talkcommingup

Working on the next instalment of exhibiting the work - a show at the Gallery attached to Norwich University of the Arts - most of the work is still at the Museum of East Anglian Life but there is a film/slide show I want to present so its all about file sizes and monitors etc as well as rethinking the work in the new space.  I have another talk coming up next week - looking at the background to the project unpicking and rebinding and how it came to be - this time at Suffolk Record Office - October 19th at 2.00 - its at Gatacre Road in Ipswich  http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/libraries-and-culture/culture-and-heritage/suffolk-record-office/contact-suffolk-record-office/ipswich-record-office/

somewordsandpictures

the exhibition has been featured in the University of the Arts blog

http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/camberwell/2013/09/24/exhibition-by-camberwell-ma-book-arts-lecturer-les-bicknell/

a selection of images from my last visit 

Some thoughts on unpicking and rebinding - 

How has working within the archive informed my practice - What will last?

Over many years of reflecting on my work previous to this project I had come to know that my practice had the concept of control at its core. This issue of restriction was challenged by the choice of materials that were used within the project. This selection in turn was governed by the establishment of a set of rules developed from a political position. The concept of the hidden within the fold has informed this thinking. Practically the materials chosen serve an unsung yet useful original purpose; stiffening, strengthening and creating form within the garment. 

Politically there is a link with workers making and possibly controlled by the processes they are engaged with, making work for idle hands, subjugation through craft.

When the choice of materials can be anything rules and concepts are important to enable you to focus what you will work with. Materials have political and aesthetic factors connected to them and this choice compounds with issues of quality and value towards the final pieces.

The extensive use of fabric within the project has forced me to release a degree of control in the work I've been making – paper and card ‘move’ less. The inherent quality of materials one works with is apparent and informed by every decision and those decisions embedded within the materials. The fabric feels alien and too open, although this has been one of the many practical lessons learnt.

I have developed my personal connection to the history of textile activity within the Eastern Region, specifically amassing knowledge around the meaning of smocks through time – agricultural labourer to bohemian crafts person including a political position around workers and decoration.

Learning from making is something that I constantly talk about with the students I work with. Asking them to consider and act on it - this new body of work, where I have positioned myself outside my 'traditional' knowledge has required me to learn skills and develop strategies which have in turn moved my work forward

I have been developing my practical textile skills, specifically smocking techniques. This has widened my making vocabulary, enabling me to have a richer visual voice. This extensive period of learning skills from practising creating pockets using paper and lining materials to traditional smocking techniques is now part of my practice. This rigorous making has enabled parallels and connections between pattern cutting and the world of experimental book production to be considered.

Reflection whilst physically being with the objects in the collection enables links to flow. The objects have a palimpsest quality; the record of their history reappears on the surface like the traces of old texts to be 'read', a memory of use embedded within the objects physicality, like cumulative palimpsests. And the objects themselves leave their own mark on the viewer. Every object has an infinite number of stories attached and each personal truth illustrates multiple connections and this in itself documents our relationship to what and how we value the objects around us. But when making work that is inspired by the works of others the shadow of impersonation is ever present. When referencing becomes pastiche pieces can cease to be viewed as valid or creative in their own right. Looking at objects and striking a balance between research and creativity, between citation and indication.

The physical making led, through reflection to a series of questions, including when does bend become crease become fold?  When does an object become itself? This initial interest in the idea of objectness led to a need to consider categorisation and it became a large part of the research. 

embeddingbeauty

The talk at MEAL last night was really interesting - my first really public encounter/conversation/discussion/argument around some of the issues that I have been considering over the past 2 years. The role of individuals in the past finding joy and embedding love in their making is something to consider against my hard-line 21st century view around the politics of subjugation through craft. I'm looking forward to the next talk I am to give at the record office in Ipswich.

theinviteisout

the invite is out 

talkatMEAL

looking forward to giving a talk at the Museum of East Anglia Life - it will be good to re-visit the work and have the opportunity to explain/discuss the project. its on Thursday 26th and starts at 7.00 - if you are around it would be good to see you there.

talkandwebpresence

the project is on the front page of two web sites at the moment show  - a link to the presentation I have developed to explain and explore the project - http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/unpicking-and-rebinding-talk

somemoreimages

after a quick break - some images from the show - both objects from the collection alongside the work I have made in response. The large prints hanging in the windows add an introduction to the whole experience.