Week beginning: 10th October 2022
Field Trip and Networking
This week I visited Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham to explore the useful art space and attended talks by both Alessandra Saviotti and Jo Marsh. These talks were both insightful and inspiring in terms of collaborating with other artists and bouncing ideas within a safe space for likeminded people.
For those who don't know about Tŷ Pawb,
"It is a cultural community resource, bringing together arts and markets within the same footprint. This coexistence celebrates the significance of markets within Wrexham’s cultural heritage and identity. They offer a space for dialogue around subjects including social and civic issues, the environment, health, cultural identity, sustainability, and education. They also present a contemporary programme of welcoming and inclusive exhibitions, socially engaged projects and live performance. The programme emphasizes skills and craft, working with emerging and established artists from all backgrounds"
In terms of the talks by Alessandra Saviotti, I found them incredibly inspiring and helpful. She touched upon keeping a Lexicon, and the Arte util projects. This is something I have taken upon myself to start. A lexicon of words and phrases I have encountered and unsure of the meaning. This lexicon has become a constant documentation in order to enhance and develop my understanding of the art industry and the world around me. I have also started reading Stephen Wright's - Lexicon of Usership, which I am finding very thought-provoking and insightful.
After the talks, we participated in a group activity, in which we had to explore several Arte Util Projects in connection with Ty Pawb and research them. Thinking about how the projects possibly linked into our own practice, and whether or not we consider them to be standard art practice. The project I chose was titled "Revival Field" by artist Mel Chin. This project started in 1999 and became a collaboration between artists and scientists, in which a 60-foot field in Minnesota designed like a garden was used to draw heavy metals from the soil, making the soil suitable for planting and vegetation again. This was completed through the planting of special hyperaccumulator plants such as sweetcorn. This project is ongoing and has the goal of eradicating pollution from the soil so that life can return to it. It's interesting to me from a regenerational aspect, its giving back to the environment and working towards a cleaner way of living which I think we all should be acting upon. At the same time as being a sculptural garden and art piece from above (ariel view).
Please Visit Arte Útil (arte-util.org) for more information and visit the links below also.
After visiting Ty Pawb, I felt I was at a stage in the design process in which i needed to start formally documenting my findings and research. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I have started (and will continue over the coming weeks) to document my research within a physical folder, for referencing and ease. I will however share some of the websites and books I have found inspiring and influential to me via these blog posts for anyone who is interested and may want to read for themselves. Some of the books essential to my learning and practice at the moment are:
- The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben
- Illustrated book of trees and shrubs, Vetvicha
- Illustrated book of tree, Bourdo
- The Tree, John Fowles
- Wildwood: A journey through trees, Roger Deakin
Adam
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