Pitt & Hodson's Fine Art MA

Book Contribution from Nicole Mortiboys

2008-11-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

Ch - All quiet on the Western Front - is the war over?

2008-11-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

After my rather lengthy response to Margaret Warman, following her recent outburst, the guns have fallen silent for the first time in about a month. Reconnaissance is yet to determine whether the assault will continue but things look hopeful.

(Translated: Margaret Warman did not respond to my last letter - if she did the editor has chosen not to publish it.)

ch - Margaret Warman Strikes again ....

2008-10-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

Margaret Warman responded to my response ....

SENSE OF ART IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Chris Hodson gives a good argument (Standard, Friday, October 10) for what I called a waste of money training artists of today like Jade Bennett who wrapped a fish and chip shop up in newspaper for her course.

Perhaps he could enlighten me as to why the scruffy bedroom scene with the dirty knickers and a condom was given the accolade of a Turner prize, as was the row of bricks and the pile of car tyres.

Now with a great stretch of my imagination, and I have listened to this very extensive explanation by Chris Hodson, I still cannot forsee art collectors 200 years from now paying lots of money for these pictures unlike the collectors of Constable, Monet and Gainsborough to name just a few.

What planet do these intelligent creative and forward-thinking people (his words) come from?

So yet again I have fired off this repsponse:

What planet are we from? Well now, it's around 300 light years past Zeta Reticuli, I can't write its name here as the characters we use are far more advanced than those which appear on your average Qwerty Keyboard. If you haven't already guessed, im being facetious, we in fact hail from Earth.

Art is far more than the creation of 'pictures', it's about research, understanding, exploration, humour, the list is endless. Please open your mind. We aim to push the boundaries of art beyond the frame of a canvas. That's not to say that paintings aren't valid artworks, of course they are, it's just we are 8 (almost 9) years into the new Millenium, mankind has been making art for thousands of years - PAINTING IS NOT THE ONLY OPTION.

I take issue with Margaret Warman's justification for what is good or bad art. In their day Constable, Monet and Gainsborough all broke the rules and were slated for it, other artists over the past few centuries had work torn off the walls and spat on by people who just didn't understand what they were trying to achieve. Fast forward a few hundred years, and most of their work can be found on postcards, mugs, T-Shirts, you name it. Is commerciality really the benchmark for what is good or bad?

You may retort by saying "no, but they are skillfully made", but what you have to bear in mind is that being an artist is not about skill, it doesn't need to be. The huge six foot canvases you see in the National Gallery by the major artists of the Romantic and neo-Classical periods are not what they seem. Many cannot be claimed to be a by particular artist, only from their studio. Apprentices and underlings would do the bulk of the work leaving the 'Artist' to swan in after a few weeks, make a few adjustments and sign it. Stubbs is a classic example, who only used to enjoy painting the Horse's eyes, he ended up with a Mansion in Marylebone and Royal Patronage.

In regard to the works Ms Warman quoted, Tracey Emin's 'My Bed' is a reflective piece, almost a self portrait of Emin after she had had a nervous breakdown. It is an exact copy of what her immediate surroundings looked like after she pulled herself out of a major depression. It comes under a type of art known as assemblage or installation, here all the detritus of her life is pulled together in a kind of sculptural collage. Carl Andre's 'Equivalent VIII' from 1982 is not a 'pile of bricks' it is a minimal, conceptual work. One of a number of different versions of the same piece - the bricks can be rearranged according to the will of the artist. The 'car tyres' of which Ms Warman speaks are actually a work by Simon Starling who created a submarine sculpture out of them as his practice explores recycling and re-using.

The works from the Turner Prize she gives are fine examples of the ammunition used by someone who takes no interest in discovering more about art for themselves. I would hazard a guess and say that Ms Warman reads the Daily Mail? She certainly shares their sentiments. What is more, those works are at least 10 years old, are you telling me nothing else has happened in that time? I can assure you it has and continues to. And why does art need approval from anyone? The short answer is it doesn't, not least from people who haven't got a clue what is really going on.

I become increasingly frustrated by people who cannot see past the end of an antique paintbrush.

If you don't like it, don't look at it - ignore it! If I don't like a particular Television programme I switch off or change the channel. I suggest Ms Warman and anyone else who shares her opinion do the same.

np - Pimp My Ride - pimp our ride

2008-10-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Book Contribution from Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

2008-10-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

Black Hole. 2008 © Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

Book Contribution from Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

2008-10-14T04:44:00.000-07:00

Flow. 2008 © Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

Book Contribution from Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

2008-10-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

Border. 2007 © Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

Book Contribution from Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

2008-10-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

Art and Levitation 001. 2004 © Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet.

Book Contribution from Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet

2008-10-14T04:31:00.000-07:00

Hungarian Artist Tamás Komlovszky-Szvet has kindly submitted the following text and the above images for inclusion in our Book:

Art and Levitation project 2004-2008

Levitation is now reality, what is more, a technologically working, and applicable phenomenon. Using it in sculpting, however, can bring up brand new opportunities. According to traditional European approach, sculptures are three dimensional objects, standing on the ground, obeying gravity.
Objects floating in the air, refusing to accept gravity as one of the main powers of nature, can be viewed as tools in seeking connection between the material and spiritual worlds. Sculptures stalled on the ground or the ones separated from it but still based on gravity are of essential connection between the soil and the material, in other words they grow out of it. 20th century hanged sculptures symbolise the connection with the sky, and are of metaphisical coherence. This way, floating objects bring on new thoughts and opportunities.

web: http://szvet.mosaicglobe.com
research: http://szvet.blog.hu/

Tamas uses very strong magnets to make levitating sculptures.

ch - NGA - a little thing that made me smile.

2008-10-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

ch - 'Artonaut' Blueprint

2008-10-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

ch - ?

2008-10-14T04:22:00.000-07:00

ch - Didn't See That Coming.

2008-10-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

ch - History Repeating itself?

2008-10-10T12:37:00.001-07:00

ch - Hot off the press .....

2008-10-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

Exclusive - Contribution from Mark McGowan - enjoy.

2008-10-08T08:41:00.001-07:00

Are all Spanish Racists? 2008 Mark McGowan©
Our thanks to Mark Mcgowan - one of five images to be published in our book - release Nov 08.

Exclusive - Contribution from Doug Fishbone - enjoy.

2008-10-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Untitled 2008 - Doug Fishbone©
Our thanks to Douglas Fishbone.

np - The Future of Art Education - Ikon, ICA & Art Monthly - Cushti!!

2008-10-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Art Monthly,

I am working in collaboration with Christopher Hodson, we are both MA fine art students and both studying in the Midlands, I'm at Wolverhampton, Chris is at Birmingham. We have chosen to write about our experiences in a blog - Our Fine Art MA. We are in the process of designing and editing this blog and have received funding to publish a hard-copy artist book. The book is primarily a diary detailing and documenting our work. However it is also a cursory look at art education and we are also promoting it as a 'users guide.' We have been formulating opinions about art education and comparing our respective institutions. I have been very interested in the recent debates at the ICA and the Ikon. From a student perceptive the positions we find ourselves in are bewildering. I would like to echo a lot of the issues raised in Art Monthly and at the debate, I would like to see a sea change in art education. However radical change would be challenged from both the student body and 'the (corporation) man'. A rock and a hard place. Students are already homogenized and obsessed with timetables, tutorials, semesters and assessments. Students demand their pound of flesh. Even if they haven't done any work they still want their student fees repaid in tutor quality time - they want a 'teacher' to feed and programme them, turn the key and set the cogs spinning. And to some effect what would £2000+ buy you, what are students entitled to? The fees aren't the only reason for this, younger students have already been institutionalized by school and college. The Education industry is here, a bureaucratic machine of the highest specifications in full swing, it has the capacity to make infant schools culture-less -SAT driven syllabuses are filled with Math Science and English. High schools and further education colleges are driven by league tables and an obsession for growth and sprawl with corporate partnerships. Art and a liberal philosophy doesn't really influence younger students. Yes, the conceptual artists of yesterday are working in the Uni's of today, but I dare say that they are not working in the primary or secondary or even in foundation courses, it seems to me a very British problem. That from PhD research to reception education each sector looks down on the the next. To effect change, the utopian ideals of 1968 need to permeate school, college and university education. So you conceptual artists out there, are you willing to forgo your 'cushti' positions and sabbaticals, your research grants and muck in down the ladder?

I thought not.

Heres my utopian dream - University lecturers become visiting and practicing artists teaching across education in uni's, schools and colleges - All have a good and equal wage across all sectors - all have the opportunity for sabbatical and research development.

ch - Yesterday's Chip Papers Today

2008-10-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Last Friday in my local paper, The Bromsgrove Standard, I read the following:

Whatever happened to real art? When you see a student. namely Jade Bennett on TV news, praised for her contribution by wrapping up a fish and chip shop in newspaper, it certainly shocked me to realise what a waste of money it is to train people like her for a future in art.

