Another Brick in the Wall (outside Building 28, RMIT City Campus) as a part of onsite/insite running 4 February - 14 March 2014.
In its first year, onsite/insite at RMIT City Campus was an exhibition showcasing the work of RMIT students in response to sites around the RMIT Campus. All works are site-specific or site-responsive, created and exhibited specifically for onsite/insite as part of White Night Melbourne.
The piece was a big "learning curve" for me. I had never created a site specific piece, nor one to be put on display outside. I have never had to consider how to light a work beyond providing "good natural light". I had never worked at such a scale - the finished dimensions were 120cm x 165cm. And I had never not been allowed to install the piece myself and make fiddly adjustments. All in all, the control freak in me was having a field day.
Working in rope is definitely something I'm going to continue with. The tactility of it and the sheer physical impact it has a lot more potential avenues than what I only began to explore in Another Brick in the Wall. The mixing of traditional tapestry with open weave and stitched details was a way of "filling" in such a vast space. The size of the piece and the time consuming nature of weaving didn't quite match up. But the resulting "just get it done" attitude pushed my work in a direction I hadn't previously considered.
In hindsight, I can now imagine works that are more visually engaging and encompass the space. Chris Bold ran SiteLab as a part of the project. Having studied a master of Public Art, he got me thinking beyond just a fabric. Public Art is really about considering not just an artwork, but the space it occupies and how it's going to occupy it.
Rather than working in flat woven textile pieces, I'm looking forward to exploring the natural 3D notion of woven works. The fibre and yarns I use themselves are 3D materials, and confining them to flattened surfaces seems an insult! My artistic practice is very much in an early stage. Originally quite dissapointed in the level of work Another Brick in a Wall ended up being, I'm beginning to see how my least favourite works end up being the most influential in what new directions I take.
Onwards and upwards comrades!
