Reflection on this first year

I wanted to reflect on this last year regarding the MA and everything really.
This has been a very difficult year for me, as I started this MA course I was also starting a new job and this probably was a mistake. I took on too much however the MA on the whole has been a very interesting learning experience and even though at times I have struggled with the Tasks I have learnt from these experiences.
I am hopeful that I will pass this first year and now I am financially able to pay for the second year I believe that I will be able to contribute and develop my artistic skills.
Next year will be exciting as I am becoming involved with a new business that will hopefully mean at the least a reduction in the hours that I work or even finding another job working part-time which would free up more time to concentrate on the MA.
I have now become involved with the Worcester Arts Workshops which will be inavailable to me as I develop as an artist over the next few years.
I personally enjoyed the study of Franko B within this module the most, because it pushed me beyond my normal boundaries, it was a fascinating area to research and I learnt a huge amount.
Breaking the Boundaries was a failure in my mind as I struggled to get communication from people and it was just a very difficult project to get off the ground, however I did the best that I could and that is all that I could do. I have learnt just how difficult it is to organise events even for a short period of time.
This year has passed very quickly and I have gained alot from the experience of the MA and hopefully this will continue next year.

Breaking the Boundaries - Sarah Lundy's comments

Breaking the Boundaries – Sarah Lundy’s comments

Jennifer task:

Sounds really interesting, something I'd love have been able to take part in. Democratic is definitely a good term to denote the ethos of the initiative, which is important with the ever growing void between the general public and art. I think it was an important idea as anyone could take part, without judgement, reference to education, performance pressure or the myriad other deterrents to engaging with contemporary art. It was not only engagement but shared authorship or the work. People had the opportunity to co-author a piece of contemporary conceptual art, which at once extended the opportunity to engage with and create art, but more importantly to understand what art is currently as the shared viewer/maker processes of compositional consideration, conceptual comprehension and contribution were exercised by the audience/authors, instilling in them an appreciation for the power of art to inspire questioning and boarder thinking around life and all its attributes. I will look at the images on the blog now. Very interesting. Regarding the cards, I'd be wary of using them at all unless they are distorted beyond identification for legal reasons, or unless clearance was gotten first. Maybe by soaking them-to distort the specific images/details-and drying them, a new invited/random audience painting over them to create an ongoing construction of the strata of strangers? Ah I dunno, like all I've read though. I would absolutely love to have a good auld root through the stuff left below, thrilling! Conceptually it does raise questions as to value, consumerism, rubbish, the inter-connectivity of the world due to the mass-produced sameness of the goods available to buy globally, homogenization, originality, appropriation, privacy, publicity etc. I think a good name would be 'Objective Orgy' ha!

Sue:

Sounds like this went well in the end which is great Sue. I would agree strongly with what has been said by the others about this. It is very important to have a local profile, especially a physical one as many people and organisations seem to reside largely in cyber-space because of facebook and such. I know that I 'know' lots of Irish artists due to their online profiles, shared exhibitions etc but have never actually met them or seen their face. Very odd really. I struggle with creating a personable local profile with the local arts scene due to unwillingness to go to openings, fear of crowds, inability to make proper small-talk etc, but it is something that i feel is important and that I want to work on, so I commend you for having the guts to put yourself out there as a person and artist and to host a successful event 'in the field'! I am not very well versed in the scope of your practice but I would imagine that context wise this was a real breaking of boundaries? I know you do work with groups, but outside? In a medium beyond the glass-work you are so skilled at? New location, new medium, new context-community art?. Artists have the responsibility to extend their own appreciation for art to those willing but marginalized where they can, especially now that art is largely made for other artists appreciation, a learned predisposition is required and the general public are alienated. As the others stated, now that you have a profile as artist, people will be receptive to all future ideas (artistic licence) as opposed to being suspicious. You have created an infrastructure of reception for your ideas, a foundation which you can build upon as and when and at whatever rate you want. If you were to host another very similar event you may risk being pigeon-holed, but if you keep things fresh and varied then people will just admire and anticipate your innovative initiative.

