Reworking and Revisiting


The 1st of December 2017 BBC1 broadcast Imagine presented by Alan Yentob profiling the artist Rachel Whiteread: Ghost in the room. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09j310x/imagine-winter-2017-5-rachel-whiteread-ghost-in-the-room

This coincides with her exhibition at Tate Modern showing until January 21st 2018 http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/rachel-whiteread



The reason I mention this is because the subject of collecting and holding on to objects came up in the documentary. 
I'm sure this is part of many creative practices. 
I could even list a few other artists and makers that do this. Including myself so at the same time it's a very familiar way of working. 

My studio is filled with what may first appear to be lots of singular pieces of made and found objects. 
Often I'm unsure where or how these pieces will be used but I'm always confident that eventually they will naturally find their rightful home. 

So hearing that Rachel Whiteread kept a cardboard box from the cellar whilst clearing her mothers house. Which then became the inspiration for her installation Embankment 
2005-2006 in the Turbine hall at Tate modern, not only made me smile but also felt quite timely. 
As I'm currently working through the construction of a collection of works using this very method. 

Where objects that have become familiar to my everyday surroundings finally have the chance to be viewed in a different ways. The value of these pieces to me lie in where they have originated from this could be their location or their former function. 

Other pieces have derived from projects that have required much time and effort to either resolve or work through a particular idea. Often resembling remnants or sections of a larger piece. They could rarely be considered to be final refined pieces of work. 

However, I do believe that it's in these smaller objects that offers the most information and energy regarding thought processes and the act of making because they are made quickly and quite instinctively. Offering something more than a drawing.


But it becomes more evident to me that this is also an integral way of working.
Even though it can feel like a slow journey along the way.