Curatorship

The Show: Technical considerations and practical alterations

Wed, 11 May 2011 05:29:00 -0400

Today I visited Sarah Casey in her office hour and had a really productive chat about my work. As a result of this discussion I have decided that it may not be the most appropriate choice to show my film in the Peter Scot Gallery. This is because digital media is a relatively new area for me and is not my strongest discipline. However the film will still be a key element of my instillation in my solo space. Sarah suggested taking my shelters into urban and natural settings and photographing them to convey a sense of loneliness and displacement. I think that this would provide a good basis for the gallery work. High quality images of the work in these settings will then provide a taster of my practice that can be further explored in my solo show.

This means that my technical considerations for the Peter Scott gallery will be fairly straightforward. I will simply require wall space to hang the photographs. However I will need to consider how to get the photographs printed to a high standard and how to mount/frame them. At this stage I think I will avoid elaborate framing techniques which could detract from the work but will instead mount the photographs to a professional standard, possibly taking advice from a framing and mounting expert. I would like the photographs to be fairly large (A2) so I will have to ensure that the photographs are a high enough resolution to print at this size.

In terms of my solo show my technical considerations will be more complex. I will require a DVD player and projector which I will book using the new LUVLE equipment booking system. I will have to ensure that my film is showing correctly through the DVD player and projector several days in advance of the show to allow time to resolve any technical issues. The work will need to be shown in a blacked out space with a plain blank wall behind the sculpture for the projection. I will also require plugs sockets opposite the wall to be projected onto in order to plug in equipment and I may want to source a plinth to place the projector on so it is raised off the floor and looks more processional. In terms of the sculpture aspect of the instillation I need to make sure that there is no danger of visitors damaging the work as it is likely to be fairly delicate and easy to knock over/snag the netting, and adhere to any health and safety regulations.

Example of framed and mounted photographs: Strong presentation technique but I’m not sure if framing is required for my work.

Images of my instillation submitted for assessment at the end of...

Tue, 10 May 2011 22:14:19 -0400

Images of my instillation submitted for assessment at the end of last term. The piece has the general feel that I want for the final show piece, however the display/hanging will be different (sculptures placed on floor rather than hung)

My picture for the catalogue, courtesy of Suzy.

Mon, 09 May 2011 06:46:01 -0400

My picture for the catalogue, courtesy of Suzy.

The Catalogue: Decisions and design

Mon, 09 May 2011 06:40:29 -0400

The catalogue seems to be coming together rapidly thanks to the hard work of the catalogue team. The main design has now been finalised, individual and group photos have been taken and the team have set dates for the submission of artist’s statements and images of our artworks. The catalogue will also include a map at the back to direct visitors to the various different locations for the show. This was an important feature because some of the group felt that visitors might not be able to find all the work on display and might limit themselves to the work on show in the Peter Scott gallery.

Decisions for the catalogue were principally taken by the catalogue team because voting on every single aspect of the design would have been too time consuming, however there was also consultation with the whole group in meetings on key aspects of the catalogue. This included the paper quality, matt or gloss, and the dimensions of the catalogue. We chose to have a square format, although the smaller format used for the catalogue last year was very effective we needed more space due to the large number of students and this would have meant more pages which would have necessitated binding, raising the cost considerably.

I think the finished design of the catalogue cover and interior is very affective. The publicity team felt that the catalogue should echo the design theme of the publicity material to ensure a sense of coherence and the general group felt that a minimal aesthetic was preferred. The finished design ties in well with the publicity material and the use of circular forms in the detail of the design references the logo. I think the grid format is a really good idea because it is so adaptable, allowing students to include one large picture or a number of smaller pictures depending on their preference for presenting their work.

There are now a number of key dates to remember for submission to the catalogue team.

Wednesday 11^th May – Email Rachel Daniel with artist’s statements

Monday 16^th May – Email Rose or Anna with artwork images.

Image of page design of catalogue by Emma Bates and Pul-ling: Well done guys!

Cover design for catalogue by Emma bates and Pul-ling.