Jo:

This was also a brave move-to invite people into your front yard and even your home. I think that the notions as mentioned above of the private and the public are addressed in this work across the board; you painted without consent people you found interesting, then you invited random people into your home; there could be a correlation between the location you chose to exhibit these works and the subjects within the works, in that you were looking at down-and-outs, the homeless, the chemically dependent etc and literally giving them a home, inviting them into a haven, making society look at them, witness their cases, promote empathy toward them. I know you had empathy with them yourself and maybe were projecting your personal situation onto their extreme situation and them uniting these within the conceptual and actual realm of your home to express your own anguish and anxieties through their cases in your casement? All just ideas, I don't know the full story so gleaning what I can from our last chat! Makes me think of the  Goya paintings and how he broke boundaries by not painting the rich and beautiful but opting to paint people in the mad house etc instead. Yeah I also love the idea of a book, I'd personally go for a shabby scrap-book/old crammed photo album kinda look, photos of the actual people, images of the paintings. Maybe you could extend the project on to 'A-Day-In-the-Life' of a bum and get someone (your daughter) to document it, drinking in public places in the day, begging for change. Ok, I just heard myself, mad, sorry, but it would be good to walk a mile in their shoes perhaps. Maybe it could turn into a social awareness campaign, get some funding from whoever the homeless protection agency is over there and disseminate wee booklets. Could highlight the precarious balance there is between having a home and food etc and losing it all through metaphors like scales, chess etc. Just ideas. Like Jennifer's, its ask us to think about what and who we overlook and are willing to discard. A ballsy project it was, fair play.

Mine:

I created three video pieces on The Absurd (a concept arising from french existentialism) and the couple of books I read. The Absurd: "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdism] That is not a very good explanation really, well it is and it isn't but I'll be damned if I'm gonna try to sum it up! It has to be read as philosophy or literature. Anyway I was taking repetition and randomness as adverse templates for life as outlined by Camus and Sartre, and trying to denote harnessed hope, futility, meaninglessness. ANYWAY, the videos are here: http://www.sarahellenlundy.com/video.php (sorry the site is shite, too little work, too many words etc..). I hadn't attempted video work before so in this way I broke my boundaries. When I had made them (it was only meant to be one piece but looked too cheesy so turned into a triptych) I applied to four exhibition opportunities. I was successful in three of these. They were all very different-one local, one in a new space the other end of the country, one as part of a festival. It caused me torment as suddenly I was aligning myself with video artists of which I am not one really, which made me feel like a fraud, but then I was accepted to a video-art collective which gave me confidence in the work I had made: http://www.mart.ie/news. Then I got proposed for a local/rural arts collective but need to be voted in and won't know how that goes until the new year. I feel it went well in the end despite the initial hell of trying to make videos with no expertise, experience or equipment. It was the biggest jump I've ever made medium-wise. Feedback is welcome.

Breaking the Boundaries = Group discussion

BREAKING THE  BOUNDARIES

NOTES FROM MEETING HELD ON 24^TH OCT 2011

JENNIFER’S BREAKING THE BOUNDARY

Jennifer’s work was featured in the Washington Post and can be accessed via her Blog site.

Jennifer explained that this particular project ‘Give and Take’ is continued theme to her work. She has created this idea of Give and Take before and the results from the previous exhibition she felt was an elegant piece of pro-active liaison between the public and her work. People were thoughtful on how they positioned their artefacts.

What surprised Jennifer in Washington D.C is how the general public seemed very much unprepared and they were pulling out any junk out of their bags! She felt that this time there was a the sense of the aftermath of a party, stuff was not positioned well so fell onto the floor, there was a feeling of a free for all and people can distracted from what they were being asked to do.

Jennifer with this instillation was being authentic about the perception of value on a utopian ideal way. The organic grid where her pieces were displayed fell apart due to the mess created by the general public. However Jennifer did acknowledge that she does not need to control the public experience of this particular piece of work.

There was a range of responses to her work which is once again reflected within her blog.

The wall where the work was placed became a vehicle for the public to place their ‘junk’ and what the general public seemed to leave behind the most is their business cards, is this a reflection of egotistical nature of the general public to promote themselves or was it a way to connect to another stranger?

Ego before common sense?

