29/12/11

23/12/11

Roots
Torn
(scared)

HUNT
I hunt

(oh god)

23/12/11 (2)

Studio update 12/12/11 (belated)

Continuing to discuss place. Remembering past places and considering and predicting future places. Present places. Where am I?

14/12/11

I took my ladies to the sea
We had just pressed the shells into our bones
And we saw the queen in the sky
Gently revealing the treasures of her crowns
We took off all of our armour
Every last single drop of gold
And we banished the land
Lifted our bodies right up into the cold
Wilderness, in the darkest light
I called out to my brothers
‘Come join me in flight’
And the tears they did roll
From the salty sea, the rainy sky,
And the wide eyes the wide eyes
My heart it did swell
As the grandest of stars burst out names in the skies
I could see but a thousand
Of families and friends I had thought been long gone
And the thunder claps hands as I embrace them
And we howled out to every single last one

-Bat For Lashes; Wilderness

Hyper-reality

What is hyper-reality?

Art dictionaries say hyper-realism, superrealism, photorealism. Too good to be true. Truer than life. "High-fidelity realism", "Minute and impersonal exactitude".

Simulation of reality, something 'too real', so it no longer is reality/ Ideal? Ideal form?

(Wiki):
"Hyperreality is used in semiotics and postmodern philosophy to describe a hypothetical inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced postmodern societies. Hyperreality is a way of characterising what our consciousness defines as 'real' in a world where a multitude of media can radically shape and filter an original event of experience."

Jean Baudrillard
Albert Borgmann
Daniel Boorstin
Umberto Eco

"The simulation of something which never really existed"
-Jean Baudrillard

"The authentic fake"
-Umberto Eco

"The virtual irreality"
-Pater Sparrow

-Reality
-Simulation
-Copy
-Consciousness
-'Real', defining what is 'real'.


Simulacrum
"A term from Greek Platonic philosophy that meant a copy of a copy of an ideal form. In postmodernist thought, particularly through the writings of Gilles Deleuze and Jean Baudrillard, the term has been revived in the context of arguments about the relationship between an original work of art and its replication. For Baudrillard the simulacrumm takes precedence over the origical, with the effect that the original is no longer relevant."

-(Wilson, S. Lack, J. (2008) The Tate Guide to Modern Art Terms. London: Tate Publishing)

How does hyperreality relate to my practice?

Discussing memory, places from memory in an idealistic way.
Recreating something from memory...
Romanticizing?? Making something as real that is too perfect.... Complete... to be real.
Lying. Romanticizing.
Exploring my mind... place through my mind.
Presenting something as truth that is takes from memory, or souvenirs...

Lies, makebelieve
Replaces truth.

The Big Walk

Nebula; 24 hours with 'The Clock'

The difference a day makes; 24 hours with ‘The Clock’
By Jess Young

I, like most people that have had the pleasure of visiting British Art Show 7, have been especially intrigued by Christian Marclay’s ‘Clock’; a video piece that runs for a full 24 hours. Although it basically, for all practical purposes, is a working clock, it is incredibly difficult to tear yourself away from. This film is made from several thousand film clips of varying lengths, which took Marclay 2 years to track down and put together. It also runs in real time, so whatever the time is that you’re watching it, you can guarantee it says so on the screen. If nothing else, this piece of work is a miracle of video editing, but there is more to it than that; Marclay, in building this artwork, has managed to transform a completely routine action- looking at the clock- into something spectacular, and at all times gripping.

A strange thing that The Clock does to you, even when just spending a few minutes with it, is that it makes you feel nervous about time. Perhaps that’s just me, but I found that on my previous visits, in the time that I was viewing this film, being constantly aware of the time made me very anxious about how long I was spending in there watching it. It’s an odd thing, being directly confronted by time as you are living it, and being sat in a room actively and intentionally watching the minutes of your pass on by. I had to limit myself, on my visits, to a set period of time that I would leave after so as not to waste my life in front of the television, as it were. Is Christian Marclay deliberately commenting on these anxieties that come with being constantly made aware of the time? There’s a lot of pressure put on being somewhere, being on time, keeping busy; time is money after all, as Benjamin Franklin so famously observed.

So, I decided to do the only reasonable thing that I could, and go to the full screening on October 22nd and view the whole 24 hours, every minute- perhaps to find out exactly why this piece is so mesmerising; to explore my own feelings about time, and to experiment with my perceptions of what time means exactly; as an abstract concept, but also its role within my own life.

