Why do you make art?

19:49: Friday 7th June 2019

I have described my interest as being social history, interested in the past communities that have inhabited landscapes. I’m also interested in creating experiences, facilitating opportunities for people to interact. These are often site-specific and responding to a particular opportunity.

This description has become dislocated. Dislocated from myself and my motive. Perhaps a diversion, to avoid addressing my more painful, pressing issues.

Here I attempt to map my core interests

Curiosity

Is curiosity a declining feeling.

In an age where wonder is a rare feeling.

Answers are at our fingertips. Quite literally.

If you want to know the answer to something, one can simply use a mobile or laptop to google the question. Within milli-seconds, the answer will be presented to you. Be that answer right or wrong (a discussion for another time).

The whole social transaction has been omitted from this process. You no longer need to ask questions to other humans when you have the be all of all knowledge in your pocket.

Education 

Throughout my education, school, college, and university I have been forced into independence. If I have a question I have been told to ‘Look it up’ ie, Google it. Learning has become an isolated activity for me. No-one ever wants to teach me. In fact, teachers have become impatient and even told me off for being ‘needy’. When really, all I want to do is learn with someone. As a collaborative activity.

Why?

Arguably, they are encouraging me to be independent and find things out for myself, which I understand. However, it also comes from a practical aspect. A teacher/lecturer does not have the time or resources to spend one to one teaching. It is much more efficient to point someone into the direction where they can learn this themselves.

Loneliness

Why is this a problem? I am now at the point where I am lonely. I feel I’ve missed out on the physical contact. The connection of an intimate exchange of learning something together.

Imparting knowledge, exchanging knowledge, a meaningful encounter.

My encounters with people are brief, surface-deep/ purpose led.

 

I will be investigating these interests further and reflecting on how they can inform my practice.