I take it she will be joining the rest of her ilk in the dole queue.

Margaret Warman, Droitwich.

So I responded with this (which is being published this Friday in the paper.)

Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to Margaret Warman's letter published last Friday in the Bromsgrove Standard (3rd October).

Firstly I wish to congratulate Jade Bennett on a thought provoking and lighthearted art work - it is both refreshing and encouraging to see that Art in schools has moved beyond Batik, quilling and block paints.

I very much take issue with belief that it is "a waste of money" to train people like Jade Bennett for a future in art - this is an absolute fallacy.

Having completed my BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art last year (attaining First Class) and being currently halfway through my Masters Degree, I can assure Ms Warman that it was not plain sailing. This long held notion that all art students doss around drinking, smoking, do nothing and then get handed a 'worthless' degree which entitles them to little more than a benefits cheque, frankly, is ludicrous and personally offensive. I, like many of the students on my course (and I'm sure many others) work incredibly hard with little support from the wider community who pass us of as charlatans, wasting everybody's time.

Since having completed my degree last year I've been involved with many projects and exhibitions around the World including: 'The New Generation Arts Festival' in Birmingham, 'Roll Up Art' in Budapest and as part of my art practice attended a United Nations Conference in Vienna, to which I and a colleague were invited. I completely understand that the majority of people either have no interest in, or experience of what is currently going on in the art world, it is seen by many as a scary place inhabited by pickled sharks, it really isn't. It is a place where intelligent, creative and forward thinking people come together in order to stop the cultural aspects of society from stagnating. Come on in, the water's lovely!

np - Martin Creed at Margaret St. Buying It.

2008-10-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

I don't buy it. Buy what?
Martin Creed talked about his current show at the Ikon, there are many things I like, but equally, as many I dislike. I have always enjoyed the idea of numbering works, I like the simple ideas and the use of materials akin to minimalism and conceptualism. Martin however described himself as an expressionist, 'all artists are expressionists.". Martin's talk was labored and awkward to watch, he stalled with long pauses and felt no need to talk about any particular aspect of his work. He started by telling us he enjoys traveling and then encouraged questions. I piped up about the curatorial decisions in putting on a show. Martin talked about the arrangement and impact of works next to other works, he then used a band and album analogy - I concealed a dig by asking if his crumpled ball was the one hit wonder, the encore that the crowd always goes for. In many ways this would be my first criticism, for me Creed's work worked in a world of YBA when gasps of Art angst, and the Turner Prize held sway. Creeds worked played up to the artist-led initiative of creating a new market by referencing the nerve of what constitutes art. The Tate love this rhetoric, they love this provocation of the masses and Creed is a sure fire agent-provocateur. As to the rest the motives behind the work, do I really care? Do I really care about the convulsion or the state of involuntary acts being a state where creativity is at it's purist? It's all very interesting but a little obvious or in the case of Bill Viola done before. Creeds strongest work for me is his collaborative works in response to a brief. Reacting to a space- The Ikon lift is case in point a brilliant work- position specific and activating. protrusions and the lights going on and off at the Tate, these works are far more engaging.
The talk was also a bit 'I'm a genius artist, take it or leave it.' 'make of it what you will' - He may have as well created some adstract expressionist paintings. Martin said he just makes the work, it is up to others to use it - i.e used as art? I piped up again 'so your shit film (a film of a woman defecating), you'd be happy for that to be shown as a training video for a tele-sales team? He replied yes, but I didn't buy it.

ch - second thoughts

2008-09-29T03:01:00.000-07:00

My visit to the Spaceguard centre did not go terribly well, I got the impression that the owner was completely uninterested in working with me and spent most of the time decrying my work and the work he does (although he did profess that the computers do everything.) I actually found him to be quite rude, as he proceeded to tell me that my art degree was a cop out and I'd spent 3 years doing nothing, and that he wretched at the thought of contemporary art. Suffice to say I shaln't be going back.

np - Introduction for book

2008-09-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Sad Fuck

“Pour me another double cliché, you can’t write a song that’s never been song”

Chumbawumba Shh

There are approximately 114.2 million worldwide blogs, and this does not account for the estimated 72 million Chinese blogs.

So here I am writing an introduction? My first thought is who cares, who will even read these words. I suspect no one, and suddenly I’m filled with the criticism leveled at me on a comment enabled You Tube film. I made and posted the film in response to a collaborative project between myself, Chris Hodson and John Lunburg*. The video entitled Nasa Breach has had 346 hits and one comment which reads; Sad Fuck... It hasn’t bothered me until now, and suddenly it hurts.

But before you level this same criticism at us, let me explain why we are writing this blog;

An archive of our practice.
Chris, although ten years my junior is an absolute equal, we share common ground and an understanding about what art means to us at this point or at least at the point of departure on starting the MA proper. We can converse easily without worrying about the other formulating a judgment about our relative positions, we compete with ideas and concepts but not in understanding, we give up as much as we gain from art, language use and understanding. The blog is a relaxed venue of amateur art criticism, publish and be dammed doesn’t really exist amongst those 114.2 million blogs. A postmodern sercurity of infinite insignificance. So in the first instance we wrote this blog for ourselves, a record of our respective MA’s.

Question Education.
Also, Chris and I have questioned art education. Chris believes the reason he has found a voice or an early praxis is because of the type of preliminary arts education he received. I also believe the reason why I am only just coming to into my ‘voice’ is because I have been held back by my art education. Chris studied a product design course and happened across Fine Art through a multi-disciplinary route. My ‘pathway’ was via A level art Foundation Art and BA Fine Art. I missed the point and floundered in a world of art that I thought should be technically skilled, lone authored, self-obsessed and critically reflective. A seminal moment was the realisation that a syndicate sponsored horse named ‘A Real Work of Art’ which ran in the 4.30 at Chepstow was actually a piece by an artist named Mark Wallinger. Something clicked and my work changed.
This blog was not intended as any sort of critique on education however myself, in particular, have developed or am developing some opinions about art education.

I attended a very good symposium organised by artists and curators Celine Condorelli (support structure) and Andreas Lang (public works) 'Institution and Initiative’. Matthew Cornford and Sam Curtis gave two very good talks, questioning education. Matthew alluded to a new realisation that the independent art school is very much a thing of the past and all Universities are in danger of becoming the same. A bureaucratic homogenization of modules, ‘professional practice’ and rationales tethered by economic factors that have no bearing and restrict research based investigative art practice. Sam Curtis proposed his own education that of the self-imposed residency and setting up his own multi-inter-disciplinary school within Goldsmiths. Chris and myself have invited other artists, critics, writers and collectors to contribute to this debate and I hope you enjoy reading them here.

A Rolling Project
By buying this book you are supporting another collaboration between two or more artists who would like to move their online blog into an off-line published diary.
Again thank you for buying this the inaugural edition.

So there you have a few reasons why I have made this book, Chris, I’m sure has some more of his own. As to the You Tuber critic, user name 'rmarther10' thank you for your valued comments.

np -Groundhog Day

2008-09-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

A glitch in the matrix, Deja vu or I am Bill Murrey in Groundhog Day!
I have decided to join the new 'cohort' (ugly word) of MA students, because there is a clash with my bread n butter lecture work. It was strange, I witnessed the same anxieties and ideas over. It made me question art education again and has added further resolve to this project. Our Fine Art Ma is a blog, a diary, and hopefully someone might pick there way through the blog to find some sort of points of reference or case in point - ? - Who knows.

ch - The Hanbury Orbs

2008-09-19T02:15:00.002-07:00

Just got an email back from the editor of the Hanbury Parish magazine, she's going to include my letter to her in the next issue, so hopefully i'll be able to get some first hand info for the work for next year.

ch - Spaceguard centre

2008-09-19T02:15:00.001-07:00

I recently got in touch with a fantastic place called the Spaceguard centre, they're based in Knighton I think, and their job is to be on the lookout for near Earth Asteroids and other potentially dangerous space objects. I really want to do some work with them and hold some kind of show at the centre.

The reply email said "It will be delightful to meet you and discuss your plans."

Sounds positive!

ch - First day back

2008-09-19T02:15:00.000-07:00

Walking through the double doors at Margaret street I quickly noticed that the security guard was new, how did I know this? Being greeted with "Who are you .. and where are you going?!" is a bit of a clue as was the miserable face. Barrie (who retired last year) was a really friendly character, he didn't really know us but he was always smiley - even if you happened to see him outside of Uni. Come back Barrie, all is forgiven!

Anyway... after having survived Cerberus it was off to the canteen where a handful of my friends were sat round having coffee, although it was only now 1.30pm they had already handed in their essays. I followed suit and popped literally next door to the Department Office. "I've come to hand in my essay - I'm on the MA", I uttered.
"You've got to fill in one of these forms first", came the reply. It takes a good five minutes to fill in a handing-in form, so many boxes and things to tick. The woman behind the desk received a personal phonecall whilst I was filling in the last section, so when i was finished she held the phone to her shoulder with her ear and continued to chat whilst I whispered "Thank you" so as not to disrupt her gossiping. I'm just too nice.