Jennifer asked the question ‘What should I do with these cards?

She feels at a loss at what to do with the business cards questioning whether to turn them into a piece of art. Or sell the information give? Email these individuals book them onto sex websites? Should she abuse the information given?

Jennifer wondered if she could turn them into a piece of art work that would be a published magazine.

I suggested looking at how Gilbert and George selected sex cards from around the area in London in which they live and from this their exhibition.

A variety of suggestions were made in regards with what to do with the business cards. Could Jennifer create a piece using the cards as the material – papier-mâché creation..

Or add the cards to the next exhibition, for the general public to continue exchanging their own personal identities but somehow adding a GPS system/tracking device to see where the cards actually go.

Jennifer commented that these cards seem to be disasporous (Sorry unable to spell!) The spreading of different cultures, people from other countries settling and still retaining their own cultures but also adapting to the new culture in which they live.

Jennifer has taken some fascination photographs of the ‘junk’ left behind which once again are featured on her blog site. The images taken have become an art form in themselves. With these pictures in mind Jennifer is thinking of creating a glossy magazine that continues this exhibition within a 2 dimensional piece of work.

Jennifer’s exhibition contrasted with another exhibition that was taking place at the same time were the artist’s involved gave away their pieces of work, and this asks the question what is the value of art? Because Jennifer was asking for something in return there seemed to be democratic sensibility about the exhibition ‘Give and Take’.

I then discussed my Breaking the Boundaries which was based around showing the general public outside of the M.A my work, especially within the area in which I live.

I discussed all the issues that have happened in trying to exhibit my work and the obstacles that have happened and because of this I ended holding an open study within my own home exhibiting my work in my lounge and on the windows of my front room. None of the local residents took part, however people from the Pathology Department who I do not work with were invited to attend, and some people did participate.

I explained that I felt the how project had not been on the level of a professional artist, rather someone out of their depth. I really wanted to finish this Task with creating a book possibly, and this book would contain why I painted the individuals, what made them attractive as subject matters. The sketches I had created the finished pieces and the comments given by individuals who did come to the open study.

Both Jennifer and Sue were interested about the idea of book and Jennifer suggested that I look into self-publishing and told me about ‘Blurb’ and website from which I can create a book using the software.

Sue’s Breaking the Boundary was about being engaged with the community on ‘Apple Day’ and she managed to get the community to document memories of the day using a wide variety of aides ranging from photography/bark rubbings/sign rubbings/leaves/grass/twigs.

In doing this the imagery of the day has been recreated in layers not only in imagery but also the layering of the senses. The work has been encoded with the exploration of the senses.

The community came together to make this art piece, selecting by the community, a real collaboration that stretched through the generations.

Sue has gained a lot of comments regarding this Task, one comment that has stood out was “This couldn’t be art because photography was involved.” 

Apple Day was discussed at depth and especially the concept of tithing, the local council is paid for the creation of the orchard on council land in apples as a levy/contribution. The concept of tithing opened up the discussion of the interpretation of land ownership, and how important ‘Apple Day’ was to the community as they have reclaimed the land creating an alternative economy.

Sue felt on the day she became a chameleon asking the question had she been artist/organiser/curator/teacher? All identities were used during this Task.

Sue has been concerned that she has had not been controversial in her Task, personally I believe that Sue is being very hard on herself and actually to become involved within the community especially on this particular day has allowed her to build a relationship within the community gaining a sense of trust and respect. In doing this she can then push forward onto more difficult and contentious material.

Jennifer then put forward to Sue how would she rephrase her intention, and what would she had changed about her outcome set within the Task.

Jennifer suggested that this particular Task was a step towards a bigger social comment and how Sue as an artist could now develop her ideas and have more of an impact within the community in which she lives.

At this point I had to leave the discussion however Sue and Jennifer continued to discuss Breaking the Boundaries.

Breaking the Boundaries

This is the row of houses in which one of I live in, and I did have an idea of this whole row of houses showing my work in their front windows, however I decided not to go ahead with this idea because I did not want my neighbours to be dealing with any negative issues.

The house with the bins outside is my house! and I have decided to show my work on the windows of my front room, rather than involving the neighbours. I also decided to have an open studio as well on the 20th and 21st of October.

