Topographies of the Obsolete is an artistic research project that focuses on the closed Spode Works in Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

The first workshop Resurrecting the Obsolete took place in September 2012 in the Spode Factory, Stoke on Trent, UK organized by Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway (KHiB).

KHiB was invited as a Research Fellow Partner Institution by the British Ceramics Biennial 2013 and the first workshop included 33 staff and students from KHiB, The Royal Academy of Art Copenhagen, Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel, Sheffield Hallam Univerisity, University of Nottingham Trent and invited alumni/artists from KHiB. Together we explored the Spode site’s histories, industrial space and infrastructure.

The workshops have uncovered a variety of methods and strategies exploring the complexity of the site from different perspectives and practices particular to each of the artists/students involved. We had a great variation of expressions ranging from the performative intervention based to installation and object based work.

The second of the research residency took place in March 2013 as the artistic research project Topographies of the Obsolete. The third workshop takes place in August 2013.

In September a number of participants from the research project will present their works during the British Ceramics Biennial 2013.

This site will act as a meeting point for participants and others interested in our progress.

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Preparations

Here in Bergen we students are working with the preparations for the coming workshop in march. A week ago we had group tutorial with the projects new research assistant Corrina Tornton were everyone presented there work, were they are now and what they are aiming for during the time on site.
This Friday we also continued our Site Anatomy seminar and got an introduction to Miwon Kwon's From one place to another by Christine Hansen and Kwon's categorization of site specific art.

It makes a lot of sense to meet and discuss in these groups. Our discussions get very focused due to our shared experiences of the issues of working in this special place. I think it pushes us forward and enable us to get to an other level of understanding. Hopefully this will result in even better outcomes of this coming workshop.


No comments:

Post a Comment