04/08/08 Day 1: Research week

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I will be writing daily on here, recording the development of work, thoughts, processes and ideas as the residency progresses throughout August.

Firstly though a bit about the residency: The residency is a chance for me to work away from interruption at Courtyard arts throughout the month of August to develop new work. The project came about late last year and forms part of a larger project that allows me to develop professionally as an artist, through personal development of both my practice and my ability to manage and produce art projects. The over riding project kicked off in May with 'Keeping it LIVE'- a 3 day festival of live art at Courtyard in which I brought together and programmed the work of artist I have met and worked with over the past 8 years. The work being Live art- a term to describe work that fits outside of traditional mediums such as painting drawing and sculpture but incorporates elements of these mediums, it can incorporate dance, spoken word, performance and theatre. I approach live art from a Fine art background in particular sculpture and like to phrase my own work as being 'performative' or 'performance art'. A love of process, action and physical movement lead me to this medium. Its that that allows me to work with my body, my physicality, movement, action, moment, time, text, conversation, dialogue, memory and methods. My work is often site specific and can also be born out of conversation and experiences with others- hence my interest in collaboration. I feel I can be manipulated easily, in a positive way, I like to discuss my work and ideas with others and enjoy allowing their views to effect the work, I'm not precious about the idea or about it being mine, its open to interpretation. These sharing's form a crucial part of my practice. This residency will be the first time I have physically worked solo, previously working with Ben has meant the majority of my experiences have been collaborative. I'm keen to do something alone, to find myself, an identity. Maybe I don't have one, maybe my solo practice is about collaborating, about letting others decide how and what to do, with it, my initial ideas and desires and thoughts and instincts. I guess this is what it will be about over the next couple of weeks, this forms the foundation to the need for the residency and how and why it came about. I will be developing solo ideas.

Then there's the top bit- the stuff a little closer to the surface- the solo work and my ideas and thoughts on what makes up the content to the solo work. I have currently been spending a lot of time considering and thinking about authenticity, a huge word I know. I guess I have not been thinking about that word necessarily but stuff that can be summarised and falls under the title of the word authenticity. Authenticity is the bigger word that my little observations fall under, what it means to be an artist?, what it means to live in Hertford? what it means to have a chicken shed as a studio? What it means to be Holly with no 'And..', what it means to get carried away with the visual? what it means to get carried away with material? and what it means to distract yourself with stuff like housework and food and drink and TV? 

The residency therefore makes up the second part of the project with Courtyard arts and will form the final part of this funding.

So I will be in the gallery daily from the 11th dealing with the above, and welcome you along to witness and experience the space during 12.30-1pm Tue-Fri and every saturday at 11am.

I'm sorry not to have the gallery open more, the thing is I think I would not get too far if I did, I need to focus and I need the space and time and I need my audience, but all at the same time, I think will dilute each of these elements, resulting in a negative. I would rather work uninterrupted and then be prepared to speak and show you what I have been doing in a specific time slot, so I can fully focus on you all, I think it will make your experience richer too. Hope you understand and I look forward to meeting with you at the open studio times.

Thats all for now,

Best wishes

Holly