This piece interested me, due to its use of sound and novel...

Sun, 08 May 2011 13:28:18 -0400

This piece interested me, due to its use of sound and novel presentation it was able to create an unsettling sense of disorientation. The work by artist Ivana Stojakov focuses on the symbolic qualities of water in the same way that the video component of my instillation does. The instillation consists of a black pillar with an eye hole which the viewer looks through. Inside there is a mirrored prism with four sides and a screen. The images from the screen is then reflected by mirrored prsim. The effect of the reflected image is disconcerting and this coupled with the discordant soundtrack creates an eerie feeling.

The Peter Scott Gallery: Contracts and other fun stuff

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Today Richard Smith from the Peter Scott gallery came into the session to have individual meetings with students about their work and ideas for display and presentation. We now have a structure for the rest of the term up until the date of hanging in the gallery. All art work must be in place in the gallery by the 20^th because the Private View opens on the 21^st. At the last meeting Richard got a sense of the kind of work each student is producing and made notes about their requirements and preferences for exhibiting. We have another chance to meet with him on Thursday, this will take place in the gallery and will be more practically based allocating spaces. The contract we must sign has also been posted online. This document is much more formal than anything I have encountered before in relation to my artwork. One important issue for me to factor in is that the gallery staff must approve all work before it is shown and film piece must be submitted at least a week before the show ‘DVDs, films, slideshows etc. must be provided to the gallery at least one week prior to the exhibition’. Another consideration is the clauses that relate to pricing and selling work. ‘All artwork sold is subject to a 25% gallery commission. The commission will be added to the sale price supplied with the artwork’ Producing conceptual works which are usually instillation based means that selling my work has not been a major focus for me, however I will need to price my work when it is displayed in the gallery as this is a requirement which is stated in the contract.

In terms of health and safety issues I will be using electrical equipment so there will be some considerations around this. However I will only be using a projector and this will be obtained through the art department so should have all necessary safety checks and meet the requirements ‘All artwork must be safe for public display, any potential health and safety issues must be raised with the gallery. Electrical items must be assessed by a qualified electrician and deemed safe for public display and must have an up to date Portable Appliance Test.’

Hopefully this experience with the gallery will help me to build my professional skills and prepare me for working with other galleries in the future. It is a bit daunting at this stage though as the formality of the setting is very different from anywhere that I have displayed my work in before!

Presentation of my work: the solo aspect

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:14:00 -0400

As I have previously mentioned my presentation for the solo aspect of the exhibition will comprise of an instillation incorporating textile-based sculpture and video projection. The concept for the piece centres on the same themes of migration and migrant labour that I have been working through over the past year. The themes are expressed through the creation of a ‘squatters camp’ sculpture comprising of three small tent frames covered in netting. The netting is made out of shredded plastic bags and torn up fabrics using a knitting technique. The shredded bags represent the pressure that corporations, such as large Supermarket chains, place on migrant labour.

The use of nets is reminiscent of the sea and the physical journey of migrants across bodies of water. Meanwhile the relationship between the sheltering implied by the tents and the exposure represented by the open netting, comments on the often vulnerable position of the migrant.

The film will be developed from a piece I created at the end of last term. It will comprise of footage of tidal movements shot in black and white and sped up and reversed to create a disconcerting image. This will be accompanied by eerie and unsettling sounds such as whirring, moaning and screeching. The footage will be interspersed with fast flashing images of foreign TV stations which will further add to the sense of disorientation.

One challenge for the instillation is to achieve an unsettling dystopian feel while maintaining an aesthetic sense. I am not trying to faithfully recreate a squatters camp but to use this symbolism to engage the viewer, therefore the tent sculptures will be aesthticised rather than authentic. However I need to create some sense that the ‘camp’ could be occupied if I want the viewer to really engage with it. To do this I will use materials such as torn up sheets to suggest decay and disorder of cramped human habitation.

