State of Readiness is now OPEN!

The blog has been quiet - and this is a sign that we've been busy working away and preparing the exhibition. Over the past week we have been installing the show at Landguard Fort; calmly, smoothly and without a hitch - this was the first time that we got to see everyones final pieces, very exciting, lots of hard work has gone into them!

Last night (Friday 6th), the Mayor of Felixstowe officially opened the exhibition following Chrissy and Diane's bright and bold marching performance across the beach for their piece "More than Beautiful". After the Mayor opened the show, Edwina's provoking and dark performance began in the main exhibition space, it was carried out beautifully and really captured everyone's attention. We were really pleased that so many people were able to make it along to the opening, and a particular thank you to those who donned hats and sashes and joined in with the first performance, and to Stuart and his team for the marvelous catering.

The lovely people from Felixstowe Radio interviewed us too, listen out for us between 6pm and 8pm tonight, Saturday 7th August or listen again on http://www.felixstoweradio.co.uk/ .

The Exhibition remains open every day until 26th September, so there is plenty of time to see it, and do come along to one of our many events to learn more about our ideas and artworks in the show:

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS - ALL FREE* (*Normal Fort admission charges apply)

Sunday 8th August

2 - 3pm: Artist Talk by Sam Epps

3.30 - 4pm: Performance by Edwina Goldstone

Wednesday 11th August

1 - 2pm: Artist Talk by Edwina Golstone

2 - 3pm: Artist Talk by Helen Otter

Wednesday 18th August

10am - 1pm: More than Beautiful Army Recruitment

2 - 3pm: Artist Talk by Diane Archer

Wednesday 25th August

10am - 2pm: Watercolour Workshop with Juliet Hayward

2 - 3pm: Artist Talk by Juliet Hayward

Saturday 28th August

11am - 4pm: More than Beautiful Army Recruitment

Sunday 29th August

10am - 4pm: Pinhole Photography Workshop with Diane Archer

2 - 3pm: Artist Talk by Lesley Bennett

Sunday 5th August

Its ART ON THE PROM!!! visit their website for more info

Come and see the 11 Fortified Artists, and join in with our performances and workshops, including Juliet's second Watercolour Workshop

Meetings and Research

We haven't blogged for a little while, mostly because the work that is involved in preparing the exhibition; marketing, installation needs, liaison etc is so exhausting and demands so much of our time. The good news is that we received the grant from the Arts Council, so more things are now possible.

I am now at the point where "State of Readiness" is my only project and i can concentrate all of my creative thoughts fully on making this work - its been a long time coming.

I originally said that i would do a performance, but following the Crit with Caroline a few weeks ago, i have decided that this work is best articulated through a video piece. Yesterday i visited an air-base, i have identified this place as the backdrop to my film, and was looking for specific spots that i can use. The air-base suits a lot of my needs, by having subtle military references, it is plain and sparse, open and flat. When i have a free day, either a Saturday or Sunday, hopefully soon, i will head back to make my film.

Here are some photographs from my visit:

Crit Tomorrow!

Tomorrow we are heading to rural Suffolk for a crit in Sara's studio, we will be joined by our Project Curator, Caroline Wright. Although we have attended many meetings, visited the Fort several times as a group and exchanged more emails than i care to remember - tomorrow feels as though it is going to be different. It will be the first time, in a formal setting where we each explain and critique our ideas for works to be included in the show, and it is the first time that we will meet with Caroline as a group.

I think that this will mark a shift in our progression towards the show, meaning that we can become more focused on "the work" instead of all the other things that take up so much time.

Felixstowe Visit, Sunday 9th May

Tim, Helen, Sara, Lesley and Sam met in Ruby's cafe in Felixstowe for tea, cake and cheesy chips. Cheesy chips are a "must have" at Ruby's. We discussed some ideas for works and the format for our crit with Caroline on 23rd May.

