Tutorial #4

22/05/26

Tutorial with Jonathan

Things discussed:

• Jonathan said that he had read back through a number of my journal entries and felt that I seemed to have found a productive rhythm. I agreed and said that the research paper has arrived at a useful time for me. It has allowed me to move some of the intellectual heavy lifting away from the studio work and into a separate container. This has made the studio feel more relaxed, and I’ve been enjoying playing around with the small paintings.
• We talked a bit about the new work and the use of text within the paintings. Jonathan agreed that it would be more interesting if the text became part of the ‘weather’ of the painting, rather than sitting too clearly on top of it. This led to a discussion about playing with legibility and allowing the text to shift between being readable and becoming more absorbed into the painted surface.
• We also talked about the contested nature of the Glasgow public realm, which feels relevant to some of the imagery and language I’ve been using.
• Jonathan asked whether I was planning to make more collage. We talked about the interim show and the improvisational/ performance aspects of that piece. We agreed that it could be interesting to make a timelapse film of a collage being built, partly as a way of recording the process and maybe as a work in its own right.
• I mentioned that I have bought some timber to build frames for collaging onto. I also talked about recently re-encountering Sara Barker’s work, which has made me think about making some kind of wall-based armature that could support improvised collage. Jonathan asked whether the text might come into the collage work as well, and I think this is likely.
• He also suggested preparing some surfaces specifically for collaging, which feels like a good idea. He mentioned Matisse’s late paper works, and we also talked about the surfaces of Mark Bradford’s paintings.
• Jonathan asked whether I might think about taking the work outside, which could be interesting. This connected back to the discussion around public space and the possibility of the work existing beyond the studio or gallery.
• We discussed text in the work of Bob and Roberta Smith and Jeremy Deller.
• Jonathan seemed to think that my research paper idea has legs. I said that although copyright is an important part of the topic, I don’t want it to become the main focus. Jonathan agreed, and we talked briefly about the Richard Prince case as a useful reference point.
• Jonathan also suggested that I read a new piece by Cory Doctorow, which I have now done and found very useful. I have also ordered his new book.
• Finally, we had a short discussion about my plans for the Tavistock show. I said that I can be very flexible about how and where the work is installed.

Next steps:

• Carry on with the small paintings.
• Make maquettes for different collage frames.
• Write the 1,000-word summary for the research paper.
• Keep looking for useful sources.