Work In Progress
I have been pushing a chest of drawers down the stairwell of my flat, repairing it, and then pushing it down again. I plan to repeat this until the object is completely transformed and unrecognisable. The video above shows the beginnings of this process, however I hope that, after many more falls, the object itself will sculpturally embody this cycle of breaking and repairing. I want to question our relationship to our objects, not only to our prized possessions but to furniture like this, which tends to be viewed as disposable as it is not built to last. Normally a crack or break would be a vulnerable point, but for these drawers, made of chipboard and veneer, the glued parts are the toughest. Is it possible that after enduring so much damage it will actually end up stronger? In some ways the drawers represent a life of a person as much as that of an object.
Free Fabrication
The markings on this pair of work jeans were collected over a three month period spent working on other art students projects. A poster was used to advertise this service, and lots of students from across the art school got in touch. Some of the jobs were fabricating display objects, whilst other people requested work on the artworks themselves. However the majority of the jobs were actually accompanying keen yet inexperienced makers who were intimidated by the workshop environment. It was surprising how little structures were in place within the art school to encourage hands on practice, but then again unsurprising considering a laptop takes up less space than a sculpture. The jeans became a uniform, exploring the relationship between art and labour. As the condition of the jeans deteriorated, the practical skillset of those involved strengthened.
Art on the Lease
This exhibition at the New Glasgow Society brought together forty-three artworks from rental properties around Glasgow. Lots of these artworks are usually spend their lives in cupboards, where they stay out of sight but within the terms of the tenancy agreement. Not all of these artworks are unloved by their tenants, and some are proudly displayed around the home, but none of the work on display had been chosen. In the style of the “Salon des Refusés”, this exhibition showcased a category of art that is typically disdained by galleries but that many people have to live with. “Art on the Lease” compares the often decorative function of art in the home, to the often critical function of art in the gallery. Most of these artworks hold a unique value to their temporary owners, who tend to care for them out of a desire for their deposit as opposed to a genuine appreciation. The collection also explores wider issues around the lack of agency for tenants during the UK housing crisis.
The Hot Water Bottle Machine
This machine was made for a group outdoor exhibition at Lang Craigs in collaboration with The National Trust. The show occurred in early march on a Scottish hill and so the purpose of the machine was to provide a source of warmth and comfort for the visitors as they viewed the other work around the site. This warmth was not only in the water, but in the time and care that went into the project. The machine and its operator filled, capped, and distributed the hot water bottles in an elaborate and absurd way. The domestic covers of the hot water bottles that were lovingly crocheted by volunteers contrasted with the industrial steel mechanics of the machine that was then taken in by the unforgiving landscape which rusted the frame.
Warburtons Thick Sliced White
Sewing things up used to be essential but now it is a hobby. Baking bread used to essential but now it is a hobby. The more processes that are done for us, the less there is to do with our hands and so the more appreciated the act of spending time with an object becomes. The intrinsic value and care in mending can easily get lost in an efficiency driven world, where a loaf of bread can so quickly be sliced yet so slowly be sewn back together again.