ARTISTS TALKING

# 13 [30 April 2008]

The invading beauty of this place...

The beauty of this place is astounding and the depths of history here unlimited. As an artist based in a setting like this it is both its strength and also its potential disaster...

I am now actually based in the project space at Bosigran. It has happened! The wonder of this place and the separation of home and work, having somewhere to pack up my sarnies and go to each day has put me in such a different space for working I would not have believed it could make such a difference. I am out of mobile reception and out of wifi. And at the moment it couldn't be better.

So in terms of getting into a space where I can make, the peace, the separation - I didn't know how much I needed it. But the counter-side is the pull to romanticise the place, the work. Even when there is a strong politicised undercurrent to ideas, somehow the beauty just keeps trying to invade the aesthetic. And that may well be my biggest challenge.

# 12 [23 April 2008]

Things are going well. We have our first 'official' artist meeting tomorrow at Bosigran, the studio renovations are now nearing completion & Bosigran Arts has had positive noises from funders!

Going to spend today organising my research, visually mapping out what I've covered and what still needs to be done.

I am really interested in playing around with the idea of Bosigran Farm being a National Trust property (although not in the classic sense of stately home that we normally associate with the NT). Bosigran Farm also marks the start of the UNESCO Mining World Heritage Site - such a heavy designation.

A common local sentiment is of living in a museum... Access to housing unless you already hold a long-term tenancy, for those that work here is only ever a dream. It is a far cry from the time when a farm such as Bosigran would have been a farming hamlet with all the occupants being involved with the tenements or working at Wheal Rose mine. The 1841 census shows 12 families lived at Bosigran with a further 2 at the mine, with in excess of 52 people in total (the details of a few entries are illegible). Several 'cottages' are no longer in existance and there are remains of two others at Mill Farm. But still quite how they all fitted in I really can hardly begin to imagine with many families having five or six children...

It begs the question "what are we preserving and who are we preserving it for?"

# 11 [9 April 2008]

This project feels vast! So I thought it would be useful to jot down some of the emerging themes, strands of enquiry:

* layers of history, cycles of change, inter-relationships - the socio-cultural landscape and the ecological heath, mapping

* Bos = dwelling place. The idea of place as dwelling place as distinct from house or building; the cornish language word 'bos' says so much more... housing issues

* story, traditions, myth, the archaeological landscape (Galva, standing stones, giants, coffin paths, ancient chapels, holy wells and cloutie, beehive...)

* the very sudden break with the past over the last few decades in terms of relationship with land, the socio-cultural impact

* landscape/farming as 'heritage'

* property, ownership, custodianship... museums

# 10 [9 April 2008]

Off to the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro again today - went last week but there was so much stuff to go through, I need at least another day. 

I found the most amazing documents from the early 1600's - original leases for Bosigran farm to tenant farmers, all hand written in English (Cornish although still the vernacular in the High Country of West Penwith, would not have been used for legal documents...) on what I think is vellum (must check out with the librarian today). They are folded up into irregular bundles and tied up with ribbon, one still has the original seal. You have to wear gloves to handle them. I felt really affected by them, not sure why... if I'd handled a piece of 16th century furniture I am sure it would not have had the same effect. I think it must be around the ritual of unfolding, of opening up a piece of someone's history; it felt so privileged. There is something here I need to explore visually and also something around collections and archives. I want to find a way to display the documents at the farm in September but there will be big issues over security to overcome first. It feels like they really should be seen, and preferably back in their original context.

# 9 [9 April 2008]

The London trip was really positive - The Bosigran Project received lots of support and encouragement at the conference which has boosted us all and bodes well for future developments... Meanwhile we are pushing on with funding applications for this year and developing the new organisation Bosigran Arts with support from The National Trust and Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange. An exciting programme is developing and a really good artist team in place to work with - Rebecca Weeks, Ian Whitford and Andy Whall.