I went to view this piece with my friend and colleague Didge Dowley, and we arrived at the Slaughterhouse-One of the five BAS7 venues in Plymouth- as prepared as we could be for what we were about to put ourselves through. I had also done my best the day before to ready myself for this event, so determined was I to last the full 24 hours; I took the afternoon off and tried to relax as much as I could. I didn’t eat or drink- one of the practical considerations that has to be put in place when preparing to enter a room at noon one day, and not leave until noon the next- and despite being slightly nervous and apprehensive I was actually very excited to just get started.

The first eight hours or so rolled by very quickly and steadily for me, and time flowed in a way that it never can in the ‘outside world’- thoughts about what I would usually be doing at this time, or about how long exactly an hour is, started to melt away. In fact, despite the focus of this film being time and the theme of time being entirely inescapable while watching it, time actually lost a lot of its meaning. It became irrelevant in a way, because I knew very well that for 24 hours I had nothing to do and nowhere to be, except right there watching this film. I’ve had to consider the possibility that time is only relevant when you are forced to actively engage with it- making it ‘on time’ to appointments or meetings- but when just spending time with yourself it actually has very little meaning at all- we rely more on our instincts, and our ‘internal clocks’. I know that I, personally, couldn’t tell you what time of day I usually eat or go to sleep, and I’ve never felt the need to know, but when involved with people outside of my small world I am (almost) always absolutely punctual. Perhaps time is only important when you have to ‘keep on top of it’, as though it’s a constant opposing force.

A very interesting thing about this film, that you don’t necessarily pick up on when you just see a few minutes at a time, is that not only do the clips selected reference time with the presence of a timepiece or a mention of that time of day, but they also communicate with and roll off of one another; through cross-over of audio, but also through various themes; for example the workplace, people speaking on telephones, making breakfast... The way that this has been done allows you to create new narratives within this film, so that it becomes not only about following time, but also about witnessing and becoming involved in these stories and alternative realities.

Actually, there’s really no getting away from it; this is an absolutely outstanding film and artwork. Not only is it thoroughly enjoyable, but it is totally accessible and has something that everyone can relate to- time is a universal theme, and it means something to all of us. I think, aside from the fact that it is faultlessly executed, this is why it has been such a popular piece of art, both on its own and within the British Art Show.

One thing about watching ‘The Clock’ for 24 hours, and actually a big thing, was that it was hard. I could lie and say that the brilliance of this film- and it is brilliant- made the hours just whizz by; indeed they did go by quickly at times, and certainly passed in an unusual way, but 24 hours is still 24 hours, and that’s a very long time to do just one thing for. There were points during the night where I actually really wrestled with the decision of whether or not to stay for the films entirety, and I think that what really kept me there was the knowledge, not only that it would definitely end at 12 noon- time is reliable like that- but also that if I left, I probably wouldn’t get another opportunity to watch the whole thing. It’s a peculiar thing to consider that the majority of this fantastic film will only ever be seen by a small handful of people; but then, I suppose it is in that way like 24 hours in the real world where the twilight hours are missed by most.

The physical discomfort that came with viewing this film in its entirety was more frustrating though than it was anything else, because it’s very difficult to separate yourself from. You can restrict your bodily functions and sit down on a hard floor for 24 hours, and it’s very do-able, but it’s far from pleasant. When you’re concerned with your own body, and with feeling uncomfortable, it’s very hard to commit entirely to anything else. When I wanted to be completely devoted to watching this film, especially in the last few hours, I too often felt distracted and detached. There were times when I began to wonder whether Marclay had even intended for his film to be watched from beginning to end, because it certainly wasn’t an easy experience, and it’s far from a natural thing to do. I certainly found myself for a short time, ridiculously, wishing that the film could just be just 12 instead of 24 hours; this being no comment on the artwork of course, because it never stopped being engaging or fascinating, only on how much your body can happily endure in a day.

That being said however, despite the unpleasant aspects of this experience, it was incredible, and given the opportunity to do it again (and I hope that one day I am), I would. I think there’s something strange that happens when you challenge your mind and body, even if it is just for one day, which allows you so much more lucidity about what it is that you’re experiencing. After all of this, even if nothing else, I certainly feel that I have a stronger grasp of what 24 hours actually means- in terms of bodily requirements (or in this case, refusing them), in terms of discomfort and how that’s something we’ll usually go out of our way to avoid, and especially with regards to how much can happen; how many actions can be carried out within the stretch of 24 hours. But there is also more to it than that. Marclay has made a beautiful film here, and even just viewing it for a few minutes at a time is a beautiful experience, and one that I hope will be witnessed by as many as possible, even if not for hours on end.

