hope to see you there
:)
Monday, 20 June 2011
tramway event; cinenova
TUESDAY 21st June at Tramway. Artist Emma Hedditch will present the work of Cinenova, a London-based non-profit organisation dedicated to distributing films and videos made by women. Links to films in the programme: http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk http://www.cinenova.org.uk Formed in 1991 from the merger of two feminist distributors, Circles and Cinema of Women, Cinenova archives and distributes experimental films, narrative feature films, artists’ film and video, documentary and educational videos. The organisation is a source of very specific knowledge; a network and cultural community that engages directly with women’s film and video work, and with the question of how to make this knowledge more publicly accessible. Showing works from the Cinenova’s archive, Hedditch discusses the organisation’s history, identity, and future. This project is co-organised with Isla Leaver-Yap. alsoLesley Mcdermott via Isla Leaver-Yap Afterall • Summer 2011 • Disobedient Video in France in the 1970s: Video Production by Women’s Colle afterall.orgCathy Bernheim, Ned Burgess, Catherine Deudon, Suzanne Fenn and Annette Levy-Willard, Grève des femmes à Troyes (Womens Strike in the City of Troyes), 1971, black and white video, sound, 55min. Courtesy Centre Audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir (archive and distribution) |
Monday, 23 May 2011
Neutral Gender: An upcoming Exhibition
I am currently preparing for an exhibition in Glasgow called Neutral Gender. This exhibition is a body of drawing collages I created while on a residency in Turkey October 2010 and new sculptures inspired from the drawing.
I had a month to create work based on a proposal to explore spatial elements of interpreted secondary mark making. This inspired me to create work through a process of drawing and an element of spontaneous sculpture. The products of the residency were highly sexualized drawings and sculptures that made some people back out of the room or set them on edge.
One of my most influential moments in my education was coming across Lynda Benglis and her photograph in ArtForum 1974, (which if you’re not familiar with is a picture of her nude posing with a giant dildo, looking straight at you.) There was a lot of controversy surrounding this image, but what was a trigger for me was the repulsion I felt. The relationship I was able to understand about Benglis’s image was her power over her own sex and sexuality. The image is challenging but so is the message, since most nude women holding implements are soliciting or being objectified. Benglis was in control and proud of it.
I believe there is an epidemic of unhealthy attitudes about sexuality in our contemporary climate. I find it empowering to acknowledge the problem and disheartening at the scale and how it exists on such a casual level.
Media creates highly unattainable physical standards that we measure ourselves against, not just physically but it also informs and affirms gender stereotypes, the misrepresentation of sexuality, power, age, sexual orientation and enforces ideas that sex is a commodity rather than an intimate exchange between people. It is explicit and manipulative not only to our youth but to everyone’s self image and self worth, both male and female defined by media that creates and perpetuates normalcy in a sexually dysfunctional society.
The work reflects an emotive and inner landscape of sexual tension. Drawn and inspired how I feel as a human being. It will also feature soft sculpture I feel
appropriate to address the non-addressing of a subject matter.
Neutral Gender
Montgomery’s Café
9 Radnor ST
Glasgow G3 7UA
Preview Saturday June 18th 6:30-8:30 Please come down and check it out for yourselves..
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Forth Valley Open Studios events
hi
amazingly it's a year on and time for FVOS
the link for all info and brochure details, etc
www.forthvalleyopenstudios.com
studio 7a will be open weekends 12-5pm wed, thurs(till 7)+fri
includes an exhibition in the ATRIUM makers village alloa
from sat 11th june
email me if you'd like info lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk
more soon
:)
amazingly it's a year on and time for FVOS
the link for all info and brochure details, etc
www.forthvalleyopenstudios.com
studio 7a will be open weekends 12-5pm wed, thurs(till 7)+fri
includes an exhibition in the ATRIUM makers village alloa
from sat 11th june
email me if you'd like info lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk
more soon
:)
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Catherine King marie.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
'a woman's place' invitation
interior homage
i'm considering a small scale 'homage' site specific piece in glasgow/ all women collaboration in august this year and would welcome ideas or note of interest inspired by;
Womanhouse (1973)
Between the dates of January 3oth and February 28th an amazing installation was created by a group of women at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in the Feminist Art Program. Judy Chicago & Miriam Schapiro both co-founders of the program worked with their students and the community to create the unflinching and under appriatiated art experience called WOMANHOUSE.
Together they took over a building and each artist constructed a room that showed without apology there interpretation of the (middle class white) female experience. The bathroom was done by Judy Chicago and titled Menstruation Bathroom. A waste basket overflows with dirty bloody pads and feminine hygiene products scattered about.
Sandra Orgel created Linen Closet which shows a women trapped inside a linen closet with neatly folded towels and her head in what appears almost like a guillotine. One leg is outside as if she is free but not free from the female experience we are taught to embrace and feel stuck inside.
Sadly it is hard to come by images of all the rooms in the house. According to Wikipidia these were the rooms:
Beth Bachenheimer (Shoe Closet)
Sherry Brody (Lingerie Pillows)
Faith Wilding (Womb Room)
Kathy Huberland (Bridal Staircase)
Sandra Orgel (Linen Closet)
Camille Grey (Lipstick Bathroom)
Robin Weltsch and Vicki Hodgetts (Nurturant Kitchen)
Miriam Schapiro (Doll’s House)
Judy Chicago (Menstruation Bathroom).
Johanna Demetrakas filmed the performance pieces: Faith Wilding (Waiting), Sandra Orgel (Ironing), Judy Chicago (Cock and Cunt Play, performed by Faith Wilding and Janice Lester), Karen LeCocq (Leah's Room).
e-mail lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk
Between the dates of January 3oth and February 28th an amazing installation was created by a group of women at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in the Feminist Art Program. Judy Chicago & Miriam Schapiro both co-founders of the program worked with their students and the community to create the unflinching and under appriatiated art experience called WOMANHOUSE.
Together they took over a building and each artist constructed a room that showed without apology there interpretation of the (middle class white) female experience. The bathroom was done by Judy Chicago and titled Menstruation Bathroom. A waste basket overflows with dirty bloody pads and feminine hygiene products scattered about.
Sandra Orgel created Linen Closet which shows a women trapped inside a linen closet with neatly folded towels and her head in what appears almost like a guillotine. One leg is outside as if she is free but not free from the female experience we are taught to embrace and feel stuck inside.
Sadly it is hard to come by images of all the rooms in the house. According to Wikipidia these were the rooms:
Beth Bachenheimer (Shoe Closet)
Sherry Brody (Lingerie Pillows)
Faith Wilding (Womb Room)
Kathy Huberland (Bridal Staircase)
Sandra Orgel (Linen Closet)
Camille Grey (Lipstick Bathroom)
Robin Weltsch and Vicki Hodgetts (Nurturant Kitchen)
Miriam Schapiro (Doll’s House)
Judy Chicago (Menstruation Bathroom).
Johanna Demetrakas filmed the performance pieces: Faith Wilding (Waiting), Sandra Orgel (Ironing), Judy Chicago (Cock and Cunt Play, performed by Faith Wilding and Janice Lester), Karen LeCocq (Leah's Room).
e-mail lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk
Monday, 4 April 2011
The Mutual submission - Feminist Proposals?
The Mutual Assembly- Call For Submission
In April The Mutual Gallery will become a flexible platform facilitating free choices as an independent agency for critique and creativity from within the Mutual Membership.
Here's how to get involved: the space will act as a library of artists books, essays and writing, for which we are looking for submissions.
There will also be a library of books you have found useful, inspirational, books you’ve loved, and books you’ve hated. Books you no longer want and books you cant bear to be away from (Copies of, or just the title will do and we can find it!).
We would like to produce a small publication to mark the end of the week for which we are open to submissions of writing, essays, images relating to the weeks events, manifestations and/or the projects broader intentions.
Finally we’re looking for ideas of new durational projects, collaborations, performance, music, parties, events, talks, discussions, interventions, readings, workshops, screenings…
EMAIL: themutual.glasgow@googlemail.com
Here's how to get involved: the space will act as a library of artists books, essays and writing, for which we are looking for submissions.
There will also be a library of books you have found useful, inspirational, books you’ve loved, and books you’ve hated. Books you no longer want and books you cant bear to be away from (Copies of, or just the title will do and we can find it!).
We would like to produce a small publication to mark the end of the week for which we are open to submissions of writing, essays, images relating to the weeks events, manifestations and/or the projects broader intentions.
Finally we’re looking for ideas of new durational projects, collaborations, performance, music, parties, events, talks, discussions, interventions, readings, workshops, screenings…
EMAIL: themutual.glasgow@googlemail.com
Storm In A Teacup update :)
SIATC *UPDATE* April 2011
Dear Teacups,
Spring has sprung and the teacups have started rustling up some exciting plans for our summer programme. Keep your eyes peeled as once we have announced some of our projects we will be opening up our meetings for all, so if you fancy helping out on an artistic or organisational level there will be plenty of opportunities coming up. Please email storminateacup2009@googlemail.com if you want to get involved.
Thanks to all you lovely people who came to our Zine workshops we organised for Women of the World Festival at The Southbank centre. It was an epic weekend, with lots of our favourite zinesters leading fantastic workshops. Special thanks goes out to Soupa Creative Network, Shebang Zine, Magpies Magazine, Nest Gallary, VV Collective and the fabulous music programmed by Emmy the Great, Kate Nash and Verity from Storm in a Teacup. Huge thanks to all the artists, musicians, zinesters and participants that got involved. We will be showcasing and unleashing the WOW festival commemorative zine onto the world very soon. So if you want to see the fabulous work everyone contributed over the weekend look out for our May update. In the mean-time you can check out some pictures of the event taken by Clare Kelly from Soupa Creative Network here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/okjo/5525970525/lightbox/
Dont miss this month;
Ellie Green from Storm in a Teacup and emerging artist Bex Massey recently launched Fine Art project; VV Collective, supporting and promoting female artists. Last week VV collective kicked off their new interactive street art exhibition ‘Goody to Guevera’. To view the series of 100 reproductions follow the trail from Pedley Street, E1 and even look out for a secret drawing. VV Collective invite artists and photographers to follow the trail and submit their interpretations and photos to be included on their blog and published in an artists book to be submitted to the Womens Library and Iniva - Institute of International Visual Arts.
VV Collective: http://wearevv.wordpress.com/
This week our friends at Death Drawing will be hosting a very special life-drawing salon in aid of Japan; Knot for Profit on Tuesday 5th April. With Japanese rope bondage and live traditional Japanese music as well as an art auction. Also coming up this week RUMPUS Spring ball with 6 rooms of fantastical fun with live music, Cinema, Caberet, DJs, Circus and art exhbition on Friday 8th of April. Verity Flecknell from Storm in a Teacup will be performing a blues set and leading the first ever RUMPUS Kazoo orchestra.
