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| Artist Statement |
The practice is intrinsically centred on the social dimension of participation and I view my role as an artist as one of instigator and facilitator; providing a platform for participants to not only actively engage in but create works themselves. The practice is centred on people and previously existed in two distinct domains; the intimate and the public; however, the work has developed to a publicly centred practice.
Sock Monsters are small creatures made from recycled socks, they are catalysts for interaction art. They encourage recipients to re-examine their local environment through the eyes of a stranger; recipients document the interaction of the creature and its new environment through photography and film which they upload onto the Sock Monster website http://sockmonsters.woolywarrior.co.uk and share with the other members. This creates a virtual network and community allowing players to engage creatively with role play and visual narrative.
The activation is far more open than the traditional activation of the viewer that takes place when they physically move through an interactive installation. This is largely because such works are very limiting in terms of potential interaction and therefore leave the viewer passive. The appearance of the Sock Monsters is divisive, as they resemble a toy, they are a disarming object; making it easier to approach potential participants. They stimulate reminiscence about childhood and tap into elements of memory and communication that are socially relevant for the game I am inviting them to play.
The Sock Monster Project is breaking down the distinction between artist and viewer since the production and reception of the work is symbiotic; the works would not exist without the artist making the Sock Monsters but equally the Sock Monsters remain passive objects without participants to activate them by creating the visuals and narrative.
Bringing about interpersonal dialogue and rejuvenating the concept of Social Capital which is widely recognised to be "the collective value of social networks and the spirit of cooperation they engender" (Perry:2006) is central to the practice. It is focussed on people, bringing art to public spaces, to the people and places that need it most and receive it least. It is engineered to be something genuine, caring or just plain fun. In consultation with the participants and recipients of the works, acting to improve their lives in any small way, from something as simple as socks to keep my Granddad's feet warm during chemotherapy, to the complex virtual community growing from the platform provided by The Sock Monster Project where I am seeding a community where the group's collective and individual thinking is valued, made visible and actively promoted. This community embodies the Surrealist notion of "made by all and not by one" (Rinzen:2006)
In relation to the roles of viewer and artist I am in agreement with Mike Kelley who has stated that the "relationship between the viewer and the artist is 'conversational'". (Welchman, Graw, Vidler:1999:14) The work is the physical manifestation of a creative partnership which adapts and evolves in meaning, and often physically, as a result of individual interaction, similar to the boxes of Joseph Cornell.
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