The Clock, with the rest of British Art Show 7, remains in Plymouth until December 4th 2011. Find it at the Slaughterhouse, Royal William Yard.

Nebula 3

Well, it's been several months of not always good times (mostly not), but now I can finally say that the Nebula project is definitely over, and not a day too soon.
The third and final issue of the Nebula series came out this week, and focuses on feedback from and reflecting on the experience of being a British Art Show 7 host city. This issue was a collaboration between us, the CURA200 PCA team who created the second newspaper, and YPAC who worked on the first and included many interviews and comments from people that have visited, been a part of or worked with BAS7.
You'll be able to pick up this final Nebula all over Plymouth I'm sure within a few days.
For now I'm just going to celebrate it finally being over, and reflect for myself on BAS7 and these crazy past few months before it closes tomorrow for another 5 years, when it will return, reborn once again.

10/12/11

From: Jess Young
Sent: 10 December 2011 07:56:01
To: didge


Good morning!

I imagine you will already be on your way to me as I write this, but I am awake, and excited, so I am emailing!
I think I have everything packed- there seems to be quite a lot, and I did try only to pack the essentials!
As far as art stuff goes I only have three kinds of paper, pens and pencils and masking tape. Again, I thought those were the basics. I also have two cameras- the beast if the weather's nice, the waterproof camera if it's not!
Still undecided on my coat/jacket as it's v dark out there, but I'll bring both, because my fleecey one is so warm and cosy + will do for camping/the next day as well. I've also packed a pair of soft jeans and my ugly jumper to get changed into, as well as cooling leg gel and foot cream!

Gosh, I hope I've remembered everything!

I only have two pairs of spare walking socks.. I think the rest must be in the wash because I've been wearing my doc martens all week... but I'm sure that'll be fine anyway. And then a nice cosy pair for after the walk I'm so looking forward to camping! The last tiem I went camping was when I was 12 with Jen, and it was that week that we became really good friends. We had an awful time though! This will be supremely better. Still don't have tissues, mustn't forget tissues.
I'm also trying hard to think of myself, ourselves, going out into the depths of Cornwall not just as prepared walkers, but as working artists.
What I need to take from this walk. What I want to document, but also feel and experience. I'm so terrified of missing anything!

I've just checked the weather again, and it's a little windier and cloudier, but still no rain, and about 10 degrees, so we can't complain at that. I have faith that we'll still be able to enjoy the moon- the wind will blow all of those clouds away. And we will be pagans and travellers dancing under the sky and exploring our excellent country.

Right. You will be here in half an hour or so, so I will use my last few minutes to make sure all is well and I'm ready to gogogo.

See you soon for our magnificent adventure!

Jessxxxxx


> From: didge
> Subject: packing oh gawd packing
> Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 23:47:07 +0000
> To: Jess Young
>
> Hey there
> I am still gathering stuff and I want to go to bed.
> I got a lighter, pencil sharpener, plastic bags lots, art gear,
>
> Going to get changed at Kensa's for the walk. Pj's pillow. Tattys, organic squash, tinfoil waterproofs, two pairs of boots, Alcohol, 20 socks, coconut body cream, dove soap, soft warm hanging out clothes, hula reminder (have to dance for the full moon).etc etc
>
> Right going to finish tomorrow
> Night, night.
> xx

Studio update 09/12/11

Printing today.
Celesteal and soft against the earthbound, dusty, green, solid.
The spirit and the sky.
A shared sky.
Images more delicate than I had expected. Newsprint.
Paste into dioramas?
Layers. Layers and layers of so many things and thoughts and memories.
It can often be anti-climatic, printing. But not today.
Images, ambiguous, palimpsest. Place over place over place.
YES!
Bringing all of these places together in a safe and sad and comforting way, and making imagery.
And I am happy, because I can do this, and it makes it all a little easier to understand- one shred at a time.

Studio update 07/12/11

Bring all of these places of significance together to create something that can be held and explored, and that isn't so fragmented.
Horizon/sky/journey
Shared space
Collective landscape

Space walk with dice

My City

Task for Time [Space] + the Everyday:

My city:
On a postcard- found, bought or made- please decribe 'your city'.
This could be a real or imagined city, the place you are happiest, a place you cannot stand, the place where you feel most at home. It could be the place you inhabit in cyberspace, the place you desire to be in. It could be your flat. It could be your village.