We said goodbye to Lesley and the rest of us went onto the Fort. Bought souvenirs in the gift shop and briefly toured some of the rooms before spending time in the exhibition space. One of the lights in the space was swaying quite a lot, this was unnerving.

Tim, Helen and Sam met Mary who co-ordinates "Art on the Prom" in Felixstowe

to discuss our involvement in the scheme including publicity and the pos

sibility of running small events or interactive activities - this was very positive.

Lots of ideas, tired now from the fresh sea air.

Sam.

Today i am appreciating the physical effects of activity on my body. Following last night's race, i can barely walk, only drag my feet along the ground pathetically. It feels like someone has kicked me in the back. How can my back hurt after running? I do not have the concentration to read or to focus for any decent amount of time.

I find it really interesting to observe how one's body responds when put under unusual physical strain, how it can impair and have a consequential effect.

Sam Epps

Ready? Steady! Go....!

I have just got back from my first road race; 5 miles along Great Yarmouth sea front (i did it in 46 minutes). It felt really good to be part of something, as an individual acting within a collective purpose, and this is a feeling that i would like to capture within my work for "State of Readiness".

I really enjoyed the drive to Gt Yarmouth from Norwich. I have been thinking about Landscape today, partly because i had a look round the Land Art room at the Tate Modern at lunch, and partly because i have been talking to a few people about how a lot of the artwork created in East Anglia pays homage to our Landscape. The view as we drove along the Acle straight was great, the horizon opened up in that brilliant way that it always does as you approach the coast, so it is no wonder that Artists here are always mesmerized by that view.

Because it is Easter, the sea front felt a bit busier that it usually would during these temperatures, families were wandering around, the swimming pool was lively, the arcades were lit up, but there was a feeling that Gt Yarmouth is still waiting for something; the summer. Easter is their practice run, and then everything will close again until May. Sea side towns are so fascinating, visually rich, full of colour and vibrancy, but conceptually i find them rather desolate. There is this feeling of waiting, anticipation, and expectation of something bigger and better that i enjoy so much in relation to the theme of our exhibition.

I couldn't help but take photographs of boarded up and battened down refreshment bars and burger kiosks.

Visit to Suomenlinna - Sea Fortress. 06.04.2010

Finally my planned trip to Suomenlinna ; the morning greeted me with torrential rain threatening to postpone the trip but after a few essential chores the rain stopped and Samantha and I headed for Helsinki, from where we would take a 20 min ferry trip to the Sea Fortress Island. The rain had now been replaced by a dense fog making the journey have a some what mysterious quality especially since the normally visible island was shrouded in a veil of fog.

For the briefest of moments the sun broke through the fog.

Once on the island our first stop was Galleria Rantasarmi who’s rooms and spaces have a strong simalarity in feel as those at Landguard, Samantha commented later that the floor even sounded the same as she walked through the rooms.

It was there that I first made inquires about the use of a space within the islands buildings in order to perform and video my peice for Landguard, they suggested I speak with someone in the new HIAP (Helsinki International Artist-in-residence Programme) offices. I had recently heard that they were setting up new premises on the island but was unaware they were up and running.

Leaving the gallery we spent about 2 hours exploreing more of the islands buildings, stopping off for a hearty bowl of chilli and bacon pasta, on our way to finding the HIAP office which we found situated in one of the best sites of the island.

There I met Virve; artist and co-ordinator of the Suomenlinna residency spaces, and after introducing my project and time schedual to her she immediately proposed a site and offered to show us, the place is Galleria Augusta which is one of the host venues for Art Contact which organizes experimental live art events in Helsinki on a regular basis www.newartcontact.org During the winter and early spring months activities on Suomenlinna are relatively quiet, this being so all I now need to do is contact the studio manager and arrange a time, which will more than likely be in late may........fingers crossed!

Edwina 07.04.2010

What does 'state of readiness' mean?

readiness n, being ready
ready a, fit or available for action or use; willing; about or inclined to do something; quick.
state n, mode of being, with regard to characteristics or circumstances.

