monday, tuesday

today i left the church with the two pieces of furniture i have been working on completly dismantled and laid out on the floor, somebody said they 'looked like dinosaur bones', i liked that analogy. i decided that i hadn't really resolved the work fully somehow, and the best way to do this was perhaps to take the thing a step further, iv now deconstructed every part of the furniture, every wooden part that i could seperate, i have, these are laid out in some sort of order so i know how to reconnect them together, like a map perhaps?

on sunday afternoon wen i came in, the work had been moved about and broken. this highlighted for me the fact this is a fuctioning public building, with many activities going on to work around, i know now we will have to label and barrier off my works as they will b so fragile, if they are moved or dragged around, they will collapse, this should be fine tho

today iv also been thinking again about the film iv been making, i really like it, but at the same time i know i dont want it there for the duration of the show, the pieces should be encountered with almost no prior visual knowledge, the viewers can learn what has happened by looking closer, i dont want everything obvious from the start. i do however think it would b nice to show the video on the opening night and during the talk, im just trying to figure out how and where this will b, both logistics of the buildng (power points,security etc) have to be considered alongside the aesthetics of the work itself. i may try and lock the camcorder into a drawer or something?, were u can watch it through a section cut out? i may try and play it somehow on the exsisting tv that relays cctv footage? either way i want it to be descrete, not obvious, and i really liked the sound of me banging, echoing around the church? lets see how things go tomorro...

friday, saturday, sunday...

so for the past 2/3 days iv been taking apart and putting back together the large cupboard, each time i re-assemble it, the whole thing becomes more unstable and less rigid. i was talking to the Rector the other day about the history of the building, he told me that after the main body of the church was destroyed by bomb in 1940, the new building, although keeping to the original outline size, was completly different and no attempt was made to make it similar, even the alter was at the opposite end to where it is now. this is interesting...

i am interested in the fact that this building has this history of being 'rebuilt several times' and i am now 're-building' if u like, the bits of furniture i have brought into this building, i am going in late today as there is a Baptism, i plan to dismantle the cupboard and reassemble it once again, lets see what happens...

thursday...

so today i ripped appart the largest of the bits of furniture, quite carefully, so as not to break it too much, moreso just 'opening it up'.

bit of a random day, my camcorder died during filming so i am waiting til tomorro until i put it back together, then i can document it all on film. iv been pondering all day weather i should show a film or not? i mean it wouldn't be a 'work' in its own rite, it would simply be a plain documentation of what i did. It was mentioned to me as a way for the audience to see what i had been up to, but perhaps this should b kept hidden? perhaps the bits and pieces of weakened furniture should have no sort of clues to their short but violent history? i dont know, il know more tomorro, for now im off to bed...

wednesday...

so i put the cupboard back together, u cant really see from this picture but its kind of wonky, it kind of doesnt fit together perfectly anymore, the joins are partly bare, there is evindence of the activity, but its not overtly apparent, quite like the building in which it sits. i spoke to Dave from dyingfrog today, we talked about the exhibition and documentation etc. i am going to film myself ripping appart and fitting together again some of these peices of furniture, or perhaps only one piece, im not sure yet? filming starts tomorro...

tuesday...

today i arrived at church early, and did alot of reading, and thinking and once again writing, its odd, i feel a bit like im back at uni, with this particular deadline to make new work. its not a bad thing at all, its just i suppose this mat b the first time since that i have actually had such a concentrated period to focus on my practice and in particular brand new work (as oppose to developing the ongoing Garden Furniture Project) its taking that step into the unknown with the new work that is the thing, i just have to go for it, and not worry about things fucking up.

i went to the Tate also to see their International 06 exhibition, it was a bit stark, a bit, erm, 'cooly conceptual' or i suppose thats how it may b percieved, i dunno? anyway one piece by Philippe Parreno, was an odd kind of built in bookcase, filled with free dvd's, that u realised u could push and this would spin into a secret room; the room was empty. in Parreno's blurb he said "we come seeking information, yet are told to go away and watch a video"... this intrigued me alot.

this idea that we come to view work, and expect it to be resolved, to be concluded, to allow the viewer to connect if you like with it, but what if it isnt so obvious? i came back and began prising apart a cupboard i had brought into the church, i layed it out, i moved its bits and pieces around, i played with it, i thought about what this means to see the 'insides' of this thing, i think i may put it back together tomorro? i dunno? imagine if i could put it back together so u might never know i had ripped it appart? lets see what happens tomorro...

the residency has begun...

here is my little working area at the church, today i sorted out keys, wandered around, read alot and thought alot, this was enough for the first propper day, i got my bearings...

im armed as we speak with a bag full of tools, ready for an early start tomorro, i plan to take apart some of the bits of furniture i have collected, im not sure what will happen? il find out soon enough...

