Perception Exhibition

I decided to enter a work into the Christian Union's mini exhibition with the theme of 'Perception' out of curiosity to see what I could come up with. I also thought it would be interesting to get some different feedback on my work and speak to some new people on different courses about their practice. My immediate thoughts were to present a latex 'print' of the vestibule floor, similar to the one that Ed and I made, where it picked up all the dirt. I have struggled with the collaborative piece a little as I haven't found a way to display it effectively - it is a very awkward shape and difficult to hang up as it is so flimsy. To me it doesn't seem like a finished work (although it is slightly different as the emphasis of the collaborative piece was on the process, with the latex being a documentation of the time it took).

As I wanted to create a formalised, finished (respectable) piece for the exhibition, I bought some picture frames with which to begin experimenting. It seemed like an easy answer. I (very roughly) tried the latex in the frames to see if it would look at all effective, and was pleased with the result. I also poured a rectangle of latex over the floorboards, let it set and tried this in the frame, but thought it looked a little too grotty and didn't work quite so well. Without the geometry of the tiled floor the latex looked too 'natural', muddy and earthy instead of an aged manmade relic. I was also keen to keep the visual connection to stained glass windows considering the nature of the exhibition.

Although I would never usually use picture frames, as I think it makes everything a bit tame and twee and employs a load of connotations about 'living room' art, I think the frames are really curious juxtaposed with the latex. They literally frame the work as being something it is not - they set up the image inside to be something pleasant and tasteful, worthy of being on a wall, when this is not the case. It adds confusion and questions. What is it that I'm looking at? Should I like it? Should it be beautiful because its in a frame? Perhaps the dirt is more appealing in this context, or perhaps it is even more repulsive when you look closer and realise what it is and that the frames are deceptive. I thought this was very fitting with the theme of 'perception'.

Untitled (Entrance Hall)

 

(latex, dust, dirt, household debris)

 

 

It took a few attempts to get the latex prints right for the frames as I poured the latex too thin to begin with so they came out very pale and insipid. Although I am usually drawn to groups of three, I thought two frames was enough due to their size; having only two somehow makes them more bodily, more tangible. Three would certainly have been too overpowering. It has been good to see my work in a different context, with a new selection of other works to create connections with. I am really looking forward to our plans (in our studio space) to put on pop up exhibitions - it will help to keep up the pace of my work and bring some new ideas.

 

I received some very positive feedback. A surprising amount of people thought them very beautiful, and saw the dirt as fascinating more than repulsive. In my tutorial yesterday, we also spoke about how intriguing this method of display is and how I might want to explore more formal methods of display, such as plinths, cabinets or ropes used in museums. Using these methods with really abject or confusing pieces could be very interesting, and I am very positive about extending the archaeological connotations that often arise in my work. 

 

A quick note for a future work: I observed (when my housemate accidentally shook her umbrella over the drying latex in the entrance hall) that the latex turns milky when it is rehydrated... although this does not last and dries out again, it might be interesting to see what happens when a sheet of latex is left out in the rain, mapping the raindrops.