It was then a good hour or so before our 'welcome back' meeting with the course director, we were provided with two new handbooks and an array of photocopied timetables and year planners. That lasted half an hour. More coffee methinks.

At around 6pm we arrived to meet the new intake and have drinks and nibbles, there wasn't really much mingling going on new people at one end of the room, Part time 2's at the other. I remember the second years being a bit intimidating, dunno why, maybe we're having the same effect? We're all nice though, we shaln't bite their heads off.

It was then that I discovered I had been given the tutor I really wanted, I make my best work when i have him as a tutor, we share the same interests and seem to be on the same wavelength. That really helps. Some people haven't been allocated a tutor yet, I'm not sure but the form seemed to suggest that no-one had been appointed for the job. Some students are thus in limbo. All in all, a good day.

ch - Rutherford Appleton laboratories

2008-09-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

You may recall that a few months ago I had a tutorial with Dr Brian Haddock, a great artist who does work which is right up my street. Well, as a result of the tutorial I had with him, I got in touch with the above mentioned institution who have recently agreed to organise meeting with me to discuss the possibilities of making work with them! Out of all the people and places that I've contacted in regards to my practice, they are the only ones who have responded positively. Things are looking up!

ch - Back to school tomorrow.

2008-09-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

My bag is packed and my pencil case is brimming with overpriced and under-used stationery ... that can only mean one thing ... that term starts again tomorrow. We've got a meeting at 3.30pm, our essays have to be handed in by 4.30pm and then we've got drinks and a mingle from around 5.30pm. Should be a good day. In between times I've got to take some library books back, wouldn't want to get a fine.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to blog on here at least once or twice a week, maybe even once a day... lets not get carried away here! Hehe!

I shall log on tomorrow with an update.

np - Page Layout

2008-09-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

np - Night Owl

2008-09-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

It's sixteen minutes past four in the morning, I've just finished the 100th page and sent it to the designers, we have a veritable who's who of artists, historians, critics and of course the worlds Number 1 Streaker Mark Roberts. The contributions are flooding in, some large, some small, all perfect, all welcome -

Funding for publishing blog received.

2008-09-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

CALL FOR PAPERS > Hello out there, I'm not sure if anyone is following this blog, if you are, and would like to contribute to a piece of writing, art or anything to our forthcoming publication, please send it to us at pittandhodson@gmail.com.
IDEAS ARE BREWING more details to follow.

np - Nathaniel's Back

2008-09-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a great summer and despite the last two months, I'm ready to get back to this blog - Chris and myself will re-double our efforts. I'm sure.

ch - 1 year to go....

2008-08-29T02:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight sees the opening and private view of the Margaret Street MA courses. I'll be attending alongside hundreds of others... what this draws to my attention is that: a) In a years time it will be me, two years work and research laid out for discussion and constructive criticism. b) this blog has been operational for a year. c) I realy need to get some work done.

My dissertation is finished, the first draft at least, it's due in by 4:30pm on the 17th September. It's 300 words over-budget but that's why they call it a first draft, after talking it through with the tutors I may be able to shave most of that off, although I think that what I've written is as succinct as it possibly can be. The title is: "Space Art: Exploring New Worlds and Art Practices In Relation to Smooth and Striated Space." It may be the first draft but i've already changed things massively - everyday!

**** Chris' Tip of the Week **** Chris' Tip of the Week **** Chris' Tip of the Week ****

When writing an essay or dissertation I find it easier to concentrate on a section at a time - I write each section in a different word file - in a different colour - and periodically bring sections together in a 'master' copy. Keep the colours different and as you edit the text or move bits around you can see which bits are where and how the structure of the work progresses. I find this easier than writing the essay in one long section.

******* Tune in next week for another thrilling installment. ********

ch - Dissertation

2008-07-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Just to say that the reason I haven't posted anything for a while is that I'm writing (or at least attempting) to write my dissertation. As soon as I get them off my phone, I will be posting photos of ISA Mission Control and the APB show that me and Nathan had at the Pitt - that may be by the end of the day depending on how my writing progresses.

I'm still trying to get my space probe project off the ground (yes... that pun was intended.) so watch this space! (#ouch#)

2008-06-17T01:15:00.000-07:00

2008-06-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

Hi this is Pitt and Hodson reporting live from the UN in Vienna - We are sitting at the back of meeting room waiting for the morning session to open. Chris has identified fellow cosmonauts and important delegation. Unfortunatly The Pakistan delegation hasn't turned up, so our meeting was cancelled.

Milky Way working!

2008-06-10T03:58:00.001-07:00

Milky Way Test

2008-06-10T03:56:00.000-07:00

NGA set-up / preview

2008-06-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

ch - Making the Astronaut suit begins....

2008-05-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

ch - Lunar observations

2008-05-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

ch - Mission Control - Drawings and other work

2008-05-20T02:24:00.001-07:00

ch - Mission Control - Week 1

2008-05-20T02:20:00.000-07:00

ch -NGA Update / PREVIEW!!

2008-05-20T02:17:00.002-07:00

ch - Mission Control continues....

2008-05-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Because I'm having such a productive time at the Pitt Studio, my mini-residency has been lengthened to finish on/around the 31st, so i've got another 2 weeks or so to complete a body of work... including my Space suit. I will be posting pictures of some of the work I've already produced soon... maybe Sunday night.

Over and out.

ch - Mission Control

2008-05-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

From now until the 18th May I will be carrying out a residency of sorts at the Pitt Studio and Gallery in Worcester. As part of the work I will create whilst there, I will be constructing my Astronaut suit for use in Vienna, working on blueprints and the final design of INSP-1 and we will also be continuing with filming the documentary we started in London, following me through a multitude of creative processes. Please drop by if you can!

Please view: www.independentspaceagency.110mb.com

ch - assessment over

2008-05-08T10:16:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to let you all know that I have just returned from uni having taken down my installation as part of my 1st year assessment. The external examiners will now have looked over the work (one of them apparently is cousin to Helena Bonham-Carter!) and my fate is sealed... i won't find out what my mark is until next week probably... will keep you informed.

ch - Final proposal

2008-04-24T02:52:00.000-07:00

The final final draft of my proposal was handed in promptly at 1:30pm yesterday, a good 3 hours before the deadline. I shaln't be receiving an email this time to tell me that I missed it! I thought it was quite good, but we shall see.

ch- Roll Up Art

2008-04-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot that that I had submitted some photos of my work to be included in an exhibtion in Bucharest.... turns out my photo's were accepted (although i didn't hear if/not they had been) and during March they, and almost 100 other artist's work, were on show on a large projection screen suspended on the School of Architecture in Bucharest. I've had to give permission for the images to go on tour at other venues around Romania! I can now consider myself an international artist!

see: http://roll-up-art.blogspot.com/2008/03/news.html

i'm around 19th down the list.

ch - I did it!

2008-04-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

I have completed the final draft of my MA proposal, all the 'i's are dotted and the t's crossed! wahoo! all thats left to do now is to continue reading and hand it in on the 23rd April!

ch - Tutorial

2008-04-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

I've just come back from a tutorial with 3... count them... 3 members of staff! It was just to run through my draft proposal, outline any changes that might need to be made, think about other aspects that may need to be written about. Generally, just to make sure that my practice tutor, theory lecturer and course director know about the work I'm doing.

I've got 2 weeks to get the proposal moved from draft to final, including all references and bibliography, notation etc sorted... I can do it! ... can't I?

ch - Missed Deadline part 2

2008-04-04T04:48:00.000-07:00

I was literally in Birmingham for an hour and a half this morning, but I was able to get quite a lot into that time. First port of call was the office at Margaret Street, after filling in an assessment receipt form, I handed in all three copies of my draft proposal. I've got a tutorial with 3 staff members on Tuesday to discuss the proposal and iron out any creases.

I left Uni after 5 mins and decided to kill some time before my train. I nipped across to the Waterhall Gallery, where i was greeted cheerily by the lady behind the desk. Veering round to the right I entered their current show art of the STITCH. The BM&AG website says of the exhibition:

This acclaimed international open exhibition from the Embroiderers’ Guild aims to represent the role of stitch in contemporary artistic practice, and is presented in association with Coats Crafts Europe. An unprecedented 944 entries by 608 artists from 37 different countries entered art of the STITCH 2008/9, highlighting the continued and ever increasing popularity of stitch around the world. In total 56 works were selected by a panel of international professionals and representatives from the arts and business sectors. art of the STITCH 2008/9 represents 54 artists from 13 different countries including Lithuania, Cyprus, Hungary, Canada and Japan.

