Exhibition

solute summoning /  by Justin Harrison

Made in planning for the show. The format is wrong - I won’t have the space to fit this exact drawing, but I hope to make something close. There has become a deep satisfaction in the repetitive marks and fro what the summon. A variant of the paddle but more evolved, I could almost draw these all day, completely indulgent but who know what it would inspire.

I just don’t have the time in the day to make everything I would like, there’s the rub, to be selective in what I pursue, what feels most potent and alive?

This form that is suggested by the multiple marks is almost incidental but yet equal, the coming together of elementals, community expression. the larger form is empty yet present because of the others. The paddle form is modified - as I mentioned earlier evolving, to move not upon water but upon other. ‘To move upon other’ - I like that.

In the liminal, in passage, what has been ‘known’ is now fragemented, solute. I return to ideas of decomposition, autolysis, not as an end but as a translation of materials, of passing.

 

It’s not about the work /  by Justin Harrison

I've been learning how to work when time isn’t abundant, where and when are my most fertile times.

How to document them. Drawing works, it gives me pleasure and genuinely gives a few for what it might look like.

It’s not about the work, but how I work.

I wrestle, I contemplate, Inscrutinise, I intuit. Sometimes I just make.

Distracting myself or being sat on the tube and just writing. Ways to distract and lighten the process, seem to help my brain.

Also considering names, following a chat with Jonathan around the show, that in the naming can help lead viewers into the work.

Whether Poles
Deep Compass
Passage Sextant
Whenwhere

These don’t quiet feel right and I need to figure a name for each piece I think….although I like the idea of wrestling with evocative names

 

Tutorial 18/04/2023 /  by Justin Harrison

We covered a lot of ground - which is why I like talking with Jonathan so much. Always so much to discuss.

I spoke about my current interest in translation, around Benjamin and Bhabha and Derrida. I’ve found yet another connection that they share. In my work I’m looking at translation as passage , that it too is a form of liminal passage.

I’ve managed to contact a Professor who specialises Derrida and intercontinental philosophy, I’m hoping to discuss with him n Derrida and the divine and the liminal, he’s also studied languages to better read the original works - so I’m hoping this too will expand the research.

I’ve been thinking about the show a lot and the discussion with Jonathan was very helpful to.

We had quiet a lot of discussion about my drawing, looking back at which ones were worth continuing to explore more - imaginary bundles, negative passage and the general drawing of my sculptures. In discussion it came up how central drawing is too my practice, to making sculpture and after. I've always gravitated to drawing and it's become central to my process. That it can begin or end a work. It’s core to the work rather than a means to plan or document.

Another point that Jonathan raised that I have been thinking for some time is about the scale of my drawings and sculpture. That this feels like a time to go big. I need to meditate on this I had been thinking about making 2-3 meter high drawings, but then Jonathan challenged me to work way bigger 2 - 3 stories. That scares me but also excites me. What would I draw? What would merit such effort?

For the show I have been thinking about making an installation of the sculptures that I have been making over the past few months, to hang them in a vertical circle, and to possibly offset a wall drawing in clay (Research Richard Long) The intent is to dialogue about passage/translation through the liminal. Looking at the ritualised tools of passage - especially the modified paddles.  There appear to be various possibilities around showing this format, however I could also move away from the circle and show drawings and sculptures alongside each other...but this needs more thought. How would I do it and what would it bring to the dialogue?

JK also discussed with me the titling of my work to help give access and context. This has been a practice whenever I blog about a piece I try and find some sort of title and there has been the phrase, Ritualised tools of Passage and Poetic discovery of the hidden. I also found the phrase 'Middle Voice' which is an interesting term. Originally in a text from Derrida, however it is also a grammatical term.

Middle Voice

A voice that is neither active nor passive, because the subject of the verb cannot be categorized as either agent or patient, having elements of both.

I like this very much and want to incorporate it. Ill need to build a catalogue of terms an titles to aid access to the work, but without oversimplifying.

So much to consider and plan and I’m also need to process a film about mu practice…