Also this month; Panic Lab collective are hosting a night of live bands, poetry and comedy at The Victoria, Mile End on the 30 April. You will remember Panic Lab from their amazing theatre programme at Ladyfest Ten. Verity Flecknell from Storm in a Teacup and Annette Barlow from The Girls Are... will be DJing as She Runs With Wolves.
Storm in a Teacup will also have a table at the London Zine Symposium on Sunday 17 April, so come along and meet Elizabeth Martin from Storm in a Teacup and buy the latest issue of the SIATC zine.
Please visit our blog site to find out how to get involved in the collective and to keep up with the latest news. http://www.joinourteaparty.wordpress.com/
--
COMING UP APRIL 2011
TUESDAY 5th April
Resist Pyschic Death || BFI Lesbian & Gay film festival : Event exploring the importance of DIY cultural production for queer community building with Unskinny Bop & Le Cinema des Femmes @ The BFI Southbank.
More Info: http://www.bfi.org.uk/llgff/events/education_events/1432
TUESDAY 5th April
Death Drawing & Shibari with Santi present;
KNOT FOR PROFIT || An evening of entertainment featuring Japanese rope bondage, alternative life drawing, live traditional Japanese music, performances and art. All profits raised will be donated to charities supporting relief work in Japan.
7.30pm until late £8.00 entry @ Islington Metalworks, EC1V 1NQ
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156439077750182
THURSDAY 7th April
Papered Parlor presents; It’s Your Write: A Celebration of Self-Publishing || A mini festival celebrating DIY culture and activism @ V&A Museum of Childhood. With Young and Lost Club. 20 stalls of independent creatives. Talks, Discussions, Craft, Workshops and Live music! 6-9pm
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105581689523338
THURSDAY 7th April -14th April
The Future Crayon || Exhibition exploring the works of contemporary female Stuckist painters as well as a journey into new sounds and visuals from female musicians and filmmakers @ The George Tavern, Stepney. Exhibition & Private View 6-9pm. Artists: Jacqueline Jones and Annie Zamero. Live Music: The Choo Choo Trains, Anne McCloy, LA Fours. DJ: Dee Sada.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114520578625388&index=1
FRIDAY 8th April
RUMPUS Vol 4: Spring Ball || 6 Rooms of live music, Art, DJs, Circus, Caberet, Cinema. Featuring Verity Flecknell (Storm in a Teacup) blues set and leading RUMPUS first ever Kazoo Orchestra @ Electrowerkz, Angel. 10pm - 6am
WEBSITE: http://rumpusparty.co.uk/
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104011886347487
THURSDAY 7th - SUNDAY 10th of April
FRINGE! London Gay Film Fest || A long weekend of films, fun & parties - Fringe! film fest is a grassroots event centered around the Dalston Rio and nearby pop-up venues. Screenings, Workshops and talks.
WEBSITE: http://www.fringefilmfest.com/
THURSDAY 14th of April
Fat Quarter Magazine : Issue 3 Launch Party || Live performances: Verity Flecknell (Storm in a Teacup Collective), Flavia Anneccheni. DJ sets: NO FICTION, Severin @ The George Tavern, Stepney.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194201293947079
THURSDAY 14th of April
The Girls Are.. & For Books Sake present; The Quiz Round 2 || Entry is £5 per person, teams of no more than four to be booked in advance by emailing jane@forbookssake.net. Doors from 6.30pm, quiz commencing at 7.30pm. Plus cakes, book stall, DJs and more. @ The Old School Yard, London Bridge.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189969784373594
SUNDAY 17th of April
London Zine Symposium 2011 || Storm in a Teacup will have a table selling Issue 2 of our zine. 12pm - 6pm @ The Rag Factory, E1 5LJ
http://www.londonzinesymposium.org.uk/
SUNDAY 17 April
Les Cinema Des Femmes || @ The Horatia, N7 8JE Doors 17:00pm. First film 18.00pm £4.00
http://lecinemadesfemmes.wordpress.com/
FRIDAY 22 April
Kill Yr Idols || Live performance: Hold Kiss Kill. DJs: No Fiction, YourOtherLover, Severin @ The Victoria, Mile End. FREE entry
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191495254219267
SATURDAY 30 April
Panic Lab presents; CUT IT OUT || *Live bands* Good Weather Girl, The Epilators, Maxwell Zachs *Poetry* Leanne Moden *DJ set* She Runs With Wolves (Annette Barlow; The Girls Are.. & Verity Flecknell; Storm in a Teacup) @ The Victoria, Mile End. 8pm.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191389710896234
Over and Out,
Verity Flecknell
Storm in a Teacup
Female Arts Collective
http://joinourteaparty.wordpress.com/
Dear Teacups,
Spring has sprung and the teacups have started rustling up some exciting plans for our summer programme. Keep your eyes peeled as once we have announced some of our projects we will be opening up our meetings for all, so if you fancy helping out on an artistic or organisational level there will be plenty of opportunities coming up. Please email storminateacup2009@googlemail.com if you want to get involved.
Thanks to all you lovely people who came to our Zine workshops we organised for Women of the World Festival at The Southbank centre. It was an epic weekend, with lots of our favourite zinesters leading fantastic workshops. Special thanks goes out to Soupa Creative Network, Shebang Zine, Magpies Magazine, Nest Gallary, VV Collective and the fabulous music programmed by Emmy the Great, Kate Nash and Verity from Storm in a Teacup. Huge thanks to all the artists, musicians, zinesters and participants that got involved. We will be showcasing and unleashing the WOW festival commemorative zine onto the world very soon. So if you want to see the fabulous work everyone contributed over the weekend look out for our May update. In the mean-time you can check out some pictures of the event taken by Clare Kelly from Soupa Creative Network here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/okjo/5525970525/lightbox/
Dont miss this month;
Ellie Green from Storm in a Teacup and emerging artist Bex Massey recently launched Fine Art project; VV Collective, supporting and promoting female artists. Last week VV collective kicked off their new interactive street art exhibition ‘Goody to Guevera’. To view the series of 100 reproductions follow the trail from Pedley Street, E1 and even look out for a secret drawing. VV Collective invite artists and photographers to follow the trail and submit their interpretations and photos to be included on their blog and published in an artists book to be submitted to the Womens Library and Iniva - Institute of International Visual Arts.
VV Collective: http://wearevv.wordpress.com/
This week our friends at Death Drawing will be hosting a very special life-drawing salon in aid of Japan; Knot for Profit on Tuesday 5th April. With Japanese rope bondage and live traditional Japanese music as well as an art auction. Also coming up this week RUMPUS Spring ball with 6 rooms of fantastical fun with live music, Cinema, Caberet, DJs, Circus and art exhbition on Friday 8th of April. Verity Flecknell from Storm in a Teacup will be performing a blues set and leading the first ever RUMPUS Kazoo orchestra.
Also this month; Panic Lab collective are hosting a night of live bands, poetry and comedy at The Victoria, Mile End on the 30 April. You will remember Panic Lab from their amazing theatre programme at Ladyfest Ten. Verity Flecknell from Storm in a Teacup and Annette Barlow from The Girls Are... will be DJing as She Runs With Wolves.
Storm in a Teacup will also have a table at the London Zine Symposium on Sunday 17 April, so come along and meet Elizabeth Martin from Storm in a Teacup and buy the latest issue of the SIATC zine.
Please visit our blog site to find out how to get involved in the collective and to keep up with the latest news. http://www.joinourteaparty.wordpress.com/
--
COMING UP APRIL 2011
TUESDAY 5th April
Resist Pyschic Death || BFI Lesbian & Gay film festival : Event exploring the importance of DIY cultural production for queer community building with Unskinny Bop & Le Cinema des Femmes @ The BFI Southbank.
More Info: http://www.bfi.org.uk/llgff/events/education_events/1432
TUESDAY 5th April
Death Drawing & Shibari with Santi present;
KNOT FOR PROFIT || An evening of entertainment featuring Japanese rope bondage, alternative life drawing, live traditional Japanese music, performances and art. All profits raised will be donated to charities supporting relief work in Japan.
7.30pm until late £8.00 entry @ Islington Metalworks, EC1V 1NQ
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156439077750182
THURSDAY 7th April
Papered Parlor presents; It’s Your Write: A Celebration of Self-Publishing || A mini festival celebrating DIY culture and activism @ V&A Museum of Childhood. With Young and Lost Club. 20 stalls of independent creatives. Talks, Discussions, Craft, Workshops and Live music! 6-9pm
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105581689523338
THURSDAY 7th April -14th April
The Future Crayon || Exhibition exploring the works of contemporary female Stuckist painters as well as a journey into new sounds and visuals from female musicians and filmmakers @ The George Tavern, Stepney. Exhibition & Private View 6-9pm. Artists: Jacqueline Jones and Annie Zamero. Live Music: The Choo Choo Trains, Anne McCloy, LA Fours. DJ: Dee Sada.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114520578625388&index=1
FRIDAY 8th April
RUMPUS Vol 4: Spring Ball || 6 Rooms of live music, Art, DJs, Circus, Caberet, Cinema. Featuring Verity Flecknell (Storm in a Teacup) blues set and leading RUMPUS first ever Kazoo Orchestra @ Electrowerkz, Angel. 10pm - 6am
WEBSITE: http://rumpusparty.co.uk/
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104011886347487
THURSDAY 7th - SUNDAY 10th of April
FRINGE! London Gay Film Fest || A long weekend of films, fun & parties - Fringe! film fest is a grassroots event centered around the Dalston Rio and nearby pop-up venues. Screenings, Workshops and talks.
WEBSITE: http://www.fringefilmfest.com/
THURSDAY 14th of April
Fat Quarter Magazine : Issue 3 Launch Party || Live performances: Verity Flecknell (Storm in a Teacup Collective), Flavia Anneccheni. DJ sets: NO FICTION, Severin @ The George Tavern, Stepney.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194201293947079
THURSDAY 14th of April
The Girls Are.. & For Books Sake present; The Quiz Round 2 || Entry is £5 per person, teams of no more than four to be booked in advance by emailing jane@forbookssake.net. Doors from 6.30pm, quiz commencing at 7.30pm. Plus cakes, book stall, DJs and more. @ The Old School Yard, London Bridge.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189969784373594
SUNDAY 17th of April
London Zine Symposium 2011 || Storm in a Teacup will have a table selling Issue 2 of our zine. 12pm - 6pm @ The Rag Factory, E1 5LJ
http://www.londonzinesymposium.org.uk/
SUNDAY 17 April
Les Cinema Des Femmes || @ The Horatia, N7 8JE Doors 17:00pm. First film 18.00pm £4.00
http://lecinemadesfemmes.wordpress.com/
FRIDAY 22 April
Kill Yr Idols || Live performance: Hold Kiss Kill. DJs: No Fiction, YourOtherLover, Severin @ The Victoria, Mile End. FREE entry
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191495254219267
SATURDAY 30 April
Panic Lab presents; CUT IT OUT || *Live bands* Good Weather Girl, The Epilators, Maxwell Zachs *Poetry* Leanne Moden *DJ set* She Runs With Wolves (Annette Barlow; The Girls Are.. & Verity Flecknell; Storm in a Teacup) @ The Victoria, Mile End. 8pm.
