Exhibition at Bzzz Gallery

The Time In Which Nothing Happens Has It's Purpose [Diptych] | Sonny Barker 2010

After passing a disused Jewellery Shop in Blackburn town centre, I noticed a hive of activity and lo! and behold, a gallery had sprung up. It was hosted by a Bristol Fine Art Graduate, Julia Swarbrick. I didn't really know Julia but I popped in to see what was happening and had a chat about art and the art scene in general. We talked for sometime and by sheer chance I had my portfolio of photographs with me. These photographs were fresh from the printers and I had twenty prints.

I showed her my style and she quite liked them. I had the Lucien Fellowes's Road-Side Markings Collection with me and she gave me a speech on how much my work resembled Fine-Art Photography instead of Photo-Realistic Photography. I was quite happy with this definition and it kind of pigeonholed my creative outpourings. She said that the next exhibition she's having would be one focused on Blackburn and being quite self-promotional, I asked her to involve my two stronger pieces into the show and she agreed.

The ones that I selected was the two that I had on show with the FFAF10 team and as these were professionally mounted and bespoked framed, I thought they'd stand out. The only trouble is that somehow the frames got scuffed [?] and I had to get them cleaned, but the work was essential.

I went to the preview evening and talked to some of the guests about the concept and the background information that holds the diptych together. Some people blinked and moved on but some guests enjoyed the tete a tete. There was a lot of different styles in the exhibition, some realism, paintings, inks and fine art and then some photo-journalism..but they all gelled together. A kind of compendium of art styles within a small cotton town..

so, the conclusion is that I was privileged to have been part of an exhibition in my hometown. I was cheeky enough to put up a front and get my work put up and I have had some exposure. The gallery owner has sent me an email confirming her eagerness to work with me again and I hope to be part of an exhibition in the very near future.

Simon and Tom Bloor

These guys were unknown to me until 17:33 on the 8 Nov 2010. They giving a lecture at the prestigious Whitworth on Oxford Road, Manchester tomorrow. I am looking forward to this talk as I haven't been to any previous ones and this has grabbed my attention. I have been on their website and looked at their work and I an intrigued by their use of graphic design within their output.

In this post I have included to ways on how to present text within art and the neon sign is a prevailing idea that I have had for sometime now and I am hoping to work within the media in the future. I have done research into business that can achieve what I am planning both in Manchester and in Blackburn, the costing is going to be expensive so it will have to be an ongoing practise.

response to process art

Richard Serra | 2-2-1: To Dickie and Tina

John Hilliard | Camera Recording it's Own Condition

Here are two responses to the question that I ask myself, 'just what is Process Art?'. I have twice been told that my work is process driven and twice I didn't really understand what the statement meant and after a third person said the same phrase, I decided that the best thing to do is to do some research. I have only managed a little research at the moment and this means going on the Tate website (where the two images have come from) and a look on the [citation needed] site of Wikipedia...I KNOW that the Wiki site can't be trusted but for preliminary studies, it's good enough.

I have been offered several named artists, both known and unknown to me and some of the work are poles apart from each other...quite bipolar infact. I love the epic work of Richard Serra and I hope in the future that I can work on the limitless scheme that he works on, and I'm intrigued with Martin Boyce and his minimal-unmonumental way of working. Jon Hilliard's Camera (shown above) is mouselike in appearance to Serra cathedralesque installations but is so relevant to the ethos of processing artwork.

I gather, with my shortcomings of integral research, is that Process Art is Art that allows the mark making, workings, emphasis on materials, almost scientific and showing the construction of the piece that has been created. I have also been told that I'm visceral and guttural in the way that I work and I often show the constructions of the pieces that I do make. My conclusion is that I am leaning towards this art-form but I shouldn't rely too heavily on the concept.

Photography and collage, to me , is Process (Art) driven..especially film-based photography...it is all about the process of the final photography..not so much in the digital field. This IS the divide and contention between the two. And if you do step back and think about the concept of Film Photography... you select the image, get the aperture and depth correct, the lighting and then...BANG the image has been collaged onto thefilm...the process of developing and printing is then the process driven part... This is the same with collage, it's not all about glitter, crepe paper and silver stars...weights, textures, materials, composition these are all to decided and thought about.

So, yeah...process driven art works for me, it is very visual and take on many forms. Sculpture, photography, painting and collage; define and refine then construct.

marquettes for final piece | [shelter]

Here are four marquettes that I have made utilising a variety of media including wallpaper, wood, board and acrylics. I have to get some research on what I have found out that is PROCESS ART.

The Transient Aspect of Housing

feedback sheet and my response to the work...

Today was the feedback/non-verbal presentation day and I think for me, it went as well as expected. There was some good work on offer especially from Monty, Rosa/Enya, Ryan, Runa and Felix/Emma et, al. I [liked] other work as well such as Liz's idea incorporating poetry and visuals, Dan's comfort pink noise and Marcin's sound experiment/visual. Dan's and Marcin's work got my interest because of the sound aspect and the way that they manipulated the medium.

There weas some half finished work and some rushed ideas and these were evident in the presentation and in the informal chats we all had when the task was [or was it] over. I enjoyed the social aspect of the exercise and the nosying about in the other students work, seeing their strong points and there working practises. It was very informative in that way and I must have a least a chat with one or two of the gals I don't really speak with, even though I tried today and shrugged off...

I was pleased to a degree with the responses that I got with my work because I tried another medium and another way in producing my work. I have looked up Richard Hamilton, Martin Boyce and Joseph Beuys in the research aspects of this task. I think that I should continue in this vein until I have a proper outcome. With me, I am in danger of becoming too static when things get comfortable and I need a regular shot of adredalin to stay focused. I will produced a larger collage and work towards my final piece, that will be probably take me up to the spring.

I am now going to have three projects underway...busy am I. The Lucien Fellowes Collection of Particulars is gaining momentum, albeit slightly pedestrian. It will be a slower burner to the rest of my tasks but as I have been told, 'it has legs and I should continue]. The second is the the present project [The Transient Aspects of Housing] which I have already explained and the sound collage using cut-up tapes and my 4-track.

I'd like to take this opportunity, to anyone who (if) reads this blog, thank-you for the kind words and the jesture of encouragement that is evident on my feedback sheet...

[shelter]

I've finished the maquette for the final part of the mini project called Shelter. As stated, it was supposed to be a four week affair and then that was it. I have been quite ill for the first part of the month with flu and heart problems and tried to do research and development and filled a few pages within my book. I think going to Liverpool and then the beach was a bit silly but It DID retuned my batteries and give me scope. In particular, the assorted in situ installations of certain Mexican (I think) artists who just used quirks and defects of the building on Renshaw Street and named them [enjoy yourself]... These were the inspiration that augmented my concept for the said project.

I am pleased with the outcome of my endeavours and produced a maquette that will assume will become more prevalent within the year. I can see what I have done as a large scale, Jim Dine/Kurt Schwitters esque plaquelike installation.. I know need to get certain books out of the library and read up on what is interesting me at the moment. Can't really go on blindly creating and having no intellectual backing.