MA Evaluation & Graduate Show video 02/07/2023

Short documentation film of the gallery space with and without people in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiKCWFhKGUY

MA Evaluation:

My time on the MA Contemporary Art Practice has been quite a rollercoaster. The first year and some of the second was turned into a hybrid learning experience due to the Covid 19 pandemic, and then due to my health issues and operations (osteoarthritis in both hips, both of which were replaced during the course, and a large tumour removed also whilst doing the course) I had to move back to Wiltshire and so the rest of the course has also mostly been achieved mostly via zoom sessions. I have of course come into uni as much as I could as well and have enjoyed every single moment of the whole 3 years. However, I also had to deal with a terminal diagnosis of cancer for my Mum, which due to a one in a million response to immunotherapy and surgery, tests now show no evidence of cancer and close monitoring will continue for the next five years. I also lost my Nan and Uncle and all of these things have had an impact on my ability to study but I managed to plough through and actually the course has been therapeutic to my needs.

Originally, I was going to develop my own artistic practice alongside investigating the social aspect to claybus.com (a socially engaged mobile art studio I was running) which came to an abrupt end when social distancing rules were imposed. So my main focus turned to develop and understand my rationale for investigating aspects of the human body and mind, especially combined with a relationship with technology and the effect of our relationship with nature. Having a hip replacement made me consider myself more cyborg than ever and this prompted research into a posthuman society of transhumanists and how this may effect our relationship with our bodies and environment.

My 3rd year essay was a development of and from the work I did in my first and second years. This involved the considerations of transhumanism, of art and how they can respond to each other, and the questioning of boundaries and shifts and overlaps, which I feel has become much more articulated, and also begins to point more clearly to how I work this out in the studio, in the artmaking and projects that I will develop. I realised that the work I did on drafting this essay really helped but it is a dense topic, and that there is so much going on within this subject, and all the aspects are relevant and connected, but that I need to pull out the threads a bit more or focus on one or two main lines of enquiry. I feel that my ability to research, question and investigate theories and ideologies has become far better through my writing assignments with Mark and Anya.

I have realised how important it is to learn from other artists and take the relevant aspects of their work that coincide with mine and how to incorporate this to help articulate what I intend in my own practice.

I have also gone on to re-establish a recreational tree climbing business: upatreecamp.com, taking place in natural wooded & forested locations in a natural environment and gone on to really consider how this offers a link to nature for participants, and supports a connection, an opportunity for a physical somatic systemic experience in and with nature. I feel this has come about more intensely through my essay research and investigations into our connection with nature.

I feel that the MA has allowed me to evolve alongside my art and that my art has done so with me. My personal journey from disablement to enablement has been symbiotic with my art vision of cyborgism and a transhumanist posthuman society. It has been a fantastic journey, both mentally, physically and emotionally for me. Multi layered and multi dimensional allowing me to consider an ability to merge AI, dystopian and surreal worlds with nature. My research level has far exceeded expectations limitations and procrastinations. My work and progress has been followed by friends and family through my MA blog and some have commented on how astounded they are by my depth of research. Also that my followers have been drawn in and sign posted to various diverse avenues of interest. I feel my work has progressed through the MA to become all inclusive, enjoyable to others with a more contemporary feel and gives food to thought.

The course itself, I have found to be well organised and structured, with a good combination of writing and physical workshops. I believe they have all made me consider what I am doing and why, more than ever.

All of my tutorials have made me come away with ideas bubbling in my head and to consider things more laterally. They have all been extremely useful. Both Mark and Anya have really pushed me to constantly better myself by really thinking about specifics with my subject and arguments more and Josie has really helped give different perspectives to my work which I feel has really added an extra dynamic to my creations. I have found feedback from tutors to be very responsive, in depth and written or said in a clear and understandable manner.

I found the space for MA within the Levinsky buiding (room101) a little uninviting and like we were literally squeezed into small triangular section at both ends but it was still a usable space so I shouldn't grumble too much.

Working with Ben Borthwick at KARST for the 1st year exhibition (June 2021) was a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience. Having very few exhibitions under my belt, it was great to be able to gain some knowledge of a more lateral approach to unconventional presentation. Bens laid back and empathetic approach to everyone’s needs, concerns and thoughts was a great help to not only thinking outside the box but to encouraging us to really think for ourselves and make careful considerations.

The symposium (March 2022) seemed odd and daunting at first, but as it began to loom on the horizon, I felt we all worked really well together with excellent guidance and encouragement from Mark and Laura. It was an invaluable professional development tool, but for me it was a real catalyst to get stuck into my work. I treated it as a process-led documentation of my work initially which soon turned into making a whole film as part of my years main work. How would I feel if I had to do it again? Hmmm not sure. I think it was a good idea to leave most of it to years 1 and 2 to organise. However, I do really like how all years are mostly combined. I think it works well to bring us together and share ideas and thoughts. I have enjoyed mixing with the other years and believe this has been invaluable in understanding how we all work as artists in different environments and settings and how this has helped me consider my own practice in more depth.

Working with the Levinsky Gallery this year for our final graduate show has been great experience, although I missed out on a couple of meetings I have found Mary and Andy understanding, empathetic and encouraging to my needs. I love the space and feel my installation has gone well and I have used the space well, as have Neil, Sam and Victoria. I think our work was all connected in one way and that we complimented each others work within the space. Also I would like to say a big thank you to Mark for his input in organising the exhibition stationery and graphics etc, and how professional Anya, Mark and the rest of the staff have been leading up to our final show and also throughout the whole course. The opening evening event went well with a good turn out and I managed to capture viewers response by placing a camera between the legs of the sculpture. I had some good feedback from everyone and am looking forward to invigilating on the last day.

Overall I have found the course very engaging and rewarding and was glad of the 3 years to do it in. It gave me time to really consider things and not rush anything. It was good to speak with the external examiner, within the gallery space and put the last three years and how we got there into perspective. Where am I going next? I will definitely be considering our connection with nature more in depth and hope to explore creating artworks around this theme and encouraging others to do the same.

Thank you to all the tutors and staff.