What I do like about having the images up at the window is that there are not intrusive as I thought they would be and you do have to walk up to the glass to see the work clearly. 

The postman was really funny! He said he always thought I was strange but in a good way? Also he thought what I had painted was a load of shit but could see I had talent!?! Interesting.. 

Through out the two days I did see some people slow down to look at the images, but nobody came to the door that passed the house.

I targeted people from within the Pathology Laboratory who do not know me or know that I paint or even studying for an M.A
Then reason I decided to do this was because if they did not know me personally then hopefully  any comments recieved would be without worrying about my feelings, and guage a more honest reaction.
I got the impression that people had concerns that this was going to be hard work, non of the people who showed any interest of coming wanted to go to any exhibitions, so I did have to reassure people that firstly this was in my home and that the pieces would be place for people to see easily and this really wasn't going to be anything too formal.
With this in mind I decided that I would not hang all the pictures not only because of the comments mentioned above but also I do live in a small house and I wanted people just be relaxed so I could get some comments if I am being honest!

So I placed the paintings at one end of my lounge and waited really, I didn't give any specific times. I had also placed a A4 poster in the porch of my house, that invited anybody from outside in. 

By the evening a couple of people had turned up and did write some comments,and also on the friday evening more people arrived and comments were made which are below and are with the paintings that they relate to.  

"This picture makes me feel that this individual has seen someone and does not want to be seen."

"I like the sad looking dog with the red background because it makes you want to cuddle him all up, it's so loving. Not like the sad dog in the blue as its making me feel sad."

"I really like the dog with a red background and the hood over his head. Looked sad but I liked it."

"Loved the red colours. Sad face, lovely pic."

"I like the female dog, she has such a sad, yet friendly face that I feel I could talk to her." (Verbal comment).

     

"This picture seems as if they are stalking someone."

"The blue background dog is lovely."

"Blue is very deep but lovely colour."

"The work especially the blue painting has no relevance to modern society! I don't see a hoodie I see a cape." (Verbal comment).

"I love the blue painting it reminds of the bad boy, we know that shouldn't fancy, but secretly have a crush on!" (Verbal comment).    

"The aggressive dog is the one I like best because it relates to the way I feel."

"Do not like the Rotweiller or the white background picture - evil to look at."

"This picture shows someone responding in a nasty and violent way."

   

"This picture makes me feel like the youths of today and they act like wild animals going around attacking anyone."

"Cream background, very detailed and angry."

"I found the fighting dogs rather comical."

"I thought the aggressive/fighting dog picture was extremely well drawn/painted, but I found it very aggressive, quite frightening and made me think of dog fights which is upsetting."

"The fighting dogs look really vicious - the breed of dog exactly portrays this."

"The fighting dogs has a graphical rather than painterly aspect to it." (Verbal comment).

"The fighting dogs has made me angry as its insulting to dogs, dogs only behave like that when forced into a situation." (Verbal comment).

"The painting of the two dogs fighting is very emotive and the human aspect of their faces shows the callousness of a disaffected society where self is the prime objective."

"This picture show someone who is deep in thought and has lots on their mind."

"I like this one because it looks like someone who is sad and depressed."

"I like the bloodhound picture as it is mournful."

"The dog drinking the beer is seen and done by the young and the old alike, Alcohol consumption is a massive issue in society." (Verbal comment).

These are the comments made about the work in general.

"I think the mood of the pictures is very atmospheric."

"They are cool because they're different and I haven't seen anything like it before. The dogs seem in the right 'character' like the bulldogs in a fight and the bloodhound with the can of stuff. So yeah they're cool."

"The work is amazing." (Verbal comment).

"The use of dogs rather than using a human face is in a way insulting, however the idea of masking someone to create ananomity allows freedon to be creative and for expression." (Verbal comment).

"It's all bullshit and not what I would call art, I like art that interests me, and this doesn't interest me," (Verbal comment).

"The colours are very vivid and are interesting." (Verbal comment).

"Brilliant work just not my taste." (Verbal comment).

The has been a difficult Task for me to complete and yet I am pleased with what I have done I do wish that I could have had the paintings in a more professional arena. However the comments have been very interesting and varied as well.

