For my final major project at university, it is necessary for me to develop an artist statement to go along side my final body of work and to help me to produce a separate short statement which talks about my projects intentions and working processes. I thought that it would be beneficial for me to include the development of this statement in this module too, developing my critical written work has been an aim of mine throughout my last year at university. It has been of such relevance due to it being so important for my progression after university, when I intend to promote my work and organise exhibitions.
Our peer group and a tutor recently had a session where we were made to write up a quick artist statement on the spot, this really pushed us students to cram in the most important information into the short paragraph. This was a great way of starting off the statement writing process as it enabled each of us to put across simply the basics and not to talk unnecessarily about other less vital information. When we had written down the short statement we had to then sit in two rows of students which we then projected what we had written to the person sitting opposite. We were then given feedback of the person and we moved onto the next chair where we were greeted by someone new. Before we swapped chairs, we had to make slight tweaks or changes to the statement to take out unnecessary information and to add in relevant information. This mean that we continually developed our initial statement until it resembled a professional standard artist statement.
At the beginning of my final year, we were asked to do a similar exercise as the above, in a similar session plan to this also. The outcome of this session are below. These are the words that I built upon in the latest session.
Below are images from my notes taken at the latest session. It is obvious that as the session went on, I developed my text more and more.
The text that I wrote during that session has really helped me to develop my semi-final artist statement, I will copy and paste my latest version below.
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1st Revision
Many years of experience in the metalworking industry unveiled a strong
appreciation of the skills and techniques that have been passed down through generations. The remaining forges that continue to utilize these techniques are in decline due to an increase of products being imported into the UK. These photographs are part of an ongoing project, which aims to praise these talented engineers for their craftsmanship and passion for the work they produce. Fueling and assisting these engineers are their food and tools, both of which have their own story to tell. The recipes and devices that give these men the means to carry out such physically demanding jobs are a vital part of life within the forge. Unique hand crafted tools have been passed down through families, from generation to generation and these photographs are a testament to a way of life that will soon be forgotten.
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2nd Revision (346 WORDS)
Ben Stokes is a Manchester born social documentary photographer whose work has been constantly revolving around the praise of the declining metal working industry in the UK. This body of work, “NAME OF WORK” is a digression from his previous set of real-life portraits. His current practice is presented by still lives taken in and around the forge at which he has worked at for over 5 years, working within the industry unveiled a strong appreciation for this line of work. This unique mixture of still life and food photography sets out to depict the basic elements that enable the talented engineers to function, be that the food they eat or the tools that they utilize.
The staple diets of the men who work within the forge are of great interest to Stokes, he brings special attention to the fact that the basic foods that the men consume have been passed down through generation’s. The food that fuels the men to produce such unique outcomes has remained the same as when miners used to take pasties and loaves of bread down the mines for energy as well as ease.
Inextricably linked to the food still lives are the tools within the forge that have been passed down through generations. Each of the tools within these photographs has their own story to tell, their own history within the industry and their own personal connections. The inscriptions on each of the implements help to show this personal connection and how some of the tools have been hand crafted for specific individuals.
The backgrounds chosen for each of the photographs gives us detail of just how hard and physically demanding this way of life is, each dent and scratch can be seen in high definition which helps to show the years of wear that the surfaces have been through. This body of work is a document, a way of our ancestors seeing how our country became one of the leading figureheads in the industrial revolution and how this industry has been taken on a journey from then until now.
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I will continue developing my statement ready for hand in and will really try to produce a professional piece of work as possible. It has been great practice for my future career and I now feel more confident in writing and talking about my work and more specifically my current project.
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