The space that the instillation is displayed in needs to be dark, not purely because of the projection but also to create a gloomy and oppressive feel, I am trying to affect the viewer emotionally with my work by getting across some sense of the desperation, confusion and disorientation experienced by many illegal migrants, refugees and asylum seekers that travel from their homes in hope of a better life and often end up as cheap disposable labour at the hands of large corporations.

Presentation of my work in the group show

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The final year show provides an exciting opportunity to exhibition our work in a gallery environment alongside a range of diverse art works created by our peers. This opportunity is also valuable because it helps us to gain experience working in a professional setting and an understanding of the considerations involved. However it also provides challenges due to the variety of art works and limitations of space and facilities. This will mean that we will have to work closely with gallery and art department staff to ensure that all our work is presented in the most effective way possible in a group setting. One of my first considerations for how I wanted my work displayed in the group show is exactly what piece I want to show and how this will fit in with the rest of the exhibition. My concept for my final piece is currently a large scale textile-based sculpture with a video projection behind. There is no obvious way to divide my work between the gallery and my other space because the different elements of the piece are all components of a single instillation, however I am currently planning to display the video instillation separately in the gallery and then again as a composite element of the instillation. I think this could be particularly effective because the film projection will be obscured and distorted when viewed as part of the instillation, however in the gallery the video can be viewed in its completeness, giving the viewer two different perspectives on it. Technical considerations will now be key as I will have to request a darkened space to project in. I want the film instillation to have a disorientating and slightly disconcerting feel so a sense of enclosure would also be useful. Sound is also an element of the work so it is important that my work is not placed near any other video instillations using sound that might lessen the impact of my piece.

I hate to say it but I think my blog may be looking a little too...

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:51:00 -0400

I hate to say it but I think my blog may be looking a little too post-modern minimalist. Here’s a pic of the brilliant fancy dress at the second art social last Thursday.

The design for the A-n ad has now finally been submitted. There...

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:45:00 -0400

The design for the A-n ad has now finally been submitted. There was a great deal of negotiation, discussion and debate around the design of the ad. This involved class, feedback, class votes, discussions with Sarah Casey the head of staff for the degree show and many different design submissions. Above I have included some of the designs which were suggested, the top design is the final one that was submitted to the magazine. The design is clean and simple which was the aim outlined in the first design meeting. I feel it has a strong impact because of its simplicity. Orange was chosen to tie in with the LICA colours and is eye catching against the white background. Well done to everyone who submitted designs and Saoirse and Amber who completed the final one!

Involve - The day itself

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The involve event was a fantastic success and inspiring for everyone involved. Last night we met at the conference rooms to set up for the workshops in the evening. We decided on which space the different groups would have, had a brief talk on health and safety and then arranged our spaces. The sculpture group had one of the larger spaces and we spent a couple of hours arranging tables, setting out materials and deciding on exactly how we would deliver the workshops. We decided that myself and Kelly would open the workshop by giving the short presentation I had prepared, followed by an overview of the materials and methods and a reminder of health and safety considerations from Hannah. Amber would then take the students though the method step by step and the rest of us would work with the students on the trickier bits of the workshop.

The next day we arrived at the conference centre early to run through the workshop and to arrange materials. The five groups of students we had all engaged well with the workshop, producing shell cast moulds with alginate that we then filled with plaster. We also got the chance to chat with the students about other casting and sculpture techniques and to answer some questions from them. The teachers that accompanies the students were also very interested in the techniques we taught the students and some said they would like to use them again in school. One challenge was the quick change over in the workshops, ensuring that we were ready for the next group straight after the last one had left could be tricky but the workshop was well structured and this helped to ensure that it ran smoothly.

After a short break for lunch, during which we filled all the moulds that the children had made with plaster, the mural making began. The sculpture room then became the mural room with all 65 students crowding into work on two large mural pieces. The process of bringing the digital and sculpture mural together began with painting the background and covering the bottom of the mural with a mixture of sand and paint to create the background for the beach scene. At this point the plaster shells were dry enough for the students to paint and they used neon colours to decorate them. Meanwhile the digital group were busy creating a collage of their ‘firework’ images which would form the top of the mural. When the neon shells and firework collage was in place the wooden silhouettes of people (which some of the group had cut out the day before) were placed on top and the whole piece looked really impressive. I think the kids were really impressed to see the murals come together.