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191389710896234
Over and Out,
Verity Flecknell
Storm in a Teacup
Female Arts Collective
http://joinourteaparty.wordpress.com/
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Guerrilla Girls
THE GUERRILLA GIRLS' GUIDE TO BEHAVING BADLY SPRING 2011
All over the world, we meet lots of people who are unafraid to call themselves feminists, and who use feminism as a platform for art, activism and culture jamming.
http://www.guerrillagirls.com/
http://www.guerrillagirls.com/
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Where Are We Now? interview with Sally Barker
Where Are We Now?
Sally Barker
This is an exciting time for me - I moved back to Calderdale 18 months ago with my family, I had been living in London for 22 years, since leaving art college, so half my life has been spent in a one of the largest cities in the world. I am really enjoying living back in the North, where access to the rural landscape plays a vital role in my life and work.
I am the first artist on a 3 year project called The Watershed Landscape Project - artists inspired by the upper landscape of the South Pennines. In many ways this commission was tailor made for me! I get paid to produce a body of work inspired by this landscape which has been part of me since childhood- I love it deeply.
The work is sculptural in nature but photographically presented. I explore the landscape, collecting natural materials and panoramic images. I make small scale sculpture with the materials , which are photographed back into the landscape- sometimes at the same site and sometimes many miles across the moors. These migrations of materials echo journeys and movements on a larger scale, that the earths sculpting and destructive forces have resulted in the land as we see it today. Glacial valleys, incredible rock formations, waterfalls etc. I am also looking at the mark we have left on the land- our interaction via farming, the construction of engineering phenomena like the reservoirs, the windmills, monuments etc. The story is a constantly shifting and complex interplay between us and the landscape, which I am telling through the combination of small sculpture, model painted figures and epic landscape. This body of work is far from a pious homage to nature- as with all my work,whether its looking at architecture and the urban landscape, or this rural one, materials are used to explore identity. I hope my intentions to integrate humor and playfulness come across, to make the work is compelling, intriguing and surprising with ourselves at the heart.
http://www.sallybarker.org
http://blogs.sallybarker.org/watershed
What's New?
New in my life - as above. New house, new environment, new body of work, new friends and contacts, new walks, new children's' schools, new skills, new workplaces, more contact with my family, less contact with old friends, new neighbours, new pet rabbit, new future.
Where Are We Now?
The journey towards gender equality carries on, the end is nowhere near being in-sight. For every woman in a position of power there will be 10, or 100, women struggling for the same rights, pay, status, acknowledgement as male peers. There are probably infinitely more who aren't even aware of this as an issue. It makes me sad to hear so many women say they don't see themselves as feminist, they seem afraid of the word. It has negative, overly politicised connotations for some younger women. Bu t my 12 year old daughter and 8 year old son , know about equality between men and women, (they like to use the word sexist!) , so there is a future because enough people care and wont let it slide. Its ongoing.
What's to be done?
Keep discussing, addressing, voicing opinion when its uncomfortable. Expose inequality - passive and active. Keep afloat the idea of positive discrimination in places of power like Parliament, as long as the women chosen are equal or better. Carry on highlighting positive values that women bring to a situation, so that we look at gender issues in a complex , not polarised way.
Who's Next?
Inspirational artist - close friend Sally Labern. Always stretching hers and other peoples expectations regarding possibilities for art to be used as a tool for growth, community cohesion, intelligent, thoughtful stimulus. She reminds me to look around more, search out artists that might inspire and will counteract my tendency to be artistically introverted.
What are you looking forward to?
Looking forward to my own exhibition! Cartwright Hall in June, showing the work I'm producing for The Watershed Project. Look forward to making lots of new contacts and meeting like minded artists.
Sally Barker
This is an exciting time for me - I moved back to Calderdale 18 months ago with my family, I had been living in London for 22 years, since leaving art college, so half my life has been spent in a one of the largest cities in the world. I am really enjoying living back in the North, where access to the rural landscape plays a vital role in my life and work.
I am the first artist on a 3 year project called The Watershed Landscape Project - artists inspired by the upper landscape of the South Pennines. In many ways this commission was tailor made for me! I get paid to produce a body of work inspired by this landscape which has been part of me since childhood- I love it deeply.
The work is sculptural in nature but photographically presented. I explore the landscape, collecting natural materials and panoramic images. I make small scale sculpture with the materials , which are photographed back into the landscape- sometimes at the same site and sometimes many miles across the moors. These migrations of materials echo journeys and movements on a larger scale, that the earths sculpting and destructive forces have resulted in the land as we see it today. Glacial valleys, incredible rock formations, waterfalls etc. I am also looking at the mark we have left on the land- our interaction via farming, the construction of engineering phenomena like the reservoirs, the windmills, monuments etc. The story is a constantly shifting and complex interplay between us and the landscape, which I am telling through the combination of small sculpture, model painted figures and epic landscape. This body of work is far from a pious homage to nature- as with all my work,whether its looking at architecture and the urban landscape, or this rural one, materials are used to explore identity. I hope my intentions to integrate humor and playfulness come across, to make the work is compelling, intriguing and surprising with ourselves at the heart.
http://www.sallybarker.org
http://blogs.sallybarker.org/watershed
What's New?
New in my life - as above. New house, new environment, new body of work, new friends and contacts, new walks, new children's' schools, new skills, new workplaces, more contact with my family, less contact with old friends, new neighbours, new pet rabbit, new future.
Where Are We Now?
The journey towards gender equality carries on, the end is nowhere near being in-sight. For every woman in a position of power there will be 10, or 100, women struggling for the same rights, pay, status, acknowledgement as male peers. There are probably infinitely more who aren't even aware of this as an issue. It makes me sad to hear so many women say they don't see themselves as feminist, they seem afraid of the word. It has negative, overly politicised connotations for some younger women. Bu t my 12 year old daughter and 8 year old son , know about equality between men and women, (they like to use the word sexist!) , so there is a future because enough people care and wont let it slide. Its ongoing.
What's to be done?
Keep discussing, addressing, voicing opinion when its uncomfortable. Expose inequality - passive and active. Keep afloat the idea of positive discrimination in places of power like Parliament, as long as the women chosen are equal or better. Carry on highlighting positive values that women bring to a situation, so that we look at gender issues in a complex , not polarised way.
Who's Next?
Inspirational artist - close friend Sally Labern. Always stretching hers and other peoples expectations regarding possibilities for art to be used as a tool for growth, community cohesion, intelligent, thoughtful stimulus. She reminds me to look around more, search out artists that might inspire and will counteract my tendency to be artistically introverted.
What are you looking forward to?
Looking forward to my own exhibition! Cartwright Hall in June, showing the work I'm producing for The Watershed Project. Look forward to making lots of new contacts and meeting like minded artists.
hi
sorry, seems some folk have sent me their request to an old email address (i can't access the fsmail account now) please email lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk it'll be about a day for me to check/add you as an author,
many thanks!
:)
sorry, seems some folk have sent me their request to an old email address (i can't access the fsmail account now) please email lesleymcdermott@hotmail.co.uk it'll be about a day for me to check/add you as an author,
many thanks!
:)
Glasgow Feminist Network event
Christina Carlisle 16 March
Hi everyone!
Here is the schedule for the GFN and Friends Day Event this coming Saturday from 10am - 4:30pm at the Glasgow Women's Library, 15 Berkeley Street. It is a 'drop in' event, so if you are not able to attend all of it, please come for some of it!
Here is the schedule for the GFN and Friends Day Event this coming Saturday from 10am - 4:30pm at the Glasgow Women's Library, 15 Berkeley Street. It is a 'drop in' event, so if you are not able to attend all of it, please come for some of it!
10:00 - 11:00 Doors Open - Welcoming people to the event, catching up/chatting, meeting new people and time to have a look at the stalls.
11:00 - 12:30 Book Reading and Discussion - Please bring along an excerpt from a favourite book, a poem or a magazine/newspaper article to read on the theme of women, why you became involved in feminism or why it's a meaningful text for you. People are welcome to attend the reading event just to listen.
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch - In addition to the cake stall and teas and coffees, we hope to have a small provision of savoury foods, so its advisable to bring some additional lunch for the day, theres a tesco's near by also.
13:30 - 16:00 Film showing and discussion - We will be showing Persepolis, a "Poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution", followed by discussion. Please follow this IMDB link - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/ - for more information.
In addition throughout the day there will be a clothes swap event where a table/area will be set up for people to bring any old clothes, shoes, bags etc to donate and swap with other items. We will also have a fundraising cake stall for the Oxfam 'Have a bit of a do' campaign - http://www.oxfam.org.uk/celebration - money raised will directly support Oxfam's work with women through various projects e.g. ending violence against women in Pakistan. If people are able to bring cakes for the fundraising stall it would be greatly appreciated, fundraising and cakes is a winner!
11:00 - 12:30 Book Reading and Discussion - Please bring along an excerpt from a favourite book, a poem or a magazine/newspaper article to read on the theme of women, why you became involved in feminism or why it's a meaningful text for you. People are welcome to attend the reading event just to listen.
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch - In addition to the cake stall and teas and coffees, we hope to have a small provision of savoury foods, so its advisable to bring some additional lunch for the day, theres a tesco's near by also.
13:30 - 16:00 Film showing and discussion - We will be showing Persepolis, a "Poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution", followed by discussion. Please follow this IMDB link - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/ - for more information.
In addition throughout the day there will be a clothes swap event where a table/area will be set up for people to bring any old clothes, shoes, bags etc to donate and swap with other items. We will also have a fundraising cake stall for the Oxfam 'Have a bit of a do' campaign - http://www.oxfam.org.uk/celebration - money raised will directly support Oxfam's work with women through various projects e.g. ending violence against women in Pakistan. If people are able to bring cakes for the fundraising stall it would be greatly appreciated, fundraising and cakes is a winner!
Further to this there will be a visual art input at the event by one of GFN's members, and she will be bringing some art materials for those that are up for 'having a go'.
Please bring friends, readings, old clothes and cakes! The more the merrier applies to all of these : )
Looking forward to seeing lots of you there!
Glasgow Feminist Network X
Please bring friends, readings, old clothes and cakes! The more the merrier applies to all of these : )
Looking forward to seeing lots of you there!
Glasgow Feminist Network X
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Where Are We Now? interview with Anna Francis
Anna Francis is an artist whose practice examines private histories, public space and civic languages; using forms of intervention, mapping, performance, consultation and photography to investigate the impact of art and culture on the regeneration of cities.
Francis has exhibited widely across the UK and beyond and has project managed and designed various art platforms which provide opportunities for other artists to investigate the city as a site for exploration and development. These include Interrogation: Walsall in 2009 (delivered from the New Art Gallery Walsall) and Interrogation: West Bromwich in 2010. In 2010 a book to document and set out the process of Interrogation was published. (‘Interrogation Walsall: a handbook’ by Anna Francis).
