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| Working Methodology |
My working methodology is especially diverse, seeing no cause to limit practice with labels like photographer, painter or textile artist. This is largely because the physical manifestation of the work is often secondary, as opposed to being the sole reason for the creation of the art. This developed into a preference for working with
materials that are truly ephemeral such as wool, thread, paper and fabric. Not for an interest or attraction to their durability, instead focussing on the experiences they initiate, believing this to be where the potency of such materials are located. The issue of associations with an ephemeral mode of production were resolved when I came to agree with Kelley in that;
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"Readers may project whatever meaning they want upon my work but if they attribute their projections to me, I have a problem with that. They must take responsibility for their own reading."(Welchman, Graw, Vidler:1999:10)
However, unlike Kelly, who, in his own words, "?took up sewing - not because I had any interest in it, but just to piss him (his father) off", (Welchman, Graw, Vidler:1999:118) I came to it in spite of it's allegedly non-artistic connotations finding an enormous fluidity in terms of creative scope.
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In theoretical terms I hold a similar stance to Deller who believes the art lies in the ideas and interactions of those he brings together. In terms of my intimate works, when they take on a physical form, they are often knitted or sewn. For example; "sock monsters" and the articles made as part of the intimate works.
A recent development to the practice is Post Art; this method of working is designed to enhance the distribution of my art and allowing for increased interaction with people outside the usual sphere of fine art. Entering or creating a new community of strangers aiming to initiate bridging social capital. This development for my work seems promising, and has already undergone informal experimentation; whilst living in Hastings, two of my friends from home were really struggling and there was physically no way for me to get home and be there to care for them. Out of frustration I baked each of them their favourite cookies and posted them without telling them. This was an enormous success and cookies by post has become a staple part of my existence, in that whenever someone is having a crisis they call me, talk about it, and take comfort in knowing that in the morning a fresh batch of cookies baked solely for them will be on their way. Therefore this technique yields enormous potential for allowing my intimate works to travel a greater distance. Recently this method of work has been encompassed into the Sock Monster Project since an increasing number of the participants are outside of my direct sphere of contact; the post is the most direct way of connecting them with their Sock Monster.
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Mapping as a way of recording the distribution patterns of the Sock Monsters allows for visual interpretation of the extent to which they are successfully infiltrating the wider world. There is interest in assimilating diagrammatic methods to illustrate the Sock Monsters movements and their infiltration of society and the world.
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There are similarities between the performance elements of the work and negotiation or diplomacy; that is to say that many historic negotiations, the forming of international alliances, are created through polite physically banal conversations. With the performance I am negotiating an alliance between potential participant and Sock Monster through a polite banal approach. It is important to recognise the potential for vastly positive and negative outcomes through the performance; some approaches lead to fruitful results and on other occasions there have been abrupt refusals, or acceptances where both participant and monster appear to vanish into the ether.
Paradoxically the gallery is of importance in relation to the performance works. By making the negotiated performance works within the gallery structure I am able to subvert it; I approach potential players within galleries as people are expecting art, they are already tuned and receptive. If the agree to join the game they receive a subversive piece of art that is not intended to exist within the gallery and the nature of the work itself draws you out of the gallery to create your own art.
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