An Artist's 'Sit in' aka an interesting Residency
This past week has seen me engage in a totally new experience. I was invited to participate in a 'Meet the Masters' exhibition/residency at the Royal Melbourne Show's Art Craft and Cookery pavilion otherwise known as the 'Spotlight Pavilion' from September 28th till October 2nd.
I was billed as a 'Textile Artist' and given a small space including wall space, a table and told to be imaginative with the space. I'm fortunate to have a contact I made through the Work Industry Learning program while completing my Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design) last year in craft writer Ramona Barry. At first, my question was how does someone like myself fit in with such a commercial activity with an audience who expect to be entertained? I asked, 'What do you want me to do?' 'Whatever you like!' said Ramona 'be creative'. Hahahahah oh boy!
While thinking about what to present in my space I decided I would spend one day seeing what kind of public I had to work with. I set up my current project work with some posters about my research project I'm currently working on for Stage B of my Masters of Arts (Art in Public Space) studies. Introducing public art to those perusing the craft work displays in glass cases in the pavilion was a complete contrast. I had access to young people, children and seniors alike across a broad range of many experiences, attitudes and ideas about public art. I had assumed many wouldn't be interested so I brought knitting to keep myself busy. Goodness me how wrong I was! On day 1 I had to take my knitting apart 4 or 5 times after losing track of my stitch counting as I was constantly talking to people about my dolls, my research project and public art. So many people were drawn to the dolls and the tactility and colour of the work and wanted to talk about street art or art in general. I was inundated by people interested in the Zines and business cards I had prepared. Some families even stopped to colour in my colouring sheets together and one family discussed pasting theirs in Hosier Lane when they were finished :)
On days 2-4 I brought my spinning wheel. Like bees to a honey pot, people swarmed round to ask questions, make comment about how relaxed I looked or peer at the wheel and then the posters and ask 'so what are the dolls for?'. They were long days which began at 10 and ended at 4 with not much of a break due to how flat out I was talking to people!
While I took a lunch break one day a kind member of the CWA sat in my chair and told people I would be back soon to answer more questions about Public Art. Animated discussions about street art and it's power to animate public space happened across 3 busy afternoons in the pavilion which left this artist tired and happy at the end of each day. It wasn't the 'tired and dreary glass cabinet affair' I had imagined it to be. What I was doing was completely free! (bonus!) and I was open to showing people how I practice as well as engage in conversations and even create a safe space for people to share their own personal experiences and stories about the creativity in their personal and family lives.
I think what can be gained from this experience is that public art has an extremely interested, varied and enthusiastic public consisting of a wide and varied cross section of the community in age groups, interests and experiences. The Royal Melbourne Show is a forum which could develop further to extend and showcase the work of public artists like myself and grow public perception as well engage people further into the future. I had the opportunity also to meet fellow artists such as guerilla knitter and crocheter Annette Fitton whose work has also featured in Hosier Lane as street art. Annette's work can be viewed on Instagram at niniandwink.
I'm excited to say that the organisation has already begun for next year's show and I will certainly be available to come along and be involved if invited again. There will be some exciting changes coming next year and, in the hands of the very capable and imaginative Ramona Barry, the Royal Melbourne Show can continue to honour it's 162 year history as well as embrace new art forms and encourage artists to exhibit and engage with the public. Public artists can benefit from the experience of embracing unlikely avenues of engagement with eclectic audiences such as this one. I'm already thinking of ways to extend things for next year's show!
