LorraineDevine
Statement for Support
KTHC is an oasis of support for the people who avail of its services. It offers a holistic experience, in its beautiful and interesting environment. I wanted to make a painting that references support conceptually, and engages in the debate about painting and my own internal dialogue about painting.
I want to make publicly engaging work that is relevant to what is currently happening in the health service, and supportive of it's staff.
Statement for All I want and need is....
I am interested in Voices. In this sound piece, inner London school children from the age of 4 -14, tell us what they want and need. I devised questions based on Maslow's Hierarchy of needs to invite the children to give their opinions. Often, adults seem to think they know what is good and right for children, but they just want us to ask and listen, so that they can speak and be heard.
We were asked to supply a statement about our work that could be displayed for the users of the building.
When we first decided to stage this public space exhibit, I was so full fo ideas about workshops and community liaison and all sorts of fantastical expectations about the amazingly relevant public Art we were going to be part of...This was of course naivety.
what we had failed to consider (in my opinion) was the possibility that the staff at the health centre might not be universally positive in their response. This proved to be the case. the users of the centre's services were generally interested and intrigued by the work on display, however their feelings were not shared by the professionals working at KTCH.
My own work was not particularly controversial. It was designed to be displayed in the stairwell of the Children's Therapy area.It was moved to the reception area for practical reasons and as a compromise on my part. Compromise became the buzzword.
The Freespace is an inhouse gallery. I suppose we wrongly assumed Art was welcome but it became evident that several members of the staff were art haters rather than lovers.
All notions of workshops and interactive community activites faded rather quietly.
Working, making Art, in a public building is something I really want to do more of, but it is essential to have everyone of the same mind and enthusiasm. I did begin to question how Mel( curator)could work in an environment where some people did not respect her role or validity and therefore were consciously or unconsciously saboteurs.