I have learnt that trying to organise an exhibition can be and get very complicated and trying to get a date from people is difficult and situations change.

Overall I am just relieved that I have achieved something with this task, and now I can concentrate on writing it all up   

  

Breaking the Boundaries

Due to the issues of trying to set up an exhibition before the December hand in time, I have decided to set up an exhibition of my work using my lounge window that faces into the road to advertise the exhibition and I am going to set up an open studio at my house for a week.     

Breaking the boundaries

This project has been a nightmare for me, I have really tried hard to forge ahead and get a place to exhibit images of my work, but I have been constrained in each area that I have considered.
I have found out after attempting to make contact with the person who organises the exhibitions at the Worcester Arts Workshop that there are no spaces available until the New Year!!
So I am actually at a complete loss at what to do, so once again its back to the drawing board.

Breaking the Boundaries

This particular task grounded to a halt and for a period of time I just concentrated on other tasks and the paintings.

Then in September I met up with a friend for coffee at the Worcester Arts Workshop, this is a place that in the past has not been of particular interest even to local artists because it wasn’t a popular place to go. and nothing seemed to happen there.

Times have changed, friends of mine have taken over the café, and the place has been turned around and now many events are now organised for many different and diverse areas of the arts.

This place is very busy and run mainly by volunteers and after some thought and discussion with the proprietor of Café Bliss I have joined as a volunteer.

In doing this I will be once again involved with other artists and be part of an artist society. Furthermore the proprietor has agreed that I can show my work for a short period of time specifically for this particular Task. I just need to try and get a date organised and an area choosen.

It has been agreed on principal, yet I am having huge problems contacting the individual how is in charge of organising exhibitions.

Breaking the Boundaries

          The area of Worcester in which I live was built in the 1960’s as a large council estate towards the more industrial area of Blackpole. The house I live in is part of a row of five houses built in the 1980’s and they are slightly different from the other houses on the estate.

          I began to think that this row of houses could be the area in which my work could be displayed in. I went round and visited my neighbours and explained about the project and how I was hoping that each neighbour was willing to show two prints of the work I have been creating in their windows that looks out into the main street. All the neighbours were keen to take part.

          Once again I discussed this idea with members of the team, as well as other artistic associates, what did concern me with this idea was that this area is full of characters which have I have been influenced by and this has been reflected in the work that I have created. However this is a poor area and there are social issues to be considered. Would people be offended with the images on show and how would they react?

I began to feel uncomfortable about involving my neighbours in this idea, because I felt that I could make the decision to show my work using the windows that look out onto the main street. So if a brick was put through the window due to the fact someone was offended with the work, and this could be a reality, so I have decided to not involve my neighbours.

Breaking the Boundaries

These are photgraphs that show the tattoo shop, the manager would like to be involved by having a painting done of hiself as a English Bull Terrier, however the only area available is a very small area on the door, when it is open they work would be completely missed,

Breaking the Boundaries

These are some images that show the area in which I live, and the area that I  have taken the photographs are at the back of the shops and were there are rows of garages, all which are in disrepair, but are still used by the Police and the Council Authority.  

Breaking the Boundaries

Breaking the Boundaries within the environment I live is to show my work within the neighbourhood, and to gauge people’s reactions.

This project started back in May 2011 with a visit to the local tattoo shop. The meeting which took place was a difficult meeting, the gentleman really seemed disinterested and he really wasn’t particularly forthcoming. However he did give me permission to use the shop front to shop a variety of prints reflecting the paintings I have been producing.

So to start with I thought I had found the ideal situation location amongst the local shops. The pieces would be shown in a clear and reasonably sized area. I thought that I could then concentrate on creating the work.

Then in July I found out that the management of the tattoo shop changed hands and the new manager would like to show my work, he was very keen not only to show the work but to be part of the work by volunteering to be a model for a piece of work.

