was the projectors Alys used.

Possibly an odd thing to concentrate on. But the type of projector used seemed quite important. The one to the left was quite an old machine and made a delightfully monotonous whirring noise. What emantated from this machine was a slow moving shot endlessly travelling down a heat soaked road. The noise of the machine is a perfect accompaniement to the forward motion of the film. Also the relentless noise represents a similar to loop to the one the film is on.

Two other features of Alys' work are an interest in music and exposure of the creative process. In the former case the connection to this machine is obvious. The latter, while more obscure, can still be seen. When you look at the projector you can see the film and watch it move around the various parts. Alys could have picked a more contained projector but instead allows a clear look into what is going on.

Finally it is worth mentioning where it is. It is also the first thing you see when you enter the exhibition and is right in the centre of the room. The projector then is not simply a functional tool but part of the actual installation itself.

In June 2010 i will be in position where i have to put on a degree show. So questions of how to display work are gnawing away at the back of my mind constantly. It is an issue that needs careful thought as when work is displayed in a sensitive and considerate manner the experience for the viewer is greatly enhanced.

As a footnote much of Alys work can be downloaded for free at: http://francisalys.com/

well worth it

at my physical and emotional limit

So this Sunday passed at 11:50 i arrived at London Marylebone station. I bought some snacks, changed my cloths took a photograph and was off. A confident start.

the route

At this point i had not idea that it would be 9 hours before i reached home.

What followed was a tortuous journey. The first 2 hours were a disaster where i traveled from one London street to the next getting lost more than i didn't. In all it was over 2 hours before i managed to get over the Chelsea bridge. I was under no illusions as to how proficient my sense of direction was; i knew it to be poor. But this was maddness.

Still i got out of the city and things began briefly to look up. This was until i got lost in Croydon and the rain came down. After much map checking and retracing of steps i finally found the hallowed ditches lane that was to carry me on an ideallyic journey south. By and large this is what happened and the next 30 miles, while tough, saw me pass through some fantastic scenery. To cut a long story short i arrived home late having lost the capacity to see, speak or execute any basic human task.

The one benefit of so much map checking was that it afforded me plenty of chances to take some photos. My initial concept of looking south was quickly abandoned as i had no idea which way south was. But the images were taken at frequent intervals and about 25 were done in total.

Unfortunately they can't be seen just yet as i shot on slide film. I choose to do this in response to something Richard Wentworth had said about his photographic practice. While Wentworth is primarily known for his sculpture he has also produced a series of images taken in and around Caledonian Road, London. These are typically shown as slides but prints have been made from the series. But Wentworth was quite dissatisfied with the results chiefly because of the materiality the print gives to the image. As a projection the image is fleeting and transient much like Wentworth's subject matter. To create a print gives the image a permanence that is contradictory to his concept. So the conditions of display can also be incorporated to realise elements of the concept. It reminded me that the image is never seen in isolation and there are many ways to affect how they are received.

My journey was to be a fleeting thing too and i felt this film would be appropriate. To fully abide by this concept i would have to only ever show the work as a projection. However as this was an experiment i think a little conceptual lee way is permitted. Therefore once the work is scanned you can feast your eyes on the results.

 

you shoddy human

It's been a fairly mild, contemplative sort of a week. There's been a good amount of time spent in the library looking at more of Dennis Oppenheim's work. Nothing too revelatory but it was get some more information on Oppenheim and see how his practice has evolved over time.

From presence to the performative

Late on Friday i cracked open Where is the photograph? by David Campany (ed) and read from presence to the performative: rethinking photographic indexicality by David Green and Joanna Lowry. Bit of a mouthful but a fascinating piece of writing. All sorts of interesting ideas came and many of these will surely be discussed here at various points.

But for the moment what really struck me were the comments made regarding the aesthetic qualities of photograph. Green and Lowery suggest that images that are purposefully poor in quality (possibly out of focus or badly exposed) testify to the bodily presence of the photographer. Where as images that are immaculately executed emphasise the role of the camera over the photographer.

The reason this struck me is that many of the images i have been looking at by Smithson, Long and Oppenheim often seem a little poorly taken. But the significance of this aesthetic strategy suddenly became clear to me. By making the image poorly the human element of the process is emphasised. It becomes clear that a person once stood in front of this outdoor work and pressed a shutter. So when viewed in the gallery these images are clearly referencing a site outside of the place in which the image is seen. This corresponds to these artists desire to take art out of the traditional contexts and broaden our ideas of what art could be. Although this style of production may not explicitly make this point the photograph again is being used in a very specific if subtle way. 

