Update of Idea- Week 7

I have changed my project idea from a performance of artistic processes to an exhibition exploring relationships between writing/reading and visual arts. I think my initial proposal was too big of an idea to be contained within one event and would need multiple discussions to mediate the idea into something concise and practicable. Another concern was ‘where’ the performance was going to be: in the relaying of art practice, the critique and institutional question, or the actual listening and experiencing. This did make the idea more interesting but, as is said above, would require more time and facilitation to make it a more well-rounded and beneficial proposal for all artists involved. Another dilemma I came across is what happens when you bring different courses together (arts practice and creative writing) within the medium of performance. By relaying process vocally, this adhered more to the creative writing ‘side’ of the performance; with sides being made more apparent over what the final outcome could be and what it would look like. Although I plan to carry this project out in the future, I do not believe it is fitting for the current curation course when more resources of time and space are needed.

My current idea of writing and art follows much of the same research I have undertaken as the performance idea especially about creative decisions regarding placement of text and language. I wish to carry this forward, continuing to look into ways artists employ text and ways, and purposes, of making text performative and visual. As I have changed to an exhibition based idea, I need to research more into ways of curating within physical spaces and how artworks can take up and be amplified in such spaces. I have looked into small venues like record shops, cafes and bookshops, all with the idea of works being within ‘industry’ and a working environment of various people, but I have settled with ECA library (this is not set in stone) which I think benefits the project idea well. I now need to look more into associations with this space and ways of exhibiting artworks within it. I also need to contact the artists I have in mind, with mediums of sculpture, recordings and artist books, to discuss possibilities within ECA library and ensure artists can follow the guidelines set by the library.

Going to the 4th year show Escalate in ECA sculpture court was really informative to get to know what kinds of things students are making and find connections within. It was great to see so many artists exploring language, text/image, poetry and physicality of paper and words in space. Also attending the MLitt Art Writing-GSA-Boys With Books exhibition at French Street was hugely beneficial in exploring ways of placing text within spaces and pushing boundaries of creating/viewing text and also performing these with voice, readings, photography and fonts. This has made my own exhibition project all the more exciting and grounded in ideas as I think towards actualising the themes and concepts in relation to the library setting.