I am available for action, willing and inclined, but ready?
Concrete, fixed and immobile, cold and still.
Waiting.

art-work-sport (2) + studio meeting

I've just got back from another circuit training session, my dad said that it looked like it was hard work for me. Thanks dad.

This evenings thoughts:

• pat pat pat - the sound of pacing feet on the gym floor (like marching?)
• pace and rhythm - how this changes over time
• moving forward as a line, as we run the "shuttles" across the length of the sports hall (this made me think of some Hamish Fulton walks that i participated in a few weeks ago)
• collective - working together, collective energy
• achievement
• medal - to award achievement, war medals / sports medals, styling, colour etc

I think that i need to expand my experience of these tiring and rhythmic activities, i can sense a session in front of a Davina McCall fitness dvd ahead of me.

Yesterday the Norwich based members of the group met at Helen and Tim's studio at Outpost Studios (i have complete studio envy now, it was so warm!). We went over our funding applications, its all do-able, especially between us but will require a lot of focus and forward planning. It was nice to see the other artists, in a slightly more informal setting - we always progress a lot when we are together.

Juliet - im very excited to see your commissioned Gainsborough, brilliant idea, and how exciting to get it in the post!

Sam Epps 25.03.2010

Gainsborough from China has arrived!

The Gainsborough piece I ordered from China arrived on Friday- after a full week of work, barely had the energy to open the parcel- phew- imagine if I'd painted it too?! My studio is also up and running- warmer weather has helped immensly. Planning on going back to felixstowe over easter hols to do some drawing/photography.

Met a couple of old family friends this weekend with helen- they'll be coming to the private view-they live in Felixstowe and one of their son's is currently working in Jakarta. He'll be back over the summer so may make it their too- great

Juliet's Proposal

Landguard Fort Proposal

The Gainsborough painting of Landguard Fort, became a starting point for this project. I lived in Felixstowe as a child between the ages of 8 and 11 and flew kites and walked on the sand dunes that Gainsborough had recorded in his landscape piece. Revisiting Landguard, I was immediately struck with how dominant the vast container port is next to the diminutive Fort and fragile, protected beauty of the dunes.

I decided to explore the relationship between the three elements of the Fort, Port and Painting. By considering the active role the port plays in the British economy, the reliance on goods manufactured elsewhere and the trading links that have been established between countries, I proposed to produce a piece of work which engaged with this process.

Gainsborough was commissioned to produce his painting of the Fort in xxx by Phillip Thickness, the then Governor of the Fort. His piece captures a moment in time, the Fort employed in defending the country from invasion, at the ready, sited on the mouth of the estuary. Today, the fort is redundant, an historical site of interest, tourist location, and at times, ghost hunter and re-enactor riddled. The port continues to develop on its door step.

I decided to commission my own version of the fort, via the internet and email, commissioning Gainsborough’s piece to be reproduced in China and shipped back to the UK. I will mark a designated spot within the dunes, as close a vantage point as possible, to where Gainsborough stood and painted, and invite visitors to the show to walk from the Fort to the location to produce their own painting. I will also invite the Felixstowe Artists who have a Gallery on the seafront to participate in painting that particular vantage point and possibly exhibiting their work in their own gallery at the same time.

While waiting for the arrival of this piece, I would collect my own impressions and memories of Felixstowe using a variety of methods including pinhole photography, digital photography, drawings and watercolour, recorded over a period of time. These images I would then reconfigure, cut, collage and reassemble to produce a series of twelve images. Inspired by the very positive calendar of Felixstowe I bought in the Tourist Information Office, I will arrange the pieces within a calendar format. I also intend to approach the Information Office to display work there parallel to the exhibition and creating a link between the town and the Fort.