To the south

Marce Duchamp the apprentice in the sun 1914

In a sudden departure from theoretical work i'll be on road this sunday having a practice run at a project i've been meaning to do for sometime. Simply put this will involve me riding from Marylebone Station, London to my home in Brighton and taking photographs along the 60 mile journey. Each image will be taken at 3 mile intervals with the camera facing South.

This is very much an experiment but ties into my investigations into the process of documentation. Should be interesting and hopefully not too tiring!

should i be here or there?

This has been a tiring week and i feel a bit jaded as i roll up to the library around 2 p.m. I had a few hours so it seemed like the ideal opportunity to read journal article or two. After 30 mins though i am literally falling asleep. At one point i even rest my head on my hand only to awake with a start as my head plunges towards the desk. A change of tack was needed.

So the heavy stuff goes down and i pick up a mighty tome that promises to offer a comprehensive survey of 'Land and Environmental Art'. The move appears to work as i remain awake and seem able to concentrate on what i am doing.

Negative Board 1968

What i end up focusing on is Negative Board by Dennis Oppenheim. This was one of Oppenheim's early works and consists of a line cut in snow with saw dust placed in the resulting trench. All this makes for quite an intriguing image. But what really interested my was how the work was exhibited. When shown in the gallery we have the image but also a map of where the work was executed. Why have a map? Unless you were fleet of foot the work would have changed or disappeared completely by the time you got there. So it is not a practical object that directs us to the art. Instead it has a symbolic function. The map, and the image too, are referencing an external site. The gallery is not the focus of attention but the outside world. No longer is the gallery the centre of the art world and neither should the artists be confined to its white walls.

The issue that i was really trying to get my head around was how does this differ from the way Orozco uses the photograph. It came to me that the fundamental difference is the artists view of the gallery space. For Oppenheim this is a negative place and is mainly used to refer to somewhere else. The possibilities of the gallery itself are not explored. But with Orozco the gallery space is seen more positively. This is a space that can be used to converse directly with the viewer. While the action may have taken place elsewhere Orozco recognises where we encounter the work and privileges that interaction. As such we are not left caught between two places as we are with Oppenheim.

This isn't to say that one is right and one is wrong. It is unfortunately not that simple and the issue  still seems a little confused in my head. But the basic dynamics are becoming clearer to me and it feels like this difference in approach could form the central debate of my work. A heart warming thought indeed.

the prestige of detonation

Right i am back in the library. Once again i arrive promptly and i'm the first one through the door. I hastily grab a pile of books and pick a well illuminated desk. Lets get into it

Gabriel Orozco


Orozco was an artist who had been recommended to me and elements of his practice certainly fit in with the type of work i am looking at. From the outset it must be stated that his practice is extremely diverse. Orozco works across a wide range of media and in a variety of ways. As such he has a body of work that is seemingly quite divergent. For instance works like the atomist sit alongside the yielding stone.

the yielding stone 1992

For my project it is the latter style of work that really interests me. The initial intervention is transitory in nature and the only record of it are the images taken by Orozco. For example the yielding stone involved Orozco pushing a ball of plasticine (equal to his weight) around New York. The only evidence of this were the photographs taken. So, as we were with Long, we rely on the photograph to inform us about the event.

Another similarity with Long, and one which i am very grateful for, is the role of the photograph is regularly discussed by Orozco and those commentating on his practice. After a few hours of reading it became clear that the photograph is used in a very particular way for specific reasons. For example Orozco suggests we are able to 'forget' the photograph and concentrate on the phenomenon itself. So in the image of the yielding stone it is not so much the photograph we consider but the act of rolling a giant ball of plasticine around New York. The simplicity of the shot certainly downplays the photograph and emphasises the act.

One of the most interesting statements was regarding how Orozco differentiates his work from 70's conceptual artists. For people like Smithson the photograph was very much a end point. It was the last relic of a work done elsewhere. In this case the images main function is as information. It tells us about what happened in a convenient, albeit greatly reduced, way: it is not a work in its own right. But Orozco gives the image equal status and his photographs should be seen as an individual piece of work and not the leftovers of something else. So with the yielding stone the initial intervention is done and all we have are the images. The simplicity of the images evokes this act without literally describing it. So the image privileges the act over the documentation and becomes more than just a record of an event.

Looking at Orozco was a genuinely exhilarating experience. This was partly because i had found some relevant information that will possibly feed into my dissertation. But so it was fascinating to see the photograph being used in such a carefully considered way amidst work that is playful and inspiring. A really good morning session.

Roland Barthes

Barthes is one theorist who comes up again and again. For years my brain has been trying to come to terms with his ideas regarding semiotics and this afternoon a few things finally clicked into place. No need to go into details otherwise you may never finish this page. But simply to say the asertion that the 'photograph is a message without a code' now makes sense to me. I know longer have to keep telling myself this stuff as i seem to actually understand it - finally.