You could:
Describe it. Or draw it.
Describe your feelings about it.
What is it that makes this city your city?
What is a city?


"Don't be too hasty in trying to find a definition of the town; it's far too big and there's every chance of getting it wrong."
-Georges Perec

City isn't defined by size or population or how urban a place is. That I know- What is isn't. But how can you decide what it is? It could be all of these things as well.

My city is my Dad's back yard, there I spent three months in bare feet, living in the forest and loving the dust.




Dad's back yard.
I have written many postcards from here.
I remember it dry and DUSTY. My place.
Outside. Iced tea. Deer. Cats, lots of cats. Knitting. Writing. Making charcoal. Cooking. Parties. Collecting.
Bare-footed.
This is where I live.
(When I imagine myself away, this is where I go to.)
My city

Studio update 05/12/11

It's strange, but it feels as though now BAS7 has gone, I've finally got myself back. No other obligations or distractions. It's time to be an artist again.







Imaginary landscapes
-Creating a world that I can inhabit.

Working from my criteria of places of signficance- creating new places.
Simple places- a line, a feeling, a colour. But it means all of these things that I've been trying to grasp.

Exhibition: Bridgette Ashton

A show that I've been extradordinarily excited by is Bridgette Ashton at Plymouth Arts Centre- sadly ending today.
I rolled across it by accident this week and am furious with myself that I didn't go to the PV, and then go and see it every day after!
He work is a nostalgic, sensual, obsessive exploration of place and archiving. Exploring defunct places, creating new narratives within them, collecting and getting excited! Everything that I love.
The current show consists of large and small models, framed prints, found items, and zines. It's a fantastic collection that you are welcome to explore and make connections for yourself. You get a real feel for the places that she's describing, and want to know more!

A very exciting show. I will certainly be running back there today before it closes.

04/12/11

There are two things that I can talk about. Place- Specific place- Geographically. Maps, names, specific memories. I can do that and be very literal and tour-guidey... Which might be easier to understand... easier to present to other people...

Or.

I can talk about place in another way; in THE other way. Discuss the criteria of significance, and talk about dampness and the experience of travelling and trying to find places that resonate in the right way. And I think if that's intangible and woolly... Well it just has to be fine. Because I think that's the right thing to do.

Presence of a sea or otherwise; this is the bare bones of it.


Either one or two lines between where I stand, and the sky.

My week in Laugharne

I think keeping a record is important, however you do it. A souvenir that you can keep and use to preserve your memories. And invent new ones, once the old ones have died.




Learning to make books is the most useful thing I've done in ages.

Nebula; Come to Ours

Fringe event: Come to Ours
By Jess Young

Come to Ours is a series of artist-led fringe events and activities, run by and comprising of Neil Rose, Rachel Dobbs, Hannah Jones, Mark James, Chris Green, Bryony Gillard and Beth Richards. There have been six strands of Come to Ours running alongside British Art Show 7; A Circle (Now finished), The Library of Independent Exchange (Now finished, but returning to Plymouth College of Art Viewpoint Gallery in February 2012), Plymouth Aural Survey, Video Takeaway, Would You Like This Badge?, and The Fireplace Gallery. Having spoken with Neil Rose of Come to Ours, the feeling that you get, despite each of these events being very different in content, is of the overriding desire to welcome ‘outsiders’, visitors to BAS7, into our city, and into perhaps the more intimate, friendly face of Plymouth’s art scene; as he put it, to “assist people who don’t know the city, to navigate the city... assist them in achieving those things that they need.” In many ways, from what I gather, the projects are to be viewed as an absolute beginner’s guide to Plymouth; the artists involved are confirming for you the takeaways that it’s okay to eat from, and the pubs that it’s okay to drink in, inviting you into their homes, and telling you a bit about the People of Plymouth.

My own experience of the Come to Ours program is that it offers a much more inviting, less rigid art experience- most of them giving the viewer the opportunity to also become a participant in these art activities, and actually a wholly different experience to that of the British Art Show, and the expectation of viewing art within the typical gallery space.
The Come to Ours activities have been very varied, and have included Performance art, or more accurately art with performative aspects as in A Circle, an independent arts library; L.I.E, and a tongue-in-cheek take on the classic white gallery space, at the Fireplace Gallery where you can view micro-exhibitions every Sunday.

