Petty Politics: a vaguely political notion explored through real-time experimental action, caught on camera.
Not fully articulated and certainly not yet precise, the action is playfully subversive, but the full picture is yet to be formed.
Not fully articulated and certainly not yet precise, the action is playfully subversive, but the full picture is yet to be formed.
Bouncy Politics: The student union at Falmouth put up a bouncy castle on Woodlane Campus for anyone who registered to vote.
I Slept With a Politician: I forgetfully left a politician in my bed, and found him in the morning.
Ex-Dartington
Ex-Dartington College of Art chairs are brought down to the River Dart to play politics. "We set off with chairs. All we knew was we wanted to go to the river, and we wanted to know more about DCA" Dartington College of Art was disbanded and merged with what is now Falmouth University in 2010. The official reasons for this untouchable executive decision were finance-oriented; the decision was strongly protested by many students and locals but eventually went ahead despite their best efforts. Five years later, when the final year of ex-Dartington students have graduated from Falmouth, and cuts are being made to the arts at Falmouth and nationwide, certain current students want to know more of what went before. "I think there's so much potential for this place to still be... happening" This took place during a collaborative weekend at the Dartington Estate organised by the Dartington Society, in which alumni from DCA and current Falmouth students came together to share stories and make work. |
An interview held by Dartington alumni Nisha Anil with current President of the Dartington Society Tasha Farrell and Social Secretary Maddie Broad. The Dartington Society was formed by Jack Harris and Sarah Gray in response to the controversial news of Dartington's merge with Falmouth. Tasha and Maddie discuss what it means to them to be involved in the Dartington Society. |
Falmouth students and Dartington alumni visit the ex-Dartington College of Art campus for a collaborative residency:
"You don't know man, you weren't there!"
As a current Falmouth Student, I am searching for Dartington. I feel an affinity with the myths of its collaborative experimental nature, and interdisciplinary engagement. I need that ethos today at Falmouth University. I can only ever talk as an outsider, for Dartington closed before I came to study Fine Art, but I feel I've taken a step closer to understanding what went before me. I am aware of treading delicate ground; for many ex-students and tutors the college closure is still painfully raw, and others may feel uneasy that I am attempting to uncover or lay claim to an experience that is theirs. Some, however, are keen to help me, and maybe it's time to speak about what happened, so that students now can see the bigger picture, so we can be inspired by the past, and contextualise our practices.
As a current Falmouth Student, I am searching for Dartington. I feel an affinity with the myths of its collaborative experimental nature, and interdisciplinary engagement. I need that ethos today at Falmouth University. I can only ever talk as an outsider, for Dartington closed before I came to study Fine Art, but I feel I've taken a step closer to understanding what went before me. I am aware of treading delicate ground; for many ex-students and tutors the college closure is still painfully raw, and others may feel uneasy that I am attempting to uncover or lay claim to an experience that is theirs. Some, however, are keen to help me, and maybe it's time to speak about what happened, so that students now can see the bigger picture, so we can be inspired by the past, and contextualise our practices.
Too Smooth Transition: The Performance Centre at Falmouth University was designed with exactly the same materials, signage and fittings as the buildings at Dartington. At the time, perhaps they were tying to minimise disturbance of what the students were accustomed to. Now, however, it feels eerie and conspiratorial.
Lectern Assembly: The studio spaces and equipment are now used infrequently and expensively for corporate events and established artist's residencies.
The Big Beech: Inscriptions by past College members remain in the bark of the beech tree, down near the river.
The Great Accommodation Debate: I was told that the main reason Vaughan Lindsay, manager of the Dartington Estate, gave for the College's move to Falmouth in 2010 was the lack of en-suite bathrooms in the student accommodation. Two students made contact with local land owner the Duke of Somerset, and designed viable plans for alternative accommodation to be built nearby, but Lindsay was not interested in going through with the solution.
