Veronica Calarco : Yn Ystod y Cyntaf Encil
In doing a visual art research project a question will often be asked (by non-visual researchers, of course): is visual arts a valid research method? In their book, Practice as Research, Estelle Barrett and Barbara Bolt asked what knowledge can studio-based enquiry reveal that may not be revealed by other modes of enquiry?.[1] Two responses (among many) to are found in a speech made in 2003 by Professor David Crystal where he stated[2] that “if we want Them[3] to see what the situation is the artists can help us more than anyone else”.[4] Artist Sue Kneebone stated that “artists have the facility to offer more profound insights into the human condition than those in scientific and psychoanalytic professions”, highlighting that “artists have been important in bringing new points of views and ways of seeing”. Even though I have just spent six years using visual art as a valid research method, I realised that I wanted to explore the idea of visual art as research further, not only in my own work, but also in other artist’s work. Thus, as part of this project, I decided that not only would I search out artists whose work is responding to the subject, but also invite selected artists to Stiwdio Maelor and facilitate online discussions to explore theirs and other artists work methods and research processes.
Thus, in November, five weeks into this project, I held the first retreat at Stiwdio Maelor. Three artists were invited: Emma Jayne Holmes, Julie Upmeyer and Abby Poulson. The retreat was structured around a series of walks exploring the landscape around Corris and workshops exploring each other’s working process. The first walk explored man-made structures that are dissolving back into the landscape. First is the ‘Italian village’. This ‘village’ was created by Mark (who died in 2007) and 1980’s and consists of replicas of buildings of Italy. The replicas were made from chicken wire, ballast from the river, concrete for mortar and found objects. He built up walls of bricks from all over the UK and carved slate, including what I call the Australian section, with the Southern Cross, a map of Australia and poems by John Kelly. This ‘village’ has been allowed to go ‘wild’ with vegetation encroaching and the buildings being left to crumble (though there is now a group working to stabilise the buildings). The walk also took in the old mining buildings and the adits (a horizontal passage leading into a mine for the purposes of access or drainage).
The second walk was through fields, along the edge of the Dyfi river. The third walk took us up past a working quarry and the fourth walk took us out of the narrow valley where Corris is situated in and over the other side of the hill where the vista opens up to a panorama that I always think of as the start of mid-Wales. The actual walking was interesting for me – I am more used to going for runs or if in a group, a hike. With these walks we strolled and explored, stopping frequently. As each walk occurred, I began to realised how much I was curating the walks, of the stories I had been told and the memories I had created over the years of my involvement with these particular walks (including a fairy story). Walking with other artists meant that what they saw was added to my seeing.
The workshops were another important part of the retreat – an opportunity to see each other’s process and gain an insight into someone else’s working and creative process. I led the first workshop, taking the three artists into my print room and making a soft ground etching on old plates on which were engraved Welsh words. The next workshop was led by Julie Upmeyer who led us in a meditation on a different possible futures. Julie view of her artwork as one of the many outputs of a creative and engaged life was reflected in this meditation. Abby Poulson, a photographer, took us through the cynotype process, one of the many processes she uses in her work. Emma Jane Holmes gave us a painting demonstration and how a familiar landscape can completely transform with the changing light. Guest artists Molly Brown and Ruth Hogg join us for a walk and to share the processes.
Each artist gave a talk about their work and David Woodfall, photographer, joined us for an evening to talk about his book.
The first retreat was successful in the way we were able to share our different ways of viewing and moving through the landscape and our way of working. The next stage in this process will be to meet again with the artists and see what work comes out of the retreat and how the retreat and the interaction affected their work and their thinking.
[1] Bolt, Estelle Barrett and Barbara. Practice as Research Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry. London New York: I.B. Tauris 2010.
[2] Keynote speech at 2003 UNESCO International Expert Meeting on Endangered Languages, Crystal, David "Crossing the Great Divide", 2003
[3] The unknowing public
[4] Crystal, David "Crossing the Great Divide", 2003, p4.
To learn more about Veronica Calarco visit her Artist Profile.