It was a really great show, a testament to the skill of the artists and the versatility of sewing and needlework. It wasn't as you might suspect, a show of Women's Institute samplers and amateur cross-stitch, rather, a refreshingly varied and vibrant array of sculpture, drawing, applique and other sewn items. Some of the more stand-out pieces include a 'quilt' made of up Guinness cans cut into square pieces and stitched together. The squares were jumbled in such away that created a sort of disorientation akin to that of having drunk that many pints of the stout. The 'format' of a quilt also is no accident, it references what many a tipsy bloke (or woman for that matter) reaches for when home from the pub... a comfy bed and a chance to sleep it off. I'm not sure how comfy aluminium is to sleep under though.

The other piece that raised a smile was M Van der Stoep's Hermit Crab (pictured - taken from www.bmag.org.uk) a great example of 3D needlwork and soft sculpture. Hand stitched and embellished with fabric paints and wire I could almost see a cheeky glint in his eyes. The show is well worth a look if your able to get down.

art of the STITCH 2008/9 is a touring exhibition showing at the Waterhall, Birmingham, Deutsches Textilmuseum, Krefeld, Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, Hungary and Fundación Valentín de Madariaga-MP, Seville, Spain . A fully illustrated colour catalogue accompanies the exhibition at £6.00 (10 Euros) and is available through the Embroiderers’ Guild and at exhibiting venues.

ch - Missed Deadline part 1

2008-04-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I received an email from the faculty office telling me that I had missed the deadline for handing in the draft of my essay proposal (2nd April - 4.30pm) - oops! And that I had to bring 3 copies in as a matter of urgency. I'm off in to Uni in a few minutes to hand it in and get it signed off. I couldn't believe that I had done that, although it is still the Easter Holidays according to the course handbook... why put a Deadline within the holidays literally 2 days before the end of the Holiday? I know that a few people on the course are actually abroad and dont come back until this weekend?! Nevermind!

I'll post again when I get back!

ch - The Independent Space Agency

2008-03-26T03:53:00.000-07:00

I have become increasingly dissillusioned by the Governmental Space Agencies and organisations, who are either too proud to reply to me or are unwilling to even contemplate working with me on artistic projects, (even though they profess to supporting the arts). It is to this end that I have made the decision to create my own Artistic Space Agency. Named the 'Independent Space Agency' or ISA, it focuses on new frontiers for Art. Ok, I havent got the Billions of pounds they have behind them, but why should the exploration and artistic uses of Space be their preserve?

I'm in the process of setting up a website for the agency, that will contain all the information and how perhaps other artists [you] could get involved - the address of which I'll post here when its ready or put a link at the top of the page with the others.

The logo above is the one I have designed for the ISA.

ch - Meeting

2008-03-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

There's a simple way to tell if it's the Easter Holidays or not... the train was absolutely packed on the way to Birmingham and it was even worse on the way back this evening. The main reason I went to Birmingham today was to have a meeting with the curator of our show as part of the NGA. We met in Starbucks on Colmore Row, it was a really cool meeting. I explained the pieces I'm hopefully going to be showing (which for now are works in progress - they will be ready for the show though, I've no doubt of that.) and we discussed various other projects that we each are involved with. It was a nice informal chat but we got a lot talked about. After half an hour or so, another of the artists arrived and the conversations continued, we must have been sat there for an hour and a half or more in total! I'm going to post images of the works in progress as they... well...progress. Stay Tuned.

ch - a bit of a catch up..

2008-03-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I last posted so I thought I'd better rectify the situation! Carrying on from where I left off, the rest of my day on the the 5th March was a very good one. I met Robin at Central Hall and he took me on a tour of the space which is huge! Our show is going to be on the 3rd floor (i think) and it is immense. I'm plumming for one (or more) of the smaller, self contained rooms which are currently being used as storage. They're full of really great architectural features; stained glass windows, iron fire-places and cornicing.

I'm meeting the curator next week to discuss the show and what pieces I want/might show, it'll be great to get a lot more focused on the show and how it's all going to work.

As usual, I'll keep you posted!

np - There and back again

2008-03-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

There and Back again

No it’s not a tale of elves, dwarves and wizards, rather a conclusion to our theory lessons. We have, as I understand it, travelled far and travelled nowhere. We’ve being following the avant-garde through revolutionary inception into crisis, to re-emerge in minimalism and conceptual art to be pressurised by modernity and suppressed by post modernism. And yet we find ourselves here at the end of the our practices aligned with postproduction and relational aesthetics sharing some ground with the original avant-garde.

Authorship, collaboration, relationships between art and science and now (new technologies), de-skilling of art, new skills and the role of the artist in the social realm, all of these ideas are still relevant and occupy us in our practices as artists today.

Postproduction beware: In the constant re-historisizing, sampling the past, present and the future, being able, being empowered to go anywhere, use anything. Are we in danger of autopoiesis. Art for arts sake, a self generating art?

Not a hobbit in sight.

ch - Tutorials and Meetings.

2008-03-05T01:51:00.000-08:00

7:30am on the dot, that's what time I left the house this morning. I was at the station for 7:45am and the train arrived to whisk me on my merry way at around 7:50am. It was early aswell, which for a Wednesday morning is quite surprising. I do enjoy being out and about at that time in the morning although it means getting up quite a bit earlier than ususal - nothing a cup of coffee won't fix. It's now 9:55am and I'm sat in the library computer room along with two others who I think are year 2's.

Anyway, the reason I was up so perilously early is because I've got a busy day today. I was supposed to be in a tutorial round about now, infact I should just be leaving. My tutor was caught up in traffic so to let him get his breath back we arranged to meet at 11. "But 11 is when you're supposed to be meeting Robin Dobson from NGA!" I hear you cry... well fear not, whilst waiting for my tutorial he wandered along the corridor (to the office he shares with my tutor) and introduced himself to me, he explained that he recognised me from the picture that I'd provided him with as part of the proposal. We got chatting about various things whilst we waited for my tutor, he seemed really interested to know how the MA was going and what I was up to. I told him about the space work I've been working on, although he kind of knew a lot about it because unbeknown to me, he was the man who had been working in the same office whilst I've been having tutorials! I did though have a sneaking suspicion it was him! :-) - Robin suggested that we meet a bit later on at Central Hall, he was meeting another Artist there at 5:30 so to make it easier on my tutor and him, I agreed and am now meeting him at half 5. I've got a few other bits and pieces to attend today so the time should pass quite quickly.

So that's how you find me here in the library, I'll let you know how the rest of my day pans out.

ch - NGA 2008 - Venue Confirmed!

2008-03-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

I received an email a few days ago from the organisers of the New Generation Arts Festival which I'm taking part in this year (see previous posts). The venue has been confirmed as Central Hall on Corporation Street, Birmingham. From what I gather it is a rather old building with lots of rooms and various other spaces - there are even school rooms apparently, so there may even be a balckboard or two kicking around somewhere which would be great!

Anyway, we're all meeting up this Wednesday (4 artists) with the organisers and our curator at the venue. I will keep you all informed!

2008-02-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

ch - My day...

2008-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

(The image above is a picture of a reflection of me in a wavy mirror which I found in the MA studios.)

I went into Margaret Street today, primarily to return some library books, I decided to have a bit of a mooch around the studios to see what, if anything, was going on. I started in the MA studios which were empty of students, there was however a fair bit of work around. Mostly large paintings, some were giant Cezzanesque landscapes made in a series of 3 panels. Large blocky brushstrokes in bright colours (but not overpowering) worked together to form Mediteranean landscapes complete with dusty roads, Cypress trees and white blocks which I took to be whitewashed buildings. They became clearer the further away I moved.

I turned the corner to the studio where I'd attended a group crit a couple of weeks ago, to find that virtually all the photocopies had been removed from the wall, the only trace of any work having been there were a few specks of black tape. Happlily the swinging paint tub was still suspended from the wooden bar, I pulled it back slightly and let it go... I don't know if it'l still be there next time! I'm guessing that the artist has removed them because she was going to re-evaluate the display of her work... I'm looking forward to seeing how her work progresses.

Down the corridor there was a tv on a stand, the screen was black but there was a soundtrack, what sounded like a group of young people talking about random things (which I couldn't hear because of the low quality speakers in the tv and the hubub of noise from downstairs.) Occasionally the title of the piece faded in and back out again. I didn't really engage with the work, I couldn't, it wasn't apparent what the subject of conversation was and the sound quality was poor. I wasn't sure about the blank screen either, if i were the artist, I would have left it as a sound recording played simply through a speaker. I'm also one of these people who doesn't like the title or the artist's name to pop up actually in the work like somekind of TV exerpt - this work and the others like it dotted around, had these features in spades. For me, the jury is still out with this work.

Next I wandered downstairs to the basement studios, I have to say that there was quite a bit of interesting work around. It is strange though, I had a space there until May/june last year and it was completely different! One of the highlights was a large house made from ice-cream wafers, marshmallow twirls and sweets! It was really cool!

ch - A day in the life of....

