I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sculptors Qld as the Sep-Nov 2020 artist in residence. I have met many wonderful artists, worked and presented in the historic Old Museum Building shed, challenged myself to go outside my comfort zone, taken risks, researched the semiotics of objects and their roles as memory-keepers, considered how objects inform my own identity, and unpacked how objects - particularly old objects, relics of material culture - have informed my visual art aesthetic.
Object memory poem, 2020, acrylic house paint and acrylic artist’s paint on found carpet rug, found fabric lamp shade and jar lids, glass jars, household objects, ephemera, vintage timber plinths, dimensions variable. Installed at The Shed, Old Museum Building, Bowen Hills
I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my residency - those who visited me at The Shed, those who attended my artist talk and everyone who visited my closing event and open studio days from 14-16 November. I would especially like to thank Sculptors Qld for supporting my practice through this residency, with a special mention to Erika Scott (Residency Coordinator) for going above and beyond in terms of support, thoughtfulness and generosity.
Sculptors Qld is a wonderful community of caring artists and I would encourage you to visit one of their exhibitions, consider becoming a member, or apply for their artist in residence program.
Thank you also to artists and friends who travelled from out of town to visit Object memory poem - I really value your support.
A vignette from the installation
The painted carpet rug that grounded my installation. I found the carpet on a suburban footpath - it was originally four shades of grey. I used the vintage pink/yellow/green woollen blankets that I borrowed from a family member as the basis of my colour palette for the installation. I also painted the lampshade and some of the jar lids. In this way, Object memory poem can be read as an expanded painting.
Two old 1970s school ports (mine and my sister's) and a travelling case I found in someone's yard while foraging for vintage glass jars
Working in The Shed on Hope is a form of planning and a survival tactic, the secondary body of work that came out of my residency.
Hope is a form of planning and a survival tactic, 2020, found denim jeans and skirt, thread, polyester wadding, canvas, timber, six panels, each panel 51.2 x 46.2 x 5cm approx. (detail). Installed at The Shed, Old Museum Building, Bowen Hills
Delivering my artist talk Objects as memory-keepers and relics of material culture: How objects inform our identities, September 2020.
Photo credits Genevieve Memory, Terry Memory and Erika Scott.