In my second year of University I started putting together a 5 year ‘plan’ and the big question hit me “how am I going to make a career out of my practice?’. I had a chat with one of the tutors and we discussed my concerns. Professional practice lectures were then introduced to the course. The lectures included information on  insurances, exhibitions, sales and essentially setting yourself up as a business, which was useful. What I do wish I had, in retrospect, is a visiting artist to just tell me the hard facts:

- yes you need a job to support your practice

- yes it is bloody hard managing your workload

- yes it is hard to get a strong income out of your practice alone, especially in this economic climate of doom.

I was asked recently if I regretted my time in the institution. NO! Not at all. It was an amazing experience and really developed my practice and my works would not be what they are now without that experience. Unfortunately, these days a lot of people have degrees, so you need something else to stand out from the crowd, experience. The creative industry is hard one to break into but if it was easy everyone would be doing it!

In the perfect world the institution would provide all the essential skills and experiences and you would walk out with a degree straight into a job. Since your paying for a the degree, I understand why people are upset. I admit I am frustrated with making next to nothing from my practice, which isn’t a reflection on the institution, it’s the economy. I am however, thankful I got the experience in galleries during my studies to have my job as Business Support Officer for the Culture Team. This supports my practice, pays the bills and its in the arts and culture sector. Hopefully I will be more successful with funding/bursaries next year so my art isn’t purely supported by my job in Culture.

It is hard but I love working in the arts

South Square Gallery | Press Release

Claire Harbottle, Still from Nailing Jelly, 2010

Abort, Retry, Fail?
5th November – 23rd December 2011

A group exhibition of artists from across the UK investigate the creative process as one of trial and error, exploring the notions of struggle, failure, repetition and refinement as a necessary path to progression and success.

Celebrating the experimental and the unresolved, Abort, Retry, Fail? includes photography, sculpture, video and drawing in an exhibition which brings together the work of very different artists currently working at varying stages in their careers.

What unifies the group is a focus on the methods and processes of working, presenting art as evidence of an ongoing creative journey with trials and transformations along its way.

‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’
- Samuel Beckett

Highlighting experiences which will be universally familiar, this exhibition tacitly addresses the question of continuing on in the face of difficulties, showing the need to create as stronger than the hardships we might face. The exhibition’s title refers to an archaic computer error message which has become synonymous with an unclear set of further options: the brutal and resolute oppositions, to ‘Abort’ or ‘Retry’, or the tentative, questioning, anxiety of possibility: ‘Fail?’

The resulting responses speak of hope in times of austerity as well as determination and yield in the face of struggle. These artists reflect upon art-making as a continuous voyage: sometimes through pathos and sometimes through play, yet always impassioned and ever ongoing.

South Square Gallery | South Square | Thornton | Bradford | BD13 3LD

Artists

Sharon Adams | Joanna Aldoori | Ingrid Berthon-Moine | Jenny Core | Lawrence Daley | David Knowles | Claire Harbottle | Chris Lillywhite | Mark McCullough | Lisa Peachey

Background

South Square is a visual art resource centre based within a Grade II listed building in Thornton, Bradford, West Yorkshire. It is home to South Square Gallery, a grassroots exhibition space committed to providing a professional and supportive resource for artists and emerging curators. As a test bed for new ideas, the gallery hosts an ever-evolving dialogue between artists and their audience. The square also incorporates a community space, artists’ studios, fine art framer, café and exhibition spaces for local artists.

Opening Times

Opening night: Friday 4th November 2011 7 – 9pm
Exhibition open: 5th November – 23rd December 2011

Opening times | 12.00 – 15.00 | Tuesday – Sunday | And by appointment

Media Contact

For further information contact the curator David Knowles

Telephone: +44 [0] 1274 834 747
Email: d.knowles@southsquarecentre.co.uk
Website: www.southsquarecentre.co.uk

South Square Gallery, South Square, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3LD

My work was showcased in the Vanguard exhibition at Studio 1D, Clapton, London. The exhibit was a group exhibition featuring works from the online Contemporary Experimental Art Archive (www.experimentalinstallationproject.com).

I was shortlisted for the Saatchi Showdown in October. Thank you to all who voted for my work!