Educational Theft
A petty theft with political motivation. Falmouth University, the number one Arts University in the UK, is cutting three of its arts courses. Falmouth University, the number one Arts University in the UK, will soon be having the Woodlane campus driveway decorated with these granite stones. While filming the stones, and thinking about how expensive they look, and whether the students would prefer a luxury driveway or more funding towards their courses, I found myself committing petty theft. The crime was not pre-meditated, but instead unfolded before my eyes as I filmed myself. The stone currently remains stowed away in Woodlane Lecture Theatre, secretly absorbing all kinds of critical theory and art history. The Woodlane driveway at Falmouth University is being decorated, and I am keeping an eye on its development.
I am concerned by the decision to spend money on re-decoration when courses are being closed due largely to a lack of funds. In this second film I chat to one of the builders on the site who tells me the granite comes from Cornwall, and the project is "Cornwall themed". I am curious to know the true origins of the stone, and find out how much this redecoration is costing the Uni... The Woodlane driveway at Falmouth University is being decorated, and I am keeping an eye on its development. I am concerned by the decision to spend money on re-decoration when courses are being closed due largely to a lack of funds. In this third film, I use a receipt that had been stapled to one of the crates of granite stones to investigate the origins of the granite. It is unlikely that they are actually Cornish like the builder said. I attempt to get a quote for the amount of granite the Uni ordered according to the receipt... The plot thickens. I call up Stonepave to enquire about the cost of granite, and where they source it from. This is a matter of course cuts vs driveway decoration... |
We Attempt to Fit Through the Gallery Door
Your art may fit through the gallery door.What happens when it doesn't? Physical dimensions may not be the only factor at play here... A large cardboard object is built and paraded to the Second Year Fine Art Exhibition at The Poly, Falmouth. On arrival, the participants attempt to fit through the door, to no avail. "The process of planning and exhibiting at The Poly felt very geared towards the individual and their art object, but I wanted to be collaborative and create a playful live experience in response to the gallery institution. When completing my submission form I decided not to request an assigned space for my work, to allow for flexibility and development of ideas in the days and weeks up to the event. What ended up taking place was a lively, slightly absurd procession that brought a group of first, second and third year art students together in a sort of temporary community. There was a lot of laughter. Most people inside the gallery missed what went on, despite attempts to get them outside... but then the work became a sort of myth that was talked about at the private view- that works for me just fine" |
Art School AGM
A series of discussion groups, as research towards art workshop facilitation in schools led by art students at all levels of education for art students at all levels of education. Perhaps degree level art students would go into secondary schools, primary children might visit universities and foundation students could facilitate workshops in nursery schools. What effect could this dot-joining between young people at different levels of education have on the wider picture of art in schools and afterwards? What kind of artists would turn up for university interviews in the future if art education prepared them differently further down the line? What are the alternatives? There's Art. And there's School. And then, to complicate things further, there's Art School. I'd like us to share thoughts and ask questions about art and the education of it, from the earliest point of the educational system. Is education even the right word when approaching art? How are children in educational institutions experiencing art right now, and is it different from when we were at school? Would you do things differently? Is art in school focussed too heavily on "traditional media"? Imagine nursery school children questioning performance art, collaborating with uni students and primary school children to create immersive installations, and speaking at poetry nights; could this alternative approach change the kind of artists arriving into "The World" after formal education? Come to The Garden Studio, on Woodlane Campus, Falmouth. Teachers, students, tutors and "members of the public" welcome. Art School AGM 3
We will be planning a workshop session to be performed with children and staff at Woodlane Nursery and Fine Art students from Falmouth University. The workshop will explore a theme, yet to be decided. We could consider the theme of RULES as a method of LIBERATION. The session we plan will form part of a wider workshop series. It will be approached as a process of co-discovery for all involved. Come to The Garden Studio, on Woodlane Campus, Falmouth. Teachers, students, children, documentary-makers, pets, tutors, acrobats and "members of a wider public" welcome. |
Art School AGM 2
A session for idea generation: how to introduce 4 year olds to art beyond painting, drawing and sculpture. How to get nursery school children debating, imagining and questioning, while exposing them to examples of conceptual and performance art. How to hold a group crit between young children and university fine art students. What would we like to do in an ideal world, and how can we tailor this to reality? Come to The Garden Studio, on Woodlane Campus, Falmouth. Teachers, students, children, pets, tutors and "members of the public" welcome. |