SIM residency wk 2 : in the studio and some culture

This past week has been less about touring and absorbing the sublime scenery (because I returned the hire car) and more about studio time and enjoying the atmosphere of the residency. 

We had a cultural day in Reykjavik where we enjoyed some fascinating exhibits, all for free thanks to the generosity of SIM who provide a card which allows access to the galleries and museums in the city. First stop was the Reykjavik Art Museum which had an inspiring exhibition by Anna Lindal - an artist who is interested in the private life and expectations of society; and the human desire to understand nature and analyze it through measurement. She limits her resources to what she can find in the home, making home the habitat of creation. 

Anna Lindal - embroidered cloth on buckets

Anna Lindal - suspended threads

Anna Lindal - wrapped rock

The Art Museum is in three different locations in Reykjavik (just to make it a little confusing). In another location was an installation of rocks covered in salt that had a coloured solution dripping on them. This was by Anna Run Tryggvadottir - unfortunately there wasn't much information about the exhibit - but it was visually fascinating!

Anna Run Tryggvadottir

Anna Run Tryggvadottir

We went on a day trip to Vik - a black beach in south Iceland, famous for its basalt columns rock formations. 

These images were taken during the middle of the day, around 1pm, although it feels more like late afternoon. Daylight is from 10am to 4.30 pm at the moment and it changes dramatically on a daily basis by about 3 mins. When we first flew in sunrise was 9.20am and sunset was 5.03pm. Amazing how different it is in just 2 weeks! 

In the studio

Meanwhile, in the studio, I have been experimenting with time-lapse photography, capturing the marks left behind using water colour. I have been manipulating it in After Effects. Im not exactly sure what the end result will be - but it is certainly fun to have the time to play and explore. 

Island in the fjord near the residency

Heavy clouds in the fjord

Studio breaks include walking in the fjord - the lighting and weather is fleeting - and the scenery is captivating. It reminds me of an old Queensland advertisement 'Beautiful one day, perfect the next' with its ever changing colours and moods.

Ombre snow on the beach

We also had the opportunity to meet with the other 11 artists who are on the residency and who are staying in central Reykjavik at an artist talk on Wednesday night. It was fascinating to see their work, which varies from illustration through to music and performance.

patterns in the snow

It is sad to think I only have one more week in this beautiful place. Do you have any suggestions on things I should see and do whilst I am here?

Detached Objects: live footage at CFAT

Detached Objects was a light art animation that was projected upon sheer fabric into a courtyard space on a snowy Thursday in February 2017. This footage captures the mood evoked using 3 projectors and combining the imagery of the Detached Objects files. The project was compiled using Isadora.

222 Grips for a Stone - Metamorphosis (40-47)

"stone is the only thing in nature that constantly dies" - Frances Ponge  

The solidity, reliability and impassiveness of stone is constant, yet it is continually changing, although at a greatly reduced rate compared with human life. Despite its solidity, it is worn down by atmospheric agents such as air and water, reducing large pieces of stones into pebbles, and then finally into fine particles of sand. 

#40 of 222 Grips for a Stone
Before firing

#41 of 222 Grips for a Stone
After firing

Because of this Ponge believes that stone is the only thing in nature that constantly dies (73). He then considers all forms of stone (rock, pebble, sand), all represent some stage of its evolution, exist simultaneously in the world. He relates this notion of connectedness as paradise, where all conception exists (74). 

#42 of 222 Grips for a Stone
Before firing 

#45 of 222 Grips for a Stone
After firing 

Stone is continually changing form, yet at the same time it remains true to its original composition of minerals. In some senses you could say that stone is an illusory force in nature, having the ability to continually morph itself over time. Once it is ground down into smaller particles it has the potential to be transformed into larger stones again through sedimentary processes, or melted under extreme heat in the form of lava.

#46 of 222 Grips for a StoneBefore firing  

#47 of 222 Grips for a Stone
After firing

Because of the vast difference in materiality between the unfired and the fired clay pieces, after much discussion and consideration I have started counting the before fire and after fire as different pieces in my exploration of 222 grips for a stone. 

