After reading your RJ, it’s clear that you have identified habits
you have employed over the years which can sometimes be detrimental to your overall
intentions. One that is a constant theme in your work is the battle between action
and symbolism. Which as you noted is clearly outlined in the Pablo book. My thoughts on this aspect
is that this struggle to overcome work that acts as statement while trying to
be true to the action/situation that it derived from becomes a trap that I think
anyone who works with this type of subject can easily fall into. It is also an
issue that I have come up against while writing my PhD proposal on how to
conduct a very public orientated practise within an institution.
I feel that you are continuing this trait with your final
degree show work; this maybe because of the shows set-up (white cube) or that
you are now on the edge of a cliff and your instinct is to move back as appose
to jump. This metaphor is about the ‘risk’.
You have also identified the field of object making that by
your own admition, you have little experience with. This is not a derogatory statement
but one that allows me to emphasise that sometimes inexperience can allow you
to explore static objects and making with a clear mind, which is starting to
show in your current making.
One of the least important but one that will be of use in
the future is this idea of categorisation. Firstly you are an artist, your work
can span across all ‘isims’ and types; the context you employ has no bearing on
what artist you are at all, just how the work will function.
Control is another element you seem to crisis
yourself for. Which I think you are right to. When you work with public and on
very public subject matters it is best to create a space within the work where
you can let it be. As you have experienced with the Trace performance, the public will intervene and that is something
you had not factored in. the public is the most organic material an artist can
work with and to understand that trying to control any given public situation
will be counter-productive.
