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You may have noticed that activity on my blog has been rather sluggish during the month of January.
The reason for this is that I have had to direct my attention away from the studio and focus on writing my Master of Fine Art dissertation which had to be submitted today.
The dissertation has been a huge challenge, but I have found it to be of great value to my practice.
I chose to write about playfulness in contemporary art, and identified three ways in which play can be said to exist within art, namely: the form of the artwork; the process of making the artwork and the way in which the audience experiences the artwork.
These key aspects were the focus of three contemporary practice case studies. Comparisons and contrasts were made between sculptor Phyllida Barlow, collaborative duo Zoë Walker and Neil Bromwich, and Carsten Höller.
I identified how play relates to the artwork they make; the processes they engage in when making work and how the audience interacts with the work.
My experience of going to see their exhibitions, and in the case of Walker and Bromwich, being involved in one of their artworks informed the inquiry which was aided by an examination of secondary research.
I intend to make the dissertation available on my website at some point but, in the meanwhile, if you would like to read my dissertation, please do not hesitate to contact me.
My email address is helen.shaddock(at)yahoo.co.uk
One of the first things I did when I moved to Newcastle was to meet with Will Strong, the co founder and co director of The NewBridge Project. He has worked with the organisation since it began in 2010 having graduated from Newcastle University. Will is an artist and curator who has shown work throughout the UK and internationally.
Will was incredibly generous with his time and gave me a tour of the studios, project spaces and gallery and gave me a broad overview of the art galleries and organisations in Newcastle. I would like to thank him for this, and congratulate him on his new role as Creative Economy Programme Manager at the British Council.
For more information about The NewBridge Project, please visit http://thenewbridgeproject.com
The NewBridge Project
Supporting artists to investigate and challenge the boundaries of contemporary art practice
The NewBridge Project is an artist-led community comprising of over 80 artist studios, an exhibition space and book shop based in a 29,000sqft former office block in Newcastle city centre.
The NewBridge Project was established in 2010 to provide exchange and support in an engaged and discursive community of artists. The shared workspace is a critical and collaborative environment that allows artists to discuss and develop new ideas and projects.
The NewBridge Project Space provides artists with the opportunity to exhibit in a supportive space that promotes an experimental and critical approach to practice. The exhibition space is dedicated to exploring new and diverse contemporary art practice through a programme of regular exhibitions, screenings and events, supported by responsive talks, publications and broadcasts.
The NewBridge Project continues to develop in response to the needs and interests of its members.
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