Meanderings Issue 3…
Quote of the Week
“Reality lies not in the appearance of the subject but in the extent to which it leaves an impression on the artist. In other words, realism has to be jettisoned in the search for reality. The sensation of being in a particular landscape can best be conveyed, not by imitating in paint the appearance of its parts, but by summoning up its essential nature, things like its light, space, stoniness or blueness. To do this, it is necessary first of all to relinquish the idea of a single viewpoint.” (Nicholson in Neve 1990).
People/Books
Unquiet Landscape – Places and Ideas in 20th-Century British Painting by Christopher Neve (1990)
The Living Mountain by Awoiska van der Molen (2020)
Images of the Week
I walk regularly, usually early morning although the long winter nights have made that impossible for a while. But now, the mornings are lighter, and I can get out by 7.00am. One of my favourite walks is along the shore through Waterloo and then over the wooden bridge to Lower Breakish. On my return I glimpse the top of the Bhein capped with early spring snow.
Research Approach and Methods
Peer Focus Group – support and discussions with local artists. How do other artists access the essence of Skye in their work? How might I develop my practice? Who else is doing similar work? Who might I collaborate with?
Local Focus Group – engage with local community. How would they describe and depict the essence of Skye? Are my images meeting the brief I have set myself?
If I choose to work with Focus Groups I will need to ensure that the aims and objectives of the groups are clear and meet the needs of my research.
Is my research and practice a singular endeavour or one where I want to involve and take account of others views? And what research methods are appropriate to a singular or more participative approach?
Is my work about the single image or more about editing, curating and working on collections? Is the essence or being in a single image or is the essence between the images ie in the relationships within collections?
Is my work reductive in the sense that it is about me, the camera and the place? Is my research a framework for seeing and looking at the world? Is the audience important to me or is this my search for the ephemeral hiddenness and I will be the judge of whether I achieve it?
Jottings
I have been thinking about how I might present my work and this week I acquired a copy of The Living Mountain by Awoiska van der Molen (2020) inspired by Nan Shepherd’s book of the same name. It was described on-line as a paperback but in fact it resembles a scrapbook. The pages alternate between a grey scrapbook-type colour and surface and a white photographic paper. The print quality on both sides is surprisingly good. It is a good example of how the presentation needs to suit the work and the artist. I love it!
I am also thinking about editing and curating some of the key blogs I write each year into a Zine.
