Immurement

For this show we were asked to make work in response to the site. The gloomy crypt of an eighteenth Century church could hardly be more atmospheric. One with a history of having a new version built just down the road asks the question Why?

Dogma 19

A small self-selected group of students who wanted to work with an agreed common material invited me to join. They had decided on concrete for the Immurement show at the Crypt, and I enjoyed the challenge of being part of such a group and working with a new material. My summer had been an anxious one experimenting at length with the material that I had not used before. As I had done many times previously I was in danger of developing a concept that was too detailed and not clearly focused enough. It took some time for me to condense it, and more time to make it work technically.

On returning for the Autumn term I remembered I did not have to achieve this piece alone - there were technicians and other students to get help from. And my work required focus not complexity. All this was a steep and important learning curve.

Once the plan became clear and I had advice about the mix of sand, water and concrete and knew just how to carry it out. I would make six sandcastle buckets cast in concrete, pile them up securely and add the final touches with gold paint. I made a clear plan of how much time was required for each 'castle' and it worked perfectly. The only addition was a long plait of old gold silk cord to hang down as a long Rapunzel (or Saint Bridget) style plait which curled around the base.

The curation team agreed consensually that my piece should be placed in a narrow cell with a grille at one end. There was a bid from another artist who was not part of the team but it was accepted after some discussion that my work was most appropriately placed there.

A specific learning issue related to the Crypt show was, when part of a curation team, to ensure I am involved from Day One so that I am included and relied upon by the rest of the team. I was slow to understand just how much needed to be done before the end of the summer term and it seemed that suddenly the plans were made and my role diminished. Consequently I played a smaller part than I had intended.