Asta Groting

Henry Moore Institute

"....Emerged in the mid 1980's and gained immediate acclaim for her take on the human body and the human condition. Groting shows us the things that can't normally be seen and perhaps those which we don't want to see. The body has provided a rich source of inspiration for Groting, rendered by her the physical is inextricably bound to the psychological so that the form and function of the human body reflect its mechanics, but are also affected by thought and feeling. Perhaps suggesting there is a formula to existence.Groting seems more concerned with the key aspects of existence such as earth, food, fire and sex."

I enjoyed l0oking at how Groting had translated body actions and movements into mechanisms such as in 'Ja and Nein' (Yes and No) painted iron and mechanical drives alternate the 2 circular structures representing the head movements yes and no. The materials Groting uses are plastic pearls, nylon string, bronze, polyester, glass, soil, silicon and epoxy resin. It was intriguing looking at the variety of materials used in the exhibition to represent the key aspects of existence.

In an interview she was asked how she conveys ideas and stories to the viewer, in which she replies... " I can only hope that my work touches on and communicates what I tried to put into it. A work must also make sense without anyone knowing they story behind it or it's title or without it having to be standing in the perfect place."

I think as an artist one of the hardest things is trying to convey ideas to an audience, using subtle clues to suggest messages to the viewer. However an artist has no control over the audiences reaction to work which is something any artist has to accept.

Kevin Newark "Protoplasm"
The Pavillion Private View 18.00

Up until Gary speaking about the Pavillion Gallery I didn't even know it existed as an artist studying in Leeds I think that it important to know where all the galleries are and to keep up to date with what exhibitions are being shown there. After an adventure trying to find the gallery we eventually arrived. The gallery similar to smaller galleries in Berlin with concrete floors and small white walls was exhibiting Kevin Newarks "Protoplasm". This photographer I became particularly interested in during the reading week in which I was studying digital photography and therefore researching photographers. I came across his work in the "portfolio" magazine, where Newark had won British Photography award. His work particularly intrigues me and draws the audience into what initially appears as a beautiful abstraction but on closer inspection reveals an unsettling interruption into our environment. The photographs are actually carrier bags resting on a canal, however they look almost like x-rays exaggerating the transparency of the plastic becoming almost unrecognizable and not to dis-similar to astronomy photographs. I spoke to the artist about is work and particularly the lens' he used on the camera as i was trying to create similar scientific type work in my elective. I also asked him why he had displayed them as he had and had he thought about using light boxes to exaggerate the luminosity of the images in which he said he hadn't but perhaps that would be a possibility for other exhibitions. The exhibition was again friendly and welcoming, the curator was particularly interesting and invited us to critiques where various artists, curators and writers from Leeds get together and discuss practices. I definitely will take this opportunity to mix with a variety of groups within Leeds to develop and learn from them. This exhibition was particularly interesting for many reasons, for finding a new gallery, for speaking to the artist and the curator and especially for being invited to the critiques.

Chorus

Leeds Grand Theatre Opera House

"To celebrate the opening of the Historic Howard Assembly Room after 30 years of public closure, Opera North projects have asked United Visual Artists to make artwork responding to the newly restored space. This new work is called "Chorus". Press Release.

The installation consists of eight moving pendulums suspended from the ceiling, each one individually generating light and sound, an individual voice that can be heard and followed when moving through the paths. In which there are 3 distinct phases each constructing a different mood within the space. This has been created in collaboration with the composer Mira Calix who recorded individual members of the Opera North Company and instruments to re-create a "chorus" of sound. The power of the pendulums create an almost performance piece which is both an immersive experience for an audience as well as participated. The pendulums transform into something mesmerizing and hypnotic forcing the audience to look at them and how there attached as they swing above and across the breadth of the hall emphasizing the space perhaps instigating a sense of insignificance to the audience. Whilst the randomness of the light and sound portrays a sense of unexpectedness.

Stass Paraskos
Vernon Street, Private View.

After studying over summer as Stass Paraskos' Cyprus College Of Art I found compelled to visit the founders own exhibition here in Leeds. His colourful and exciting life is displayed through his series of paintings documenting his journey in becoming an artist. Although sadly Stass could not himself attend there was a great atmosphere which was both warm and welcoming with traditional cypriot food to add to the greek way of celebrating exhibition openings. I enjoyed the video and interview of Stass placed next to his paintings exaggerating his character as well as his art. The exhibition spread throughout the college on 2 floors with paintings also being displayed down the staircase, enticing the audience to the bottom floor where the celebrations continued, where friends, family and accuintances of Stass re-cindled memories,swapping stories and experiences. This exhibition also felt like a celebtration of his life and his achievments.

Richard Baker

Blenheim Walk- Private View

"His work has evolved through an unhealthy obsession with eBay, specifically with the section devoted to modernist furniture. This unlikely source of Bakers inspiration row upon row of Earnes and Panton Chairs, often tired, neglected and badly photographed are his coveted objects. Unable to own them, he has managed to acquire them through other means- by a considered process of layering, scraping re-drawing and glazing he carefully renders these objects his own" Press Release.

The press release entices audiences to come and discover these paintings and explore his "unhealthy obsession". It descriptively describes the work and the physicality's of the paintings "layering, scraping, re-drawing and glazing". His work exhibited within a long thin corridor, an interesting space due to the width and height or the room transforming his personal obsession into an intimate space. There were many students that had come to see his work as well as an outside audience.

This was the first of our briefings in which we are being asked to analyse different dynamics of audience and community in relation to our own individivual practice. We need to explore strategies for interfacing, intervention, consultation, performance and social engagement to develop an audience for our work. Engaging with different dynamics of audience, public and community in Fine Art practice.

"Since the happenings of the 1960's audience has become increasingley predominant in Fine Art Practice. The theme of audience is very current, contemporary work is often judged using a relational aesthetic. (Judging artworks on the basis of the inter-human relations they embody, produce or prompt)"

It was interesting evaulating in detail the questions "What is an exhibition?" and "Who has the Power?".

I began thinking about issues raised within the breifing such as the dynamics of an exhibition, the publics attitude towards artists, the layout referencing certain shows e.g motorshows, the engagement of the space such as the objects within: plinths, shelves cases, cabinets, the domination of the space, audiences as gender specific, art galleries and the connection to honourfic value, aswell as the debate over whether artists have a right to engage with an audience particularly when its something emotional, fixtures and fittings and art as a piece of communication of social engagement.