all's well that ends well?

so, its over, the past month has been one of the craziest, randomest of my life. iv had a fuckin laf, iv met some of the nicest people, iv argued, iv stressed, iv learnt a lot both about putting together a show like this, about marketing, in particular about curating but also a lot about myself, its been a cathartic experience, that im so glad i did, even though there were massive ups and downs!

at the end of the day, no matter what went wrong, what never happened, who never did whatever they didn't do, our end result is a bloody amazing show. i feel privileged to have been able to work so closely with the group of 15 artists i selected, and to be able to not only select great young artists who are so promising, but to be able to help in bringing to completion new projects, new work, new ideas directly for the show has been a real real amazing experience. some of the works are amazingly beautiful, strikingly powerful and strong for such young people, its been great working with such a lively and talented bunch.

the TV programme airs on friday in bbc2! i am cringing at how i will look on TV, how we will all look, the 4 of us and Vic? but at the end of the day what happened, happened, so lets see how it looks, signing off now, iv started my residency, another chapter has begun, lets see how well things go with that...

a few more pics of the launch!

even more madness from the launch

more madness from the launch

THE BIG DAY!

well, where to begin?? Thursday was the launch day and it was hectic to say the least. the only day of the week it rained (not only did it rain but it pissed it down cats and dogs!) so the street team, Sam's shop, and other things all went a bit pear shaped (or in the case of the street team a bit soggy)

but after massive arguments, sodding curtains, moving work around again and again, late flyers, late opening, late everything, and the Supersocial event being cancelled! all in all it was a brilliant event, the show looked great. the whole haphazzardness that was happening, not being sure what was going on exactly gave the day in a funny sort of way a fresh and buzzy feel, we were running round (some of us) but it was fun!

here are some of the artists in the show, Ollie, Danielle, Sam, Nick and Brad, all were great to work with, great to meet, as were the rest of the artists who were down! the madness is now over, but for sure through all the ups and downs, it was am amazing experience...

more from Wednesday!

Wednesday!

catching up with my blog, Wednesday was a late one, me and charlie and boyd and sam were at the gallery til about 2.30am! hanging and cleaning etc, it was a grueling day, some got upset, some got angry, but as u can see from the pics it was fun, we had a laf!

midafternoon madness...

midday...

this morning...

also im in todays METRO

Stella's visit

yesterday Stella Vine came to see how we were getting along with our task, if u remember she had set us this 'challenge almost a month ago, and with only 4 days to go, she came to see the space, some of the work and to help and give us advice generally. it was a hard day filming, lots of re-takes and the madness of shooting a 'meet and greet' three times from different angles! all very tiring, especially as i had been up since 5.30am car bootying it (i got a lovely little slide projector for a fiver)

anyway Stella was lovely, and it was great to chat about some of our ideas and plans for the space, and look through some of the work, discussing how best to hang,etc, i think we needed that confirmation that what we had been doing, y we had been running round like mad people, y were wer so exhausted, that it was all worth it, and Stella confirmed this for me. her enthusiasm for the works i had chosen was great, and it was lovely to look through works like Nick White's 'Swarm of Heads' and realsie that all these extra works, and new projects had come about through talking to artists and discussing what would be exciting for both them and us to show! also we were talkin about alternate lighting ideas and a way of labeling and interpreting the show for the audience but in a fresh,exciting and sublter way, linking to many of the works...

i look forward to getting on top of things this week, the madness will continue, but im sure at the end we will have a Brilliant, beautiful exhibition!!!

doors...

Also here is an image of two old doors i acquired that are now under wraps and slowly germinating ready for the NOISE 'physical' exhibition, i have also bought a new mini Hozelock premier plus pressure spray especially for the new pieces!

erm....

so here i sit in my Studio, what a randomly mad week, everyone i know is busy, rushing round,knackered, everyone has loads of things to do. Here at the Royal Standard they are doing a mini-refurb ready for the Biennial show 'Sinking Towards Wishy Mountain' opening on Thursday night (the same day as the NOISE launch!)

iv been thinking alot about my residency, went to see Tabitha at the church on Thursday, she is knoting thread around things in the church and things she has brought with her, really interesting little objects, she has finished now, and i move in a week today!!! i feel alot more prepared now for the residency, a few weeks ago i felt panicky about the whole thing, like i had to do mountains of preperation, but iv realised their is only a limited amount of prep u can do, the main work, the main ideas, the fun happens there, once the residency begins, cant wait!!

NOISE is also going well, iv recieved lots of little packages (and big ones) and am really excited with all the work thats coming in, it all really great and some beautiful little drawings and things have come in, here is a package Nick White sent me, i love it!