BAS7 may be drawing to a close, but have no fear, if you’re quick you can still experience a lot of what Come to Ours have to offer;
Plymouth Aural Survey can be experienced online at www.PlymouthAuralSurvey.co.uk;
The Library of Independent Exchange is over for now, but will return to Plymouth at PCA Viewpoint Gallery from the beginning of February 2012;
You can catch the Video Takeaway at Ali Baba’s New York Express Mon-Thurs 7pm-close, and at Jakes Fri-Sat 7pm-close right up until December 3rd;
Would You Like This Badge? Will be running until December 4th at The Fortescue, The Seymour Arms, The Nowhere Inn, Ride Café, and B-Bar, though if you do actually want a badge, you’d better get there quick!
And finally, the Fireplace Gallery will still be putting on microcosmic exhibitions until 4th December- Every Sunday from 3-6pm. Contact the Fireplace at Fireplace-gallery@live.co.uk if you would like to visit.
More information can be found on the Come to Ours website at www.CometoOurs.co.uk

21/11/11

Dylan Thomas' writing shed.

19/11/11

"Images detached from every aspect of life merge into a common stream, and the former unity of life is lost forever. Apprehended in a partial way, reality unfolds in a new generality as a pseudo-world apart, solely as an object of contemplation. The tendency toward the specialization of images-of-the-world finds its highest expression in the world of the autonomous image, where deceit deceives itself. The spectacle in its generality is a concrete inversion of life, and, as such, the autonomous movement of non-life."
-Guy Debord

“What speaks to us is seemingly is always the big event, the untoward, the extraordinary; the front page splash, the banner headlines. Railway trains only begin to exist when they are derailed, and the more passengers that are killed, the more the trains exist. Aeroplanes achieve existence only when they are hijacked. The one and only destiny of motor-cars is to drive into plane trees. The daily papers talk of everything except the daily.”
-Georges Perec

Time for a rest

I thought it was a clock because of time + everything that's happened. But it's not. It's me + my short journeys and challenges + false starts. Stopping + starting. Hesitating. Wanting to do everything + be everywhere all at once.

+ when I go away and don't worry about all of the bad stuff or tiring stuff + can explore all of these things at once, but in a way that makes sense to me.
Then everything will be okay.

Studio update 16/11/11

Jane says documenting and recording.
Find something on a rootle, and document it. And have both. And then move on.
She says there will be connections between the things that I like, that circle around the currently undefineable subject matter.

Studio update 16/11/11

Jane says documenting and recording.
Find something on a rootle, and document it. And have both. And then move on.
She says there will be connections between the things that I like, that circle around the currently undefineable subject matter.

Platform P- Fuller summary

My experience of Platform P was a varied one, as I took on so many roles for the performance weekend. Not only was I an artist exhibiting within the hotel, but I was also one of very few who was also assisting and invigilating throughout. Because of this, my experience of showing art, and being a part of my artwork turned out not to be the most important or difficult part of the weekend for me, in fact it barely came into it, which is perhaps a shame as I had hoped it would be an exciting opportunity for me, and also a learning experience. Though I think it still was the latter.

Firstly, the experience of invigilating; sadly not an excellent one for me, and hopefully not what you would usually expect to get from invigilating- or I’m sure nobody would do it! Unfortunately, the room that I was watching was not only housing my work, but also that of two other artists; one whose work I knew very well, fellow student and artist Kensa Rescorla, the other I had not encountered before that Saturday morning , and didn’t even know their surname, let alone how to explain their work to curious viewers. The artist in question was also not present at the hotel over the weekend, and I felt that as their work was something that very much had to be manipulated, that the person minding it really needed to know how the artist wanted this done- which nobody seemed to. I felt, as an artist, that this was an issue, knowing how particular I am about my own work. Without wanting to deliberately criticize the artist, I did feel that the work could have been greatly improved with minimal alteration- and these could be made just by confirming with the artist what they actually wanted, rather than just guessing. Or perhaps I'm being presumptuous, and it was executed exactly as the artist wanted. If so...

Of course, it was also a very long and tiring day- I believe the rooms opened at about 11am, and didn’t close until 6pm. Having to be present for the entire day also limited how much of the show I was able to view- A quick whizz around to try and see most of the rooms before I was summoned back was the best I could manage. Finally, when the hotel rooms closed up for the night I was free... to go off and assist performers. Actually, this was a much more interesting and pleasant experience, especially as both of the artists that I was assisting were incredibly friendly and polite, and a pleasure to be around.

The first was Nicola Canavan, who’s very beautiful performance in the ballroom included a bit of piercing, so for health and safety reasons I was required to clean up afterwards. This aside, my part was very minimal- making sure all of the props arrived, holding things, running around a b it. But it was actually a really nice experience after the long day I’d had, having people talk to me as an equal, and being able to enjoy myself. I was also able to watch the whole performance, which was a pleasure.