The involve day was a great opportunity for both us and the young people involved. Everyone that was involved was left with a real feeling of achievement which was reinforced by the positive feedback we got from Jo from involve and the staff and students that attended the event. I think we provided a really diverse and exiting program for the kids. They also got the chance to gain a sense of what it might be like to study art at university though visiting the studios and the Peter Scott Gallery.

The day was also a great opportunity for us to pass on our skills. For those who are interested in going into teaching this experience could be particularly useful. For the rest of us it was really inspiring to see what could be achieved through working in a team

Admiring the work - the finished beach mural. Photo by Natalie

The presentation I made to introduce the workshop. I tried to...

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:37:00 -0400

The presentation I made to introduce the workshop. I tried to keep it snappy but informative.

A-N ad designs

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:37:00 -0400

A-N ad designs :

The AN ad has now been paid for. The university were able to pay the balance on a university credit card, this means we have secured the ad and the early bird discount which is a relief. We now have to design the ad and submit it before the 31^st of March. I found a copy of last years AN degree show supplement so that the publicity team could get an idea of the styles of design other university have used. The group were keen on the simpler designs which were mainly comprised of text and avoided complicated or flashy images and colours, feeling that this was eye catching while remaining formal and professional. Hopefully these images will prove useful for creating the final design.

My favorite design from last years degrees unedited in A-n magazine.

Workshop proposal

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 06:16:00 -0500

Proposal

The workshop will be based on casting, and how alginate and plaster can be used to create a quick cast of an object showing the textures and qualities of the form.

Team Members:

Amber Shorrock

Hannah Jones

Kelly Bieliauskas

Abi Kilbride

Step by Step Plan for the 15minute workshop

1. 5 minute presentation. [On artists using casting and the process of casting using alginate and plaster].

2. Discuss selection of objects, and each child will pick an object to cast which has been found from around the university. [Or the children can bring their own objects with them]

3. Demonstration of the process by one team member whilst the other three supervise the pupils. The demonstration will be in real time, as the pupils copy exactly what the demonstrator is doing.

4. Cast object in alginate.

5. Cast in plaster from the alginate mould made.

6. Summary of what we have done, the process ect. Evaluate the casts. 2 minute discussion.

7. Give out take home sheets of what we did today, and the method so the pupils can use the process again.

Preparation

We need to prepare well so that the workshops go smoothly and we do not run out of time. To prepare we are going to collect 60 objects, ready for the children to cast. We are also going to do a full run through on Wednesday of Week 16 at 1pm. We will time the process, and how long each part takes. We hope that the run through will only take 20minutes, so we have ten minutes longer with the children in case there are any mishaps. We will also be creating the presentation in advance and the worksheets. These will be completed by Wednesday week 17 also.

Involve - Getting to grips with the workshop

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 06:16:00 -0500

Plans for the involve workshop are going ahead and our group have now come up with a proposal for our workshop which involves using a casting technique. I was particularly keen to use this technique because it is one that I am familiar with through using it extensively in my own practice. It is also a technique which is likely to be new and interesting to the students. We had to consider which methods and materials would be suitable in terms of time, safety and cost. We decided that alginate would be used to create the mould because this creates highly detailed effects, is easy to work with and extremely safe (it is used in dentistry and prosthetics in direct contact with the skin). To make the positive of the object we’ll be using plaster, however we need to consider safety issues around the use if plaster with children. We have not yet settled on which objects the children will be casting with. One idea was for them to bring an object with them from home or to collect something interesting from around the university. Whichever objects we use to make the moulds they cannot be too big because it will take too long for the plaster to dry.