Ongoing participatory project ‘There is Beauty in the City’ is an online project, where participants apply for a magnet, which they can place anywhere in their respective cities that they find beauty – photograph the location and send it in to the project blog. This is resulting in a catalogue of images from around the world, forming a consensus on the beauty to be found in urban space. In 2010 the project lead to exhibitions in the Leiden - Netherlands, Gijon - Spain and inclusion in a performance event in Bristol – UK.
Other projects see Francis becoming invented characters in order to test the boundaries of the city and its situations. The artist has variously become a dating agency director, a tour guide and a market researcher to investigate the city.
www.annafrancis.com
http://annafrancis.blogspot.com
What's new?
I am just working on a piece of work which has been selected for a show in Margate: the show is due to coincide with the opening of Turner Contemporary, an art space whose progress I have been following with interest. In these very hard times it is fascinating to see an art space of this size opening. I am keen to see the impact that this will have on the Town (having spent numerous summers as a teenager working in the Dreamland Fun Park in Margate.) The work I am making for the show will explore the limitations and possibilities created by the use of emoticons. As someone who uses digital medias and in particular, social networks a lot within my practice I am often frustrated, but also intrigued by the miscommunications and misunderstandings generated by the use of email and instant messaging. The emoticon attempts to provide a nuance of emotion but is generally inadequate. I am working on a series of self-portraits where I attempt to recreate emoticons with my face. Also, I am in the process of organising a group show of work by artists from Stoke-on-Trent, again in Margate. The show is called ‘Kiss Me Quick’ and in many ways looks back to the old Potter’s Holidays – where large groups from Stoke would all go to the seaside at the same time. The show will be in July 2011.
Where are we now?
I think we are still a long way from reaching anything like equality. I think it is still a very uneven playing field out there, and I feel this in both my position as a lecturer in fine art and as an artist. I have heard my work described by male colleagues as ‘Funny Little Projects’ which I feel is derogatory. I do not think that my work is about women in any way, and neither does it have a Feminist bent - but it does involve conversation, participation and I often take on various ‘Women’s Roles’ within it, though this has been an unconscious thing – almost a coincidence, and is down to the fact that I am Female. I think that a man working performatively in a similar way would not have their work described like that. I am also aware that my trajectory through my career as a lecturer is a lot slower than some of my Male Colleagues.
What's to be done?
I think there is a lot to be done to make things more equal – and I think a good start would be for everyone to be more vocal about their experiences (this project is a good start!)
Who's next?
Ellie Harrison – amazingly prolific and politically active.
Sophie Hope – fighting the good fight.
What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to working on a project with Helen Moore and others about the 4 Garden Festivals and their legacies (this is in its early stages).
Also really looking forward to Kiss Me Quick this summer on Margate Harbour Arm.
Francis has exhibited widely across the UK and beyond and has project managed and designed various art platforms which provide opportunities for other artists to investigate the city as a site for exploration and development. These include Interrogation: Walsall in 2009 (delivered from the New Art Gallery Walsall) and Interrogation: West Bromwich in 2010. In 2010 a book to document and set out the process of Interrogation was published. (‘Interrogation Walsall: a handbook’ by Anna Francis).
Ongoing participatory project ‘There is Beauty in the City’ is an online project, where participants apply for a magnet, which they can place anywhere in their respective cities that they find beauty – photograph the location and send it in to the project blog. This is resulting in a catalogue of images from around the world, forming a consensus on the beauty to be found in urban space. In 2010 the project lead to exhibitions in the Leiden - Netherlands, Gijon - Spain and inclusion in a performance event in Bristol – UK.
Other projects see Francis becoming invented characters in order to test the boundaries of the city and its situations. The artist has variously become a dating agency director, a tour guide and a market researcher to investigate the city.
www.annafrancis.com
http://annafrancis.blogspot.com
What's new?
I am just working on a piece of work which has been selected for a show in Margate: the show is due to coincide with the opening of Turner Contemporary, an art space whose progress I have been following with interest. In these very hard times it is fascinating to see an art space of this size opening. I am keen to see the impact that this will have on the Town (having spent numerous summers as a teenager working in the Dreamland Fun Park in Margate.) The work I am making for the show will explore the limitations and possibilities created by the use of emoticons. As someone who uses digital medias and in particular, social networks a lot within my practice I am often frustrated, but also intrigued by the miscommunications and misunderstandings generated by the use of email and instant messaging. The emoticon attempts to provide a nuance of emotion but is generally inadequate. I am working on a series of self-portraits where I attempt to recreate emoticons with my face. Also, I am in the process of organising a group show of work by artists from Stoke-on-Trent, again in Margate. The show is called ‘Kiss Me Quick’ and in many ways looks back to the old Potter’s Holidays – where large groups from Stoke would all go to the seaside at the same time. The show will be in July 2011.
Where are we now?
I think we are still a long way from reaching anything like equality. I think it is still a very uneven playing field out there, and I feel this in both my position as a lecturer in fine art and as an artist. I have heard my work described by male colleagues as ‘Funny Little Projects’ which I feel is derogatory. I do not think that my work is about women in any way, and neither does it have a Feminist bent - but it does involve conversation, participation and I often take on various ‘Women’s Roles’ within it, though this has been an unconscious thing – almost a coincidence, and is down to the fact that I am Female. I think that a man working performatively in a similar way would not have their work described like that. I am also aware that my trajectory through my career as a lecturer is a lot slower than some of my Male Colleagues.
What's to be done?
I think there is a lot to be done to make things more equal – and I think a good start would be for everyone to be more vocal about their experiences (this project is a good start!)
Who's next?
Ellie Harrison – amazingly prolific and politically active.
Sophie Hope – fighting the good fight.
What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to working on a project with Helen Moore and others about the 4 Garden Festivals and their legacies (this is in its early stages).
Also really looking forward to Kiss Me Quick this summer on Margate Harbour Arm.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
feminist lines of flight
cca-glasgow.com/linesofflight/ a relaunch of this with GWL will take place soon with the next phase to happen over the next few months, i'll be delighted to pass on information as i recieve it...
here's a wee reminder of the previous phase;
here's a wee reminder of the previous phase;
Read Out! Read In! Feminist Lines of Flight in Art and Politics
In order to explore the question of how we have gone on, how we do go on now, and how we dream/ desire to go on in the future in response to a feminist heritage, artists Faith Wilding and Kate Davis have invited a wide range of co-inspiritors to select up to three starting points for feminist lines of flight in art and politics for discussion and feasting on.These suggestions, which constitute a rich and expansive archive of texts, publications, audio/video, film-clips and images are available through this online archive and will be accessible in tangible form at the ‘Read Out! Read In!’ reading room and library collection collaboration with Glasgow Women’s Library at the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow (April 16th-May 29th 2010). This material is also providing starting points for a network of reading groups and seminar events which have begun in Glasgow and Chicago and will continue on an international basis leading up to, during and after the exhibition. Anyone can add details of their own reading group or lines of flight to this site. In this way ‘Read Out! Read In! Feminist Lines of Flight in Art and Politics’ strives to connect many different points of departure for feminist thinking, discussion, making and create a rich archive of freely available inspiration. For updates on the project and any forthcoming events, please check here again.
This project is initiated in conjunction with Faith Wilding and Kate Davis’ two-woman discursive exhibition project, The Long Loch: How Do We Go On From Here? at the CCA, Glasgow and commissioned for Glasgow International.
Lesley McDermott
See any publications on Kaethe Kollwitz that Glasgow Women’s Library may have in their collection
also Hannah Wilke
Uta Grosenick (ed.)
Women Artists
Cologne: Taschen, 2001
Whitney Chadwick
Women, Art, and Society
London: Thames & Hudson, 2007
Barbara Kruger et. al.
Twelve
Exhibition catalogue. Glasgow: Tramway, 2006
You can find more information on Kruger’s website.
Henri Cole et. al
Jenny Holzer: Truth Before Power
Exhibition catalogue. Bregenz, Austria: Kunsthaus Bregenz, 2004
Patrick Elliot & Julian Schnabel
Tracy Emin: 20 Years
Exhibition catalogue. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland, 2008
Mistakes Made Away From Home
Karla Black
Exhibition catalogue. Glasgow: Mary Mary, 2008
Cathy Wilkes
Exhibition catalogue. MK: Milton Keynes Gallery, 2009
More information can be found here.
WEBSITE
The Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art website
The Dinner Party
Judy Chicago. The Dinner Party, 1975–1979.
Vanessa Beecroft, artist’s site
VIDEOS
SubRosa: selected projects 2000–2005 (SubRosa)
( if you had a problem with this link try http://home.refugia.net/ )
also http://womanhouse.refugia.net/
Global feminism videos also at Sakler website, follow links from
Mary Coble, artist talk
PICK OF THE WEEK
To be enjoyed with a pot of black tea, “something light like Earl or Lady Grey”. “I think I would like to eat madeleines for fun, although I have never had one before. In the Proust madeleine moment, the cake is dunked in lemon verbena tea I think, so we should have some of that too.”
Andrea Dworkin
Pornography
London: Women’s Press
Read it here.
RECORDING
Gertrude Stein
If I Told Him
Available here
Sarah Lucas
Chicken Knickers
To be enjoyed with a pot of black tea, “something light like Earl or Lady Grey”. “I think I would like to eat madeleines for fun, although I have never had one before. In the Proust madeleine moment, the cake is dunked in lemon verbena tea I think, so we should have some of that too.”
Andrea Dworkin
Pornography
London: Women’s Press
Read it here.
RECORDING
Gertrude Stein
If I Told Him
Available here
Sarah Lucas
Chicken Knickers
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Where Are We Now? interview with Emily Speed
Emily Speed’s drawings, sculptures, installations and bookworks draw upon the metaphorical potential of architecture. Architecture is considered both as an emblem of humankind’s futile ambition for permanence and as container for often vital components of personal memory and identity. Working site-responsively she embeds transience within her works through propping, wedging, balancing and temporarily fixing.
Emily has received a number of awards, has exhibited internationally and will hold her first solo exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2011. Emily has also completed residencies at Salzamt Atelierhaus, Linz with Liverpool Biennial, Women's Studio Workshop, New York and Hospitalfield Trust, Arbroath.
www.emilyspeed.co.uk
emilyspeed.tumblr.com/
What's new?
Old (it's been going on for a while) and still new is my work at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where I will have my first solo exhibition in July 2011. I have been spending a lot of time at the park so it has become like a semi-residency and has been a really productive time. Very new will be performing a work in public there, I have never done this before and am excited/terrified. I am building a coracle to sail in on the lake at YSP am really enjoying it. I can't say a lot about this work as it is so new and unformed, but I feel like I am getting bolder in my choices and that my practice is getting sturdier legs.
Where are we now?
