PCAD Exhibition Opening

28/11/07

I'd mentioned in an earlier log that Rachel & Hannah had been updating me on the exhibition/residency programme they curate for Viewpoint Gallery, Plymouth College of Art & Design. I was really excited to hear about the work of Dutch artist Robin Van't Haar, who had been in residence for 2 weeks developing his ongoing 'City Scripts' public art project.
check out:
http://www.cityscripts.com/engels/index.html
http://viewpoint.pcad.ac.uk

Robin spent his time in Plymouth recording the everyday behaviour of people using public spaces. He observed day-to-day city life and that of the immediate college environment, presenting the results of his research in the gallery through photography, installation and a web log. In the Gallery programme Robin speaks of his interest in the way people move and behave in (semi) public space and how in certain places people start moving unconsciously in a kind of group choreography. Observing the way people move in these contexts offers a new perspective and/or way of experiencing the nature of that place.

Personally I'm very interested in the body as a sculptural, social and political agent and was really struck by one of Robin's photos in the brochure. It shows two business men, dressed identically in suit/tie and macks, both walking in step down a street, hands glasped behind their backs. The photo captures their moving in unison - a kind of choreography of the everyday with the 'dancers' in this piece being two business men dressed in the costume of commerce. It made me think about Erving Goffman's 'The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life' - Goffman describes the character of 'Preedy', an Englishman holidaying in Spain, to illustrate how we are continuously assuming/performing roles in our everyday public and private lives. Right now u can tell I'm performing 'arty' Preedy. I'm off for a swim shortly and then i'll be performing 'sporty' Preedy...

ANYWAY! As we'd been talking about re-thinking notions of what public art might be within the context of Groundwork and particularly the role of temporary creative interventions in public space, I thought it'd be nice to forward information of this exhibition opening to staff. Its interesting to consider how one presents public art related works in a gallery context too. This evening offered an opportunity to see and respond to some artwork together and a chance to meet members of the Groundwork team socially away from the office (with free wine which always sweetens any invitation!)

So happily that evening I was joined by Alex, Colin, Jocella, Ray and Rupert. Robin spoke a little about the work he produced in Plymouth over the two weeks and we chatted and sipped away on a few glasses of red with our kindly hosts :) A very nice vibe.