 I spent a long time within the shop being shown the sketchbooks of the tattooists who worked in the shop, however as the conversation continued, I became aware that the new management where making a lot of changes to the outside of the shop therefore I would be unable to show the work on the shop front. The only place the manager was willing to show my work was on a small area of the door. After discussions with Sue Weinstock and Sarah Lundy, who are parts of the team from the M.A with whom I was to share my ideas for this task.  I decided that the tattoo shop wasn’t the right place to show my work.

Case Study - Notes

Case Study of Franko B – Research/Notes

These are my notes and some of the writing has probably been repeated alot! However I feel that these notes should be included in the blog, because it's all evidence and there is more extracts from journals and books that supports my research.

So I do apologise for the repeatative nature!

The reason I am going to specifically looking at the work of Franko B is because I became very animated when in conversation with Caroline regarding Performance art that involves the use of physical injury and self-harm, especially blood-letting during a performance especially as I do work within the healthcare professional.

I have a moral issue with this type of performance because I work within the NHS and specifically within the Blood Bank department, the ethos of this particular department being that the essence of blood is essential to life, and when given freely by a blood donor has the capacity to be lifesaving.

Therefore I struggle with the concept of self-harm and the use of your own blood as part of a performance. These particular issues create conflict for me in regards to the ‘live performances’ of artists that use the concept self-harm and specifically the use of your own blood as part of a performance and what can be communicated through this medium however much it is done in a sensitive and responsible manner.

I do freely admit that I had never watched a whole version of any live performances by Franko B, and I was quite unsure about writing this essay because of what I would have to see, however if I can make statements regarding this artist then I do have to research this area of performance art.

 With this concept in mind I observed a recording of one of Franko B’s performances, as I watched the video the visual image of a white figure creates a sense of vulnerability especially when he stands still allowing his blood to drain, it’s pretty awful to watch when you witness the effect of blood loss, you can tell that he uses sheer willpower to walk the pure white runway.

There is a uncomfortable sense of a voyeuristic feeling when watching this artist, he came across as someone be led out to sacrificed.

I was upset by watching this piece because Franko B appears to be vulnerable and very alone and even though I do not know this artist on an intimate level I did feel concern for his mental and physical health.

On a separate level watching this performance of exposed vulnerability from Franko B reflected personally to me, I felt feelings of loneliness and need which are emotions that I do not talk about or express that extended the feeling of vulnerability.

 I decided to paint myself, because when watching Franko B the fact that he is painted this pure white not only shows up the blood as it spills down him but also accentuates the sense that he the artist is vulnerable and even though I am not going out into the public arena, I know that I would find that in physically painting myself and having the imagery recorded for all to see would cause me distress due to issues with body imagery, especially my own and the world to see all my imperfections was hideous thought. This was accentuated by mainly being outside in my garden, where if my neighbours can see me if they wanted to.

I used acrylic paint that was a red/brown colour and my daughter helped me to reach the areas of difficulty! Furthermore she was in control of the images taken; again the feeling of loss of control was difficult to deal with.

          In doing this experiment I was attempting to ‘step into the artist’s shoes’ because I do genuinely struggle with the ‘live performances’ of Franko B, however when reading McNiff, S. Art based Research In Knowles and Cole (2008) Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research. SAGE.

          McNiff states “There is no better way to understand a particular aspect of creative practice than to research it in this direct way.”

          He continues to say “The focus of my research shifted away from experimenting with human subjects and towards the more direct examination of the artistic process.”

         

I felt that I had to somehow remove the issue of the self – harming aspect and take into consideration other aspects of his performance, obviously one route I could take was to paint myself. The reason I did keep underwear on was I found this an incredibly difficult process for me to undertake many due to my weight issues and lack of confidence, and I didn’t want to alienate my neighbours completely.

          Continuing this research the time to wash off the paint and finish this endeavour my daughter suggested continuing the process by photographing me whilst attempting to remove the paint in the bath, I have to admit I was not overly happy in doing this, however it did seem like a natural conclusion to this experiment.    

          Franko B he wrote a text called ‘Untouchable’ and I decided to do the same, in doing this I have recorded my feelings, and everything that I associated with the experience, this created a heightened awareness of the whole experience, the positive and negative aspects, as well as the mundane and the bizarre.

