Materials: Receipt paper, Iron, Sticky tape, Table
1-18 May 2018
Grid Piece was exhibited at Phyllis Palmer Gallery Bendigo for the collaborative exhibition by Jessica and Pete Byrne, Intercalibration. Unlike traditional exhibitions, this project used the gallery as a production space; a way to experiment and test ideas on a large scale.
Intercalibration continuously evolved throughout the exhibiting period with the artists offering an experience and insight into the production of art-making. Both artists invited viewers to encounter this process by visiting the gallery during the exhibition, as works continued to appear, evolve and sometimes disappear.
[Fig. 1] Installation shot.
Documentation of a performance at La Trobe University.
Materials: Receipt paper, sticky tape, iron, blind fold.
2017
This video Iron piece was inspired by Robert Morris’s Blind time drawings.
'Morris used predetermined sets of guidelines and usually covered his hands with graphite, often mixed with oil or ink in order to have a very hands on approach to the mark-making. He would spread, smear, press and rub the marks into the paper, often whilst inside a specially constructed environment, so that it was impossible for him to see what he was doing.'
-Garry Barker
[Fig. 1] Robert Morris From: Blind Time I, 1973
[Fig. 2] Installation shot.
[Fig. 3] Installation shot.
Materials: Receipt paper, Microwave, Blindfold, String, Sewing Pins
2015 Documentation of a performance at the La Trobe Art Institute, View street Bendigo
Created for the La Trobe Art Institute’s exhibition Fear and Loathing: a little bit of this town goes a very long way curated by Anti La Pietra.
Artist statement: Anxiety is caused by the unknown, the fear of unreasonable outcomes plaguing someone’s mind will overwhelm them, sometimes resulting in changes of behaviour. Letting go of the control anxiety has may result in the happenings you tried to resist, but at least it wont leave you with the sense of doubt and shame that is coupled with avoidance.
This was my first performance piece, and is considerably different from my most recent performances. My recent performances investigate the process of making. However this piece was investigating the 'self' making.
[Fig. 1] Installation shot.
[Fig. 2] Proposal
Performing alongside Social Anxiety
I feel highly anxious talking to people in authority, being the centre of attention, meeting new people, being watched while doing something, presenting and talking in front of people. I worry a lot about what people think, and worry I will do something embarrassing. I focus on other people’s reactions, wondering how I look or what people are thinking about me.
At my worst all anxiety was seen as distress anxiety. In school performing always escalated into a panic attack. I stopped auditioning for productions and quit band. I didn’t want to have such intense feelings of fear, and rather than learning how to acknowledge these feelings, I turned to avoidance. Avoidance became the only thing that helped me escape those intense feelings.
AND YET, I WANT TO BE A PERFORMANCE ARTIST.
I started experimenting with performance again in university. In front of no one, in an empty gallery. Just me and a Panasonic video camera to document. Even by myself I still experienced some physical symptoms of anxiety; sweating, trembling, chest pain, numbness, and blushing.
The documentation of these ‘alone performances’ were exhibited. Although it was painful to watch myself at the beginning; I started to realise what I was doing was not embarrassing. I could view these performances from the viewers perspective, rather than just solely the one in the spotlight.
It took years of performing in this way before I invited in a live audience. I don’t worry as much what people will think of me, and I don’t feel the need to start over, edit, or re-do a performance. I can recognize my symptoms as eustress anxiety rather than distress anxiety.
