The brick continues

With more brick compositions coming through I'm beginning to think about how these can fit in to the next couple of exhibitions. They may simply be part of the work in progress that directly feeds the final work or they may be shown on mass as a collection.

These two pieces of Cheddar red brick from Ibstock in Bristol are off cuts from my final MA design Pause. Cutting these bricks was quite difficult each brick weighed 12kgs making it a hefty cube. The cutting wire tended to move a lot as I sliced through and the clay was so grainy and heavy with grog I ended up with these wonderful circular marks across the surface. The marks from the stacking shelves are still imprinted on the bottom in the form

of tiny dots. 

I collected some of these remnants from my time spent in the factory they seemed too interesting to throw into reclaim. The pieces shown in the photographs below were shaved off the side sections and the bottom edge of the seating space.

The images directly below were pieces I have carved some of these bricks had to be 

re-carved or reworked. 

These two pieces were cut by Ben. Whilst he helped me during the first couple of days setting up. 

 Here's a shot of Pause once finishes and installed.

Edge and Shore at Siobhan Davies Dance

On Friday 26th September Edge and Shore: Acts of Doing took place at Siobhan Davies Dance. 

This collaborative piece of exploratory work involved Helen Carnac a visual artist and dancer Laila Diallo. Together they have been looking at edges and boundaries.

This work was an extension of Side by Side (2012) initially a six week residency based around ideas of cross disciplinary making. 

During the afternoon two performances/ process presentations took place through a series of    movement, mark making, performance, communication and exploration. 

I arrived within the first 15mins and stayed throughout the two hours.

At the beginning of this piece I entered the top dance studio where large pieces of paper were laid out across the floor. 

In another corner was a cluster of different materials waiting to used in some way.

As an onlooker or viewer to this experience you were free to sit and observe from a distance or roam around the space as Helen and Laila were working through various processes, ideas, movements throughout the space. 
People were entering and leaving the studio throughout this time frame.

The work was set up in such a way it wasn't necessary to sit down and watch in the same way we are often used to a conventional theatre setting. This wasn't a piece of theatre it felt very much like an insight in to a contemporary collaborative practice.  

Where ideas were unfolding through the act of doing. 

There were moments as the viewer that you felt that you were involved in something quite precious. 
I can only liken it to being observed within your own studio during periods where you are immersed in problem solving and the work is unresolved.

As time passed the work felt as though it was building in momentum, movements became more energised. Mark making at times became more fraught the sounds of working became slightly louder and everyone looking on became quieter. 

I found the entire afternoon fascinating to see how two people work together with very little verbal communication but it was also clear to see that much communication was taking place through subtle changes in working methods and the rhythm of layering, gathering, tearing... 

More work can be seen at http://edgeandshore.wordpress.com

Initial visit to Siobhan Davies Dance

Just before christmas I paid my first visit to the Siobhan Davies Dance studios to begin photographing the space. Giving me a few weeks to sit down with these images and begin to gather my thoughts for the forthcoming project in 2014. 

This building is an abundance of interesting combinations of materials brick, wood, plaster, glass, metal, concrete.

 Image taken by Ben Winkley 2013 

 Image taken by Ben Winkley 2013 

 Image taken by Ben Winkley 2013

The building was built in 2009 designed by Sarah Wigglesworth every detail within the space has been carefully considered.

 Image taken on second visit 2014 

 

 Image taken by Ben Winkley 2013 

What I really began to focus on was the layers within the building. There are lines visually dividing the space particularly on the staircase, this structure is the focal point it is the buildings core where people are travelling up and down throughout the space.

The light was another element you cannot fail to notice there is so much light flooding in through the windows and the back window stretches floor to ceiling running in conjunction with the staircase. 

At this stage I had very little idea where i was going with work and wasn't until January time I started to piece together some of the visual material and begin to unpack the core concepts.