2008-02-27T10:22:00.001-08:00

So, for those of you who have never been to Bromsgrove Station, here it is! The view above is towards Birmingham. Not terribly interesting I grant you, but it helps to gain an overall picture of how my day starts - it's not usually that sunny though!

ch - Field visit to Wolverhampton

2008-02-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

On Monday I accompanied Nathan to his studio at Wolverhampton. It was really good to see where he studies and was great to meet the other members of his group and Sophie Hope. As part of Nathan's group tutorial we discussed our individual and collaborative practices, in particular the data sent to us by the mystery Moon Dust circle . Nathan also outlined his curatorial practice.

All in all it was a rather productive day, we got lots discussed and formulated!

artists impression of moon data

2008-02-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

Files downloaded from NASA

2008-02-24T13:23:00.001-08:00

Artists impressions - data transfered by C.Hodson

2008-02-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

Last week we were sent these images, they came in a shroud of mystery, we are investigating, but on this evidence of a type of art work on the moon NOT OF HUMAN CREATION:

"J. Doe, J. Doe and I are all amateur astronomers, we are really competitive and have been feverishly mapping the Lunar surface for some time now and have been studying the moon in the run up to this weeks total eclipse. We have been particularly interested in Christopher Hodson's Kepler area. The Lunar mountain in the lighted upper east side of the moon, the web has been an excellent tool in recent years and has helped us in our mapping project. NASA and The US Department of the Interior Geographical Survey have been photographing the moon for some time. Only in the last two years have these images been loaded up (most of them are from the 60's and 70's.) on the web, the images are loaded up slowly and we are always the first to download them anyway, last Thursday John was on a flight back from a Tokyo astronomical conference when he received the latest downloads, without notice they made the attached files available on the web, fortunately John received them in real-time, by the time he touched down and met us back at our HQ they had been removed, Thankfully John downloaded them. We have tried to contact NASA as we have friends there, officially they have told us that if we have any files they are the work of hoaxers who have recently hacked into their site, we know this not to be true as our associates on the inside. One of our agents has obtained further evidence in a film of the files. When it is safe we will send it out, can you disseminate this information in the U.K? We’ve analysied the patterns in the dust they seem to resemble our own crop circles found throughout the globe. If you are interested in this story can you not mention our links to the people on the inside, also please don’t use our real names as we are pretty sure NASA are trying to block out our IP addresses."

J.Doe, J.Doe & J.Doe

np - London visit.

2008-02-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

A fantastic couple of days in the capital - I attended a Graphic Design conference in Leicester Square at the Odeon, we heard from Sir George Cox amongst others talking about the Cox report and the future of the creative industries. That all got a bit anal and the hipocracy of the ad men and copy writers was wearing a little thin. Luckily I found some time to myself and snaked my way around London and saw some fantastic work. 1st. Rodchenko. In brief this left me a little cold - I also felt a little uncomfortable with the assosiations with the current Russian dynamic, most of the works are owned by Abromovich, only with the unfolding of modern history will show the ethics behind the relationship between an arts institute and a olygarch? Then downstairs at the Hayward, a fantastic exhibition of humour - highlights - Doug Fishbourne and Markus Coates.
3rd - Poped into the National Gallery to see the Forth Plinth proposals.
4th - ICA - Double Agent exhibition a brilliant piece by Barbera Visser. And then to top it all off, I met up with Kate Forde the curator who gave me a tour around the Wellcome collection. Perfect!

np - 2nd Semester Studio Practice SkABS working party

2008-02-23T06:24:00.000-08:00

np - Richard Billingham Lecture

2008-02-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

A lecture delivered by Richard Billingham to my college for the Foundation students rounded of a fantastic cultural week spent with Halesowen College (on return from a London field trip)

The jury's still out on Richard's practice, having said that he came to speak to perspective students (representing Cheltenham & Glos Uni where he is BA photography fine art tutor) so he was invited, and as such I shouldn't critique his work. But listening to him talk about his dysfunctional parents and the recent Zoo images. He remains detached, focused on the image , not the subject, he won't be drawn into debate about welfare state or repetitive behavior in zoo animals. But who can blame him? I'll have to think about this further?

Interestingly we had a John Robert's lecture on post-modernism and as a choice of final slides John jumped from the 80's to 1994 and a billingham plate of his dad in a dirty toilet. Horror and fear of post-modernity?

np - Postproduction for a new generation

2008-02-20T14:07:00.000-08:00

ch -Lead Balloon

2008-02-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

A regular party balloon is cast in Lead. Unlike a party
balloon this sculpture will be solid, taking merely its
shape. There will be no air or any other gas inside the
piece. On Earth, this sculpture can exist as a Lead object
on the floor, but if/when taken aboard the Space Shuttle or
the ISS would float very much like a real balloon. The
characteristics of the material (in terms of weight) alter
with the change in environment. It is a slightly humorous
play on the adage, “That will go down like a Lead Balloon.”
In my view, this work explores changes in gravity and the
realm of zero-gravity in a rather poetic way.
The following image is a visualisation of the sculpture as
it may appear if taken to the Moon, where it would weigh
one sixth of its Earth weight.

ch - Moon Proposals

2008-02-15T03:46:00.001-08:00

So, since before Christmas I've been trying to develop ideas for artistic projects that could be carried out in Space, with particular emphasis on the Moon.

In order to give the work some kind of definite context, I went and bought a 1 acre plot of land on the Moon - it's at 32'W 14'N a few km away from a crater called Kepler. I've modelled the landscape (after I found a detailled map) with a 3d package, the result of which you can see above.

One of the proposals I think works the best out of all of them (so far) is a piece called Lead Balloon which will be highlighted in the next post.

One other proposal involves me dividing my 1 acre plot in smaller plots, within the rules lain down by the Lunar Embassy (yeah..I had no idea one existed either!) it states that I cannot sell my plot to anyone else, but there is nothing in the rules about me allowing others to run/work within parts of the land I own. The whole area of land is 63.3 x 63.3m , i'm considering a proposal where the plot is subdivided into smaller plots just under 4 x 4m which would provide me with 250 smaller plots. I'm quite open to receiving proposals from anyone who may want to use this land.

Some feedback from Roger Malina (Leonardo/OLATS, MIT) has led me to realise I'm being quite conservative with the proposals, he commented that the ones I've already formulated are too much like art seen on Earth. I can definitely see his point and am endeavouring to work with more radical, completely site specific works.

ch - It's a small World!

2008-02-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

Nathan having met up wth Ruth Claxton brings back a whole load of great memories for me (#cringing at his own sentimentality#) you see, Ruth was the first Fine Art tutor I ever had, whilst studying at the Bournville centre for the Visual Arts. It was there that I knew being an Artist was, for me, not only what I wanted to do but what I should be doing with the rest of my life, and Ruth is partly to thank for that.

Ok, enough of the mush - what have I been doing......?

npQ 3.

2008-02-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

Do you think there has been a sea change in art post 9-11?

2008-02-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

© Ruth Claxton (top) © Laura White (above)
To answer Chris's question: When practices collide?
I met both these artists on Monday, I had an interview with Ruth in the morning and a lecture from Laura in the afternoon. They are both fabulous artists and although these two pieces don't show it, there are similarities that occur in their practice. And in the course of my interview with Ruth we touched on this subject. Ruth mentioned another artist used the same methods except in reverse - the other artist used porcelain figurines and covered everything other than the face, a sort of anti-Claxton piece. This didn't bother Ruth at all, just because someone amongst the 6 other billion people out there have the same idea the reasons behind that idea are always different and in someways interesting to find out about. So I think no, artist shouldn't change their practice if it becomes like that of another.
Ruth and Laura also share some common ground, In other works Laura has produced a series of sculptures entitled ‘small sculptures’ they feature cut outs from magazines pasted onto and obscuring the heads of toy animals. This physicality is the only real similarity, as artists their motives and ideas lie elsewhere but what I find interesting is the ‘image sifting’ (to use a phrase from my theory lecturer, John Roberts) of these two talented artists. In some ways they have become curators; selecting imagery, organising, adding to it and then showing it in a gallery space. This situation in someways is an indicative position we as artists find ourselves in, in this post-modern world. In finding new spaces to work within we will always find other artists there also. I think?

Here is my review:

In this months review I would like to look at two artists: Ruth Claxton and Laura White both of whom I met in the same day. In the morning I visited Ikon Eastside. Ruth is the first resident and has been working there since December. Eastside, a fairly battered factory building neighbouring the Custard Factory in Birmingham is an extension to the ever-growing Ikon empire. I was greeted by a host of Ruth’s works that filled the large space. Hundreds of steel rings in oscillating groups, intricately welded together and sprayed battleship grey. Some of the rings are filled with coloured mirrors reflecting the light and catching the frost melting drips that were sneaking into the industrial space. The third element to this work is the porcelain figurines. The figurines are the types that live on Great Britain’s mantelpiece. In some weird staged play where spotted kittens can inhabit the same scale and space as a dancing milk-maiden. They are bought from ebay and arrive at Ruth’s door to be ‘subjected’ to a type of bastardisation akin to Jake and Dino Chapman’s drawing on Goya’s prints. They are added to and in doing so they become Ruth’s works, they take on new meaning and live again in this hall of mirrors sculpture.

