The vibes

Paul and Tilo getting deep into computers at 2am

We had dimensions, (but apart from it not being a pristine gallery space) I didn’t know what to expect. my experience of working in industrial spaces has usually entailed clearing lots of pigeon shit - they're not my favorite spaces. I was pleasantly surprised however, it was an office in its former life and so quite intimate in scale - it had a really nice feel to it and they had done a little work. largely though the character of the place remained, some partitions were wood panel and glazed. Ok... So I have to apologise - I don’t have many pics. Apart from the fact that we only had one day to get it together, my camera also stopped working...

The space consisted of two rooms (the second not on this map) a corridor and a bridge. Our hosts were really generous and accommodating, especially Tilo who stayed up (virtually all night) during the installation. We were making an exhibition, but really if felt more like a marathon - not in a stressful way. In fact there was a certain level of ease about the situation, which made it fun. The Sübalkon group are serious about what they’re doing, (they invest a great deal of time, effort as well as money into the project) but because of the mix of people there isn’t the preciousness about status as a visual arts space. That stiff professionalism wasn’t around – I found this rather refreshing and empowering…

The Space

Sübalkon (located in Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg) translates as South Balcony. Apart from the fact that there is a walkway on the complex, I think (I could be corrected here) that the name also refers to the position of Hamburg on the cultural map in Germany. Sübalkon is run by an association of artists, musicians, writers and techies (and more) and is what is referred to as an ‘off arts’ space in Germany. Through the collectives’ diversity the space has many guises, events are put on every weekend; live music, poetry, performance, discussions as well as art shows.

Located in the middle an industrial complex on Elbe island, the area reminds me very much of post-industrial sites/neighbourhoods in London - ready for the big cleanup. Wilhelmsburg is undergoing a huge regeneration initiative, there is always a level of insecurity for the inhabitants, what will be the future for the area, and will they be a part of it? In Germany (as in the UK) artists have now become the social face of these regeneration initiatives. In one respect it allows artists to eat and realise their ideas. In the other, the political and moral implications of these collaborations can be rather difficult to swallow. Recently the officially invited artists addressed an open letter to IBA- Hamburg in stimulate debate about the areas future.

We didn't have an 'official' invitation - we were more like graffiti…

Unity

'Zoltan' from Unity Larry Young

Components

As I said before the work is moving into a slightly different direction… Instead of thinking of each drawing as a singular entity, I’m starting to think of them as communities of marks. A couple of years ago I came across the work of Anna Maiolino. With a portfolio of politically engaging work (from the 70’s onwards), Maiolino’s current practice plays with the dynamic between subjectivity and the collective.

Among Many Anna Maiolino

That constant tension between the whole and the singular intrigues and frustrates me. Historically artists are one of those entities; uncompromising, totally single minded and alone in their vision. Yet during the last 50 years all this has been challenged, from the Brazilian (neo concrete) artists of the 60’s to today. Now the conversation is about the level of participation and authorship to be shared.

I spent a long time agonising over what kind of Participatory artist I was, reading articles and books by the likes of Clare Bishop (Participation) and David Beech (Include Me Out). These critiques sheered off the utopian veneer and interrogated the intentions of the artist. I myself have dabbled within the participatory realm - what were my drives? - Loneliness, alienation towards the art world and simple working class guilt. In the end that ‘public’ out there (whoever they are) were fast becoming a fiction, and when I met the reality I was often disappointed. Although it’s a lonelier process, that control over ones ‘product’ is consolation for the lack of control anywhere else. As I said from the outset, these issues are still very pertinent, but now the guilt is gone and the medium has changed...

Animation sketch 2010

Pieces...

It’s hard to know how much truth/editing is required in this blog business... I’m not a very good performer, I feel more comfortable with the truth (all though I know it’s not often the most attractive option). If I were to tell you that my show is still literally in pieces – would that be sensible?

Well my show is still in pieces, plus a bit of laziness on my part has created more work (I wont’ go into that story it’s too boring!). The pieces thing isn't that bad really – I’ve got to carry the show in a suitcase anyway…

On a more positive note... I used an air gun this week for the first time. Good ol’ Andy down the Mews made me a steel box - at a really good price. This is what I love about sourcing stuff locally, apart from the logistical ease, you get to learn more about where you live. It was a beautiful afternoon and I’m spraying - as you can imagine a girl using industrial equipment is novelty for some. So without trying I found myself nattering to several characters on the mews between coats. It may not be the best of paint jobs, but a bit of wet and dry will do the trick I’m told. The next decision… should I paint it white or leave it grey?

detail of work

Working on old used material in this case used envelopes, feels as though part of the work of mark making and investigation has been done already. My continued investigation into the material and the process of drawing feels akin to sculptural processes such as carving. Seeing the ‘work’ in the mind’s eye on the proverbial blank canvas then peeling the layers back to reveal the ‘work’. But I must always remember that the 'work' revealed invariably isn't the 'work' planned.

To be clean...

That cleanliness isn't just neatness, its about finding a space to occupy too - sometimes that entails wiping the desk clean. With all that cleaning, history has a hard time asserting itself. I'm not a very good historian - the past feels like some other persons story not mine. But contrarily, I feel rather aware of my traditional 'studio practice' - in a rather grand old building. Its cool in my studio, but I do warm it up a little...

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