In preparation for next week’s research discussion, today I sent out an email requesting some thoughts from my MA peers’ about their relationships with the work they produce. Bearing in mind that 45 minutes can go by very quickly, I decided to leave out a lot of explanatory background information and let the process evolve during the Skype chat. I have some material to input into the discussion but above all my aim is to explore the different ways in which they view the relationship that an artist might have with their work and how they perceive how a recipient might relate to it. I would also like to get some insight into how they articulate the means by which they control, alter, influence behaviours in the planning making and display of work.
I was thinking of framing this in terms of subject-object, the Living-Presence Response and altering behaviours by changing the passive resistance of a work. In view of the allotted time, I decided to not necessarily introduce this complex area although some of it may filter into the discussion.
The process of preparing for the research discussion has, however, proved immensely useful in developing further a theoretical framework which I can use to underlie my practice and perhaps even take further in some future studies.
This is a copy of the email. It is difficult to keep things brief and clear. I am sure it could be said better; experience helps in these matters.
RE: Research Discussion – Tuesday 4th February
To My MA Peers
As a preparation for the research discussion on Tuesday 4th Feb, would each of you kindly send me your thoughts as to the nature of your relationship with your art pieces. This is because in my own work, it is a thought that prevails both when I am making a work and when I think of the possible contexts in which it will be shown.
My research statement was concerned with looking at disparate art practices in an evolving environment. One of the outcomes of having written the paper is an interest in, the subject-object relationship where the subject can be the artist and or the recipient, and finding ways of altering behaviour by changing the dynamics between the two.
Please would you each send me in no more than 100 words your thoughts. As a guide I have written three questions that might help frame your ideas.
- What is the nature of your relationship with one of your art pieces?
- How do you perceive the relationship between that work and its recipients might be?
- What do you do or plan to do to foster that relationship?
You can frame these around your project proposal, the final show or any current work you are engaged in. This is not specifically about your practice but about the relationship between you and the art object or event, and between the recipient and the given work.
I would be grateful if you could send it by Sunday evening, before the Tuesday Skype session.
London based artists are very welcome to respond and or join us on the Skype session at 1pm as Jonathan mentioned. In any case I would be very interested to hear your thoughts.
Thank you
Alexis