Work Produced for Exhibition shall include:
1 commissioned painting from China of Gainsborough’s landscape painting.
Site marker and invitation to walk to Gainsborough’s vantage point and paint own landscape.
Series of 12 assembled/collaged pieces in a calendar format to be displayed in Tourist information office and/or possibly Fort.
Possible link exhibition of local artists’ landscape paintings produced from Gainsborough’s perspective.

My continuing art-work-sport debate

I have just got back from circuit training, my first session in 4 weeks. (ouch)
It is one of the few times mid-week that my brain can switch into "art mode" because im usually busy worrying about other stuff - but sport is great for creativity, my mind can wander.


We did high knees, heel kicks, gecko press ups, superman, squat thrusts, double squats, 100's, star jumps, ski jumps, compass jumps, shuttles, press ups, ab crunches, skipping, saddle jumps and spotty dogs. Kim shouted these instructions at us above the pulsing 90's dance music.

The changing rhythm of our bodies is interesting to me, and that we are all performing the same actions more or less in sync. sometimes less is more interesting actually. Circuit training is an activity with no set outcome, but it is preparation for something else where these skills can be put to use. sometimes we are moving a lot, and other times we have to hold very still. I can see a lot of similarities here with my proposed work for Landguard.

I also feel like re-considering yoga - for the stillness aspect.
And the coloured markings on the sports hall floor were really catching my attention.

I'll sleep well tonight.
Sam Epps 18.03.10

Proposal

I propose to concentrate on specific concepts/notions of Defence and Protection referencing military and civil defence. The proposed works will engage directly with the fundamental reasons for the establishment of the Fort and the Geneva Conventions.
Both of which were set up as a means of Defence and Protection, both have been through processes of amendment owing to the changing nature of military warfare.
The Fort as it stands now no longer serves its original purpose and I wish to beg the same question of the Geneva Conventions [1].
With two outcomes;
• a public performance (with the possibility of audience participation) during the exhibition opening.
• a static art work that will be exhibited within the gallery space for the duration of the exhibition.

Both of the works will have an underlying educational and informative content in their final outcome, with the idea of providing the viewing public an abstract arena in which to ponder social, political and emotional spheres of thought both past and present.


The Works: Anarchy of Silence.
1. Public Live Performance (with the possibility of audience participation)
The performance will be divided in to 3 routines, the last of which is open to audience participation.
• Routine 1: Dressed as a construction worker - overalls – hard hat and armed with a tool box I will proceed to mark out on the floor with chalk and red tape the progressive form of the Fort [2], up until its current shape; pentagonal.

• Routine 2: Shedding the construction workers overalls and hat, revealing clothes of a Diplomat / bureaucrat and replacing the toolbox with a brief case stamped; ‘Important Document’ I will extract from the brief case one by one the individual protocols of the Geneva Conventions 1 - 5 and place them in neat stacks on the corresponding 5 ‘Bastions’ of the Forts pentagonal [3], form.

• Routine 3: Removing the Diplomat / bureaucrats clothes and brief case leaving me wearing black leggings and long sleeved black top, I will cover my head and face (suggesting anonymity), I will bring to the centre of the pentagonal fort form a paper shredder. Then in their individual sections I will begin to shred the pages of the Geneva Conventions, inviting the audience/public to partake in the process. The neat stacks of paper will be replaced by piles of shredded paper.
__________________________________________________________________________

2. Static Art Work (gallery exhibition)
A video Installation: to be shown for the duration of the exhibition.

• I propose to stage the above performance prior to the exhibition here in Finland at a chosen site that is as close in its topical and physical aesthetics as to that of Landguard Fort.
• Choice of site for performance in Finland; Suomenlinna [4],meaning ‘Sea Fortress’.
• This performance will then be videoed/filmed and documented and made ready to be presented during the exhibition. The pre-enactment of this performance allows me the opportunity to make a trail run, work out its length in time and through viewing be able to examine any possible problems or faults.

So there it is, I am actually beginning to get over my fear of a possible live performance and feel a wee tingle of excitement.

