Art Work
Post 11 from Haukijärvi – ARTELES
I signed my name next to another Acadian’s, a tradition.
The biggest little apartment in town. So small, but so well organized. This is an actual Helsinki apartment.
What a month it has been. I have met some really interesting and great artists from all over the world in an amazing setting. It has been such a long time since I have been able to devote so much time and energy uniquely towards being creative; I feel honoured to have been selected among such a talented and charming group of people. I also feel honoured that my students and my employer (Grenfell Campus) were so gracious in allowing me this opportunity, this alone gave me the impetus to work hard and dedicate myself to doing what I had to do.
Much work has been created, most of it will be a framework to develop many future projects. Below is one of the pieces I left with my hosts at Arteles. It is relatively resolved, meaning I took some time and “performed” some sound to it. Of course this will evolve as I work with it more. I am hoping to gather my courage and propose an actual public performance in the near future.
A “final” version of this work made during a residency at Arteles Creative Centre in Haukijärvi, Finland. It is a reflection on how silence, awareness and existence co-exist in uneasy harmony. Silence is impossible, awareness is difficult and existence just is. The work is designed to be projected during performance of sound works, the soundtrack is one such “performance” played out while watching the moving images. Loops, reiterations and différence and répétition all thanks to Gilles Deleuze.
Across thee Silence version 03 /with sound from Pierre LeBlanc on Vimeo.
Post 10 from Haukijärvi – ARTELES
Words for J.B.
Still from J. Baldessari
“I will not make boring art”
Text based art can be fun, exhilarating since it calls language into question, gives it a form.
This is the most recent piece from my residency experience, inspired by conversations, materials at hand and time to be in tune with imagination.
There is a John Baldessari work that keeps rolling around in my head, it is about boring art and… not making it. [openculture.com/2013/08/john-baldessaris-i-will-not-make-any-more-boring-art-a-1971-conceptual-art-piecediy-art-course.html] I really love the piece in all its humour and thoughtfulness. This work is a reply to JB. It is an initial exploration and will evolve to something else at some point, with any luck.
Part of it is my attraction to slow art, art that simmers in the brain only to reveal its reality when least expected. This kind of art tends to be “boring” at first glance but it “explodes inside the head later on”, I am paraphrasing Baltz. This is why I find inspiration in conceptual art, Tarkovsky films, the images of Lewis Baltz and dronesounds.
Words for J.B. – with kindest respect from Pierre LeBlanc :: Vimeo.
Post 09 from Haukijärvi – ARTELES
Earthworks
Two days ago we visited two ginormous earthwork projects. I love seeing art in unassuming places without the hype and glory of the museum/gallery setting. Somehow, this lets me respond to things in a more personal and direct way.
In both of these, it was thrilling to see how we (the group of residents) responded with childlike glee and playfulness to the pieces.
1- Tree Mountain by Agnes Denes [http://www.strataproject.org/agnes-denes.html]
A difficult piece to photograph because of its scale. So I am adding a satellite view from Google earth for some perspective; click on it to see a larger view (its worth the trouble).
Puuvuori – Tree Mountain by Agnes Danes – Google View
Puuvuori – Tree Mountain by Agnes Danes – Pierre view
Puuvuori – Tree Mountain by Agnes Danes – Pierre view
Puuvuori – Tree Mountain by Agnes Danes – Pierre view
Puuvuori – Tree Mountain by Agnes Danes – Pierre view
What is most striking to me, as with many Earthworks, is that both these projects are about reclamation. The idea of the land reclaiming sites used for commercial or industrial purposes, over time, much much time. These works are interventions that bring the human scale into this process, not destructively but in some kind of balance with natural processes. Ultimately, the work is about optimism and a firm belief that the marks that humans leave on this planet will change, the Earth will persist despite human ignorance.
2- Up and Under/Yltä ja Alta by Nancy Holt [http://www.strataproject.org/nancy-holt.html]
A piece that was absolute joy to photograph, the possibilities were endless. We played and we played; an excellent field trip.
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Google Earth view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
Yltä ja Alta/Up and Under by Nancy Holt – Pierre view
I will let the work do all the talking today, it is worth listening to it.