Time/Piece

My first work for the Schism Exhibition is a selection of curated objects that link together with a common theme of describing time. They all came about through random encounters or momentary ideas that are largely unrelated to things I have formally been researching this term. The idea for a work began with 'Dust from a Doctor's Waiting Room' (see previous post), and the other two came soon after as I had been thinking about objects that I find interesting and meaningful. I have often thought that my contact lenses have a lot of potential for an artwork as there is so much importance to what they do and how they affect my relationship with the world around me. I suppose the piece touches on themes of space and environment as well as time and its passing - the dust describing a place, and the contact lenses allowing a clarity to experience and understand the surroundings.

 

Although this way of working, and this medium of curating objects is very new to me, it felt comfortable and instinctive. I was confident in the idea from the start, which stood in contrast to my floundering with the latex and hourglass ideas. As I only had two weeks to make an exhibition work, when I thought of these ideas I knew it was important to follow them instead of making a piece that would follow on from my research but that I would not be entirely satisfied with. This has reminded me again how I do much better and work more effectively with an exhibition or particular event in mind; but this is cohesive with my views about art and life being strongly linked. I don't (generally) create work that can be hung on any wall or is suitable for every space, and instead make works that lend themselves to the space or the history or the mood in which it is to be experienced. I think work is largely much more effective when it is purposeful and considered, with a relationship to its surroundings.

 

 

Time/Piece

 

(Curated Objects)

 

2015

 

Indeed, I debated a lot over how the pieces might be presented and made sure I had a space in the Poly in mind before making the decision. I thought one of the windowsills would work best as they are clean horizontal surfaces with a lot of light to make out the detail. I researched display methods, thinking back to my tutorial where we discussed methods of framing work with museum/historical connotations, and I wanted to set the work up as being found objects or relics. (I suppose found objects in contemporary art are the relics of modern day society, the only difference is time...does this make using museum display methods too obvious then?). I considered a display case but thought this would interfere with viewing the work clearly - it was important that people would lean in and look closer to see the lettering and the condition of the lenses and the white hair in the petri dish.

 

I also considered displaying the contact lenses in a jewellery box (a black velvet one, which earrings or cufflinks are usually presented in), thinking that it would convey how important and valuable the lenses are to me, far more valuable than jewellery. However, as I thought about this more it began to be problematic - the lenses left in the air would be unusable and destroyed, so it would be a conflicting message. Furthermore, I thought this approach might be a little too prescriptive and insensitive - or alternatively that it would encourage too many irrelevant connotations of rings and proposals.

  

 

In situations where I am faced with a lot of decisions I find the best way to decide is to simply imagine the best outcome - in my mind this was the low black platforms of uniform size which I decided would look clean, refined and minimal. The size of the platforms was dictated by the objects, and by what I thought would be proportionate to the space.

 

It was the curators' decision not to put titles and names alongside the work, but I felt very strongly that the title and accompanying words describing the materials were very much a part of the work. So many people come past as I was setting up asking what the objects were - isn't it curious that, had they encountered the objects in everyday scenarios they would have known or understood what they were, but in an art setting they were suspicious, either mistrusting of their own judgement or anticipating something out of the ordinary. I knew it was very important to have the titles of the work next to it or the meaning would be entirely lost.

 

I decided to print these on acetate and positioned it on the wall of the window alcove. During the show I observed how many people simply did not see the accompanying text in that position, so moved it to a more central place just behind the square platforms. This has taught me how it is difficult to anticipate how people are going to experience the work, and some adjustment is often necessary.

 

 

 

The History of Ideas

 

(library slip from ‘Ideas - A General Introduction To Pure Phenomenology’ by Edmund Husserl)

 

 

Six Months of Sight

 

(gas-permeable contact lenses belonging to the artist)

 

 

Dust from a Doctor’s Waiting Room

 

(petri dish, dust removed from a Henry Hoover belonging to Westover Surgery)

 

I received some really positive and thought-provoking feedback at the private view and in the group and PASS crits. I always really enjoy hearing people's opinions on my work, and it often brings up interpretations that I have never thought of and am happy to accept. I was really surprised at how perceptive some of the first years were - some of them really understood it and said things that made me like the work as if it were made by another artist, as if it were an unfamiliar work that I was encountering for myself. I wish I taken notes throughout the crits to log the opinions, I must remember to do that in future as I have forgotten many of the specific comments. 

 

I had a lot of people say that they liked how subtle it was, in its meaning and appearance, and also that it is quite different from previous work that I have done. Another thing that was said was that it is a very 'complete' work - I wasn't entirely sure whether this was a good thing or whether it implies that the work gives too much away. I tried to see how visitors to the exhibition viewed the work - how long they would spend with it and whether they looked like they it was making them think. A lot of people did spend a fair amount of time with it, looking at the text and then the work, leaning in closer to look at the details etc. which indicates that it interrupted their routine and their lives for a short while, and maybe even changed their perspectives a little (I wish!).