After that in the evening, Didge and I were working in shifts ushering for the fascinating Francesca Steele as she performed one-to-ones in her hotel room. This was a very interesting thing to do, and actually felt like performance itself. The artist wanted the corridor outside her room to be hushed and dark, and as the ‘clients’ arrived for their performance they were seated, reassured if necessary, and then ushered into the room in silence. Francesca was very specific about how we were to address the visitors, and having also witnessed her one-to-one in the room, I can see very well how this procedure contributed to the whole experience. To look at the performance from a curatorial standpoint, you could see very much how Francesca was deliberately curating it in this way in order to have maximum impact, and also realness from her piece. Another artist who was absolutely lovely to work with.

It was a mixed weekend that left me very drained, and not feeling very much like an artist, which was a pity. But I am very new to the game, and though I can’t guarantee that my experiences will improve, I can certainly learn what to expect, and what I’m not happy to work with.

Amended sneaky toolkit

Didge's preparations made me realise that I've left out all of the important stuff. Please find below a more appropriate sneaker's toolkit.

False glasses
Knitted finger disguise
Electrical tape
One wooden peg
Disguised eraser
Hotel showercap
Copy of Under Milk Wood
Notebook
Paper circles, tags and post-it notes
The Big Sneak Documentary Book
Sonic Screwdriver
Dictaphone with D.I.Y strap
Two bandit masks; one home made, one slightly stolen
One single serving of each coffee and tea
Bright orange camera
Generic black bag
One very ordinary black biro

I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I'm had to dress smartly, and it's generally something that I deliberately avoid, so this has been tricky. But this evening, right at the back of my wardrobe, there it was... a blouse! Slight change to option 4, here is option 6, and I think the most appropriate.
Except that in a blog that Didge just posted I was left to consider that perhaps looking like human ambience isn't the most important thing, but adopting a real persona, in this case that of a detective is more important. And now I just don't know.
Big Sneak tomorrow, I'd better make some decisions soon.

The Big Sneak

AND
The Kit:
One very ordinary black biro
-(The kind you tuck into shirt pockets)
One very ordinary black dictaphone
-(Which will be tied around my neck and secreted beneath my shirt nonetheless)
One very ordinary lined notebook
One bright orange camera
-(Which will be secreted...somewhere)

To question the habitual. But that’s just it, we’re habituated to it. We don’t question it, it doesn’t question us, it doesn’t seem to pose a problem, we live it without thinking, as if carried within it neither questions nor answers, as if it weren’t the bearer of any information. This is no longer even conditioning, it’s anaesthesia. We sleep through our lives in a dreamless sleep. But where is our life. Where is our body. Where is our space?

-Georges Perec

Documentary artefact of the preparation (and the event) of the Big Sneak.

We haven't done it yet, but I feel like the preparation and considerations are becoming more important and exciting possibly than the actualisation.
I said to Didge earlier; Maybe is partly performance, but also a research project. We are off out gathering and preparing and collecting and exploring and laughing and being silly because we can. And that's interesting.
And at the end I shall have this book that will tell me all about it. And the other journies that we go on, will they follow this same template?

The Big Sneak- Preparation

How to look inconspicuous in a hotel?

#1
Casual. Unnoticable in a usual public space, not memorable. However, in thehotel environment will I be noticed and look out of place? Possibly too casual and therefore could arouse suspicion. Benefits: Comfort, movement; if I need to move fast or hide in a small space, this ensemble makes that possible.
#2
Smart-casual. Possibly working a job with no strict dress-code, but smart enough. Staying at hotel for conference/meeting? An unusual outfit though, and might be too memorable. Benefits: potentially mistakable for business-person.
#3
Semi-formal. Could be going to a party or a function, which would give me reason for staying in the hotel. Unusual dress, however easy to make up lies about my presence in the hotel. Cons: Does not allow for easy movement, quite memorable. Moderately expensive.
#4
Smart-slob. Possibly less noticeable than smart-casual, and easy to move around in. Neutral colours, more likely to 'blend in', and move about unnoticed. Benefits: Comfortable, probably suits my demeanor more than the others. A good choice.
#5
Super-slob. Just rolled out of bed and looking for breakfast. Very very very casual. Pros: Very easy to pretend that I'm staying in the hotel. Cons: Very very noticeable, especially in the plush surroundings. Might raise suspicion, and if I'm questioned about where/why I'm staying I'll need a darn good lie.

