Installations

Monday 30 May 2011

Heading off to Chongqing, 1st June 2011

Xiaonei Map, 2011, Woodcut and pen on paper.


Well the time has come to head off to Chongqing to undertake my research project there.  I can say that I am very excited and a little bit nervous too.  It has been a busy few weeks, getting ready, finishing off teaching and projects here...

This past week, I finally managed to get onto the Beaver Press at London Print Studio to make some large prints of my woodcut.  I had forgotten what a lovely, relaxed place it is, and there was some very interesting work going on there too.  They also have an interesting and diverse exhibition on in the gallery space; Cuban Gold: Viva La Reproduccion, which showcases a range of Cuban printmakers work today.  There is also an exhibition, 'In Relief', in the print studio itself which displays a range of relief prints by current users.

I have also had some interesting meetings with fellow artists, Harriet Hill and Hannah Westwood, who I will in a 3 person show with at Hatchspace this October.  We have been developing our ideas around 'MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY', I will say no more, but there will be more to follow.

I have been back to the Constance Howard Research Centre at Goldsmiths College to measure up the exhibition space for my show in September, and chat with Lizzie Cannon who currently works there.  It is a big space I have to fill - exciting! The show is set for the 6th September until 6th October 2011.

Last Friday was my last working day at RUTC College, we went for leaving drinks, and they were very kind to give me some lovely books as a leaving gift, which was very generous of them.  Thank you guys! I will be back to visit!

Last but not least, I leave on Wednesday for Chongqing, and will be in residence there until the 2nd July, after which I will travel for 10 days to Xian and along the Yangzte river with my partner.

I hope you can follow my project blog at   http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/1266895.  I will also be posting on this site.  Happy Bank Holiday!

'Please Allow 30 Days for Search Results', opening 2nd June, MadLab, Manchester, 6-9pm

As you know, I have been working on a collaborative project with Manchester based artist, Elizabeth Wewiora, through our online blog, http://usergeneratedcontent.blogspot.com, where we have been setting each other a number of tasks, and exploring the notion of online user generated content.

Last weekend, we met for only the second time in 'physical real life' with Elizabeth, to create a drawing the documented our relationship online. The resulting work will be exhibited in a group show curated by BLANKMEDIA Collective at MadLab, Manchester from the 2nd - 16th June 2011.

The opening for the exhibition is on the 2nd June at MadLab from 6-9pm. I would be really grateful if you could make it, although I will unfortunately not be there, as !

For further information on the exhibition, please read below;


Location: MadLab, 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester, M4 1HN


When: Public Preview: Thursday 2 June 2011
Exhibition continues: 3 - 16 June 2011


Artists: Osvaldo Cibils, Jamie Crewe, Douglas Gast, Melissa Henderson, Pippa Lennox, Paul Plowman, Mark Powell, Jennifer Ross, Sarah Terry, Elizabeth Wewiora & Jennifer Steele and Teawitter.


Blank Media Collective curators are excited to present the exhibition User Generated Content. Working collaboratively with MadLab, the exhibition focuses on social media and its relevancy in this day and age.

From artists to arduino engineers, Blank Media Collective have searched ‘virtually’ every corner of the world to present to you the weird, wonderful and quirky things people are creating in the physical realm.


The diverse content of this exhibition includes Facebook stalking, ‘like’ popularity contests, Twitter drum, status-stealing poetry, political statements, never-ending YouTube feed, cakes, Flickr craft, moving image works, and a visual portrayal of an online relationship.


It is about Facebook, it is about Twitter, it is about virtual environments. The world in which we live has developed to the stage where we are now navigating our lives within a hybrid form of immaterial and real landscapes. User Generated Content is a term to describe the various interactive online activities.



Event Contact Information


Location: MadLab, 36-40 Edge Street, Manchester, M4 1HN


Contact: exhibitions@blankmediacollective.org


Blog: http://usergeneratedcontent.posterous.com/


YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdjZzH-HDY

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Collaborative Drawing - User Generated Profiles

I will be heading up to Manchester this weekend to work on a collaborative drawing with Elizabeth Wewiora, at her studio space at Islington Mill.  The drawing is informed by our collaborative online blog and research, where we have got to know each other online, and investigated our and other ideas of 'user generated content'.  In particular, we were interested in how people gained an image of idea of us through content online.