So the afternoon was also pretty productive. It really is a good feeling to make progress and actually understand things that have long baffled you. I finished up satisfied with my days work and eager for more learning

What the F*** is happening now?

the slightly inflammatory nature of this post's title is not an attempt to provoke you dear reader. And i have not had a breakdown after a bad session in the library. Instead it directly replicates the name of an art festival i was taking part in this weekend past.

As well as working hard to get a dissertation together there is a practical side of my course (50% in fact). Not only that there is life beyond University and as such i have tried to get involved with as many projects as possible this summer and see if my work has any relevance to the outside world. So i wrote a proposal, sent it off and the organisers of the festival were kind enough to accept it.

The event took place in an old Manor House in Falmer, Brighton. It is a fascinating place and rare to see somewhere that seems so rural in such close proximity to the city. I was quite struck by this and wanted to do a piece of work that encouraged people to not look at the work itself but the space in which it is located. So i decided to hang a piece of string the length of the property with the Manor House itself at the centre (a distance close to 400m). This was to be the first time i had ventured away from photography so it was a little daunting. But after a prolonged battle with all sorts of vegetation the string was finally up.

On Saturday 14 August the festival opened and unfortunately it was a rather wet day. While this was a bit annoying it was still a great day. In true British style people weren't perturbed and plenty turned up to enjoy the myriad of events such as: secret cinema, music, sculptures and cake.

From my own point of view the string was rather interesting. The main reason being the difficulty i had photographing it. It was hard to pick out from its surroundings and any wide shots often saw the string obscured. Close ups were better but the sense of place was lost as a result. Video might have been more successful as some of the movement would have been detected. Ultimately it seemed that this was a piece that had to be experienced in person and the documents were always going to be poor substitute. Still hopefully this will encourage more people to go the next one!

Overall it was a fun day and nice to be back doing some practical work after a few weeks of being confined to theory. Especially as it relates quite closely to much of the reading i have been doing. A welcome lift to the spirits.

fully buried

We are now recounting the events of Tuesday 10 August. A day that promised to be like the one that preceded it: lots of reading and stimulating intellectual thought.

From the outset though the signs were ominous. I awoke to the first rain storm for months and decided to work at home rather that risk pneumonia with a bike ride to the library. This didn't seem like much of a problem as i had a shelf stacked with books many of which promised to offer vital clues in the search for a dissertation. As with the week before i decided to pick an artist and consider their work rather than getting too mixed up in theory first thing.

The man under the spotlight was Robert Smithson a figure whom looms large over 60's/70's conceptual art and continues to be a major influence for contemporary practitioners. Indeed Smithson had been a figure i had referenced many times and was relatively familiar with his earth works and particularly Spiral Jetty. Such work, as Erin Hogan tells us in the rather enjoyable Spiral Jetta, can be hard to see first hand. So like Long Smithson's work is rarely experienced in person and we rely on the photographs of the work for information on the piece. So the photograph is playing a very prominent role once again.

But the crucial difference is the level of transience in the work. Long's work is fleeting in the extreme and without the camera would often exist for no one but Long. Where as Smithson's work can still be visited (albeit with a degree of difficulty and ideally a 4x4). For this, and surely other reasons, the significance of the photograph doesn't seem to crop up in the writings on Smithson. Instead the writing i encountered focused on the existential nature of work and grand themes such life, death, entropy and religion. While undoubtedly interesting this was not the sort of information i was interested in. After ploughing through essay after essay i began to be throughly disheartened and a bit frustrated. The photograph is the very thing through which we encounter this work. That this goes unrecognised left me feeling a little annoyed.

books books books

By the time the afternoon rolled in i was done with Smithson and the morning had been far from productive. A change of scenery was badly needed to i braved the conditions and headed to the library. This was a little more productive. I read some good essays by Criag Owens and Rosalind Krauss. Owens' discussion of the social nature of art production was interesting. By the late 60's artists are beginning to recognise that exchanges between art and the viewer do not just take place in the gallery but in society as a whole. It is this recognition that art does not just take place in galleries that led to Smithson, Long et al to venture out into the wild. This is oversimplified but Owen's writing did help give a bit of background information on the emergence of site specific practices

Krauss discussed sculpture generally and some of the key features of Modernist work. As far as i could tell this roughly comes down to modern sculpture being an object that takes no heed of the place it is in. This is an object is isolation and does not attempt to reach out and engage with any issues beyond it's immediate confines. This is clearly quite different to site specific work

All this was useful but rather served to set the scene for what i will be looking at. So while definitely useful it did not leave the library feeling enlightened and content. Instead i had a lingering feeling of frustration. I've had this a lot over the 3 years of study and such days are inevitable but still disappointing.

why should i use my imagination

it's been a busy week so i'm a bit behind in giving you all an update on how things are progressing. but i've got a few posts coming up that should sort that out.