A selection of my work and prints were selected for a selling exhibition in the Creative Minds exhibition organised by RNIB at Salford Quays. I also had the pleasure of meeting the Major of Salford!

In other news, I was shortlisted for The National Open Art Competition. Unfortunately I didn’t make it through to the exhibition stage (stage 3). Maybe next year!

Abort, Retry, Fail? exhibition opened its doors on 5th November and runs through to 23rd December 2011. Eleven artists from across the UK investigate the creative process as one of trial and error, reflectively exploring the ideas of struggle, failure, the impossible and the unresolved as a necessary path to success. Through photography, sculpture, video and drawing these artists reflect upon art-making as a continuous voyage: sometimes through pathos and sometimes through play, yet always impassioned and ever ongoing. What unifies the group is a focus on the methods and processes of working, presenting art as evidence of an ongoing creative journey with trials and transformations along its way.

‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’
- Samuel Beckett

In the studio, I have been developing my latest project exploring the concept of drawing and preparing for my next show at Bank Street Arts in Sheffield, previewing on 10th January 2012!

In my studio experimenting with drawing.
- Developing my performative ink drawings
- Investigating further into the social and concept of drawing.

Since graduating in 2009, my practice has gone from installation work to drawing work. Before graduating, I saw drawing as a ‘basic’ tool to realise ideas and construct plans. So, a ‘back to basics’ attitude to start my work
outside of the institution seemed quite fitting. The drawings I produced were initially never meant to be exhibited, not because I was ashamed of the work, but because I deemed them as ‘unfinished’. I thought these drawings were a ‘stepping stone’ to something, a production of a process in order to realise the potential artwork, as many artists do.

“Scratches made while on the train, in a plane, a hangover from the HighRenaissance where every telephone number and coffee stain (by the rightperson) revealed the inner or under or deeper or less disguised and more naked creative nerve – so many little exposed nerves; see them trembling beneath the neuritis and neuralgia of the cross-hatching.”

- Robert Morris

Robert Morris views drawing as a private area of an artists practice, a taboo to be shown in public. Carl Andre would agree with Morris’ view on the privacy of drawing stating, “drawing has never been a method useful to
me and I do not want any drawings of mine shown.” (Rijksmuseum Kroller Muller, 1972).  Whereas Frank Stella disconcerts himself with drawing altogether, deeming it “less and less necessary”.

The more conscious I became of my mediums and processes, the more interested I was in why I used drawing.

“Provisional, quotidian, humble and unassuming, the practice of drawing was often overlooked by critics and curators during the Modernist period. But since the later 1960s, an emphasis on material processes, conceptual operations and bodily actions has led to a resurgence of interest in the notational and indexical properties of drawing.”

- Anna Lovatt

Using drawing to realise ideas, I experimented with different materials, objects and techniques; playing with the idea of drawing itself. I agree with Morris that drawing is a very personal ‘thing’, all artist’s work is personal as it is an extension of the artists, their interpretation/representation of a subject or object. What I favour with drawing is its ‘unique’ quality, making a mark that no other can do identically, “each person draws a line differently and each person understands works differently”, Sol Le Witt.

Over time, I became more experimental, which provided me with more confidence in experimenting with drawing and combining the medium with new media and more sculptural qualities. I was trying new techniques and questioning drawing as a medium.

Artists use drawing for many reasons. Some to realise concepts, some to record notes, and some as a fundamental discipline. I now use drawing as a medium – not only to realise my concepts but to be the visual representation of my concept. Playing with the idea of combining concept and material. Looking at drawing in its broadest sense, mark making.

Friday 1st July 2011

South Square Centre

Bradford.

The collaborative project, An Evening of Action by Jenny Core and Rosanne Robertson, was brought to life at South Square Centre, Bradford. South Square is a visual arts resource centre providing a professional and supportive resource for artists and emerging curators. “As a test bed for new ideas”, South Square was the perfect setting for this experimental performance piece.

Project Description 

“A Happening is an assemblage of events performed or perceived in more than one time and place. Its material environments may be constructed, taken over directly from what is available or altered slightly; just as its activities may be invented or commonplace.” ‐ Allan Kaprow.

