Video documentation of 'Everything Will Be Alright' video installation is now online on Vimeo and YouTube

Video documentation of 'Everything will be alright' video installation is now online. 

The documentation does not feature the audio installation that also featured in the exhibition.



Documentation of Everything Will Be Alright from Helen Shaddock

on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/182109286

on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/-jPGH_x0heQ

A lot can happen in fifteen minutes

I'm really pleased that my recent collaborative publication, 'A lot can happen in fifteen minutes' with UnstapledPress is getting positive feedback.

Come see it now as part of my installation 'Everything Will Be Alright' at the Newcastle University MFA Exhibition 2016.



They are printed using risograph printing, making each one (I have 75 copies)an original artwork.

Publications can be bought from Newcastle University throughout the exhibition and online or in person.

MFA exhibition open 10am-5pm Monday - Saturday until 3rd September

I am invigilating throughout the duration of the Newcastle University MFA exhibition. Despite being a pretty simple task, invigilating can be challenging. When you have put your heart and soul into making the work and spent a lot of time and energy creating it, it can be very disheartening and disappointing when people don't try to engage with the work.

However, I am finding that the majority of viewers are taking their time and appreciating what they are seeing. I've had a few lengthy conversations with different people who obviously have had a response to my work. It is an amazing feeling when someone says that they have been moved by something I have created. Long may this continue.

There does seem to be some confusion about whether the gallery is open. I can confirm that although the Hatton Gallery is closed for refurbishment, the rest of the building is open as the Newcastle University MFA Exhibition 2016 is up and running and open for public viewing Monday - Saturday, 10am-5pm. The entrance to the exhibition is via the Atrium entrance, located opposite the Northern Stage. There are plenty of signs around to point you in the right direction. The last day of the exhibition is Saturday 3rd of September, so there is still plenty of time to come and enjoy the art. I hope to see you soon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Everything Will Be Alright

Thank you ever so much to everyone who came to the preview and who has visited the exhibition so far. The exhibition as a whole has been praised highly and my own work has been very well received.



There was a lovely celebratory atmosphere on Friday night and everything ran smoothly. The whole organisation of the exhibition including everything from the marketing, promotion, catalogue, website, posters, vinyl, maps, signage, press release, invigilation, logistics, to the hospitality, has been a real team effort.

 

I was delighted to see the work being enjoyed and for so many children (and adults!) to embrace the packing peanuts.

A taster of what is on offer

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY MFA SUMMER EXHIBITION

PREVIEW | FRIDAY 19th AUGUST, 6-9PM

EXHIBITION RUNS FROM SATURDAY 20th AUGUST- SATURDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER | CLOSED SUNDAYS. NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY FINE ART DEPARTMENT. FREE ADMISSION 

Testing the packing peanuts

I'm really excited about putting the packing peanuts on the floor, but this needs to be the last thing that I do. However, I am eager to see whether they will have an impact on the screen (i.e. if they will reflect onto the white), so I did have a quick scatter of a few to get an impression of what it may look like.

Packing peanuts galore!

As the different elements to my exhibition have developed and my installation has progressed, I have been conscious that there is something missing. This something is the thing that will add a little more texture and physicality to the work. At the moment I feel that the sculptural element of my practice is lacking within the space. Rather than make an individual sculpture, I want to find a way to unite the works so they exist as part of an installation rather than works on their own.

I have been considering doing some kind of drawing on the floor, but I feel this may be too controlled and flat. I enjoy creating experiences for the audience, and want to do something that would affect the way they interact with  the work.

I've been researching different materials and surfaces that I could cover the floor in. After much consideration I opted for green polystyrene packing peanuts.





















I'd looked at various colours of packing peanuts, and found one colour that was ideally matched to the colour of one of the scouring pads in one of my video animations. 

I did a couple of quick mock ups in photoshop to give me an idea of what it may look like, and this confirmed my decision to opt for the green packing peanuts.

It was rather difficult to gauge how many bags i would need as the volume of the bags were measured in cube feet, but after a bit of calculating (and an element of consultation with my piggy bank to see how much i could scrape together), I ordered 6 bags making a total of 90 cube feet worth of packing peanuts!