It can never be a level playing field when women are the ones who have babies. However, I would love to see an end to the idea that art is a hobby for many women - nothing I can substantiate, but I trust the feeling I have when I detect patronising or dismissive talk.
What's to be done?
This feels like a huge question! In the arts I think it would be helpful to discourage the simplistic reading of works as feminine if they contain fabric/thread/pink etc. On a larger scale I would like to see less pornographisaton of everyday culture and sack off the idea that real women should resemble these hairless, maquillaged, dumb holes with legs.
Who's next?
So many! On a local level (Liverpool) I think Laurence Payot is doing very interesting work and that Vanessa Bartlett is a great writer/thinker/curator. I recently met a group of women artists in New York who are part of W.A.G.E. (Working artists and the greater economy), campaigning for artists rights alongside their own practices. They are an awesome force. I am also very interested in women re-claiming the architectural sphere, which has been a male dominated sphere since it began. MUF architects, a student group called FATALE and the artist Ursula Mayer (LOVE) are all adding interesting fodder to this area of research around feminist space.
What are you looking forward to?
Returning to Japan next week after seven years away (I taught English there after graduating). It's a place I love and I am glad to get the chance to get away and shake things up a little. Then it will be the YSP show, which is about as far into the future as I can cope with at the moment. Otherwise I am taking part in a residency called 'Small Scale Survival with Aid & Abet in Cambridge in April, a group exhibition in Milan at ASSAB One in May/June, I will also do a performance in Rotterdam in September and I hope I will be returning to work in Linz, Austria again in October. After that I might try and tackle the difficult issue of having babies and maintaining a career...
Emily has received a number of awards, has exhibited internationally and will hold her first solo exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2011. Emily has also completed residencies at Salzamt Atelierhaus, Linz with Liverpool Biennial, Women's Studio Workshop, New York and Hospitalfield Trust, Arbroath.
www.emilyspeed.co.uk
emilyspeed.tumblr.com/
What's new?
Old (it's been going on for a while) and still new is my work at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where I will have my first solo exhibition in July 2011. I have been spending a lot of time at the park so it has become like a semi-residency and has been a really productive time. Very new will be performing a work in public there, I have never done this before and am excited/terrified. I am building a coracle to sail in on the lake at YSP am really enjoying it. I can't say a lot about this work as it is so new and unformed, but I feel like I am getting bolder in my choices and that my practice is getting sturdier legs.
Where are we now?
It can never be a level playing field when women are the ones who have babies. However, I would love to see an end to the idea that art is a hobby for many women - nothing I can substantiate, but I trust the feeling I have when I detect patronising or dismissive talk.
What's to be done?
This feels like a huge question! In the arts I think it would be helpful to discourage the simplistic reading of works as feminine if they contain fabric/thread/pink etc. On a larger scale I would like to see less pornographisaton of everyday culture and sack off the idea that real women should resemble these hairless, maquillaged, dumb holes with legs.
Who's next?
So many! On a local level (Liverpool) I think Laurence Payot is doing very interesting work and that Vanessa Bartlett is a great writer/thinker/curator. I recently met a group of women artists in New York who are part of W.A.G.E. (Working artists and the greater economy), campaigning for artists rights alongside their own practices. They are an awesome force. I am also very interested in women re-claiming the architectural sphere, which has been a male dominated sphere since it began. MUF architects, a student group called FATALE and the artist Ursula Mayer (LOVE) are all adding interesting fodder to this area of research around feminist space.
What are you looking forward to?
Returning to Japan next week after seven years away (I taught English there after graduating). It's a place I love and I am glad to get the chance to get away and shake things up a little. Then it will be the YSP show, which is about as far into the future as I can cope with at the moment. Otherwise I am taking part in a residency called 'Small Scale Survival with Aid & Abet in Cambridge in April, a group exhibition in Milan at ASSAB One in May/June, I will also do a performance in Rotterdam in September and I hope I will be returning to work in Linz, Austria again in October. After that I might try and tackle the difficult issue of having babies and maintaining a career...
hello from firebellyart
I'm an artist living in Falkirk, Scotland. I draw, paint and create textiles, using mostly felt and threads.
The question asked 'where are we now?' has given an opening to some realisations for me, or rather it has made me acknowledge my working patterns as an artist in relation to the rest of my life (because if we want to know where we are now it helps to know where we've been). This is relevant in many different ways but I have to start with me before I can widen the context. Of course our work changes with us and with our varying situations in life but it has only been very recently that I have made a conscious decision to look back to look at how my work has changed over the years. It relates directly to what is happening in my life. My work translates my emotions and in terms of paint, canvas, needles and felt I most defintely wear my heart on my sleeve. There are periods of inactivity follwed my almost panic times of production. There are paintings that reflect contentment and those that reflect distress. It has been a real eye-opener to look over these images and think about what my life was like when I made them.
The question asked 'where are we now?' has given an opening to some realisations for me, or rather it has made me acknowledge my working patterns as an artist in relation to the rest of my life (because if we want to know where we are now it helps to know where we've been). This is relevant in many different ways but I have to start with me before I can widen the context. Of course our work changes with us and with our varying situations in life but it has only been very recently that I have made a conscious decision to look back to look at how my work has changed over the years. It relates directly to what is happening in my life. My work translates my emotions and in terms of paint, canvas, needles and felt I most defintely wear my heart on my sleeve. There are periods of inactivity follwed my almost panic times of production. There are paintings that reflect contentment and those that reflect distress. It has been a real eye-opener to look over these images and think about what my life was like when I made them.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Where Are We Now? interview with Rosanne Robertson
Where Are We Now?
Rosanne Robertson
Rosanne Robertson responds to the pluralistic environment of the artist by utilising stolen modes of communication from the ‘real world’ and nominating them in an art context in order to explore and understand the relationship between artwork, artist, viewer and institution. Notions of experience, validity, truth and identity are explored and are often presented in familiar ‘packages’ of information presenting fact and fiction in the same context. This experimental and investigative research based work is often time based bringing the space between art and viewer into direct focus. Repeated outputs for ideas have included online and offline documentation, archived information, process, installation, imagery, video and performance. The relationship between the original and the copy in the light of new digital media, on line sharing platforms and ways of viewing is a current interest along with research into the live art space.
http://rosannerobertson.art.officelive.com
What's new?
I have just had a video chosen for an online video show called UHU-Tube no. 1 curated by Jon Purnell and Andre Black of Cack-U-Like and Scare in the Community. Although I am not enthused in an anti-establishment way as these two artists very much are, I do find making art outside of the institution an interesting subject to investigate. I am excited about FAIL, 2011 being shown as I made the video especially for youtube and it is influenced by the way that people view moving image online. I am interested in what it means for a work to be solely viewed online. We can share whatever we want worldwide within seconds and we chose to share misfortune, porn and kittens riding on the backs of tortoises. Does this provide the context for which an artwork on youtube is viewed or can it hold its own in these circumstances? That’s why I like this experimental show as it chooses a selection of art from the abyss and creates a new context within the bombardment of information that is the internet. The video is 1 min 30 sec which is about average for the length someone can be asked to concentrate on a youtube clip and it is ‘#tagged’ with the word FAIL- which has been a trending on line word for a while now i.e. “ I totes just burned my toast #Fail.” The video itself shows me working on a proposal for a piece that never made it to the show it was supposed to. I have been rethinking failure and the difference between making and showing work a lot- reading essays in Lisa Le Feuvre’s recent book ‘Failure- Documents of Contemporary Art’ and re looking at artists like Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Lawrence Wiener, Martin Creed, Jon Baldessari, Liam Gillick and Isa Genzken.
http://uhu-tube.com/
Where are we now?
I think it is easy to forget where we are as when a certain level of equality is reached and things become less obviously unequal it is dealt with less urgency. Things might be better but are they equal? In many business, industry and career instances and in terms of the ‘art industry’ things are very much still unequal. I find in my everyday working practice there are many female artists in my peer group, I can go and see a great number of artist led and independent shows in Manchester and beyond on a daily basis of interesting work by female artists, I can see big shows by big female names quite often but then I come to read an art theory book such as the previously mentioned ‘Failure- Documents of Contemporary Art’ and I would estimate 10% of the writers are female and 5% of the artists mentioned are female.
One show that stuck in my mind as something that shaped my ambition in 3rd year of my fine art degree was The Tate Triennial - Alter Modern. It contained the type of conceptual, process, archive and investigative work I wanted to be making but 75% of the work in it was made by men. This is probably a good figure compared to shows from further into the past. But the fact is that if it was a show that was 75% female it would probably be a themed show. As a female art student (as I was at the time) does this say to me fewer women make this type of work or that it is more difficult for women to be recognised for this sort of work? I would say based on my experience and the female artists I have been surrounded by that the latter is true. I would say the journey between art school and recognition as a respected, studied and exhibited artist is infinitely more difficult for women because of the traditional attitude towards parental responsibilities in this country. I would say it is also more difficult for women to get recognised for the type of work mentioned because of a strange continued attitude of uneasiness at women being less emotional in their decision making processes. I believe there is still a bad attitude towards women and intellectualism carried on from when women weren’t allowed in the academies, banned from making work and not allowed access to paying patrons.
If you look at Hanne Darboven she worked alongside and was respected by Sol LeWitt, Carl Andre, and Joseph Kosuth for her conceptual and minimalist work using systems and process. She is celebrated by many but doesn’t hold the same engraved place in art history as say Joseph Kosuth. There are many other examples of women working at the same time not getting the same attention. Somebody somewhere along the line likes their artists to be male and I don’t know it is- the writer, the art historian, the gallery owners or the public. Things of course are changing and women make and talk about serious work and are taken seriously for it. But things need to keep going in the right direction and if our documentation doesn’t show this in a balanced way what will it mean to future generations looking back? Will people still find it harder to dig out information about female artists who shaped and changed the landscape?
What's to be done?
I think that ensuring that there are equal opportunities across the board including the ‘power’ positions. If you look at the Power 100 list by Art Review it is predominantly male and predominantly non artists. So the steering force behind the art world is made up of male gallery owners and publishers. I would guess that if this was more equal the whole of the art world may begin to equal out.
I have met female artists who are also single mothers who cannot continue their practice due to being told by the job centre that they have to take a job that in no way relates to their career path or skills in order to receive benefits to survive on. Child benefit is going to be cut massively under the new coalition government and therefore things are only going to get worse and more difficult for female artists in this position. Being an artist needs to be recognised as a career and resources need to be made available for anyone that may find it more difficult than others to advance. This includes any single parents; it is just that the vast majority of single parents are female.
http://www.artreview100.com/
Who's next?
An arts professional that really inspires me at the minute is Claire Bishop for her original thinking on subjects such as installation and participation in art. I also think that her research and writing for recent article ‘Con-Demmed to the Bleakest of Futures: Report from the UK’ is a vital resource on the subject of cuts to the arts under the new coalition government. I think she will continue to have lots of valuable and interesting things to say in the future.
