ARTISTIC RESEARCH- DIARY
A DIARY OF ARTISTIC RESEARCH -over the course of the week, I took notes and jotted down thoughts, which started resembling a diary.
DAY 2- thoughts on textile art + meeting the group and starting production
DAY 4 - Henie Onstad visit - Abakanowicz exhibition- alone
DAY 5 - Henie Onstad visit - Abakanowicz exhibition -w/ 2yr old child and her friend
LECTURE ON RESEARH
Research = Yardstick by which we measure information, usuallay associated with science.- art exemplifies research.artists can define themselves as explorers. Research= a second search, a re-evaluation of what we know, taking us through a journey without a final destination- the landscape is never the same twice.
- truth is illusive, always changing, so search for truth will be continuous.
- research is a way of living curiously.- constantly ask yourself: what am I doing? what are others doing? How are they doing it? How am I doing it? How are we doing it together?- artist= see, question, be curious, be different, within the means of what we do that we can be different.
- not about discovery, EXPLORING IS A NEW WAY OF SEEING!
BENTE STRANG
not easy getting material to work with, that’s why they started with Sisal- this was easy to see something new, easy to construct with as it was harder.- Abakanowicz: ‘what do you want? why do you do this? How can you work to analyse this? I always go to nature, it’s the most logical thing.’ it was a time of solidarity, fun time, fundament for support system for artists.
- Abakanowicz wasn’t so political because she wanted to go abroad, she had to take care of her interests.
- it was natural to work ‘big’ when the materials you are given are ‘big’ (you have a big rope you have to make something ‘big’).- she didn’t do the work alone, since the pieces were so big, she must have had a lot of assistance and strong people. and she had a lot of opportunities from the government which shows how important it is to have their help.
ELISE STORSVEN
when doing public work, there’s always rules: please don’t use red because... please don’t use dark colours because... have little control over the art when it is handed over. working in smaller, dirtier, problematic spaces and exhibiting in amazing, white big rooms - duality of it. she thinks its a problem, that we should have more problematic spaces to work (and also exhibit in?).
ELIN IGLANG
-push limits of materials and techniques of looms to find new possibilities.
Annie Albers - curious and experimental approach to weaving, abstract expressionism, experimenting and crossing threads, weaving for the eye, layering of weavingTextile in dialog with architecture and space
PRODUCTION WITH GROUP
-someone mentioned the movement of fabric, especially when thinking of hanging sheets. someone else liked the playfulness of the idea, playing as children.occasionally asking if it was ok that we would do this or take that direction (’oh sorry I’m encroaching a bit on where you were working, no that’s ok go right ahead and add to it’). Linn kept saying that whatever she was doing, we (the others) could always add to it if we wanted to.We decided to put it somewhere where people could pass through if they wanted to, so that there would be interaction with the piece. even if people didn’t pass through, they still passed close enough that the fabric would move slightly due to the movement next to it.I brought in the lamp I had borrowed from Kaja for the guardian of the forest project and put it at the top of the bridge, facing downwards. it looked a bit like a sun glowing down, and the light at times felt different when one was inside the maze.
ABAKANOWICZ- HENIE ONSTAD
-We live in times which are extraordinary because of their various forms of aggression. Today new danger exists around us as if everyone were against everyone. Agora should become a symbol, a metaphor about this particular historical moment in which we need each other, in which we want to rely on each other more than ever’ (THIS!!! link to my art practice)
-Reflection on seeing from a children’s perspective:
- seeing objects or recognizable elements in the art
- no border between physicality and sense (of course those black Abakans 3 metres behind the snake/rope, are its cheeks): might be called imagination.
- empathising with the people they love/relate to (mummy’s favourite, Alma’s favourite, Ida’s favourite, Alba’s favourite).
see full transcription of recording here.