Edwina 18.03

oil to dry

There- managed to sign in...blogger numero 3. Looking forward to the next crit- sans Caroline perhaps- just to see how ideas are developing- the last held at laura's house was great- productive, constructive and friendly.

My comissioned painting of gainsborough's vantage of landguard is finished! It'll be sent as soon as the paint is dry enough- hopefully to arrive later this week or early the next one...I ordered it in January and it has felt like a long time coming...we shall see!

Other things to get interested about include the Felixstowe 'art on the prom'...Felixstroll 2010...

Signing off now- lessons await Juliet

AM I BECOMING A RADIO ENTHUSIAST RATHER THAN AN ARTIST??

Am up a gum tree at the moment with any proposed works am awaiting a eureka moment.. is it going to arrive? Have now discussed my project with various odd bods am hoping someone will come forward to help with the intricacies of writing a c.d. Sara

Removed from Reality

Thanks for setting this blog up, Sam. I am intrigued by your proposal- and totally up for participating in a military game!

My work is usually based on women so my contribution to State of Readiness is going to be based on the idea of waiting, at home, for the worst news. Being so separate from what is actually going on involves a lot of imagination, and is based almost entirely on newspapers, tv or movies. The individual experience is fictional in the mind of those waiting at home, until a letter or telephone call. Even then, one cannot step into another's shoes.

So I am planning to create an image that will be removed from reality several times. I haven't yet decided on the content of the image, but I plan to print said photograph, then scan it and project it. I will then photograph the projection with a pinhole camera (here's where it gets tricky!) using a large-format negative, and then print from that negative onto a piece of transparent material. The final piece should look very surreal- a snapshot of a snapshot, seen through different lenses. Using a combination of old and new techniques should also give it a timeless feel.

I'd quite like the final piece to blow around in the wind a bit, so how and where I mount it will be essential.

I will post again on here once I decide on an image.
Diane www.dianearcher.co.uk

SCAN

We were successful in our application for a SCAN grant from Suffolk Coastal, hurray!

Feeling Ready in Finland

I thought that I had better warm up the blogspot for the other members of the group - its probably feeling rather neglected now...

At the moment I am in Finland, staying with Edwina. It is a holiday really, but also a chance to escape from the chaos of England, stresses of work and deadlines and emails, to sleep more, feel calmer, talk through ideas and thoughts, and feel more creative as a result of doing so. This is my second visit to Finland, last time it was hugely productive and paved the way for Live Art and Performance to become part of my practice.

Photographs taken on my walk around Riihimaki today

I had been getting quite moody in England because i can never find the time to research and develop my creative ideas, we're always rushing about so much. But within my first morning in Riihimaki with Edwina, i had brainstormed and developed an idea for "State of Readiness", something that i could not even come close to in the past four or five months.

Im still developing it, and trying to put my ideas into a cohesive proposal for the group, but here are some of the things that are anchoring my proposal;

• games
• rules
• signals
• diagram
• mass
• movement
• waiting - uncomfortable pauses
• anticipation of what will happen next
• play
• exercise
• order / chaos
• responding to commands

I would like there to be two aspects to my work; 1) a public participation performance which is somewhere between a game such as stuck in the mud, an exercise routine and military commands for movements and also 2) a dvd which is interactive, and has a similar quality to dance mats used with video games, the dvd will give commands for movements relating to ideas of anticipation, being poised for action, and uneasy moments of stillness.

This is the first time that i have made work for such a public place, our audience will not be the same as one would expect at a white-cube gallery, so i would like to make this piece playful and engaging for families, and to give my audience a sense of participation, perhaps tying in an event. Im also thinking about Flash Mobs and surreal actions that happen in mass, come out of nowhere and disperse just as quickly.

So many thoughts! Thank you Finland. Maybe i should come here every time i need to research ideas for exhibitions.

Sam Epps

13.02.2010