A group of artists that I find an inspiration to my day to day practice currently are Louise Woodcock, Debbie ‘Elvis’ Sharp, Jennifer McDonald and Helen Shanahan. They are all visual artists, performers and musicians and work in or around Islington Mill in Salford. They form the most part of a band called Womb which also contains members Fiona Ledgard, Sian Williams and Lauren Velvick amongst others. Louise Woodcock’s work has a connection to the female body that I have never had with my own work and her direct and unapologetic approach to performance in very empowering. I find Debbie ‘Elvis’ Sharp’s approach to performance (she is also a visual artist/photographer) also liberating to watch as she puts herself out there and that is something that I have historically shied away from. I hadn’t been inspired by music as a visual artist until I heard Womb, so I find it quite unusual and brilliant.
http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/209 - Claire Bishop’s ‘Con-Demmed to the Bleakest of Futures’.
http://louisewoodcock.wordpress.com/
http://debbiesharpphotography.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womb/154801944576807 Womb, Facebook page.
What are you looking forward to?
I am currently running something with Louise Woodcock called The Artists’ Bonfire and we had the first one in Manchester in January at Islington Mill. We have been asked by Ian Hunter of Littoral and the current Merzman Project to take a selection of Bonfire artists to spend some time at The Elterwater Merz Barn. We aim to spend the time focussing on economic and political collapse and revolution in the context of Kurt Schwitters and his work. We aim to discuss this in relation to contemporary art and political writing in light of the current economic disaster. There will hopefully also be an opportunity to make work and collaborate. So I am looking forward to spending some time collaborating with a really interesting group of artists in such a unique and important place.
http://artistsbonfire.art.officelive.com/default.aspx
http://www.merzbarn.net/elterwatermerzba.html
Rosanne Robertson
Rosanne Robertson responds to the pluralistic environment of the artist by utilising stolen modes of communication from the ‘real world’ and nominating them in an art context in order to explore and understand the relationship between artwork, artist, viewer and institution. Notions of experience, validity, truth and identity are explored and are often presented in familiar ‘packages’ of information presenting fact and fiction in the same context. This experimental and investigative research based work is often time based bringing the space between art and viewer into direct focus. Repeated outputs for ideas have included online and offline documentation, archived information, process, installation, imagery, video and performance. The relationship between the original and the copy in the light of new digital media, on line sharing platforms and ways of viewing is a current interest along with research into the live art space.
http://rosannerobertson.art.officelive.com
What's new?
I have just had a video chosen for an online video show called UHU-Tube no. 1 curated by Jon Purnell and Andre Black of Cack-U-Like and Scare in the Community. Although I am not enthused in an anti-establishment way as these two artists very much are, I do find making art outside of the institution an interesting subject to investigate. I am excited about FAIL, 2011 being shown as I made the video especially for youtube and it is influenced by the way that people view moving image online. I am interested in what it means for a work to be solely viewed online. We can share whatever we want worldwide within seconds and we chose to share misfortune, porn and kittens riding on the backs of tortoises. Does this provide the context for which an artwork on youtube is viewed or can it hold its own in these circumstances? That’s why I like this experimental show as it chooses a selection of art from the abyss and creates a new context within the bombardment of information that is the internet. The video is 1 min 30 sec which is about average for the length someone can be asked to concentrate on a youtube clip and it is ‘#tagged’ with the word FAIL- which has been a trending on line word for a while now i.e. “ I totes just burned my toast #Fail.” The video itself shows me working on a proposal for a piece that never made it to the show it was supposed to. I have been rethinking failure and the difference between making and showing work a lot- reading essays in Lisa Le Feuvre’s recent book ‘Failure- Documents of Contemporary Art’ and re looking at artists like Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Lawrence Wiener, Martin Creed, Jon Baldessari, Liam Gillick and Isa Genzken.
http://uhu-tube.com/
Where are we now?
I think it is easy to forget where we are as when a certain level of equality is reached and things become less obviously unequal it is dealt with less urgency. Things might be better but are they equal? In many business, industry and career instances and in terms of the ‘art industry’ things are very much still unequal. I find in my everyday working practice there are many female artists in my peer group, I can go and see a great number of artist led and independent shows in Manchester and beyond on a daily basis of interesting work by female artists, I can see big shows by big female names quite often but then I come to read an art theory book such as the previously mentioned ‘Failure- Documents of Contemporary Art’ and I would estimate 10% of the writers are female and 5% of the artists mentioned are female.
One show that stuck in my mind as something that shaped my ambition in 3rd year of my fine art degree was The Tate Triennial - Alter Modern. It contained the type of conceptual, process, archive and investigative work I wanted to be making but 75% of the work in it was made by men. This is probably a good figure compared to shows from further into the past. But the fact is that if it was a show that was 75% female it would probably be a themed show. As a female art student (as I was at the time) does this say to me fewer women make this type of work or that it is more difficult for women to be recognised for this sort of work? I would say based on my experience and the female artists I have been surrounded by that the latter is true. I would say the journey between art school and recognition as a respected, studied and exhibited artist is infinitely more difficult for women because of the traditional attitude towards parental responsibilities in this country. I would say it is also more difficult for women to get recognised for the type of work mentioned because of a strange continued attitude of uneasiness at women being less emotional in their decision making processes. I believe there is still a bad attitude towards women and intellectualism carried on from when women weren’t allowed in the academies, banned from making work and not allowed access to paying patrons.
If you look at Hanne Darboven she worked alongside and was respected by Sol LeWitt, Carl Andre, and Joseph Kosuth for her conceptual and minimalist work using systems and process. She is celebrated by many but doesn’t hold the same engraved place in art history as say Joseph Kosuth. There are many other examples of women working at the same time not getting the same attention. Somebody somewhere along the line likes their artists to be male and I don’t know it is- the writer, the art historian, the gallery owners or the public. Things of course are changing and women make and talk about serious work and are taken seriously for it. But things need to keep going in the right direction and if our documentation doesn’t show this in a balanced way what will it mean to future generations looking back? Will people still find it harder to dig out information about female artists who shaped and changed the landscape?
What's to be done?
I think that ensuring that there are equal opportunities across the board including the ‘power’ positions. If you look at the Power 100 list by Art Review it is predominantly male and predominantly non artists. So the steering force behind the art world is made up of male gallery owners and publishers. I would guess that if this was more equal the whole of the art world may begin to equal out.
I have met female artists who are also single mothers who cannot continue their practice due to being told by the job centre that they have to take a job that in no way relates to their career path or skills in order to receive benefits to survive on. Child benefit is going to be cut massively under the new coalition government and therefore things are only going to get worse and more difficult for female artists in this position. Being an artist needs to be recognised as a career and resources need to be made available for anyone that may find it more difficult than others to advance. This includes any single parents; it is just that the vast majority of single parents are female.
http://www.artreview100.com/
Who's next?
An arts professional that really inspires me at the minute is Claire Bishop for her original thinking on subjects such as installation and participation in art. I also think that her research and writing for recent article ‘Con-Demmed to the Bleakest of Futures: Report from the UK’ is a vital resource on the subject of cuts to the arts under the new coalition government. I think she will continue to have lots of valuable and interesting things to say in the future.
A group of artists that I find an inspiration to my day to day practice currently are Louise Woodcock, Debbie ‘Elvis’ Sharp, Jennifer McDonald and Helen Shanahan. They are all visual artists, performers and musicians and work in or around Islington Mill in Salford. They form the most part of a band called Womb which also contains members Fiona Ledgard, Sian Williams and Lauren Velvick amongst others. Louise Woodcock’s work has a connection to the female body that I have never had with my own work and her direct and unapologetic approach to performance in very empowering. I find Debbie ‘Elvis’ Sharp’s approach to performance (she is also a visual artist/photographer) also liberating to watch as she puts herself out there and that is something that I have historically shied away from. I hadn’t been inspired by music as a visual artist until I heard Womb, so I find it quite unusual and brilliant.
http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/209 - Claire Bishop’s ‘Con-Demmed to the Bleakest of Futures’.
http://louisewoodcock.wordpress.com/
http://debbiesharpphotography.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womb/154801944576807 Womb, Facebook page.
What are you looking forward to?
I am currently running something with Louise Woodcock called The Artists’ Bonfire and we had the first one in Manchester in January at Islington Mill. We have been asked by Ian Hunter of Littoral and the current Merzman Project to take a selection of Bonfire artists to spend some time at The Elterwater Merz Barn. We aim to spend the time focussing on economic and political collapse and revolution in the context of Kurt Schwitters and his work. We aim to discuss this in relation to contemporary art and political writing in light of the current economic disaster. There will hopefully also be an opportunity to make work and collaborate. So I am looking forward to spending some time collaborating with a really interesting group of artists in such a unique and important place.
http://artistsbonfire.art.officelive.com/default.aspx
http://www.merzbarn.net/elterwatermerzba.html
Where Are We Now? interview with Megan Broadmeadow
Where Are We Now?
Megan Broadmeadow
My practice interweaves many disciplines ranging from sculpture, performance, video, photography and installation. Colour, humour and accessibility are core elements of the work I produce. My work is often bold and unabashed, yet has subtle and considered concepts represented within it.
I draw inspiration from history of place, culture and people. I am drawn to industry, folk tales, religion and the things that define a community, yet am also interested in what is building our contemporary society, and finding out how the past and present can sit together. I aim to engage a non-art audience through the use of familiar and recognisable forms which I hope have enough tension or incongruity to draw curiosity and flights of fantasy in the audience’s minds.
http://www.megartmix.co.uk
What's new?
Almost everything is new in my world at the moment. Its corny but I'm starting to understand the true meaning of liberation. I left a long term relationship, and moved back to London after a 10 year break. These physical and emotional changes have definitely impacted on my work, I feel braver, more daring, and finding a new but darker side of my practice through exploration of black humour mixed with personal experience.
Where are we now?
In general its a complex question to answer. I feel equality is the norm - however I don't know all the ins and outs. I was recently shocked to hear the story where women working for a council in Northern England learnt that they were receiving little or nothing in bonuses compared to their male colleagues. Perhaps things are not as equal as we'd like to believe - and possibly its the case that in-equality in terms of pay is being better hidden.
However in terms of visible presence, it seems to me that women are filling top roles, and positions of respect across the country, it seems less and less that we are hearing about the 1st woman to take this position or that role- could it be that is because we are conquering all our goals?!
What's to be done?
In terms of working as a self employed artist I think equality is achievable for anyone. I think the only limitation comes from holding yourself back. By this I mean I think men are better at putting themselves forward and self promoting, they are also better at asking for what they want. I think women need to not be afraid to ask for what they want as professionals - as its surprising how easily achievable it can be!
Who's next?
I've recently discovered the artist Miriam Mechita, her work lives in realm of the sublime, with seductive be-jeweled objects and textiles casting an air of unease over the viewer, especially when you realise everything in her world has been beheaded. From Headless deer with beads spurting in place of blood to the prints of detached heads of models frozen in an eternity of orgasm, her work constantly challenges the viewer to explore the line between ecstasy and torment.