Positioning the monitors

I view the scouring pad animation as a kind of moving painting and therefore it seems appropriate to display it on a flatscreen monitor on the wall.

However, the folding napkin animation suits a more sculptural setup. I want for it to appear like the napkins are being folded on a table, and should be viewed from above, rather like the way in which I filmed them. 

Due to some rather dull technical reasons which I won't bore you with, I am using an old computer to present my folding napkin animation on. Unfortunately there is no way of getting rid of the bulky tower, and so I need to make a bespoke case to fit all the equipment in, and hold the monitor horizontally. I will need access to it on a daily basis and so the box will have a door that enables me to switch it all on and play the video.

I want the box to be as near to the size of the animation setup as possible, and so have decided to use the speakers on the monitor rather than having to house a couple of additional speakers. 

 The box has cut out rectangles in the position of the speakers on the monitor.

I've encountered an unexpected problem; namely that the screen of the monitor seems much darker than it should. The image above shows that the top of the monitor is much darker than the bottom, and the image below shows that when viewed the other way round, the image is the intended colour.

 .....

 In order to rectify the issue, I have tried to rotate the video. The problem with this is that the holes for speakers are now above the animation, and if I align the monitor correctly, the door to the box is at the front and is unsightly. This is a job to resolve tomorrow!                                                      

Projectors are installed

After installing the screen yesterday, today it was time to fix the projectors and BrightSigns into place. The BrightSigns is a piece of equipment that synchs videos. They were programmed the other day, and I tested the synchronisation using televisions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

In the evening it was time to paint the floor of what will be the audio room.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

We have lift off and are venturing to the world of technology!

All began to come together this morning when Burnie, Steve and I installed the projector screen. It hangs, intentionally hovering just above the floor, moving slightly back and forth when people walk past. 

The next major milestone will be the installation of the projectors onto the walls at either side of the projection screen. The projectors will be mounted high up on the wall so that no one will walk in front of them and block out the light. The brackets have been made and the projectors attached. I've booked to use the cherry picker and organised some people to assist with what could well be a fiddly job.

I seem to be amassing a rather large collection of technical equipment and endless amounts of cables and extension cables. Let's just hope that there are no power cuts during the exhibition!     

 

This is the master...

and this is my own slave!

                                                                                                                                                         

Plan of action

If you step inside the Newcastle University Fine Art department at the moment you are likely to detect an unusual energy in the atmosphere. This is an energy consisting of multiple emotions, from excitement and anticipation to frustration and anxiety.

We, (the 10 current MFA students) are less than 2 weeks away from the opening of the Master of Fine Art Exhibition. For half of the cohort, this will be the final exhibition marking the end of their 2 year postgraduate studies, and the other 5 students have another year to look forward to! When I look back at what I have done in the 2 years, I can see how far my work has travelled, and am pleased that I have really challenged myself and tried out new ways of working. I started the first year making plaster cast sculptures, and am now working with audio and video installation alongside some performance! I love how this multidisciplinary approach gives me the freedom to remain true to my ideas and realise them in the most appropriate way.

There are, of course, many problems associated with such a way of working, and my unfamiliarity with some of the things I am using has lead to some sleepless nights and the occasional curse erupting from my mouth!

My head feels bombarded with things to remember and tasks that need to be done. I am an avid list writer, and at the moment this is the stage that I am at:

 

It's easy to be totally consumed by your own work, and it is exciting to venture into the other students spaces and see the changes and progression of their work.

I shared a wonderful moment of satisfaction with Bex Harvey as we admired the set that she is constructing. Just look at that column!

For more photos of other works in progress keep checking the MFA Exhibition Facebook page and event page

https://www.facebook.com/events/999149123537368/1025413827577564/?notif_t=admin_plan_mall_activity&notif_id=1470662454055115

MFA Exhibition advert in NARC

The Newcastle University MFA Exhibition is advertised in the August edition of NARC, the independent guide to alternative music, art, literature, comedy, film, theatre and culture for Newcastle and the North East.

@NARC.magazine



For more information about the MFA Exhibition please visit


http://fineart.ncl.ac.uk/ma2016/

https://www.facebook.com/events/999149123537368/