The history of performance art shows the use of everyday objects throughout bringing life, new logic and language to the readymade object. Artists such as Julia Childs transforms the use of kitchen utensils, Marina Abramovich in Rhythm 0, 1974, gives audience members the power to confirm or disregard the actions associated with objects such as scissors, a knife, a whip, and, most notoriously, a gun and a single bullet. In contemporary art the everyday object is still very much present but is perhaps familiar in new ways. The line between what is everyday and what is an art object is blurred artists such as Fischli and Weiss carefully sculpt crumpled paint tubes and Edgar Schmidt works with materiality of ‘exhibition apparatus’.

Under the term ‘relational aesthetics’ Bourriaud explains artists as facilitators rather than maker’s and artist as giving audiences access to power and the means to change the world. Boris Groys explains it is OK for the artist to act as curator but not for the curator to create the art.

A light switch, a cactus, a piece of blue tac, kitchen utensils, sheep, a tin of yellow paint, a knife.

With this in mind we aim to follow our shared interest in the point of creation and the importance of whom physically provokes it. By shifting the balance and subverting the usual mode of production we will experiment with producing art within an exhibition environment. By staging collections of objects that would viably exist in the art space environment we aim to facilitate moments of creation and to look at the point of releasing control over an idea.

The Evening in Action

The collection of culturally familiar objects where placed within the non art spaces of the gallery mainly in the outdoor area spreading into the Community Room and bar area. Seven local actors of different age groups were appointed as ‘audience members’ and engaged with the familiar and viably situated objects throughout South Square. It was hard to distinguish between the actor and the viewer as they mimicked and examined behaviours of the attendees whilst modestly interacting with our props. We did not know how the actors would interpret the collections of objects but we predicted that it will create a sense out of nonsense; a language and a logic that did not previously exist, which would have caused the non‐acting audience members to join in. The only rule given to the actors was the idea of ‘subtlety ’. Even though a structure was created for the evening, there was no control over the outcome, mirroring the lack of control on how the audience view art.

The idea of creating an event with no control of its outcome was a daunting yet exciting experience! With objects in place, the performers moved through the crowds of spectators becoming almost indistinguishable. Our objects were collected, moved, sculpted, manipulated, contorted, cherished and destroyed. Strong creative acts took place, appropriating objects, completing objects purpose and creating new purposes. At the start of the evening of these creative acts, the audience were oblivious to our objects and our performers. An awareness flourished throughout the evening, as some audience members followed those who they believed to be actors, with anticipation. Additional spectators viewed the manipulated objects alongside the art in the space, as if it the item was created for the exhibit / an existing ‘product’ in the exhibit. Others believed the objects to be discarded and wanted to bin them, others acted upon this. The interaction with the objects made them a part of the performance as they have acknowledged, conversed and acted upon a notion they have associated with the object.

Bringing the art/art making to the viewer instead of the viewer going to the art worked very well with the secretive nature of the performance. This was an art, which could be easily overlooked and requires patience and intuition to experience in its entirety.  The project brief did contradict the accessibility of this project, as you still had to search for the art, creating an individual experience for the viewer if experienced at all. You could say this mirrors views on accessibility in relation to globalisation. People, things and objects are so accessible, we can allow ourselves to engage or be dismissive, what we are doing is creating a choice; creating options.

Having posed as documenters for the exhibition, not artists, (as we did not want the ‘illusion’ of the evening to be ruined), we spent the evening taking photographs and filming, with the excuse being: ‘we are gathering documentation for stakeholders and publicity for South Square’. However, even though our performers created some fantastic work subtly within the space, the audience were very aware of our presence. If we were not creating an ‘awareness of being watched’, then may be the audience would have responded different with these objects somewhat ‘alchemic’ changes and movement across the Centre.  Towards the end of the performance, we walked round the Centre filming the objects and actors on a phone (pretending to be taking a call), the audience did appear more relaxed. May be the performers subtlety should have been mirrored to the creators of the performance. Our subtlety could have manifested into an other experience…

Film Documentation

(Film footage using phone)

An Evening of Action from Jenny Core on Vimeo.

More images: flickr photostream