Over the past month my attention has been focused on the creation of the artworks for my exhibition Memoria which will open on Saturday 25th May.
In order to undertake an exhibition that includes many different elements and forms, there are a great many details and logistics to work out and undertake. The aspect of creating art is mostly done by me the artist, but also by many others who have helped and contributed. The viewer only sees the finished artwork but so much goes into creating and I could not do this without the help of others. Just a few weeks ago the brilliant Garden and Grounds teams moved the old East Lodge gate pier fragments which have been sitting gathering moss for years. Many thanks to Jacqueline McKenna and her team Thomas, Maeraid and Eileen. It was a fairly substantial job to move them as you will see from the photograph, and some heavy lifting equipment was required.
The stones are now ready for stonemason and letter carving specialist Cameron Wallace who will be carrying out the work in the next few weeks. This site-specific artwork will be installed in one of the courtyards at Pathfoot.
I have also been creating a new series of overpainted photographic works which will appear in the exhibition. These are another new development in my practice and to some extent explore the interface between photography and painting. I am not a fine art photographer but have used photography in this project to create a sort of foundation from which to explore the landscape of the Airthrey estate. For me as a painter I wanted the hand of the artist to be visibly present in some the works and this also creates yet another layer of possibility within the artwork. Above is one of my overpainted photograph tests. A series of these works will be installed as part of the exhibition.
As mentioned in a previous blog, I experimented with sound recording and also Super 8 film which I shot during the archaeological dig with Murray Cook at the Hermitage last November. My ambition was to create a ‘projection work’, a work that would include stills, moving image and sound. This was an enormous undertaking as I have never used sound or moving image before. I am greatly indebted to filmmaker Susan Kemp for her advice, wisdom and fantastic editing and technical skills. This 5 minute work will play on a flat screen and be installed as part of the exhibition. Here is a film still from the Super 8.
Following an excellent studio visit (studio shot below) with Sarah Bromage and Emma McCombie they were able to input their thoughts and advice which is enormously helpful at this stage. As I refine the exhibition ideas, I still have much work to do over the next 6 weeks or so in the run up to installing the exhibition. I will be delighted to share my work within the University and to the wider community from what has been a hugely enjoyable, illuminating and rewarding experience.
More soon…
Audrey Grant
Artist in Residency
March 2024
