Exercise 2.1 The group crit and/or peer feedback
In preparation for this exercise I downloaded and read the twenty questions and I also considered the other art quest information on peer mentoring.
I’m learning more and more how important it is to have feedback on my work and to understand how important it is. If I hadn’t had such positive feedback on my work in the last couple of years I think I might have given up. There’s a fine balance between feeling like a failure, and plunging yourself into things and taking a leap of faith. I believe I’ve done this with my entry for the Trinity Buoy Wharf project 2023, The exhibition I undertook in June last year and also a live demonstration to around fifty people.
I did have a book with a few comments in at the exhibition but I should have encouraged more of this. One verbal comment that I shall remember is that this man ‘couldn’t believe that the work was all by the same artist’ I was really pleased with this comment as I want to be able to draw and paint in a range of styles and mediums. Positive feedback really helps with your confidence in your ability and it serves to better your work. On a personal level I also appreciate constructive suggestions for improvement or additional ideas. One idea can often spark off another.
Exercise 2.2 Reflective commentary
For more feedback on my current project I have shared four drawings from part 3 and one from Part 2 with my small group of fine art students. When I emailed them I let them know of the purpose and content and due to the sensitive nature of the work gave them the opportunity not to contribute or view the images. None were particularly visually gruesome but it would be the dialogue surrounding these images that they might find difficult and I explained this in the email.
I decided to just put all the images on without any comments and to induce comments without any comment or information. With these images of child portraits I have chosen a coloured background and a certain style which I hope they provide feedback on and the other situational/psychological drawings are in charcoal. These drawings demonstrate the vulnerability of the child and the power imbalance between the adult and child. Five students were available. Their initial responses were a little tentative. One of the students asked very pertinent questions about drawing images of the children and she wandered whether this might upset families. I explained that consideration for this has been taken into account and that was why I chose not to depict gruesome images. In this regard it was about celebrating their lives. I also reassured the student that all my images were referenced and already in the public domain. I stated that if there was a family member who came forward I would hope to speak to them and help them understand that it is not my intention to upset anyone. That the project was about raising awareness that may prevent other deaths. Managing the whole project in a sensitive manner is vital. Another comment was about questioning in the work/drawings were finished. This student was picking up on the fact that I hadn’t painted the backgrounds fully. I explained that this was to do with the unfinished lives. Another picked up on the marks on the children and I explained about me leaving a mark and standing with the children. Other comments were around the fragility of the charcoal and this suiting the subject. One group member recognised one of the children as she had some experience of foster care. Another commented on the nostalgia of using charcoal. Another student gave me one or two other links to research, M.C Escher, Perenisi, Kunsthalle and another OCA student, Angela Johnson. I also shared my intentions for the exhibition and a bit about my research so far. I also shared my plan to meet with a gallery/theatre provider next week.
Overall I had mixed feelings about the response given the difficult subject. They had picked up on some of the issues in the work that were intended. I think I answered the issues about concerns for the family well enough. What I must appreciate is the fact that this subject does invoke a serious and sombre mood. In this regard I felt the group took the topic seriously. This project does come with a huge responsibility or at least that’s how it feels. At times I felt there were silences so I rambled on about plans for the work. I didn’t share any information about how the children had died as I didn’t want to make the mood more solemn. I wanted to be respectful to the group.
On 16th Jan I met with a possible provider. This would have been a fabulous resource for the exhibition. While in many ways the meeting went well and I’d gone armed with a lot of information, sadly the next day I had an email turning me down. I’m naturally disappointed and need to take a bit of time to rethink.
Endless Possibilities 