Interestingly, the copper wire, which contains or grips the clay before being fired, acts as another grip after firing, as the melted copper sticks the ceramics together.

Ponge, F. The Voice of Things. Herder and Herder. United States 1974.

Ground Now Workshop with Ruudt Peters

Windmills in Holland

I was invited to participate in Ruudt Peter's Ground Now workshop that was held in the countryside in the south of the Netherlands from 3-9 August 2015.

The FarmHouse 

Ruudt has been a professor at two of the most prestigious universities in Europe, the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam and Konstfack University of Arts and Crafts in Stockholm. He has extensively exhibited his work, which can be found in many public and private collections around the world.

In short, he is a rock star in the art world!

Studio Garden 

The Ground Now workshop is intended for artists who seek to deepen their work and I was with an international group of artists from Moldova, Korea, New Zealand, America, Trinidad and Holland to name a few.

Table set for lunch

The theme of the workshop was 'Ground Now' with a focus on our feet. Often we are not aware that our feet do more than transport us. They can be used as tools and also assist to connect us to the ground.

My pair of shoes made from natural materials (leather, feathers, ivy)

We had to make a pair of shoes using natural materials ahead of the workshop. Being in Florence I used materials that were readily available : an old leather jacket someone had discarded, pigeon feathers and ivy.

Modelling my shoes
Image by Lucienne Buga 

These were then swapped with another workshop participant (Fiona) who manipulated them. Fiona joined the leather and ivy shoes together and painted them.

Shoe manipulated by Fiona.

Afterwards they were buried in the shoe grave yard.

The shoe grave yard.

 The the theme 'Ground Now' we focused on our feet as both the inspiration for our drawing and creating of objects, as well as using our feet to make images.

We also had blindfolded drawing assignments, and drawing responding to touch. These exercises were to assist us to work with 'the belly' or the unconscious, rather than our rational logical brain. 

Ruudt interpreting a blind drawing.

 We had many different experiences and assignments over the course of the week. A highlight for me was a visit to the local church that was constructed on ley lines (ancient earth lines of energy that connect spiritual sites across Europe).

The Old Church

 Using divining rods we were encouraged to find the energy lines in the area. Excitingly (and also a little mysteriously, which gave me goose bumps) most of us responded to the energy on the site. I even found the point at which the energy line entered the church site.

Searching for ley lines 

 We were also encouraged to select a natural material and spend the day investigating its potential, exploring how it reacted to different treatments. I chose to work with the discarded leather jacket, and undertook a series of treatments that involved burning, binding or boiling the leather.

leather bound around rocks using copper wire.

The results of boiling leather

boiled leather samples

The results of the experiments were exciting and often unpredictable. I found that boiling leather for 10 minutes was the most effective and it would shrink around objects, become hard and hold its shape.

Others experimented with bamboo, rice, paper, fabric, paperbark, and metal. 

My Opal ring

 We were asked to bring along an object that grounds us. I chose my Australian Boulder Opal ring, which was given to me by my Nan, and I like it because I have a piece of Australia with me whenever I travel.

the first interpretation of my ring.

 Using the ring as inspiration we had to copy it using natural materials. Because my object was so small, Ruudt encouraged me to work big.

second interpretation of ring

 Once we made the first interpretation, we had to make an interpretation of the interpretation. My second one wasn't as successful, and so I was encouraged to make more.

Third interpretation of opal ring

Fourth interpretation of opal ring

Whilst the workshop was intense (we started at 7.30am every morning with meditation and finished around 11pm after sharing a communal meal) I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. The environment was amazing, and it was lovely of Ruudt to share his studio space with us. The other artists participating were also wonderful and I got to know some very talented and clever people. And the best bit was that I was encouraged to grow and expand my artistic practice.

For many more images of our workshop experience visit Ruudt's Facebook page.