Some photos of the interim Show:

The end to a very long series of events involving helping people...

Our crit was today, and lucky me got to go first. It was really unfirtunate actually because i had asked Dave to do a seminar a while ago and he had planned it for that morning and i was asked to speak about my work just as i was supposed to be leaving. I don't feel like i put myself accross very well in explanation and i recieved responses like "I don't think your piece worked because we felt responsible for you" which is actually something that i felt my work adressed- well obviously if they felt that. I didn't feel that i could really address my work either without people previously talking about theres or being in such a large group as we were. It was a little unfortunate i didn't get round to talking to many of the tutors last night, i think it may have all clicked together if they had seen the performance. I'm still thinking that the proposition of helping was more the work than the performance but i can't deny that the group chose for me to do an artwork for thier show.

Anyway, on leaving the crit i ran off to Daves seminar which was terribly crowded. I didn't feel i really got enough out of the seminar, there were alot of people asking very simple questions and changeing the subject. What dave did address in Ethics was very interesting but i would've liked to hear more about participation as an artform as opposed to it just being a use of social art therapy (again, repeated questions). I'm hoping that he may do another- otherwise a tutorial wouldn't go a miss. I'll have too remember to ask.

The third part of my day was going to Susie Wrights leaving party (Susie was our ambassador boss) It's a real shame thats she's leaving because she is such an interesting person to talk about your work, and she is very good at relating your work to getting a job in the outside world. Very down to earth as well, also, i've been working for her for three years- it's going to be odd having a new boss. Me and Joe popped over to the Tate and bought her a present- a mug with a rabbits face on the bottom, so when you drink out of it you look like a rabbit (It is actually hillarious) She was very greatful, and gave us her card. I think Camden working mens college is the first place i'm going to send my CV when i leave college.

Day 2 of set up and the private view

Day 2 has been very stressful for Clive and although i managed to get him a coffee this morning  the lighting was  taken out of my hands (I'm not tall enough to hang them)- Jacob was a better choice for this, he's probably about 6ft (that is 6ft taller than me...). Everything came together in the end though- it was very difficult not putting my oar in during curation but i think i was successful. The performance was good- my role in the end was to talk to people about the work but in a humorously obvious way. to be honest, the only way i could find to make it funny and not just seem like i was patronising people was to list numerous ways things could break if health and safety was challenged. I also had my favourite line for when people asked real questions about the theory of the work "I'm sorry i couldn't possibly tell you that, i wouldn't want to mis-represent the artist" I got some really excellent feedback (i.e. laughter) and I've prompted somebody to want to work with me in a collaboration. Hooray! I did manage to upset a couple of people that didn't speak English very well though- I think they were really looking for some insight into the work and i wasn't giving them any information that they didn't already know. I also got some very negative remarks from people that presumed that i was just a tour guide and instantly brushed me off through not wanting to know anything about the work. A lot of the people i spoke to actually got it straight away and went along with it. one couple asked me to give them a tour at least three times because they enjoyed the remarks.
I think the overall piece of work ended in a crescendo however I'm not sure whether or not the work would have been more effective if it had been in an exhibition with different people that didn't know me or feel responsible for me at all. I think the idea that in an exhibiting situation outside of a college institution there are often people that create systems and i think placed in an exhibition outside of college i probably would have been given a more systematic role that was needed as opposed to the 'nice' piece of work role that i can be graded on. However again, i suppose it depends entirely on the people you are working with and obviously always the first impressions as an artist that i give.
The Crit is tomorrow, photos of the PV to come...

Day 1 of Exhibition set up

I helped Clive all day today with the lights. I bolted lights cable tied until i was blue in the face. As well as going and paying for some materials and sending technicians receipts. Oh and i got lunch. It doesn't sound like much but i was pretty busy and i think he was glad for the help. Unfortunately we didn't get as far as we wanted today with the lights. one of the bulbs blew and we had to wait for an electrician to come to make sure everything was being wired correctly. It turned out that it was fine, which was good but at the same time annoying because there was so much more time that could have been used productively. Clive said that he's going to have to be in by 8am tomorrow to try and get it all done.

My role was chosen for tomorrow evening- I am going to be a tour guide, with a twist- the students don't want me to mis-represent their work. It's a little odd that i have been given a role that seems a lot like a piece of work that i would do anyway. a performance that is out of context and participatory. This is probably to do with peoples consciousnesses though, not wanting to give me anything too terrible to do- also i think there is an aspect of people not wanting to decide on anything in particular to do with me, or maybe again, people not knowing what i can do because they don't know me too well- therefore they choose a task they've seen me do before.

It looks like i didn't get booked out today- fantastic day for some research though...

An ask for help, no 2

I got an out of the blue series of text messages asking for my advice on a situation. theres not too much information to disclose on this, but at least that is a second person i have helped this week. On Wednesday in the seminar i was discussed a little bit and Clive said he may need a helper on Monday and Tuesday with the light installation in the show, so i left him a note today to say that i definitely will- although I'd be better at getting lunch and Tea- my electricianing skills aren't what they used to be...
Joe said that if i don't get booked for help tomorrow i have to be booked out as a stress reliever. This means just accompanying him to Brighton to forget all about college for the day.

Rollerskates and Government Cuts

We have our half of interim show coming up next week and to celebrate the meeting of the other seminar group yesterday, myself and Joe went to buy Roller skates- the intention was to commute to college on them everyday but actually- i'm not very good. I fell over and now hurt all over, especially my right arm. I think my confussion  was that i can skate at Roller discos and  actually at roller discos there isnt the issue of all of the bumpy pavements and pedestrians walking in the opposite direction. I think that when you rollerskate people actually try to get in your way aswell "ooo look, people on rollerskates that are obviously finding it quite difficult to stand up, let alone stop- perhaps i will ride my bike into them...?" I wont be skating in a while...
We did get to college within an hour of buying the skates which was good, even though it may have been quicker to walk. The rush was to get back for a Hitchi meeting, unfortunately it is a handover to the next year of participants. It was quite sad talking about the project for the last time, but exciting just the same to hear from the second years. Surprisingly not that many people turned up, maybe it wasn't as well advertised as last year but i can remember the whole of the blue room being full with people, questions and ideas, To only pick 10 pieces of work was difficult because there was so much interest. Jeff has said that he is going to call another meeting so hopefully there will be more interest next time.

There was also a very interesting lecture last night. It is the first in a programme of talks in the college and last nights was about the recent Government cuts, education and global warming. It was opened out to the lecture theatre but i was a little too intimidated to ask any questions- i felt a little out of my depth being surrounded by post-grads. It was a conversation between David Cross and Hayley Newman- David's part of the lecture mainly consisted of facts and figures and Hayleys more of the personal experience of the cuts. It was very interesting and will help tenfold with my dissertation as i've decided to open up my writing a little. I'm definately going to look out on the internet for the notes of the discussiona and i look forward to next week.