The exhibition, 'User Generated Content' is curated by BLANK MEDIA Collective, and will open on the 2nd June at MadLab, Manchester, and runs until 13th June.  More information regarding the Private View to follow.

Here are a few sneek peek images of our plans...


Image+Installation+1.jpg


Tuesday 10 May 2011

New a-n blog for 'Redirection and Network Time Out' Project

Just to let you know that I have started another online blog for my artists residency at the 501 Artspace in Chongqing, China through the a-n 'artists talking' blog facility.  I will also be posting onto this blog on a daily basis.  Only 20 days until I leave!

To visit the a-n blog, 'Redirection and Network Timeout', please visit here.

Sunday 8 May 2011

Busy, busy, busy...

These past few weeks have been busy getting work ready for exhibitions, arranging exhibitions and events for when I return from China, and beginning to pack for leaving London.  So much to do and so little time!

Last week I met with Rachel Price, the curator at Hatch Space, Deptford, about the three person show that I will be having there this October with Hannah Westwood and Harriet Hill, which will explores ideas relating to drawing, power and architecture.  I also met with Hwa Young from the MadLab to discuss an Artists Talk and Workshop, and have a look around their facilities.

I will be trying to see as many exhibitions as possible, as I get myself together for the big move up north.  Here are a few highlights of shows that are must-see's for me over the next month....

'Housework', International 3, Manchester, 21st May - 17th June 2011.

'Eye of the Storm - Hannah Westwood', Tenderpixel, London, 13th May - 11th June 2011.

'Jerwood Painting Fellowships', Jerwood Space, London, 11th May - 26th June.

User Generated Profiles - BLANKMEDIA Collective/MadLab, June 2011





The online collaboration; 'usergeneratedprofiles' culminating in a physical work between myself and Manchester based Elizabeth Wewiora and I, has been selected by the curators of the User Generated Content Exhibition at MadLab, Manchester.  The BLANKMEDIA Collective Exhibition Curators, Marcelle Holt and Taneesha Ahmed, will present a group show of works which seek to make tangible the constant stream of user generated content that is continually produced online.

Throughout our online blog, Elizabeth and I have been getting to know each other. Having only met once at a meeting a few months ago, Elizabeth and I have communicated often online without meeting.  We began writing the collaborative blog in late April 2011, setting each other tasks to learn more about each other personally, about our visual practices, and how we could use this non-physical digital process, to create an installation work that discusses our relationship that has developed through a series of mediated interfaces.

Please follow our blog as we work towards our installation which opens on the 1st June 2011 at MadLab.  Unfortunately, I will not be present as I will be flying to Chongqing, but I would love it if you could make it along!

Grants for the Arts - 501 Artspace, Chongqing Residency


I am absolutely delighted to let you know that I have secured funding from the Grants for the Arts programme from the Arts Council England for my upcoming residency at the 501 Artspace, Chongqing, China which is in association with the Chinese Art Centre in Manchester.

During the month long project in June 2011, I will be investigating navigation through digital and physical architectural spaces in the municipality in Chongqing, particularly focusing on issues of censorship and imposed hierarchy which coerces movement within a particular direction.  The research will culminate within a site specific drawing installation and a series of wood block prints.  In addition to an exhibition in Chongqing, I will be presenting the work at the Constance Howard Research Centre, Goldsmiths College and Waterman's Art Centre, Middlesex later this year.  The research will also be presented at INTERFACE 2011 Conference at UCL in July, and the Re-wire Conference at FACT in Liverpool, which is in association with LJMU.  I will also be delivering a series of Artists Talks on my return at a range of art organisations, including the MadLab in Manchester.

I would like to thank the Arts Council England wholeheartedly for their support on this project.  I would also like to thank the following people for their kind and generous help with my application; Elizabeth Wewiora, Sally Lai, Pil and Galia Kollectiv, Jacqueline Utley, Michelle Williams Gamaker, Karen Courtney and Nicola Smith.