# 8 [20 March 2008]

Its been a while since I've written here. Its a strange experience writing a blog; there's a conflict between the ever present feeling that this is going out into the public domain whilst if is to be worthwhile it needs to be honest, to describe the patches that feel dry and low energy, the set backs with funding, the batting your head against a brick wall experiences... So it is this latter place that has dominated the last few weeks. And I guess it can be as much part of the pattern of practice as the energised creative flows where almost in spite of yourself wonderful things happen - doors open and ideas stream.

But good things are happening. I am working with a group of artists really committed to the project (despite our funds being smaller than we had hoped) so something really exciting will definitely come out of it (and in terms of process and collaboration already is). I have a place on an MA at Falmouth in September. And I am beginning to get a feel for the shape of work that is coming out of the research... 

The next fortnight is pretty much taken up with children home for Easter and off to London next week for a National Trust/Arts Council conference (with a spot of gallery trawling thrown in for good measure!!).

# 7 [22 February 2008]

Had a really good mentoring session today with Steven. Useful initially in that it gave me something to pull things together for, to stand back from what I'm doing - I printed, photocopied bits of stuff I've been working on and pinned them up. Surprised myself in that it kinds of makes sense...!

Reinforced for me the importance/validity of that visual musing process or furrowing the soil as Steven puts in... and I could add in at times leaving it fallow... or 'set aside'... Discussed a fair bit around the need not to 'top load' it... to be confident in myself with my practice... that it is critically framed, it is political - can actually just get on with it, do the musing bit, do the play, the research - cos the rest is there and will come through.

Covered stuff around research-led practice, socially engaged/relational practice... role as artist working as agent within the system, as discursive agent within society... artist as conduit, tipping heirarchies up side down...

All good stuff. Now got an MA application to write. Followed by weekend - I have four children... don't need to say much more!!! 

# 6 [21 February 2008]

A mid winter day up on the top of Galva, far removed from the hint of Spring we've been used to. Spending an hour or so up there taking photos and drawing, it is easy to see why people who lived up there in Early Neolithic times moved down to lower ground when the climate changed - will we adapt so readily?

Having spent so long poring over archaeological surveys it was really good to just spend some time up there in an absorbed creative  space, pacing the ground, exploring, imagining myself into the tor enclosure. I had forgotten just how rugged it is up there amongst the granite boulders on top of the carn - the google earth images flatten it. You really get a sense of how the enclosure would have been laid out for habitation and of the almost inpenetrable granite defenses to the north and south, and the sight lines reaching across Mounts Bay to the Lizard on the south and the Atlantic a mile to the north. Exhilerating.

# 5 [21 February 2008]

Layers & networks... connections across time & (s)p(l)aces...

Playing around in my head, researching, some really good conversations with other artists... but also beginning to play with materials, drawing, layering with photoshop, lots of beginnings - bit like a rabbit down a warren at the moment, could go anywhere!

Started to look at  Postmodern Geographies: Reassertion of Space in Critical Social Theory (Edward Soja). Also planning the ALIAS seminar with Andy, thinking about the curating but also the practicalities, like having fun. It should be a good weekend (19th - 21st September) - watch this space!

Off to the top of Galva now to try & work out the archaeology and yes, do some drawing! 

# 4 [13 February 2008]

Had a really important meeting today which sorted out lots of outstanding issues around working space and practicalities. I'm going to be based in an old cowshed! It will create issues around damp (used to that in West Cornwall..) but somehow it all feels part of working off site and I am excited, but also feeling apprehensive as it means I really have to get on with things... Doubts (the self doubting variety) keep trying to creep in, but increasingly now a days I can see them coming, see them for what they are, sift out the useful bits of learning, of development and leave the rest, put them gently to one side. Long may it last!

I am going to hold on to the sense of excitement and opportunity... and the incredible setting to work in. I just can not describe how breathtakingly beautiful Bosigran was today, drenched in sunshine facing the sea.