We decided to have a practice session to experiment with a range of small objects, work out timing issues and what materials would be required. As a result of the practice session we made some adjustments to the original plan. Initially we poured the alginate into a cup and completely submerged the object in it. This made it very difficult to get the object out and would have required cutting the mould with a scalpel which would be too dangerous for the children. Instead we decided to cast the objects by pressing them into a tray of alginate so that they were only half submerged and could be easily removed. We also decided to use natural objects such as shells and bark which would have more interesting forms and textures than the objects we selected to practice with. I agreed to take responsibility for the making of a presentation to be delivered at the start of the workshop to prepare the students and give them some background on the casting technique.

The first objects we attempted to cast with (image courtesy of Hannah)

Pouring the alginate

LUSU-Involve - Involvling the Community in the Arts

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:31:00 -0500

Earlier this week (Thursday) I attended the first meeting for the latest fund-raising venture of Lancaster Fine art students – A day of art workshops with local school children organised through LUSU Involve (Lancaster Universities’ volunteer unit). Involve have offered to contribute funding for advertising costs if we design an event involving the local community in the arts. The idea that was proposed was to hold workshops on different art disciplines including drawing, painting, digital and sculpture and to design and engage the students in a group project making murals to be displayed at the university. The purpose of the day is to get local school children (year nines) involved and enthusiastic about Fine art and the prospect of studying at university level. The day will also include tours of the studios and Peter Scott gallery and a chance for the students to find out what university life is like first hand from current students.

The event will by organised by four groups, each with responsibility to design and deliver a workshop in their discipline area. We will then join together in two groups to plan and facilitate the making of the murals. I have joined the sculpture group and will be working with three others to plan the workshop, we will then join forces with the digital team in order to create a collaborative mural. At this stage we think there will be four groups of around 15 children who will rotate around the workshops during the morning. In the afternoon the children will be slip into two large groups to participate in creating both murals.

I was keen to be involved in this project because of my interest in working with children after university. This experience will also be invaluable for anyone considering in a career in teaching. I have previously taught art and crafts workshops with children in Scotland and South Africa but have never taught children of this age before so am interested to find out what this will be like and to add this to my range of practical experiences

Publicity Team Update

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Currently the publicity team is looking at which publications we would like to advertise in. Advertising in art journals and other high profile publications can be expensive so we are looking to maximise our exposure by picking publications that have a wide readership, or are likely to be read by key people in the art world . We held a brief meeting and decided on a list of suitable journals and then divided the task of contacting them for quotes. I will be contacting A-N magazine to get a quote for a quarter page in colour. We also need to find out the deadlines for submission so we can ensure that we have the funds in place and can design the ad and run it by the rest of the class and Sarah Casey (who’s overseeing the degree show) before submission.

The advertising team at A-N magazine informed me that there is a supplement in the May edition of A-N dedicated to degree shows called ‘Degrees Unedited’ and our ad could be included in this. Clearly A-N is keen to promote emerging artists so this would be a good publication for us to be included in. They have also offered us two discounts off the cost of the ad, an early bird discount of 10% if we book the ad before February the 25th and a self-funding discount of 10% for groups that are raising the cost of their degree show themselves. This would bring the overall cost of the ad to £384. Fortunately Sarah Casey has secured some funding for the ad through the university. This is unlikely to cover the entire cost but will make a considerable contribution towards it and leave more money in the budget for advertising in other magazines, journals and papers.

The Correspondence I received so far from A-N Dear Abi,

Nice to speak to you just now.
I have attached our rates card where you can see that the standard price of a quarter page ad is £480+VAT. As you are a self-funding student group, we’d like to support you with a 10% discount. You can also get a 10% discount if you book the ad (and confirm the booking) by February 25th - however copy can come later as we discussed on the phone.This brings the price down to £384+VAT.
Quarter page ads come in two formats: portrait (128mm high x 93mm wide) and landscape (62mm high x 191mm wide). They should be submitted as a pdf, but we can accept tiff ad eps files too.
Booking is simple - just email us or call us with your requirements. As you will be paying for the ad yourself we will need to set you up on our database. For this we need the following info:- your name, surname and what course you are in- your address - your email address- your phone number
We can arrange payment by credit card or by cheque at that point.If you have any further queries about advertising, or about any of the offers above, do let me know. Kind regards,

Eleonora Schinella
Communications and sales team - Advertising

Degree Show Fundraiser

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The first fundraising social event was held in town at the Lounge and was very well attended by students from all years of our course and their friends. The fundraising team secured a good range of prizes for the raffle from local businesses and raffle ticket sales helped to supplement ticket sales for the event. As a result of the hard work of the Fundraising team and the students that supported the event £450 was raised towards the costs of our degree show.