What does everyone else think?

Neil Rose talks about Come to Ours

Didge Dowley: I really enjoyed coming on Sunday, I thought it was a really lovely experience actually.

Neil Rose: I’m glad you liked it.

D: I think it gave a whole different perspective on how you view art, which BAS7 doesn’t do.

Jess Young: I think all of the things that we’ve looked at that Come to Ours do has a very different feel to a lot of BAS7 and a lot of other fringe activities- more intimate, less rigid.

N: That was our overriding desire with all of these activities. We specifically made these 6 activities because we’re coming from a place where all of us involved in Come to Ours; Neil Rose, Rachel Dobbs, Hannah Jones, Mark James, Chris Green, Bryony Gillard, Beth Richards, essentially have all had experience of just landing in cities for things exactly like BAS7. So we were like ‘how do we assist people who don’t know the city, to navigate the city? How do we assist them in achieving those things that they need?’ So video takeaway for sure is based on supplying places to go and eat- endorsing places where it’s okay to go and eat, by just having a curated program of films in there. Also Low Profile’s badge project is about identifying 5 pubs that it’s okay to go and drink in.

J: So the Come to Ours program is like a tour guide?

N: Pretty much yeah, to Plymouth. And it is about welcoming people to Plymouth, and assisting them while they’re there. In this kind of art way.

D: Have you had lots of visitors come, tourist that have come specifically o see the British Art Show that have come across Come to Ours?

N: I think the video takeaway may be the most successful for that. Obviously it’s very hard to count audience figures to takeaways... the badge project as well, it’s surprising, you see people... I’m tuned in to seeing these badges. You see builders walking around with like four badges. We have had people turn up at our door, and when they come we make them a cup of tea.. Even between tea and cake events... if somebody turns up we make them a cup of tea. It’s really nice to offer that window into Plymouth’s art world for anyone that wants to have a look really.

J: There’s been a lot of talk about BAS7’s accessibility, about going into a gallery, these places being quite an intimidating thing, so especially the Fireplace Gallery is a very different look at what a gallery space can be, and inviting people to view art in a really different, more familiar atmosphere.

N: We’ve obviously adhered to a certain level of convention for a gallery... it was really important to us to get the vinyl lettering... And you know, it’s totally unnecessary...

J: But that’s really nice, it’s sort of tongue-in-cheek

N: Absolutely... and you do know that everybody who was invited to submit for an open call has stayed in our house, and that was really important to us as well. And that’s important that they would understand the domestic nature of the gallery... Make works that directly respond to that. So all the works are really small scale...

D: Intimate. That’s what I found, intimate and warm. So for me it really did tick a box that I’ve not experienced art in such an environment before.
So are you hoping to carry it on?

N: We’ve tried to have meetings to discuss the future of Come to Ours, and none of us at the moment are certain. We do need to have a bit of a comedown. But me and Hannah are making a commitment to continue the Fireplace Gallery in some way- but we need time to work it out.. Because obviously this part of it has been funded, so how to make it sustainable, and self-sustainable, whereas while we’re not interested in making a profit, or taking a profit, we do need to not be investing our own money into ensuring that it happens.
So we’re having meetings with other artist-led spaces to discuss with them and talk about the potential future of it. But we’re definitely going to do it... It just for sure wouldn’t be as regular.

D: Do you know if there are other people in other cities where the British Art Show has been that have done something similar to what you guys are doing?

N: I have no idea, but the whole artist led activity is not a new thing. In South Brent (one c???), were opening their house to people and having full on events. And that was going on for a number of years, and they only stopped when they moved to Devon, and then they took that collective and moved it to a different... (?) Experiencing art in people’s houses I think is a very traditional method of experiencing art. Collectives frequently will allow people into their houses to see work, so maybe this is something that’s been forgotten possibly, in the formalised nature of today’s art.

D: I should think a lot of people don’t believe they can see art in people’s houses; aren’t even aware of the fact that they can. They recognise the fact that they can go to a museum or art gallery, but probably wouldn’t go because they don’t want to... But this whole world, this underground world of houses...

N: It’s a similar experience to some of the streets in London. There are galleries in the street, essentially someone’s house, and you ring on the door... It’s the same thing. But absolutely, you have to know about it really. You have to be initiated. Esoteric, that’s the word.

J: Has this been something that you’ve worked with before- These people people/ideas about Plymouth?

