Installing at NewBridge Books with UnstapledPress

After another session of threading packing peanuts, I met up with Deanna, Cathy and Rene of UnstapledPress who arrived armed with more packing peanut ribbons. 



We began installing in NewBridge Books in readiness for the launch of our recent publication, A lot can happen in fifteen minutes. 



As I was up the ladders attaching the threads to the ceiling in the bookshop window, I got an idea of what it must be like to be a window dresser. I must admit that I rather fancy doing the Fenwicks window display (although I would like a less wobbly pair of ladders please!)



 Hours later and we have a packing peanut curtain!

Next we will complete hanging the collages, get the books and sound sorted and rehearse ready for the launch from 7-11pm with the readings taking place at 8pm. Should be fun!

A day of threading packing peanuts

In preparation for the launch of A lot can happen in fifteen minutes, (my recent publication with UnstapledPress), I spent today threading packing peanuts onto lengths of thread.





Enough said!

Come along to NewBridge Books from 7-11pm on Friday 28th October to discover the threaded packing peanuts for yourself!

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

Destall continues!

It is taking rather a long time to destall the exhibition, but today it seemed like I made real progress when the packing peanuts were bagged up.

Thanks to my new housemate, Sophie, for lending a hand!

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.

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!