          I have collated the images and have placed them into a Powerpoint Presentation which does include the text that I have written, furthermore I have taken the photos taken and by using photoshop I have cut out areas of the images and then manipulated them using a filter, this has been very interesting because in doing this I have removed the sense of reality, creating a narrowed field of vision, once again I have created a Powerpoint Presentation called ‘Removing the Real’ because I felt by manipulating the images realism of the situation has been removed.  

Because I have never investigated this particular area of performance art I felt it was important to look other artists who practised their art within this field, so I have looked at a variety of male artists who use performance art and the work of Ron Athey (b.1961) interested me because I believe his work is in complete in contrast to that of Franco B.

Athey uses his body in extreme performances in a masochistic format, his body becomes the site of ritualistic and mythical representation.Ron Athey (b.1961) he had a bizarre childhood, brought up to believe he was the young messiah by the age of seventeen Athey was a heroin addict, however he did manage to escape the fanatical control of his family and managed to become clean from heroin. His childhood is discussed in his biography Ron Athey (2011).

“Raised in an extremely dysfunctioned Pentecostal household the young ORonnie Lee, was sainted as young prophet messiah who proselytized in tongues, and whose tears were coveted by the entire congregation. The adoration bestowed upon him in the revival tent, did little to alleviate the daily nightmares heaped upon him as unwitting victim of his mother’s schizophrenia, his aunt’s hyper-sexualized insanity and his grandmother’s channeling of other worldly specters”(2011).

Franko B’s childhood was also very difficult; he touches on his childhood in discussion with Azamat Tseboevin the article The Red Cross of Franko B (2007).

“I spent all my childhood waiting. I lived and waited to grow up at last. I remember my mother who beat me, and I put up with and thought that I wanted to grow up as soon as possible. Then I lived in a home, where for everything you did or said wrong – that God doesn’t exist, for example – you were made to kneel for hours. I kneeled and waited. Until I was 16 I dreamed of growing up. Because I knew that once I had grown up, I would never let myself be insulted and never kneel again. I will never kneel, neither physically or metaphorically”(2007).

Continuing to look at these two artists and what connects them is that they have both been influenced by Renaissance Art in their childhoods, furthermore the martyr St Sebastian (c.300) who is regarded as an iconic martyr within the homosexual community. According to legend Sebastian he was a soldier in the Roman army and he was a secret Christian, when he was discovered he was shot with arrows and left for dead, however he denounced the Emperor for his cruelty to Christians, and was beaten to death.

The martyrdom of St Sebastian is discussed by David Thorp in the text ‘Franko B’ (2004).

 “Throughout the history of art, the cathartic property of suffering has been central to the practice of painting. Within that genus, the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian has been returned to repeatedly as a subject for painters, an icon of Renaissance art to which the young Franko B was exposed. Paintings of Saint Sebastian depict a youthful figure of great androgynous beauty, and almost without exception they portray his suffering. Semi-naked, bound to a tree or column, his body pierced with arrows, he gazes towards heaven with a beatific countenance. With the exception of Christ on the cross, Saint Sebastian was, originally, the only acceptable model available to artists wishing to paint the male nude. This and the apocryphal tales surrounding his death may have lead to his subsequent standing as a homosexual martyr”(2004).

What I have learnt from this experience is that by doing the bizarre (painting myself) this action specifically has opened my mind and I have been able to create a relationship with the work of Franko B and the areas of his work that I struggle with I can now engage with at least, even if I still can’t approve, I feel that I have more insight into what he is trying to explore within his work.  



'The Red Cross of Franko B' by Azamat Tseboev

The Red Cross of Franko B

As soon as you him, you realize that he is an artist. No – an Artist. Or better still, an ARTIST. His entire being reflects such genuine and avid interest in the world and in you, which has the effect of a strange energy elixir. And you start to look differently at the people in the gallery, and the paintings there, and the video clip about this strange and charming man called Franko B.

Franco, what do you think is the point and meaning of art?

Art is a language. Regardless of the medium the artist uses – paintings, books, myths… An artist uses this language to express what he must say. People ask “why?” and go to art. But the point of art is not to provide answers, but to ask the right questions. Everything that artists give to people, they only find within themselves.

When did you start working as an artist? How did you come to art?