I'm also excited by the rise of Phylida Barlow. She was my tutor in Sculpture and an extraordinary woman. Her knowledge of sculpture is inspirational and she can relate to any object in a humorous, perceptive and human level. After her many years teaching I am extremely happy to see her own art work being admired by people all over the world.
What are you looking forward to?
This weekend I'm performing with my all girl collective 'Ffaf' as part of International Women’s day in Cardiff. We are inviting the audience to join our special Brownie Guide meeting which will be an interactive event featuring songs, short sketches and gaining skills towards badges - all of which follow the brownie guide manual tradition in good faith!
Megan Broadmeadow
My practice interweaves many disciplines ranging from sculpture, performance, video, photography and installation. Colour, humour and accessibility are core elements of the work I produce. My work is often bold and unabashed, yet has subtle and considered concepts represented within it.
I draw inspiration from history of place, culture and people. I am drawn to industry, folk tales, religion and the things that define a community, yet am also interested in what is building our contemporary society, and finding out how the past and present can sit together. I aim to engage a non-art audience through the use of familiar and recognisable forms which I hope have enough tension or incongruity to draw curiosity and flights of fantasy in the audience’s minds.
http://www.megartmix.co.uk
What's new?
Almost everything is new in my world at the moment. Its corny but I'm starting to understand the true meaning of liberation. I left a long term relationship, and moved back to London after a 10 year break. These physical and emotional changes have definitely impacted on my work, I feel braver, more daring, and finding a new but darker side of my practice through exploration of black humour mixed with personal experience.
Where are we now?
In general its a complex question to answer. I feel equality is the norm - however I don't know all the ins and outs. I was recently shocked to hear the story where women working for a council in Northern England learnt that they were receiving little or nothing in bonuses compared to their male colleagues. Perhaps things are not as equal as we'd like to believe - and possibly its the case that in-equality in terms of pay is being better hidden.
However in terms of visible presence, it seems to me that women are filling top roles, and positions of respect across the country, it seems less and less that we are hearing about the 1st woman to take this position or that role- could it be that is because we are conquering all our goals?!
What's to be done?
In terms of working as a self employed artist I think equality is achievable for anyone. I think the only limitation comes from holding yourself back. By this I mean I think men are better at putting themselves forward and self promoting, they are also better at asking for what they want. I think women need to not be afraid to ask for what they want as professionals - as its surprising how easily achievable it can be!
Who's next?
I've recently discovered the artist Miriam Mechita, her work lives in realm of the sublime, with seductive be-jeweled objects and textiles casting an air of unease over the viewer, especially when you realise everything in her world has been beheaded. From Headless deer with beads spurting in place of blood to the prints of detached heads of models frozen in an eternity of orgasm, her work constantly challenges the viewer to explore the line between ecstasy and torment.
I'm also excited by the rise of Phylida Barlow. She was my tutor in Sculpture and an extraordinary woman. Her knowledge of sculpture is inspirational and she can relate to any object in a humorous, perceptive and human level. After her many years teaching I am extremely happy to see her own art work being admired by people all over the world.
What are you looking forward to?
This weekend I'm performing with my all girl collective 'Ffaf' as part of International Women’s day in Cardiff. We are inviting the audience to join our special Brownie Guide meeting which will be an interactive event featuring songs, short sketches and gaining skills towards badges - all of which follow the brownie guide manual tradition in good faith!
Where Are We Now? interview with Candice Jacobs
Where Are We Now?
Candice Jacobs
I am an artist and curator currently living and working in Nottingham. Since 2005 I have co-founded and co-directed a number of artist-run projects. Many of my works incorporate sound, words and text, which are displayed after a process of manipulation. Conducting interviews with the intention of extracting information, working with situations linked to labour and work, marketing and advertising, and the re-appropriation of observations that are linked to a particular time and place, provide me with a structure where an awareness of self-doubt, futility, failure and boredom is applied in order to extract information from the process.
The Smell Of Freedom, 2010
http://onethoresbystreet.org
http://standassembly.org
http://mootgallery.org
http://meaningfulmeaninglessness.info
What's new?
Herbert Marcuse, bookmarks, erasers, chairs, drawing, Arnold Schwarzenegger and British Politics.
Where are we now?
I can only comment on my own situation on this topic. I am currently one of 3 women who have a full-time studio at One Thorebsy Street, the other 12 artists are men. At Moot, I was the only woman involved in the curation of the project alongside 3 men. At university I was the only woman in our house, sharing with 5 men. Most of my friends from Nottingham are men. Nottingham apparently has the highest proportion of women to men. I went to an all girls school. I have one brother and one sister. I do not make work about being a woman, or about feminism.
What's to be done?
Gender equality will only be achieved when men start having babies.
Who's next?
Morag Keil
What are you looking forward to?
Bookmarks, The Study, Nottingham Contemporary, curated by Yelena Popova
Tarot, Focal Point Gallery, Southend-on-Sea, curated by Andrew Hunt & Haywood Touring
Candice Jacobs
I am an artist and curator currently living and working in Nottingham. Since 2005 I have co-founded and co-directed a number of artist-run projects. Many of my works incorporate sound, words and text, which are displayed after a process of manipulation. Conducting interviews with the intention of extracting information, working with situations linked to labour and work, marketing and advertising, and the re-appropriation of observations that are linked to a particular time and place, provide me with a structure where an awareness of self-doubt, futility, failure and boredom is applied in order to extract information from the process.
The Smell Of Freedom, 2010
http://onethoresbystreet.org
http://standassembly.org
http://mootgallery.org
http://meaningfulmeaninglessness.info
What's new?
Herbert Marcuse, bookmarks, erasers, chairs, drawing, Arnold Schwarzenegger and British Politics.
Where are we now?
I can only comment on my own situation on this topic. I am currently one of 3 women who have a full-time studio at One Thorebsy Street, the other 12 artists are men. At Moot, I was the only woman involved in the curation of the project alongside 3 men. At university I was the only woman in our house, sharing with 5 men. Most of my friends from Nottingham are men. Nottingham apparently has the highest proportion of women to men. I went to an all girls school. I have one brother and one sister. I do not make work about being a woman, or about feminism.
What's to be done?
Gender equality will only be achieved when men start having babies.
Who's next?
Morag Keil
What are you looking forward to?
Bookmarks, The Study, Nottingham Contemporary, curated by Yelena Popova
Tarot, Focal Point Gallery, Southend-on-Sea, curated by Andrew Hunt & Haywood Touring
Where Are We Now? interview with Pamela Schilderman
Where Are We Now
Pamela Schilderman
Space has become integral to my practice as demonstrated in my large-scale site-specific installations Almas and Bula Matari. In both the idea was to make the imperfect beautiful; the cotton wool of Almas was not soft and reassuring, challenging preconceptions of the medium and each of the three thousand salt crystals was scientifically imperfect.
In Oculto (designed specifically to be displayed in a dodecahedron) the space was constructed so that it maximises the sense of intimacy. Its only opening restricts numbers of viewers within it, thus mimicking for example, the solitary relationship of a reader engrossed in a book. The space reflects the air of allusiveness, secrecy inherent in the paintings themselves, in which painterly techniques such as blurring was used to tease the cognitive senses.
I wish my art to appear organic but simultaneously bear no resemblance to a specific thing or form in nature. In Punctum I hoped to create the impression of the work being alive, as if, though seemingly still, there is a sense of it growing imperceptibly, belonging to the space, filling the space.
I strive to encourage the viewer to abandon the weighted significance we attach to explanations and literal meaning. In Allusions I endeavoured to reemphasize this focus upon the visual alone through the creation of a sea of indecipherable information. In empowering the visual in my practice I hope feeling could be fore grounded over analysis, evoking a non-standard response in the viewer : the art invites the viewer to lose his or her sense of time, to become so involved that in the first instance ‘how’ or ‘why’ is forgotten.
Punctum
http://www.pamelaschilderman.com/
What's new?
I am trying to prioritise making new art work this year over exhibiting and other commitments.
Where are we now?
Don't necessarily feel that this a question I am qualified to answer. Still I think we've come a long way at least on the surface. Women have the right to go out and work and need not be as dependant on men as in the past. However not being dependant is not the same as having equality. On a personal level I still think it's harder for women to gain professional credibility especially when you're young and just starting out.
What's to be done?
I think one step towards further gender equality is to have more women in high ranking jobs. An increase in female politicians is making and would continue to make a big difference in changing social consciousness.
Who's next?
Apart from me (that's a joke). I find female figures like Eva Hesse and Coco Chanel totally inspiring because of how ground breaking they were. When I think of the future though I think it will probably be a writer like Alice Sebold or Andrea levy and others like them who can reach a wide audience.
What are you looking forward to?
Seeing the Ikon's new Contemporary Art Gallery
Pamela Schilderman
Space has become integral to my practice as demonstrated in my large-scale site-specific installations Almas and Bula Matari. In both the idea was to make the imperfect beautiful; the cotton wool of Almas was not soft and reassuring, challenging preconceptions of the medium and each of the three thousand salt crystals was scientifically imperfect.
In Oculto (designed specifically to be displayed in a dodecahedron) the space was constructed so that it maximises the sense of intimacy. Its only opening restricts numbers of viewers within it, thus mimicking for example, the solitary relationship of a reader engrossed in a book. The space reflects the air of allusiveness, secrecy inherent in the paintings themselves, in which painterly techniques such as blurring was used to tease the cognitive senses.
I wish my art to appear organic but simultaneously bear no resemblance to a specific thing or form in nature. In Punctum I hoped to create the impression of the work being alive, as if, though seemingly still, there is a sense of it growing imperceptibly, belonging to the space, filling the space.
I strive to encourage the viewer to abandon the weighted significance we attach to explanations and literal meaning. In Allusions I endeavoured to reemphasize this focus upon the visual alone through the creation of a sea of indecipherable information. In empowering the visual in my practice I hope feeling could be fore grounded over analysis, evoking a non-standard response in the viewer : the art invites the viewer to lose his or her sense of time, to become so involved that in the first instance ‘how’ or ‘why’ is forgotten.
Punctum
http://www.pamelaschilderman.com/
What's new?
I am trying to prioritise making new art work this year over exhibiting and other commitments.
Where are we now?
Don't necessarily feel that this a question I am qualified to answer. Still I think we've come a long way at least on the surface. Women have the right to go out and work and need not be as dependant on men as in the past. However not being dependant is not the same as having equality. On a personal level I still think it's harder for women to gain professional credibility especially when you're young and just starting out.
What's to be done?
I think one step towards further gender equality is to have more women in high ranking jobs. An increase in female politicians is making and would continue to make a big difference in changing social consciousness.
Who's next?
Apart from me (that's a joke). I find female figures like Eva Hesse and Coco Chanel totally inspiring because of how ground breaking they were. When I think of the future though I think it will probably be a writer like Alice Sebold or Andrea levy and others like them who can reach a wide audience.