Ruth Claxton has exhibited widely and gained representation at Arquebuse Gallery, Geneva and has added her work to the collections of among others Frank Cohen. This show entitled Lands End will be opening at the Ikon on April and then travelling to Spike Island in 09 and her postcard works are at the Barber Institute from

After the interview I had to dash over the City and bridge the gap to Wolverhampton where I was late for a lecture by Laura White, Laura is also a sculptor, and her practice and methodologies in some respects mirrors (excuse the pun) Ruth’s and visa versa. Laura takes objects often as she finds them, arranges them and projects videos of nature onto them. The imagery can either be lifted from natural history documentary or primarily sourced this is not important. Having grown up in Worcester Laura’s roots are in the countryside, as extension of her growing up she is interested in the way nature is portrayed in the everyday, in urban living. Laura is fascinated by, dare I say it again, the bastardisation of nature by advertising, for example she points to the recent run on car adverts that morph into animals or are shown in some interaction with nature.
In other works Laura has produced a series of sculptures entitled ‘small sculptures’ they feature cut outs from magazines pasted onto and obscuring the heads of toy animals. Again this is a critique of how TV, magazines and the Society of the Spectacle interact and feed of nature. These pieces are also physically similar to Ruth Claxton’s Porcelain pieces.

This physicality is the only real similarity, as artists their motives and ideas lie elsewhere but what I find interesting is the ‘image sifting’ (to use a phrase from my theory lecturer, John Roberts) of these two talented artists. In some ways they have become curators by selecting imagery, organising, adding to it and then showing it in a gallery space. They are showing us new works using gathered imagery in a new DJ style of shopping on ebay and googling images – mixing objects and material in new configurations of postproduction.

Laura White teaches at Goldsmiths and the Manchester Met, she is currently working on a new book.

chQ.3 - Should you change your practice if it becomes too much like another artist(s)?

2008-02-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

ch - Group Tutorial

2008-02-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

Today I attended the group tutorial of one of my peers, she was also on the BA course that I finished last year, so I kind of have an idea of what her work is about. She takes various (seemingly random) generic objects and arranges them in ways that almost make them seem like accidents waiting to happen. The work reminds me very much of Fischli & Weiss aswell as work by Harrison & Wood. The wall is covered (although not completely) by degraded black and white photocopied images of these assemblages annotated with explanatory phrases like "Blue Wellington Boots" referencing/explaining what the images contain. The photocopies are affixed to the wall with torn squares of black electrical tape, some copies overlap - folds in the paper provide a way for lines to combine. Much of the work responds to the space that it's in, a crack in the wall might be continued with a dark black line created as a result of the photocopying. There is a definite humour here, akin to that of Charlie Chaplin or even Wile. E. Coyote and Road Runner (suggested by another student).

In the middle of the studio space hung an 8 litre tub of white emulsion at the end of an elasticated rope, hovering about an inch or so above the wooden floor. On the lid of the tub was a pooling blob of what seemed to be black enamel paint or gloss, parts of which weren't quite dry. (The tutor pulled it back and it began to swing and for a few minutes the piece was alive.) Next to the suspended paint pot were a pile of breeze blocks which appeared to have trapped the other end of the rope. Looking up towards the wooden beam that supported them, you could see that they were not infact connected by the same piece of rope and the breezeblocks were not helping to suspend the paint tub. I did say that I was a tiny bit disappointed by this in a way, probably because the sense I'd tried to make of the work didn't now add up. I'm not saying this is a bad thing though, it provides you with another challenge.

Talking to the artist after we had tried (somewhat successfully) to get a handle on the work, she told us that what we had read into it was correct for the most part - the disappointment was a good thing because that is what she had intended - a kind of entropy (energy loss) in terms of reading the work is attained in this way.

All in all a really good group crit, lots discussed and certainly lots to think about!

np - introducing visiting lecturer Sophie Hope

2008-02-05T13:04:00.000-08:00

Matthew Cornford, our tutor has started a sabbatical. In his absence we have Dr Alistair Payne, (acting course leader, also my personal tutor) and a new visiting tutor; Sophie Hope. the account below is from her organisation - B&B - www.welcomebb.org.uk

Sophie Hope's work inspects the uncertain relationships between art and society. This involves establishing how to declare her politics through her practice; rethinking what it means to be paid to be critical and devising tactics to challenge notions of authorship.

From 2006-7 Sophie carried out a residency with the Beyond Action Research Programme in Leidsche Rijn, Holland, where she worked with residents to produce a one-day performance of life in 2007 told from 1000 years in the future. Other current projects include publishing a Manifesto of Possibilities for
commissioning public art and Reunion, a programme of meetings, residencies and exhibitions between artists and curators based in the UK and South East Europe. The most recent manifestation of Reunion was The 2007 Almanac of Political Art, now available to download from the Reunion website.

Sophie is currently undertaking a practice based doctoral study on the economics of socially engaged art at Birkbeck College, University of London where she is also a lecturer on the MA Arts Management and Cultural Policy.

Weird, Michael Schwab is the perfect practitioner for Chris and I feel I can learn stacks from Sophies practice who's work is close to my own interests. She is also keen for each of us to lead a seminar, we each have to propose a text and deliver a conversation.

ch - iVoyager

2008-02-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have recently begun work on a new project as part of my Fine Art practice - iVoyager. I aim to collect thousands of images, videos, sounds etc. gathered from artists and other interested parties around the world. Everything will be stored on a 160GB iPod® and perhaps sometime in the future will be sent into space.

This is an ongoing, two year project to collect a whole new body of information images, sounds, videos, podcasts, games, infact anything that can be played or viewed on an iPod®.

The original Voyager discs were sent up in 1977 though... it is safe to say that our knowledge and technology has moved on considerably since then and with the advent of portable multimedia centres like the iPod®, it is high time a more up to date version was created...

more info (how you can get involved) can be found at: www.christopherhodson.110mb.com/iVoyager.html

ch - Graduation

2008-02-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

So last week (Wednesday) I finally graduated from my BA course! At last! Had a great day catching up with all the people I hadn't seen since June. I also met Rhydian from X-factor who was collecting his BA in Music. He was a really nice guy and his family we're very friendly too. All in all a really great day... only another year and a half (ish) until we have to do it all over again!!

np - Proposals to go!

2008-01-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

Proposals -Projects - Ventures
Here we go, 2008 new works, new collaborations and a new semester - Tomorrow we will recieve the feedback from the first assignments. And then we have to deliver our statement of intent for the forthcoming semester.
The paths ahead are tangled but interlocked - A voice is starting to emerge within my practice that involves 'collaboration' and collaboration.

ch - visiting lecturer Michael Schwab

2008-01-24T03:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were treated to a lecture from Michael Schwab, the Alexia Goethe Gallery website (www.alexiagoethegallery.com/x/artists.html?gid=305&atid=61) says this about him :

Michael Schwab is a German research led practitioner. Originally a photographer, his work breaches narrow definitions of media as he focuses on post-conceptual uses of technology. Apart from photography, he employs drawing, installation art, painting and printmaking to produce his work that is often conceptually developed on the computer.

From this description you can probably tell that I was thrilled to discover that he classes himself as a post-conceptualist..... so do I! It was the first time ever at Margaret Street that a lecture has been given by someone who's practice is close to my own. He employs computer technology to work things out and model various installations to see how they will work... he even works alongside a Mathematician in the creation of some of his work! Its great because he is sticking around until Easter as part of the faculty staff. I'm sure our paths will cross at some stage.

It was a really good lecture, mainly a look through some of his most recent work completed as part of a research led PHD and him explaining how he views art as a way to gain more understanding - over the creation of "nice looking objects." Fantastic!

np -'84 Red Days'

2008-01-15T13:01:00.000-08:00

Handed in two assignments this week, practical work and a theoretical essay entitled 'Avant-Garde in the Educational Institutions of Post-Revolution Russia' As I walked out of our base room a 3rd year fine art student was finishing off a wall based installation called 84 days, 281 white purse bags filled with a small embroided pear shaped 'pad' and 84 red purse bags with the same patterned 'pad' inside. I didn't get it at first and asked the artist, what the piece was all about. DOPE! I was looking at her menstrual cycle. Unlike Chris who is institutionalised I will have to get used to challenging works in my path at Uni.

ch - Just Another Monday

2008-01-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

After a busy week last week away from Margaret street, I thought it best to pop into Uni today to find out if anything is happening. I havent got a tutorial coming up anytime soon, but I now know that I've got a Group crit on the 25th May and have to present a Studio Seminar some time in June. I've got plenty of Time to get those sorted. In the meantime I'm still working on my practical work and have got a bit done since the last time I posted, although I still don't know exactly what I'm going to do with the stuff i've got, but there are a few ideas swimming around.