My role in the publicity team means I am not directly involved in the organisation of events like this, however I did contribute by drafting a letter of thanks for all the local businesses that donated raffle prizes. Organising our degree show not only involves hard work on our behalf, but also the support of other groups and individuals through donations, sponsorship and advertising so it is important to thank all those that are involved.

Dear Sir/Madam

Lancaster University final year art students would like to thank you for your generous donation to our fundraising raffle.

Every year students in the third year of their Fine Art degree organise events to raise funds for an exhibition showcasing their talents. The show is the culmination of three years hard work and, for many, a crucial opportunity to launch their career after university. Due to the students self funding the exhibition they are especially grateful for the support and generosity of local businesses such as yours.
The degree show will be open to the public between the 22nd and the 29th of June in the Peter Scott gallery and we would like to invite you all to attend.

Kind Regards
Lancaster final year Fine Art students

Time to get into the nitty gritty of the degree show organising...

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:11:00 -0500

Time to get into the nitty gritty of the degree show organising I think.. Being involved in fundraising and promoting the degree show should hopefully give everyone the chance to pick up skills that could be useful in the future for promoting our own work, organising group shows or working in a gallery. Because we are a big year group the task is made easier in some ways because of the people power available, but more difficult in others because there is a large group of people to coordinate. This job falls to the two presidents Alex and Izzy. The rest of the management committee looks something like this -

Secretary and Treasurer

Two heads of events and Fundraising

Bake sales

canvas bags

hoodies

events

One head of publicity

Catalogue team

general publicity

Some of these smaller groups also have a key member who manages the group and many people belong to more than one group, for instance most people have been involved in the bake sales in some way. Also this over-simplified diagram makes it look like the group has a very hierarchical structure, so I should mention that meetings are held regularly with the whole year group, where votes can be taken on key decision.

My main role is in the Publicity team is helping to promote the degree show as widely as possible. This provides a good opportunity to improve communication skills through liaising with the media. I guess in a broad sense my art work is about communicating ideas and concepts to an audience so the two activities are not so dissimilar.

One of the first tasks I was involved with was drafting a press release (above) which has now become the official press release for the degree show.

What I make It’s probably necessary to give a little more...

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:52:00 -0500

What I make

It’s probably necessary to give a little more background on my work to make sense of my thoughts on the exhibition. It’s also helpful to go back to basics and think about exactly what it is that I want to present in the final exhibition. From the images you will start to see the similarities to the artist I blogged about last week.

I have become increasingly interested in political and social issues during my time at Lancaster. Studying a minor in politics and becoming involved in activist and campaigning groups on campus has all fed into this and eventually led me to a point where I wanted to incorporate these concerns into my work. I have been looking at the plight of illegal immigrants via the case of the Morecombe bay cockle pickers who tragically died in 2004. Although I am interested in social rather than personal issues I feel it is important that the work has some connection to my reality, in this case through links with the local area.

My work in the area of sculpture, object making and instillation is often concerned with the properties and connotations of materials. I pick forms which can act as a symbol and help the viewer to make an initial connection with my themes. After that I try to stretch the symbol as far as possible through the use of materials and techniques which add layers of meaning.

I began working with nets and shells as symbols of the Morecombe bay disaster. I have now reached a point where I am knitting the nets out of shredded plastic bags and making shelter like structures with the nets. I then hope to combine video with the sculpture by projecting moving images through the netting. My work has evolved from simply being a memorial to the Morecombe bay disaster, into something which comments on the relationship between the exploitation of labour by large corporations (in this case supermarkets) and such tragedies.