What are you looking forward to?
Seeing the Ikon's new Contemporary Art Gallery
Spirit of Women
She/curled/under a thin layer/
her silence;/protecting her
from any suffering pain./
It was pure symbolism./
Within that minuscule space/
created a prolific potential /mysterious./
She managed to keep her dreams alive/
unpolluted to the touch of human clumsiness;/
by strongly clinging to her intuition./
She fell to stand up/and smiled./
Forgiving herself/continued her way to the light.../
(Gloria Sanvicente Amor.)
gender, race and ethnicity in media cyberspace
Assemblage: The Women's New Media Gallery
Compiled and curated by Carolyn Guertin, this "international gathering of women's voices is a showcase of new media art being created on and off the World Wide Web. … The common ground here is the non-sequential--the hypertextual--use of words and images to birth possible worlds in this new art form, and to create present tense textual spaces for readers to explore."
Center for Women and Information Technology
Extensive news, announcements, and resources related to women/gender and information technology. Includes an enormous collection of web-based syllabi for women- and gender-related courses.
*just a couple of examples other interesting links to be found at www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/resources/GenderMedia/cyber.html
Compiled and curated by Carolyn Guertin, this "international gathering of women's voices is a showcase of new media art being created on and off the World Wide Web. … The common ground here is the non-sequential--the hypertextual--use of words and images to birth possible worlds in this new art form, and to create present tense textual spaces for readers to explore."
Center for Women and Information Technology
Extensive news, announcements, and resources related to women/gender and information technology. Includes an enormous collection of web-based syllabi for women- and gender-related courses.
*just a couple of examples other interesting links to be found at www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/resources/GenderMedia/cyber.html
Where Are We Now? interview with Jean McEwan
Where Are We Now?
Jean McEwan
I work variously with video, sound, photography, collage text and language to present and interrogate narrative strategies.
My source materials are made, found, appropriated and skewered into elliptical, associative, disjointed narratives through which I aim to explore ideas of authorship, truth/untruth and fact/fiction.
My outputs have included video installation, experimental film, documentary, performance to camera, audio visual performance, artist books and zines.
Collaborative, cross-disciplinary work and artist-led activity play an ongoing and key part of my practice. Past collaborations include projects with a wide range of cultural practitioners, including musicians, performers, writers and visual artists.
I have been practising as a curator since 2005. I was one half of 'popup', (2005-9) an artist collaboration run with Nigel Russell, which produced and curated projects and events to showcase moving image, sound, performance and multi-media work by artists and filmmakers.
I was a member of the curatorial team producing “Hatch” an experimental arts showcase event at Bradford Playhouse (2008-09) and curated my first solo project, 'P.S. I Love you' at Bradford Playhouse in 2010. I am a member of the management group for New Work Yorkshire.
http://www.axisweb.org/jeanmcewan
What's new?
I've recently made the decision to stop doing so many workshops/teaching and community arts projects to concentrate on developing my own practice more. It has been a very good decision. Although I am poorer, I have much more time and headspace to for my work. Now that I am doing less I feel much fulfilled, calmer and happier. I have time to make work and reflect meaningfully on my art practice, and so my creative life feels much richer. I also have time to enjoy daily pleasures like walking the dog and hanging out with my husband, having a laugh.
Where are we now?
I can only speak from my own personal experience. I am hugely encouraged to regularly meet and work with many younger women artists who are confident and unapologetic in their practice. This is a very positive development. It contrasts with my own experience, which causes me to reflect on the cultural conditions which I was brought up in, and brings up issues not only of gender but also of class. Of all the women artists I meet, the majority are from middle class backgrounds, in which there is likely to be much greater support opportunities and resources available to them, at home and at school to pursue art education and progress into art as a career. I meet much fewer women artists from working class backgrounds, although I can see that slowly changing.
I come from a working class background and grew up in the 70s and 80s in a small Catholic community in Perth, Scotland. Although I was really encouraged at home to be creative, at school I met with complete apathy and there was zero encouragement, or discussion with the art teachers about art college as an option. In addition, the experience of a Catholic education (which someone once described to me as 'psychological terrorism') wasn't exactly conducive to creative self expression in a young woman. It took me another 10 years after leaving school to rediscover my creativity and to have confidence in myself to pursue art as a viable occupation. It is now at 40 that I finally feel confident in my creativity and art practice, and I just wish it hadn't taken so long. I envy younger female artists who haven't have to deal with the class/religion crap I did, but I guess what doesn't break you will make you...
What's to be done?
I feel there needs to be more work done in schools and communities to encourage and nurture working class girls to believe that being an artist is an option open to them. It's a self esteem thing. I can see it changing, but more needs to happen more quickly. There needs to be more working class women artists working in schools and communities mentoring and encouraging the next generation.
Who's next?
I take my inspiration from women who I know and have worked with. Someone I admire a lot is Jenny Wilson, a Bradford based arts professional, producer, consultant and performing artist, who works both nationally and locally. I met Jenny in 2008 when she was temporary Creative Director at Bradford Playhouse, I worked with her and another colleague, Alissa Juvan, to curate and run a regular series of experimental arts showcase nights, called "Hatch" at the venue between 2008-9, when it was going through a period of crisis and change. I found Jenny's approach and her combination of knowledge, clarity, confidence, commitment, humour and approachability hugely inspiring. She is a woman who gets things done. She has shown a lot of support for my work by coming to and also performing at events and exhibitions I have curated. One of the highlights of my year last year was seeing her perform as drag artist Mysti Valentine at P.S I Love You, a Beatles themed programme I curated at Bradford Playhouse, and delivering the best, most raucous cover version of Helter Skelter I have ever heard.
The late Jo Spence's pioneering work on phototherapy, family and illness, and her fearless feminism and socialism is completely inspirational to me. Although unfortunately she is no longer with us, her work is work that I go back to again and again, and has continued relevance for me. As an emerging artist 10 years ago, engaging with her work and writing gave me a new class and gender consciousness. I'm reading her and looking at her work again now.
What are you looking forward to?
I am showing some installation and book work at 'Home From Home', a Leeds exhibition which is part of the 11th International Contemporary Artists' Book Fair.
I'm also showing a photographic collaborative project I did with my mother at Malaga Fotomanias Festival at the end of March. Collaborating together was a hugely rich experience for us both and we are both going to be there for the Festival, which is going to be really special.
Jean McEwan
I work variously with video, sound, photography, collage text and language to present and interrogate narrative strategies.
My source materials are made, found, appropriated and skewered into elliptical, associative, disjointed narratives through which I aim to explore ideas of authorship, truth/untruth and fact/fiction.
My outputs have included video installation, experimental film, documentary, performance to camera, audio visual performance, artist books and zines.
Collaborative, cross-disciplinary work and artist-led activity play an ongoing and key part of my practice. Past collaborations include projects with a wide range of cultural practitioners, including musicians, performers, writers and visual artists.
I have been practising as a curator since 2005. I was one half of 'popup', (2005-9) an artist collaboration run with Nigel Russell, which produced and curated projects and events to showcase moving image, sound, performance and multi-media work by artists and filmmakers.
I was a member of the curatorial team producing “Hatch” an experimental arts showcase event at Bradford Playhouse (2008-09) and curated my first solo project, 'P.S. I Love you' at Bradford Playhouse in 2010. I am a member of the management group for New Work Yorkshire.
http://www.axisweb.org/jeanmcewan
What's new?
I've recently made the decision to stop doing so many workshops/teaching and community arts projects to concentrate on developing my own practice more. It has been a very good decision. Although I am poorer, I have much more time and headspace to for my work. Now that I am doing less I feel much fulfilled, calmer and happier. I have time to make work and reflect meaningfully on my art practice, and so my creative life feels much richer. I also have time to enjoy daily pleasures like walking the dog and hanging out with my husband, having a laugh.
Where are we now?
I can only speak from my own personal experience. I am hugely encouraged to regularly meet and work with many younger women artists who are confident and unapologetic in their practice. This is a very positive development. It contrasts with my own experience, which causes me to reflect on the cultural conditions which I was brought up in, and brings up issues not only of gender but also of class. Of all the women artists I meet, the majority are from middle class backgrounds, in which there is likely to be much greater support opportunities and resources available to them, at home and at school to pursue art education and progress into art as a career. I meet much fewer women artists from working class backgrounds, although I can see that slowly changing.
I come from a working class background and grew up in the 70s and 80s in a small Catholic community in Perth, Scotland. Although I was really encouraged at home to be creative, at school I met with complete apathy and there was zero encouragement, or discussion with the art teachers about art college as an option. In addition, the experience of a Catholic education (which someone once described to me as 'psychological terrorism') wasn't exactly conducive to creative self expression in a young woman. It took me another 10 years after leaving school to rediscover my creativity and to have confidence in myself to pursue art as a viable occupation. It is now at 40 that I finally feel confident in my creativity and art practice, and I just wish it hadn't taken so long. I envy younger female artists who haven't have to deal with the class/religion crap I did, but I guess what doesn't break you will make you...
What's to be done?
I feel there needs to be more work done in schools and communities to encourage and nurture working class girls to believe that being an artist is an option open to them. It's a self esteem thing. I can see it changing, but more needs to happen more quickly. There needs to be more working class women artists working in schools and communities mentoring and encouraging the next generation.
Who's next?
I take my inspiration from women who I know and have worked with. Someone I admire a lot is Jenny Wilson, a Bradford based arts professional, producer, consultant and performing artist, who works both nationally and locally. I met Jenny in 2008 when she was temporary Creative Director at Bradford Playhouse, I worked with her and another colleague, Alissa Juvan, to curate and run a regular series of experimental arts showcase nights, called "Hatch" at the venue between 2008-9, when it was going through a period of crisis and change. I found Jenny's approach and her combination of knowledge, clarity, confidence, commitment, humour and approachability hugely inspiring. She is a woman who gets things done. She has shown a lot of support for my work by coming to and also performing at events and exhibitions I have curated. One of the highlights of my year last year was seeing her perform as drag artist Mysti Valentine at P.S I Love You, a Beatles themed programme I curated at Bradford Playhouse, and delivering the best, most raucous cover version of Helter Skelter I have ever heard.
The late Jo Spence's pioneering work on phototherapy, family and illness, and her fearless feminism and socialism is completely inspirational to me. Although unfortunately she is no longer with us, her work is work that I go back to again and again, and has continued relevance for me. As an emerging artist 10 years ago, engaging with her work and writing gave me a new class and gender consciousness. I'm reading her and looking at her work again now.
What are you looking forward to?
I am showing some installation and book work at 'Home From Home', a Leeds exhibition which is part of the 11th International Contemporary Artists' Book Fair.
I'm also showing a photographic collaborative project I did with my mother at Malaga Fotomanias Festival at the end of March. Collaborating together was a hugely rich experience for us both and we are both going to be there for the Festival, which is going to be really special.
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