When I got to Uni I walked through the pair of swing doors and on the floor in the middle of the atrium was a clear perspex box and within the box was a nearly naked woman surrounded by a few chunks of meat and a few (what appeared to be) legs of lamb which were tied up with string contorting the flesh of these parcels. The woman was similarly tied and contorted and lay motionless in the open topped 'coffin.' What I hadn't noticed the first time I saw it (I needed to got to the library so came back) was that the floor of the box was completely covered in maggots. Writhing under and over each other, a squirming, jiggling mattress on which the woman had lain. The smell was also something to note, I don't know quite what it is about maggots but they stink, but as a piece of art that's presumably part of it - obviously the artist is dealing with issues surrounding death and decay - in that case I suggest that the smell is an important re-inforcement of these ideas. By the time I'd come back from the canteen (the coffee machine was calling) the artist and her entourage were gone, leaving behind them a box full of maggots and a disgruntled tutor complaining to the security guard about the by now overwhelming odour.

It has to be said though after almost 5 years at Art School I have become somewhat desensitised to this kind of scene.

np - Back to the grind stone!

2008-01-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Not quite, I start next week and with the new year comes our first official deadline. It's been a while since I was this side of the educational divide, 10 years, stone me a decade since I graduated from Falmouth. NEWS - My third article has been published, you can read it below:
‘Dear artist’

‘Dear artist’, begins the Directors letter. Andrew Nairne the director since 2001 has taken either a most risky or brave decision concerning his invitation or call for entries for the Oxford Season. An Open invitation so often means the very opposite when these events are being organised, artists are left to the selectors whims and fancies. An ‘esteemed’ panel of judges cast discerning eyes over the works and lives of amateur and successful artists alike. Well not here, not a selector in sight, no one to schmooze or corrupt, no one to blame and no one to argue with.

Each entrant is given 1m3 of space to do with as they will, in fact they don’t even have to be artists. They have to be over 18 and live or work in and around Oxford and if they run out of space then priority will be given to city residents. So there you have it, a truly open Open.

If it is to be a success we will have to wait and see. In many ways it is now up to you, you are viewer, turned ‘esteemed’ selector, but don’t expect a free lunch. With over 230m2 of space to cast your opinion upon, this will not be an easy task, however, help is at hand and the gallery are setting discussion points and activities around pieces of interest (they couldn’t stay away, those pesky selectors.) Alex West of Blur, the fashion designer agnes. B and the artist Janette Parris will be looking at their favourites and sharing their thoughts each Tuesday evening during the exhibition.

Open exhibitions have always generated interest and controversy, from the exhibition of Manet’s Dejeuner-sur-herbe at the Paris Salon of 1863 to Fountain, the urinal signed R.Mutt by Duchamp. Now, in this show, this novel approach will play with notions of artistic ego, the value of art, decoration and commerce vs. research and experimentation, art by the non-artist and the very subjective nature of the visual arts.

The most exciting aspect of this exhibition lies in the show as a whole, curatorial responsibility lies with the Oxon artists themselves. As they hand over their works an army of technicians will hang the show. Watercolour paintings will jostle with photography, pottery with experimental sculpture, and oil portraits alongside ‘Banksy-esque’ graffiti. Art influence, theory and history will also find itself in the mix, with works borrowing from different times and movements, individual trained and un-trained interpretations will come into play. In doing all this Suzanne Cotter the curator, Andrew Nairne and artists from both sides of the Isis will be creating a snapshot of artistic practice in and around Oxford in the first decade of the century, an interesting project in it’s own right, perhaps one that should be repeated in each decade to come?

The directors’ letter and the press releases for this show reflect the altruistic act of inviting unknown artists into the echelons of a vibrant, progressive and renowned art museum. However in putting on this event Modern Art Oxford could be potentially opening a philanthropic can of worms, a do-gooders guide to creating a city of art critics. As artists, we believe in our practice and the work we are creating, we like to think we are here in isolation, special – seeing someone else’s work reflected in your own or a mass of work and the realisation of the sheer number of artists out there can open a wound in any artists side, psyche and ego. Or, perhaps this will unite a city, create a critical mass and network practices across the region, and we may all appreciate the role of selector a little more in this subjective arena we work in.

Yours Sincerely………

ch - First Day Back

2008-01-07T07:06:00.000-08:00

Beep! Beep! Beep! That is the sound of my phone alarm telling me I have to get up. Today of course was the first day back at Uni since we broke up for the Christmas Holiday - you'l be glad to hear that not a lot has changed at dear old Margaret Street, "..and why would it?" I hear you ask, it's only been a couple of weeks since I was last there.

I had a tonne of library books to take back, I thought I'd stock up on reading material just incase I got snowbound at home or ate far too much turkey etc. and couldn't move 'til February. At least I'd have someting to read. Oh and I have to start preparing my first research paper so I thought a bit more knowledge may come in handy!

That was the main reason I wandered in to Birmingham but I also wanted to get back into the flow of being at Uni and 'orientate' myself with what's going to be happening over the next couple of months. That being said, it is helpful if the information you want is readily available i.e. on the notice board - it wasn't. It was completely devoid of information. Nevermind, I'll find out sometime this week... I hope!

ch - Moon Work

2007-12-27T03:06:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and are looking forward to New Year celebrations!

I will be working on a series of Proposal works for my Acre of Moon land over the next couple of weeks so do watch out for them, I 'll keep you posted!

2007-12-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

I completed my walk and linked my macro world to the 'real' world with a derive of 32km from Worcester to Wolverhampton. The highlight of which was my dad joining me for an hour or two - most enlightening.

np - Deadline tomorrow / New model army.

2007-12-09T03:32:00.000-08:00

I'm walking from Worcester to Wolverhampton tomorrow. Why? Two reasons: 1. I have being preparing an essay as my first piece of practical work. Instead of painting, drawing, sculpture, installation or readymade I have decided to hand in a non-fictional essay. The story is about using the computer to investigate a randomly chosen area of urban Wolverhampton. To finish the project I thought I would link the hub-Worcester to the area in Wolvo - a situationist idea.
2. I like the history and romance of the english civil war, I am going to trace the escape route of King Charles. Sad? I'm not sure if I'm going to be a cavalier or a roundhead yet?
Following my last debacle of a presentation, I'm going to try again, if I fail this time then I will leave this type of performance out of my practice, I'm a sucker, I keep making my life harder for myself.

np - Dr. Ventor & the R-Genome

2007-12-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

I don't think I'll be invited onto the Dimbleby lecture circuit anytime soon.
Hold on a minute he just quoted from Wikipedia - disruptive technologies : 'A disruptive technology or disruptive innovation is a technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing dominant technology or status quo product in the market. Disruptive innovations can be broadly classified into lower-end and new-market disruptive innovations. A new-market disruptive innovation is often aimed at non-consumption, whereas a lower-end disruptive innovation is aimed at mainstream customers who were ignored by established companies. Sometimes, a disruptive technology comes to dominate an existing market by either filling a role in a new market that the older technology could not fill (as more expensive, lower capacity but smaller-sized hard disks did for newly developed notebook computers in the 1980s) or by successively moving up-market through performance improvements until finally displacing the market incumbents (as digital photography has begun to replace film photography).

The future is going to be far more futuristic than previously expected.

np - the nightmare before Christmas

2007-12-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

My first assessed presentation was a humbling experience. I thought I had a grasp of some of the theories of the avant-garde but having completed a disastrous presentation, I'll feel glad to achieve/scrape a pass, all started well, but I was ill-prepared and my presentation collapsed with the absence of formatted slides and a text which I'd rushed together with little in-depth reading. On completing the presentation I was questioned about some of the details and asked questions in a 'viva' type two v one situation. Not a good day at the office, I'm resolved to do more reading, I'm hopeful that it will all fall into place and my essay will be more successful.

ch - I knew he would!

2007-12-04T03:39:00.001-08:00

As you may already know, last night the winner of the infamous Turner Prize was announced... it was of course Mark Wallinger for his Exhibition State Britain and his Turner Prize Exhibition piece Sleeper.

Congratulations to Mark.

ch - IKON Study visit

2007-11-29T04:09:00.000-08:00

Image(C)Alice Cattaneo

Yesterday we took a trip to the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham to view and discuss the work of artist Alice Cattaneo. I hadn't seen any leaflets or previews of this show so didn't really know what to expect. Added to that, she is a relatively young artist and this was her first show in Britain.

Entering the first room of the show you are presented with a large floor based sculpture made from wood and some sort of white plastic board. On closer inspection, one can see that it is infact foam mounting board which has been cut into various shapes, both regualr and geometric. Some almost look like sails, an Armarda sailing across the gallery floor. The thin wooden batons that go to make up the structure of the piece, are joined with nothing more than strips of gaffa tape (tm). There are bumps, scratches and other marks across the surface of the board. These, in our opinion were in no way deliberate and sort of took quite alot away from the piece. Not good.

