where we're calling from
Around the time of the exhibition at Copeland Gallery, I was in a moment that I wanted to expand on scale and start exploring the material as a part of the work that is already charged with meanings by itself. I was very much inspired by the reading of some chapters of the book Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things, by Jane Bennett.
After the Millbank Tower experience of displaying the work in a different way than what I was used to, I got inspired to try it again. This process started in the studio practice, in the early stages of creating the work.
After a technical tutorial, I was presented the idea of using needles instead of threads to hang the work, creating a connection between the display and the process. Since the representation of my work is focused, during this term, in details/fragments, this small change also evoked the importance of details for my work.
I had the opportunity to learn more about all of the processes of making an exhibition: writing a proposal, completing a risk assessment form, wrapping the work, transporting the work, curation, installation, map planning and documentation. It was so interesting to understand how the spaces were created, how the ideas take form, and how my work was positioned in relation to other student's works.
The group critique with students from other pathways was enriching in the sense of hearing the perspectives of people that don't have access to my practice all the time, therefore it seemed to be closer to the perspective of the audience. The fragility that I was longing for to be shown in the work, and the idea of intimacy, were communicated, as the feedbacks showed me. A very interesting comment was about the relation to architecture/space, as I was expanding my work to the floor. I started to reflect on other possibilities of connecting the work with the space, and how to create an installation that evokes the subject of my practice.
One week after the exhibition, I had a tutorial with Mujeeb Bhatti, and he helped me realize that I could create an intimate environment/display/installation for my works, even in a gallery space/exhibition context. Mujeeb mentioned that the way I organized my works in the studio space evoked this important part of my practice, that I could perhaps think of ways to present the work while keeping the closeness/intimacy aspect, such as Tracey Emin's bed installation - otherwise, this important aspect could be lost. That got me very inspired to try out new ways of display, "intimate displays", to, as Mujeeb said, bring focus to "the nuances of the sensitivity of the space". How much of my space can I take with me? These conversations about installation are happening more and more, as I had a tutorial with Sarah where she also helped me to think of new ways to use my surfaces and materials together. This is a new perspective that I'm interested in exploring and experimenting in my next works.
Where we're calling from exhibition, 2024
