Archives for category: Research
I have been living in beautiful Florence for nearly two weeks as part of the John Kinross RSA Research Scholarship and am really enjoying exploring, learning Italian and taking in all of the Art. I am living in Italy for just over two months to research and get inspiration for new work. My friend Claudia and I live in an apartment in Santa Croce, very close to the Arno, the Uffizi, an amazing market and lots of restaurants and bars…it’s the Italian dream! In the next weeks I’m looking forwards to the start of my photography class at a local school and a day trip to the marble quarry Carrara.
Dalziel + Scullion, Rain (Wales), 2000
Heather and Ivan Morison, I am so sorry. Goodbye., 2008
A12, Deep Garden, 2008
Chris Drury, Coppice Cloud Chamber, 1998
James Turrell, Light Reign, 2003
Tomas Saraceno, Observatory, Air-Port-City, 2008
I am finding myself increasingly drawn to both traditional and contemporary architectural shelters and spaces as a source of inspiration. I am interested in structures that promote a heightened level of engagement with their environment and in so doing are reactive or changeable. In my current project I hope to capture the notion of this type of dwelling through its scale, transients and atmosphere. My structure takes inspiration from Japanese origami which will, I hope provide an extra freedom to the space as it can be folded and manipulated into varying shapes. I hope that when taken into the environment the user can fold out the wood and fabric structure to create a space that is personal and reflective whilst also being reactive to changes in its location. The main reactive force being changes in light, the fast pace and beautiful quality of changing light across the Scottish landscape has always been a great inspiration for me. I hope to document the structures changing presence in a series of photographs.
On Thursday morning I left Dundee for the sunny climes of Brighton. A mere nine hours of train hoping later, I was there! On arriving, I couldn’t quite believe how far south I was; I could see right off the edge! I really enjoyed the atmosphere and diversity of Brighton and seeing lovely old friends.
Early on Friday morning I ventured to Hove to visit the studio of Heather and Ivan Morison. My favourite artists’ of the moment and the subject of my dissertation. The Morison’s seem to have it sorted, family life and sky rocketing careers as professional artists’. It was an invaluable experience to be able to see their studio and interview them about their work after reading so much about it. Knowing who is behind the pieces has added a new understanding for me that I was not fully expecting. I found the interview progress highly nerve racking but thankfully Heather Morison spoke excellently and made my job much easier. I find their attitudes towards their role as artists’ refreshing and exciting, they are highly prolific and the work and ideas seem to be constantly evolving, never stagnant.
I feel more informed and defiantly enthused, I just hope I can communicate the intricacy and innovative nature of their practice and artworks in my writing, I’ll have a go anyway!
Continuing experiments in the studio.
I am currently writing my dissertation which has changed dramatically from when I began a few months ago. I started with the intention of writing more generally about Contemporary Environmental Art and it’s impact, referencing a small group of contemporary artists. On further research into my chosen artists I became fascinated with the artistic practice of Heather and Ivan Morison, collaborative ecological artists currently working between Wales and Brighton. This has led me to a dissertation about the Morison’s innovative practice and it’s impact on Contemporary Environmental Art. This was quite a shift in subject at quite a late stage in the process but I feel positive and enthused that I have found a subject matter that inspires me and holds my attention completely. The pairs work is also highly influential to my own current work. Two days ago I had very exciting news. I had emailed the Morison’s studio a few weeks ago asking on the off-chance if I could possibly visit them. They said yes! I booked my train ticket Dundee to Brighton last night to leave on the 11th.
