In-between projects

It can be difficult when you find yourself in-between projects.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds this feeling extremely difficult, yet when you come out the other end you realise how beneficial it was to have been given some time to think. 
These are times I find I'm able to return with fresh eyes and fully focus on the new task in hand.

During these quiet times there's always something I find to do.

1: Reading 
This is something I crave to be able to do when I'm rushed off my feet.
I usually take the time to do some research or revisit a subject I feel I can expand on from previous work.

2: Experimentation 
Over the past months or so I've been developing a material archive using clays and canvas.
Something I've been meaning to do for a while but haven't had the time.
Using different materials, soils, oxides, and mixing them into porcelain to create a comprehensive collection of tests for future works.

3: Explore new glazes 
While I have some time on my hands I've been mixing some new glazes that complement my existing ones.

4: Update website 
This is the perfect time to make sure all websites or profiles are up to date with new work or upcoming events.

5: Photography
Photograph any outstanding work 

6: Explore outside the studio
Changing my surroundings and exploring new places, visiting exhibitions, seeing new things, can be really helpful to move thinking forward when you feel a bit stuck. 

7: Talk to others 
Although I often have to gear myself up to leave the studio sometimes. I do fully understand how important it is to talk to other makers and artists. 
Talks, presentations, openings are all a beneficial way of utilising time. 
It keeps you fresh, informed and knowledgable.

Quiet, Still, Minimal. Images whilst travelling...

Back in April 2014 we travelled by train from Montreal to New York. 
I did write a very brief post about this experience at the time but what I want to revisit here is a series of particular photographs in the order they were taken, similar to a very short storyboard of images that need to seen together.

Considering the length of the journey It's a snap shot of a short moment in time.
The reason I've pulled these images out is that there's something quite magical about the quality of light that occurred as the day was beginning to draw in.

These muted blue grey tones mixed with the hazy light impacted with a filmic atmosphere.

Despite the fact this was two years ago I still recall the mood that filled the air. 
As we slowly crawled past the industrial aggregate site with masses of materials piled up sitting against the stark concrete structures and the highly engineered bridge dotted into the vast landscape. 

This part of the journey instantly pulled my attention away from my book or internal thinking and immediately resonated quiet still and minimal. 
Something I'm often striving to capture in my work. 

Movement through space at Siobhan Davies Dance.

This collection of Images were taken on one of the very first visits to Siobhan Davies Dance back in December 2013 at the beginning of my research for the Human Nature Season in 2014.

I was partly interested in looking at the movement through space and also wanted to push the capability of the camera to slow the final images down.

Although the outcome for Human Nature was completely different I still consider these to be important in the initial stages of the thought process.

I'm in not doubt that they will feed into another project at some point in the future. 

All images taken by Ben Winkley Dec 2013

All images taken by Kim Norton Dec 2013 

Perpendicular's ceramic pieces and photography for Arthouse1

As one exhibition sadly ends at Siobhan Davies another opens in a couple of weeks time at Arthouse1 in Bermondsey, London.

In my last post I talked about adding more images of work that will be shown in the exhibition and since then the kiln has been on pretty much continuously. I still have four or five more firings to squeeze in before completion but it's definitely coming together. 

I will be showing a series of black and white pieces along side Sasha's installations and photography. 

Sasha is working and developing a series of site specific works so I can't really show the installations at this stage until we begin to install next week. 

But here's a peek at some of the photographs and my ceramic objects.

Perpendicular at Arthouse1

In just over 6 weeks time Perpendicular my collaborative work with Sasha will be exhibited at Arthouse1 in Bermondsey London. 

This beautiful airy white space belongs to Rebecca Fairman and is dedicated to showing works of emerging and established artists. 
www.arthouse1.co.uk 

Last week we both visited to make final decisions for the curation. Each piece of work has been made or specifically designed for the space so every small detail has to be considered in advance. 

We have been exploring light, shadow, and small spaces through the medium of ceramics, photography and installation. 

The exhibition opens on Friday 10th October 2014 - 1st November 2014 
The Private is Thursday 9th October 6.30 - 8.30pm 

I will be posting more images of work in progress over the next few weeks leading up to the opening. 

Nancy Holt Photoworks

Nancy Holt Photoworks is currently showing at the Haunch of Venison in New Bond Street until August 25th. 
Nancy Holt began working in the late 1960's as part of the Land Art Movement she is probably best known for her large scale site specific works such as 'Sun Tunnels' 1973-6 positioned in the Great Salt Desert Utah. This exhibition we see her works on paper in the form of photographic images for the first time in the UK.

I'll begin with Sun Tunnels there is a strong sense passing time consolidated into one image. Through repetition of imagery we see the static frame changing during a day which can be difficult to understand if you look at the work in situ. It was interesting to come face to face with this collection of work as Nancy Holt appeared in my very first presentation during my MA as an example of monumental scale, light, time, and the context in which she worked within was relevant to my own research. Land art was the first group to take work outside and remove it from the confines of the white cube gallery spaces along with Robert Smithson, Richard Long, James Turrell to name a few... During this time there was a cross over between Minimalism and Conceptual Art with artist such as Richard Serra also pushing materiality, scale and space. Although there was a common strand of thinking during this time it's interesting how Nancy Holt executed her work. it's evident to see there is a fascination with the circle the view the focal point the curve which immediately pulls you in and focusses your own attention as the viewer.

These images were presented in the first room and has to be my personal favourite as it appears to hinge her body of work and from this it is clear to see how her thinking began the develop.
Repetition in the form and structure, space and spaces created using multiples. A clean slightly brutalist aesthetic in materiality and the idea of framing a view or focussing in on a particular viewpoint instantly resonates though out the following rooms.

Take a look at www.haunchofvenison.com there is an interesting interview with Nancy Holt about this exhibition. It's well worth a visit and there is a fantastic bookshop to ponder in afterwards.