N: Yeah... I mean the group of us have never worked together before, but we’ve become very good friends. But Bryony brought us all together... Was like ‘look guys, do you want to meet up, and we’ll discuss... do stuff for the Fringe.’ Because she knew British Art Show was coming before British Art Show was coming. And she knew, rather shrewdly, that if we all came together that we’d have much more weight in getting a collective Arts Council funding. We couldn’t have done any of it without the money. Well, we had a b-plan, but that was a much more scaled down version of it. But we didn’t need the b-plan.

D: How long did it take to prepare?

N: A year and a half

D: So you were a year and a half ahead of going for the funding... Planning ahead?

N: within the city I think we were 6-8 months ahead of most people.

J: Is that just because you knew about BAS7?

N: Pretty much... maybe we did have a bit of a sly insider. But also, Photo Now, and... a year before it came we had a meeting with all of the Plymouth arts groups., and we just sat down and said ‘this thing’s coming, what do we do?’; And we all just decided that we would just do our own things- there’s no point in making a collective Fringe chair.. Because Plymouth’s too small for that. So if we just did all our activities then people would just find it. There’s no reason for us to waste further money trying to promote these things in a collective way. But that’s also why me and Rachel made the website, the Fringe website, as a self-maintaining Fringe resource.

J: What about the Plymouth Aural Survey?

N: That was kind of a one-shot thing. So me and Donna Howard stood in the city centre for 7 hours, and we stopped anyone who was wearing headphones, asked them a series of relatively stupid questions, just to get them into the mode of a survey, and recorded 20 seconds of what they were listening to. And it kind of just is what it is basically. You could view it in many different ways; as a bit of a mapping project, as a weirdly voyeuristic project... But ultimately it is just mapping of people moving through the city centre based on what they’re listening to.

J: I think voyeuristic is great, because in a lot of ways that’s what Come to Ours is about... Peeping into what you do.

N: Into the hidden-ness... But in a welcoming way. I think that’s key to it all- this notion of welcoming people into a city. Actually a city that none of us in Come to Ours are from, but have all chosen to work in, and are all very fond of this city. And I think that’s an interesting thing in itself because there may not have been a generation of artists who have got to our age, or our point in our careers who have stayed in Plymouth before. So they get to our point and they go to London, or they go to Bristol, you know, we’re choosing to stay here.

J: Make it a happening place.

N: So there’s why there’s this whole massive change, because it’s not just us, there are lots of other people as well at a similar point in their careers who are still here, who haven’t moved out. And that’s why we’re getting this quite large, more recent flux of art activity.

D: With your help

N: With everybody’s help- everybody works together. And that’s the thing, that’s really nice. That’s why maybe some of the more official venues, official committees potentially aren’t delivering what they should be. And that’s why all of us, artist led groups have come together and are working together, because all we have... our interest is in ensuring that art happens in Plymouth. We’re not interested... Because we don’t need to do that whole ‘I’m a star’, because that stuff comes from the more official committees.

J: Could you tell us a bit about A Circle? (Which has now finished)

N: A Circle was curated by Beth Richards and Bryony Gillard. They curated an exhibition of female artists primarily in performative mediums. And what they were keen not to do was generate a show based on performance, but on performative actions. So there’s quite a lot of video work, drawings, sound stuff.

D: You had a stage in there...

N: there was a stage... at the stage at 1:30 every day, Selena Taylor, wherever she was in the world would get on her laptop, they would connect via Skype, and she’d sing a song. Every day she sang the same song. So if she was on a bus, she’d have to get her laptop out...

Platform P at the Duke

So Platform P is over with for another year... (?), and what an interesting weekend it's been.
Unfortunately, help invigilator-wise was very thin on the ground, so I was locked up in my hotel room (that I was not staying in)for the near entirety of the event. From what I gather though, having taken a lightening-quick tour of the other rooms, it was a varied and unique show. I was able to make the most of the performances on the Saturday evening which was fantastic, and certainly the most exciting part of the event, and I had the pleasure of seeing some really interesting pieces- my highlight being the fascinating Francesca Steele's one-on-one, who, with Didge, I was also ushering for; an experience in itself.
I was unable to take any photographs myself, but fortunately for me somebody else did, and I've managed to get my hands on a couple of my piece.




That's all for now. I'll see if I can work on a fuller review/description of the show; all in good time. For now there are (always) things to be getting on with.

"THE BIG SNEAK"

We are detectives
We tell lies
We are in disguise
We can hide
We are harmless
We will notice everything
We will note everything
We won't be sussed
We are sneaky



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