About
The advice is to write an about page in the third person., but this feels disingenuous and not what my Art and beliefs are about.
This probably should be two or three websites, representing two or three different and sometimes antagonistic approaches in art, to art and between art and society. So, you will see it is quite wide ranging or too much!
These approaches (which are not set in stone) could be represented by the art of representation, Duchamp's urinal and thirdly, the attempt to understand the culture behind the culture, the meaning behind the meaning. Not only to understand it but in a very small way, to disrupt and reveal it. Is it possible to break free from the hegemony of one dominant but invisible culture, which sells us dreams so we continue to consume?
Perhaps I should say nothing? Let the art speak for itself? Very few of the pieces have (explanatory) text. The recent collaborations e.g. 'Now We Know' which appears in the Baltic Open is a cumulation of understanding, which does have the words that accompanied the submission for the piece. See for example, the page Now We Know Baltic.
Also, the website is a mix of documentation and finished and developing pieces, which I hope is apparent.
October 2020:
This is my reply to Eric of Canadian artist duo Mia and Eric who are working with the local communities around Chopwell Woods, Gateshead and two other woods in other parts of the world. After submitting some pieces to the project, he asked me about myself. This is my reply:
'Ok here goes – sorry if it’s a lot longer than you were expecting.
My background is ordinary suburban working class. A mother who was a refugee from Nazi Germany and an assimilate and a father who was a typical working class English man who worked hard and was not class conscious. I don’t really know why but I always enjoyed art and I remember at about 14 or 15 declaring to a dismayed father that was all I only wanted to do or be. His response probably made my impulse stronger. I remember wanting to ‘say something’, that things weren’t right or fair in the world and art seemed like a vehicle for expressing that and who I was/wanted to be. At 19 (1977 a great time to be alive and 18) I moved/left my Wolverhampton home to Sunderland art college. I don’t know why but I gravitated towards / enjoyed / was inspired by the more avant-garde i.e. performance art, video and installation. Did it make me feel clever? I certainly enjoyed the process of thinking freely and completely embraced and submerged into it. However, that ‘wanting to say something’ and ‘things aren’t fair’ increasingly got me thinking about the world politically and slowly I just couldn’t resolve what I thought were two contradictions between the art world and the ‘real’ world out there and couldn’t see how art could help me to do anything about that world out there. My art dealt with and considered all those elements, raised issues and challenged the ‘way we see’ (John Berger) and that we were ‘victims’ of a system that made us feel free at the same time entrapping us. Ironically, I couldn’t countenance some kind of community art because I was too precious for that!? So once leaving the safety of art college, I found work in a children’s home, which felt like from one extreme to another! I had lost steam although I did do a performance and show based on my experience there based and reading Michelle Foucault and others. That was 1981 and since then have always dabbled in art, always been interested, but more involved in Trade Unions, the Labour Party and working in Welfare Rights, helping people to get their legal entitlement to social security. If I was a stick of rock and you cut me in half, it would say ‘welfare rights’. But communications and informing (therefore empowerment) has always been part of that work.
However, like I say, I have never lost my interest in art and some years ago started enjoying that free thinking process again, maybe because of a couple of artist neighbours! I had an idea. I asked someone if they would do a photo project with me, revisiting some earlier themes, then with another person, and then a bigger collaboration with 28 people. Then in 2020 the Baltic Gateshead invited local artists, professionals and otherwise, to submit works. Out of 540 entries, 150 were chosen, including mine! So, I’ve started a website which includes recent and older stuff. And another coincidence is hearing second hand about your project, which has given me more thinking space about the world from an art perspective/sensibility. And, even though I still do believe there is a problem/contradiction between the art world and the world, I think that perhaps with more openness and with social media helping, there is more chance to engage with people and make a difference. Like your art! But – as you will know – its hard work.
Clive'
Recent activity
2012 onwards
'Flatman' - with increasing numbers of people sending in photos of Flatmen from around the world
2020
Photo and Words collaborations:
'Now We Know' : 28 participants
Details on this page
June 2021 -
Ongoing collaboration and art activity with Beate from Norway (IG) and Jane from England (IG). Connected together by Eric and Mia following our involvement in the 3 WOODS - ongoing
19 May - 5 September 2021
'Now We Know' successful entry in Baltic Open
March 2022 onwards
'Now We Know - Chopwell' in collaboration with Phil Benton and Ronnie Stuart. Exhibited in 'The Bank' - local community venue, Chopwell. Funded by Bluestone Consortium
3 November - 23 December 2022
3 pieces in Arts Centre Washington exhibition
November 2022 - onwards
'Now We Know: Harstad Norway - Folkparken Germany - Chopwell England'. In collaboration with 26 participants from these three areas and stems from involvement in the '3 WOODS' art network, which is by Canadian artists Mia and Eric. See the blog on the 3 WOODS website
November 2023
3 pieces in Arts Centre Washington exhibition: installation, video, The Tree.
