Surroundings

Beginning my work for this residency by walking around the space at St Augustine’s Old School House, getting a sense of the building and space which will occupy my thoughts for the next few weeks.  The inside of the building is stark white with bare walls, quite opposite to my messy workspace at Clarendon Street which has layers of colours from the past few years imprinted on the floor and covering the walls.

The challenge of adapting my way of working and thought processes to try incorporate this new space into my work will be an exciting endeavour over the next few weeks.

Poetry and literature have been the fuel to drive my most recent work, particular references to entrapment have seemed to grasp my interest, probably as a result of the events of the past year.  I hope to project these ideas surrounding confinement and the need for an escape throughout this new work.

The first time I walked through the graveyard at St Augustine’s, this sense of desperation or wanting to break free was overwhelming as the nature surrounding the graves and tombstones consumed them.  Broken tombstones and graves that almost looked just placed down in this overgrown space was something that captured me.

This wonderful space is such a contrast to the inside of the building and the exhibition space which is so pristine and clean.  Maybe this is something I can explore throughout my new work.