It happened when I was about 23. I was a very political person, I was an anarchist and took part in manifestations. This happened in Italy, with the “red brigades”, and when the communist party almost got into power but lost to the Christian democrats. And I was supposed to serve in the army, but as an anarchist I decided to avoid this, and so I moved to England. I led a nomadic sort of existence there for a while, and then I joined the local anarchists, the Animal Liberation Front, and got into politics, drugs and crap like that… But suddenly I felt completely disappointed. I saw that this was all stupid and illogical. I started noticing anarchists who didn’t like black people or beat up their girlfriends. I told them: you’re anarchists, brothers, and anarchists cannot be racists or violent towards women… And they told me to go to hell. Some of the brothers started giving me shifty looks because I was gay. And I suddenly realized that I had been an idiot to believe in the commune, and that it was not just a bunch of people who put up each other, but something more – common ideals, and a common desire to make the world better and happier. I really did believe.

But now you don’t?

I believe in art. Art is like an epidemic, it infects everything, in the good sense, and makes changes for the better. Even when it repels you, even when you don’t like it!

I see. So, you lost your faith in the commune…

In short, I became depressed and started thinking about ending it all… But near my home there was a girl who rode past on a bicycle every day. We didn’t know each other, we just nodded to each other. But one days she stopped and said: “Listen, I’ve been a bit worried about you lately. You seem very unhappy. What’s wrong?” I said: “I don’t know what to do… I don’t know how to go on living…” And she said: “I go to pottery classes, why don’t you come along?” And I did! It was so easy! Pottery…

So instead of killing yourself you got into pottery?

I discovered art for myself. I started doing it and realized that this was true freedom! It is the only way for me to live and not go mad. Everything else is death. I felt life and realized that I don’t want to survive. I want to live! And living is enough. And I will never kneel again.

Your childhood wasn’t very easy either, was it?

I spent all my childhood waiting. I lived and waited to grow up at last. I remember my mother who beat me, and I put up with and thought that I wanted to grow up as soon as possible. Then I lived in a home, where for everything you did or said wrong – that God doesn’t exist, for example – you were made to kneel for hours. I kneeled and waited. Until I was 16 I dreamed of growing up. Because I knew that once I had grown up, I would never let myself be insulted and never kneel again. I will never kneel, neither physically or metaphorically.

This probably had a strong effect on your world view.

You can say that again. I hated my childhood, I hated being a teenager, and hated being a youth. I hated not having the right to have my own opinion about my life. In many ways, this determined my views and my philosophy today. I believe that a person should have the right to chose. Every one of us is a person above all. We are people, and we must respect other people. And it’s unimportant if you believe in liberal values, you don’t have the right to humiliate anyone and deprive them of their rights for the sake of these values.

What did you feel when people finally began to listen to you and think about what you were trying to tell them?

I felt an incredible emotional surge. I was very inspired that so many people wanted to see my work. As an artist, it is important that as many people as possible see my work. If you sit alone with yourself and your art, you can go mad. You start to think in circles, and you may end up with your head up your ass..

Your pictures on display in Moscow are black on black. How did you reach this form of expression?

I move and I develop. I used to be into performance art, because this was what I needed, and people wanted this and avidly took in my message. But I don’t want to be remembered only for dripping blood on to canvas. My favorite painting of all time is Malevich’s “Black Cross”. I love Mark Rothko… I adore monochromatic intensity, the intensity of one color. The intensity of blood is also like this. And black is the richest color for me, as it contains all the other colors. If you simply mix all the paints, you get mud. But if you add black to this, it gains meaning and nobility.

12.12.2007

Author: Azamat Tseboev

http://www.visitorline.com/journal/31750/  - Accessed 20.05.2011

This interview has been one of the articles that has expanded my knowledge of Franko B, bizarrely I think I felt fearful of this artist and actually I have come to understand Franko B's live acts and by gaining an understanding this artist's childhood, and I recognise that he is at all times trying to communicate to the audience as individuals, he is a man who understands human suffering because he has had a troubled life, he looks and smiles to individuals within the audience asking them to communicate within him, not so much with verbal expression rather on a emotional level, Franko B communications on a fundimental human level.