On 7 August i had the afternoon free so nothing seemed more natural then spending it indoors reading books and looking at photographs.

My enthusiasm still high i delved further into Long's oeuvre. Over of the course of the day the conceptual significance of Long's photography became more and more apparent. What in particular came out from this session is how much information Long omits. So while we are often aware that his walks take place over a number of days or weeks there is no visual evidence for this process. The documents we do have, whether images/text pieces/installations, do little to literally represent Long's working process. Instead Long produces work that is far more evocative and asks us to actively use our imagination. Long does not attempt to tell us everything but rather instigates a process of reflection within which we can draw our own conclusions.  

I also managed to watch TV and legitimately call it study. I had got hold of a copy of Philip Haas's film that documents Long's walk across the Sahara. It was on VHS and after dusting down some gigantic machine i realised that this cumbersome black rectangle actually contained visual material. The film itself gave an interesting insight into Long's practice. While this was not a revelation (unsurprising Long walks, makes sculpture, walks some more) there were some insights. Such as Long, after making a stone circle, and photographing the results stands the stones down leaving no evidence (other than the image) of his presence. Long also discusses controlling the 'visibility and invisibility' of his work which pretty much sums up what i had been pondering earlier. But it was fascinating to see that Long is conscience of how much of his working process remains obscured.

Another productive session and i'm gradually gaining a bit more of an insight into Long's practice and the significance of his work.

the passage is the thing

so it's tuesday morning and my intellectual regime beings in ernest. i leave the house in spritely fashion and head to the library on my valiant stead Fleur (a refined road bike from a by gone age). My eagerness betrays me as i arrive early and spend a few moments queuing to get into the building. Once given access i rush to the stairs lift and pick a well lit and ventilated spot on the fourth floor. I'm ready to learn.

at this juncture it would be useful to set the scene a little more thoroughly. My reason for being in the library was to begin research on what will eventually become a 10,000 (give or take 10%) word dissertation the parameters for which were roughly established a few months ago. As such my general area of investigation is the role of the camera in documenting site specific art. A little more precisely it is art which is temporary in nature and, without the camera's testimony, would be seen by little or no one.



Richard Long

a line made by walking 1967

I spent the morning going through the work of Richard Long. I had been familiar with Long's photography for a while. also i'm particularly interested in conceptual art of the late 60's/early 70's with which Long's work is often, arguably mistakingly, associated. So i was familiar with it in this context.

But after a few hours the depth and variety of his practice became startlingly clear. Photographs, while important, form only a small part of his output which also comprises of text pieces, installations and wall drawings. 

Stone Field Allotment One Liverpool 1987

With this taken on board i began to reconsider my pre-conceived notions about Long. Before i had seen  Long's camera as being an expedient tool with which to record his fleeting interventions in nature. While it does achieve this it also embodies many of the ideas and concepts that run throughout his work. For instance Long emphasises how his work is done impulsively and quickly. This is not the product of a master craftsman. This point is crucial as anything more complex would leave us concentrating on the creation itself to the detriment of the place in which it occurs. Long's simple, straightforward images do not leave the viewer dazzled by the quality of the camera or composition. Instead technical consideration take a back seat and it is the work itself that comes to the fore. Ultimately then Long's deceptively simple images articulate the balance between nature and the intervention from the artist.

Miwon Kwon One Place after another: notes of site specificity 

I had decided to split the day into two chunks. So after spending the morning with Long's work i moved on to more theoretical work and in particular Kwon's essay (which can be found in: Suderberg, Erika, 2000. Space, Site, Intervention: situating installation art. Minneapolis, The University of Minnesota Press.)  

Kwon's ideas really challenged my own notions of site specificity. Up to know i had, logically enough, considered a 'site' a physical thing. But Kwon has a much broader definition that allows the term 'site' to be applied to a certain area of practice or investigation. Therefore a practitioner whose work deals exclusively with race could be said to be 'site specific'. The site here being the issue itself rather than any physical place. A challenging notion. 

Kwon is keen to point out that site specificity is not a chronologically evolving concept. But rather the various approaches to working site specifically all exist side by side and can even intermingle. Basically this is a vast subject and, under Kwon's definition, incorporates practitioners i would never have thought to look at.

So a lot to think about and the breadth of the subject area has, rather frighteningly, been revealed to me.  Before i get to deep into this i will really have to concentrate on defining which area of site specificity i am going to focus on.  

Overall a problematic but thoroughly revitalising day. I've started