Connected to the first room is a darkened space, on the far wall is projected a piece entitled The Singer 2004. A harshly edited piece involving a small blue paper figure who bends, folds and ultimately collapses overlain with a broken soundtrack of opera singing. It isn't a million miles away from being used on an Ice Cream advert. This piece made me laugh in it's almost slapstick combination of movement and sound.

The next room contained 1 more video projection and a Television looping 5 short video works. These pieces in my opinion didn't work as well as The Singer 2004 A group of seemingly white paper cubes are dragged and pushed around by a hand across a tabletop, arranging themselves into orderly rows and then exploding into disarray. It is quite obvious that part of the footage is reversed to achieve some of the effects, but still I hadn't taken anything from it. The other video of note involved a series of household objects being passed from one detached hand to another and after a pause were handed back. I really couldn't see what I was supposed to be taking form these works as they didn't seem to share anything apart for the crude way they had been edited.

Walking into the next and largest room of the show, you aren't some much presented as eventually notice a arrangement of mainly wooden sculptures. The first thng I noticed was a small piece of 2 x 4 about ten feet from the floor sticking out of the wall. It had been cut at an angle and appeared to have been forced through the plasterboard, almost like the Caddilac at the Hard Rock Cafe. In my opinion that was the best part of the show, although reading the literature and the small title panel on the wall, it wasn't a piece on its own - a missed oppoutunity. The other pieces were again tied and fixed with whatever the artist could find, gaffa tape, sandwich ties and bits of string and white tack. One piece hung from the iron bar that supports the ceiling and had the look of an explosion, another wall based sculpture made of curved wooden sticks intersected with straight rods sat alongside a plinth like piece made of wood with a stack of paper skewered with a metal rod. With all these pieces, there was a definite relationship to Constructivism, Futurism and Modernism. Whether that was deliberate or not I couldn't say but as we discussed, there was no possible way you couldn't bring that Art historical baggage with you when viewing this work.

The piece that really let the show down ws the corner floor sculture, which was again , a mixture of wooden batons, engineering bricks, gaffa tape and fishing line. The gaffa tape was the thing that really let the work down in my opinion, not so much the stuff that joins the batons together, but that which secured the fishing line to the wall. It looked a mess and wasn't adding anything to the work. Attached to the fishing line were small tabs of gaffa tape whose function was not clear. Were they defining that space? Would they create a shape as you move round the sculpture? No. They were added to the sculpture on the orders of the IKONs Health and Safety officer. I had lost all interest in this show by now. There were a series of video works in the tower room, although I have seen them, I don't want to take any more of your time by writing about them.

Like the old adage... There's a whole lot of nothing going on.

ch - Tutorial with Course Director

2007-11-29T03:53:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday at 4:00pm I had a tutorial with my course director. It was great, really informal. We talked about my work, what I had planned, anything and everything! He's a really nice bloke and one of the easiest people to talk to I've ever met. I showed him the proposals I had sent to the New Generation Arts people and he thought they were really really good! He said that he could tell that I had found my Language, both Artistic and visual, already. Something he said, takes some artists a long time to get to. I agree, I am very comfortable with the visual and artistic language that I use. Its not like I had to really search for it, it kind of just happens!

Through talking to him, It turns out that an ex-MA student from Margaret Street is now the creative director and events manager at Jodrell Bank Observatory, I am going to get in touch and see what happens! As always I will let you know how that goes!

I always come away from a tutorial with my tutors feeling positive and inspired and eager to get on with making work. Some students, if they get landed with the wrong tutor don't/can't develop their work to the extent they could because the tutor doesn't suit their practice. I am rather lucky in that respect.

ch - The Last CPA Lecture....

2007-11-29T03:52:00.000-08:00

Monday rolls around again and I find myself sat in the comfy chair zone at Uni again. You may remember that about 2 weeks ago I saw what I thought was a Rat scurry across the canteen floor along the heating pipes... Well, It turns out (after earwigging a conversation) that I'm not the only one to have seen him/her. Apparently the canteen lady had seen it this morning and ever since has refused to go down to that end of the canteen!

Anyway, today was the last CPA lecture that I have to attend, although the tutor is running another series of Philosophy lectures next semester which I may attend. This weeks lecture was partly about Animality in Art, interesting as it may be it was kind of a departure from what we had been learning about in the preceeding weeks. I have to say that I didn't find it as interesting and found myself zoning out from time to time imagining the portion of Cod and Chips that would be waiting for me on the journey home. Some of it was really interesting though, we returned to the discussion of the Lascaux Caves and the paintings therein - It didn't seem to make sense to start virtually a whole new topic in the last lecture, but then he mentioned he would be doing another set of lectures so this was a taster of things to come.

2007-11-28T14:20:00.001-08:00

np - My second review - published

2007-11-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

14 years ago I started art college and visited my first Turner Prize. Since then I have visited each and every year and of course, I have scrawled, doodled and drawn a cartoon in a note pad or sketchbook..

To mark the European Capital of Culture, Liverpool welcomes the Turner Prize. The short-listed artists are Zarina Bhimji, Nathan Coley, Mike Nelson and Mark Wallinger, the exhibition opened at the Tate Liverpool on the 19th October 2007 and runs until the 13th January with the winner being announced on the 3rd December.

Each year the Turner throws up some controversy, some years attract more column inches than others but in general this show polarizes us as artists and art lovers. Regardless, it never fails to stimulate debate with the ‘pro’ camp proclaiming it as one of the most important and prestigious awards for the visual arts in Europe, and the ‘anti’ camp; the Stuckists, the K Foundation and as the tabloid press would have it, the general public, all queue up to berate it as a waste of time and money.

So what’s topical this year? How about ‘Sleeper’, an epic (4 hours of footage) film of the artist Mark Wall¬inger dressed in a bear suit walking around the Neue Nationalgalerie at night. He walks, runs and stumbles like a sketch from Dom Joly’s Trigger Happy TV. This art act / performance is, and is intended to be, humorous however Wallinger’s work is always carefully considered in terms of answering national identity, social and political lines of enquiry. We think about Berlin, the Cold War hub of surveillance and espionage and a hot bed of political nationalism. We think about spies, sleepers in disguise and the bear, a national heraldic impe¬rialist symbol, running around lost and forlorn.

Mike Nelson re-visits a fictional narrative called ‘Amnesiac shrine’ in this installation piece, which isn’t what we have come to expect of Nelson. He usually makes space and fills it with found objects and clut¬ter, dust, chipboard and awkward spaces have made up previous environments. In this space we are sent in circles around a number of corridors and chambers that are minimalistic, identical and opposite - a white walled maze. Under-lying this is the fictional narrative dreamt up by the artist, a story of a Gulf War band of bikers. As you walk around the corridors you are invited to peer in through punched out holes in the walls, you see sand and lights like the desert environment of either the Gulf or a bikers Mid-Western American dream.

Zarina Bhimji’s exhibit consists of a series of photographs and a film. Zarina was born in Uganda, her work is deeply connected with East Africa, Zanzibar and India. The artist immersed herself in two years research into political policy, social economics and colonialism. She traveled the length and breadth of the Uganda railway, stopping at each station to record testimony of the locals and a sound track that features here in the mesmerizing film ‘Waiting.’ The film looks at a factory manufacturing rope from a natural material called sisal. The film uses soft focus and slow panning shots of the process. The photos that accompany the film are of walls and architecture, they feature as recurring themes and reflect a more violent nature in the societies depicted in the work.

Nathan Coley’s installation or sculpture, ‘there will be no miracles here’ is the only time a single piece has been nominated for the prize. It is a large fairground style illuminated sign on scaffolding, a French Royal decree made in the 17th century. Cole uses it to divide the room, here we cannot have miracles, over there it is fine. Cole’s exhibit is about boundaries and designation. As you enter and leave the room you are forced to crossover an artwork (threshold sculpture) and gallery staff tell the public to ‘mind the artwork.’. Nathan employs other pieces to strengthen these ideas, a model of a generic English house is emblazoned with the words Hope & Glory and photographs of confessional boxes are framed and then covered by a rect¬angle of black spray paint which denies the image underneath.

So there it is, two installations, photographs and two films, not a painting or bronze in sight, no plinths and no canvas. A brainy Turner Prize, concerned less with aesthetics, more with social existences - again this show will divide us as artists. I’d like to offer this, the 15th ‘Liverpool’ edition cartoon. Visit the exhibition, if not for the Turner Prize then for Tate Liverpool and if not for that, then for Liverpool 2008 European City of Culture.

np - Yoke & Zoom at the Brick moon

2007-11-26T13:10:00.001-08:00

np - Chris Hodson's entry to 'Brick Moon'

2007-11-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

chQ 2.

2007-11-22T04:23:00.000-08:00

Will the Art Market Bubble ever burst?