Summer Show
This was a very enjoyable and constructive experience and where my work was awarded a prize from John Purcell Paper.
As outlined in the Proposal the pieces themselves were constructed from steel with the imagery taken by myself during a number of visits to a metal engineering site on the outskirts of Swansea.
Visits to the engineering site in Swansea led me to the proposal of the construction of a sculptural piece which resembled a fire retardant screen used by the fabricators during the welding process. I wanted the piece which was made entirely on site with cut offs/salvaged material to reflect the relevance to the operatives themselves. The pieces themselves have all been returned to the site and where future pieces will be mounted. The fabricators themselves have been encouraged to interact with the piece by placing their own work thereon. This was a main purpose/theme for myself in constructing the piece “in house” and has served in celebrating and acknowledging the employees. I also produced a number of paper prints which were gifted to the site along with three framed photographic prints which have now been displayed in their conference room.
As referred to above the pieces shown at the Summer Show were very much focused on my theme of identity and in celebrating the Here and Now. I certainly enjoyed the experience of entering into the work place and did so not simply in order to document a lifestyle or aspect of work but rather in a spirit of collaboration. Friendships have grown through the experience and I will continue to visit. At the outset some of the staff were intrigued by my interest but as conversations developed there grew a firm understanding that it was more than a series of photographs. Being asked by the owners to return and compile images for their next calendar on one level was rather “ordinary” but I took great pleasure in doing so. On one particular occasion during a night duty visit a member of the team concluded the evening with a genuine “thanks for taking the time to come down”. I sat in the car and pondered this for a few minutes, realising that this was the very essence of my objective - of recognising and appreciating the work of people. Of having time for them, of reaching common ground and mutual respect.
The work was completed over a period of time and essentially consisted of a number of pieces of salvaged steel which had been screen printed on at the college. The selection and positioning of each piece was carefully considered where I tried to have people facing each other in a balanced format. The structure itself was particularly enjoyable to make as I found the staff in the Metal Workshops to be very supportive and encouraging. So much so that I determined to return with a new project for the Research Festival.
This particular piece, constructed at the engineering site itself, was entitled “Gwersi Mewn Chwarae” (“Lessons in Play”), which reflects the productivity to be gained through experimentation and research. The piece was constructed to enable pieces to be shown either side or as a stand-alone piece in itself. It was interesting to see how viewers engaged with it, and I received some particularly positive feedback reference the mark-making, which resonated to some as the sense of freedom and flight of birds and, in particular, the Kite, a bird of prey in that area. These marks had been made with the use of a metal power grinder and, when placed in a certain light, produce a holographic effect. Over the summer break I experimented further with this and will also consider the use of a steady-cam and/or soundscape.
Since creating this piece I have also discovered the work of Richard Serra and in particular the pieces “Belts” 1966-67 constructed from vulcanised rubber strips, illuminated by an erratic curl of neon tubing; “Fernando Pessoa”, 2007-2008 and “Promenade” 2008. On visiting the engineering works in Swansea earlier this year I had photographed a similar arrangement of “belts” utilised in the movement of large pieces of metal and I was immediately struck by their strength and symbolic nature. These will potentially be used for the November Festival which concludes our course. Serra’s work has a sense of materiality and timelessness which I find beautiful and highly evocative.
Titles and Dimensions
The titles of the work were as follows:
Gwaith Taclus (Precision Work)
The main piece consisting of the stand with the images screen printed had the main title of “Gwaith Taclus” (Precision Work). The word “taclus” can also be translated as “tidy” which is commonly used in South Wales with affectionate connotations. The piece was constructed entirely from steel at the college Metal Workshop and designed to reflect the inter connectivity of the materials and the work force depicted thereon. These were photographs taken by myself of the engineers and fabricators at the plant in Swansea and screen printed onto the metal sheets, the sheets having been salvaged from the outside area of the works and then cleaned with polish. Positioned in such a way to reflect the reading of a book and marked with a central book mark to reflect the importance of manual skilled work. Going forward and upon reflection, had there been a larger area this would have been positioned more centrally to allow viewers to walk around and observe from various angles and where the natural lighting from the high ceilings would have had more effect.
The salvaged pieces of steel and one of copper (heavily marked) were of the following dimensions: 55.88x41cm, 61.55x37.69cm, 64x41cm, 55x43cm, 55x41cm.
Gwersi mewn Chwarae (Lessons in Play)
The frame constructed in Wales held the title of “Gwersi mewn Chwarae” (Lessons in Play). This has now been returned to the venue and serves as a notice board highlighting events, birthdays, and the like. I am returning at Christmas to take a “works photo” where this will feature. This piece was well situated next to that of fellow artist Olesia, which in itself celebrated play and childhood and which I much admired. The frame’s dimensions being: 203.2x116.84x133.35. There were four (4) panels which were constructed separately and then affixed to the metal poles and stand at the show itself.
Balchder yn ei waith (Pride in one’s work)
The piece “Balchder yn ei waith” which appeared on “Gwersi mewn Chwarae” was created from a salvaged piece of copper (40x50cm) at the Swansea works and was heavily marked from weathering and tarnishing, having been salvaged from the outside yard area. The photograph of a fabricator was printed on by means of screen etch resist and retained as the finished piece itself. The use of copper in this instance was a reference/celebration of the copper industry in Swansea, “Copperopolis” being a historical nickname for Swansea, and which was the world’s leading copper smelting centre in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is referred to elsewhere in the website and the result of research at Swansea museum and the excellent book “Copperopolis: Landscapes of the Early Industrial Period in Swansea” by Stephen Hughes, originally published in 2001 and published by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (ISBN-10 1871184177).
Other pieces were trialled on the frame and at the conclusion of the show gave me an opportunity to play around further.