Tutorial with EB 25.2.11

Reflection on outcomes since last tutorial:

No previous tutorials. Suggestion from Angela and Caroline to look at Leonora Carrington; have not yet had time to do this in depth. Some reflection since induction (copied from blog):

“I came away from the induction full of doubt about my work; we had each presented a piece but not received feedback. On the one hand, I am eternally grateful for this - a group crit in front of strangers could have been excruciating. But then, I’m capable of a harsh self-crit too. I came away thinking (about the piece I had presented) ‘but it’s just a drawing of a cow’. And then I realised, it’s no more ‘just’ a drawing of a cow, than E’s work was ‘just’ a silver bottle, or H’s work was ‘just’ some ceramic forms. None of them were ‘just’ anything. Including mine.

I also learned something about the challenges I will face in placing myself in the art world on a professional level; we made a ‘map’ of the art world and were asked to locate ourselves within it. I ended up locating myself (psychically) outside the window looking in. On the way home, with time to consider this I realised 2 things:

1 - I am extremely wary of the commodifying nature of parts of the art world. Of course there are artists who successfully refuse commodification. But still, if we need to earn a living, it’s a temptation and potentially a trap.

2 - How to maintain integrity within this world - integrity as an artist, and integrity as a person.

I’m aware that probably this tension is something most artists deal with on an ongoing basis, but it’s the first time I’ve articulated them in relation to my own practice and some of the insecurities I feel as an artist.”

In response to this, discussed issues around ‘selling out’. Emma suggested I bring my position to the MA and start some debate on these issues. Agreed to start a thread in the coffee shop.

Current projected aims and outcomes:

I’ve been making some drawings of cows, but am not sure how they read to others, ie, whether it is clear that they are not just portraits of cows, but that there are other levels of meaning. I’ve also made some small, quick paintings of hybrid bird/fox creatures, and teeth, with ideas about nourishing,feeding, and one more ‘abstract’ one. I’m uncertain of my ability to critique my own work. I’m concerned about the degree of meaning I can have in my work (I previously started an MA where my work was critiqued as ‘too loaded with meaning’). So really projected aims and outcomes would be how to proceed with my work, ie, finding a direction; to find a level of meaning that ‘works’; and to find a way to be able to critique my work.

Discussion and recommendations:

Discussed positions of animals in art: Emma talked about beauty vs horror in Hirst’s work with dead butterflies in paint; Rothenberg’s positioning of horses as symbols/metaphors, and spoke about Suzi Gabik, whose premise is that artists can’t afford to ignore broader issues such as ecological or social ones; that art can be concerned with formal problems of art, but also other things (in ‘conversations at the end of time’). Still important to realise that whilst art can address certain issues, it still can’t, for example, cure homelessness.

Risks with postmodernism – things become overly theorised and we start to wonder what we are looking at. Regarding my cow drawings – to Emma these read as accurate drawings of cows in not very specific backgrounds; it is not clear how the viewer should understand these.

Explained that these are about sacred cows on one level, and maybe explore our relationship to animals, but also relate to ascribed value, whether market value, or spiritual value, vs inherent worth. And therefore also considers value or worth generally, including our own.

Emma suggested I make the meaning more explicit, that they read as too neutral/indeterminate. With Rothenberg’s work, the backgrounds aren’t ornate but they become something else. Need to move away from the literal; think about issues I am interested in and how to portray without the actual thing – so sacred cow – find a way to portray the idea without the cow itself; establish a context.

We discussed political art, that good political art is lacking in contemporary art, and that it is important to do well, need to see ‘whose shoulders I stand on’ – ie, what good political art has gone before. Need to ensure the work doesn’t become political tub-thumping. Emma suggested I look at some feminist art. Art can serve many functions – being art on walls, being something beautiful, and still have meaning or political meaning.

Explained I didn’t necessarily want to make art that was overtly political, but that I wanted to explore the borderline which is really quite arbitrary, between human and non-human animals, and what this means in how we relate to animals, in our behaviour, but also in meanings we ascribe and impose, for example in myths, stories, religious beliefs etc.

Discussed ‘othering’, and how not only animals that become ‘othered’.

Emma suggested looking at some of Nicola Hicks images and symbols, some of the strong, simple ones. To try to set a context for the cows, what are they doing; consider use of a symbol rather than a cow. Rothenberg’s stronger work uses metaphor – a bone.

A possible challenge in my work would be to make work that doesn’t feature the object itself, eg, the cow. Emma suggested looking at Dorothy Cross who uses cow symbols and references, and plays on how women are positioned by the Irish church; layers of meaning (eg. ‘Virgin Shroud’).

I need a process that works for my research and ideas – perhaps I need a mixture of work – ‘finished’ pieces and quick pieces; need to be careful that I don’t do too many too quickly so that they don’t move forwards, perhaps go back and resolve some of my small animal hybrid quick paintings; look at the cow drawings and the small paintings, try to establish what is working/not working. Get my work out to my peer group, ask for feedback, eg, specific questions, such as ‘what do you understand about my work; what are the strengths/weaknesses’. I need to know what I am aiming for, need to develop a set of criteria for evaluation – this could be according to the work having meaning, or could relate to more formal concerns.

Discussed how to know if an artists work is working – depth of research behind the work.

Need to have a criteria – how I make judgements. Also think about how I make work. Develop a criteria for judging ‘abstract’ work – similar to that used for figurative work.

In relation to my own work - including more abstract work – what meaning do I want to convey, what do I want the viewer to get from the work. Conventional/formal terms of evaluation – relating to colour, form, line, tone – establish how I am judging/evaluating. Better to look at less figurative work through whole of artists output rather than individual pieces; be aware of ongoing debates in art. Develop a language beyond ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘like’, ‘don’t like’ etc. ask deeper questions, look at work I don’t respond to as well.

Discussed some of my previous work I used for my application to the MA – some strong pieces (the self-portrait, R on the swing, charcoal drawing of R jumping, fox/person charcoal drawing…). Discuss use of paint with Alexa. Have something to keep working on – a specific object, keep putting the same thing in a different context – repetition – find meaning, and where meaning ends, through repetition of subject matter. Often with observed figurative work, don’t get a real sense of the thing, of lived-ness or embodiment. Can look at mundane things and still find a new position, how to make mundanity interesting, bring fresh approach

In terms of process, look at Ian Breakwell’s ‘walking man diary’. Find my process – depth, think about how process comes into my work. Possible ideas: carry my camera and photograph traces of animals, ask people what they think of animals, look at terminology about animals, otherness.

Decided to look at pigeons – maybe document the woman who comes to feed them etc.