‘I explain the guiding principle of my work to myself as ‘truth to material’… but I need to be careful here, because I don’t want to give the impression that I know everything about my work. It’s necessary to figure out ways to talk about my work that don’t make it seem as though it’s already completed and understood’ (Hiller, 2015)
Artists have a special relationship to the materials they use and the sculptural material of choice for this commissioned project is steel, a material I have been physically working with for over 43 years, and like the late American artist Susan Hiller, I have yet to fully understand it in the context of my practice. Even after all these years it continues to surprise me in its response and resistance to my physical manipulation of it, and during the creation of this project sculpture I have applied new fabrication techniques in reflexive response to the challenges of the task thereby fostering transformative learning (Mezirow, 2009). My intent here is to capture those reflexive responses in critical self-reflections to appraise the processes that have informed the production of ‘Waiting for the School Bell’, subsequently renamed after installation by the community as 'Joy'
In this critical appraisal blog I will demonstrate my contextualised understanding of theory-in-practice as seen through an autoethnographic research paradigm lens with the ultimate aim of enhancing my contemporary fine art practice in public art sculpture and the continuing development of a personal truth to material.
In my professional practice I take a reflexive autoethnographic approach to critically self-reflection, view experience from alternative perspectives and challenge my assumptions in critical self-reflection. I use my own model of transformative reflexivity (Lawson et al, 2014), which builds on Kolb’s experiential cycle (Kolb, 1984) with an additional loop of transformative reflexivity (see fig 1 below).
Fig 1 Model of Transformative Reflection (Lawson et al, 2014)
I find the combination of transformative learning (Mezirow,2009) and the exploration of the reflective narrative through an autoethnographic lens provides a broad perspective for critical analysis.
Autoethnography is a research approach in which the researcher uses personal experiences to examine cultural practices (Koning and Moore, 2020). More specifically as a reflective and reflexive approach, the researcher/practitioner seeks to produce aesthetic and evocative thick descriptions of personal and interpersonal experience by discerning patterns of cultural experiences. This is evidenced in field notes, sketches, artefacts and storytelling (Ellis et al. 2013: 277) and requires a creative exploration of how best to ‘tell’ one’s own story (Wall, 2006).
As the narrative of this work involves three intertwined stories and perspectives, the story of the work itself, as it stands presented to the public, its audience; the story of the process of its creation; and my own story or artistic development, this report will follow the flow of the transformative reflexive cycle model (highlighted in red above). In the critical reflection on content and process I will cover the subject matter, medium and formal elements together with a critical analysis of the project process. The alternative perspectives I will consider will be the contemporary fine art debates around public art sculpture, theories in practice, and the audience. In critical self-reflection by challenging assumptions, I will be considering my assumptions around the perceived expectations of commissioners and on my identity of being a public art sculptor.
The sculpture was commissioned by Sunderland City Council (SCC). The commission brief was as follows:
The Commission:
We are inviting artistic professionals to create a visual engraving or sculpture, using one or two of the glacial boulders which face onto Albert Place, allowing people of the local area to view the artwork as they pass. The engraving / sculpture must reflect local history and provide a permanent structure. Biddick school, opposite the development site, has a wealth of history. It would be preferable to include some of this history within the artwork. The artwork will need to be a robust, permanent structure, require minimum maintenance and deter anti-social behaviour.
My successful bid incorporated a life size sculpture of a young pupil of the school from the early 1900’s standing holding an umbrella beside a replica of the original road and railway signage from the site. Manufactured from steel, the sculpture stands on a substantial metal plinth secured to concrete foundations. The surface is protected with two coats of silver metal protection paint, which has been treated with black paint in parts that gives a distressed antique appearance.
Fig 2 Installed Sculpture ‘Joy’
As presented and visible to the public, the work is situated in the rain garden of the Albert Place development opposite the old Biddick School. The artwork takes the form a life size sculpture of a young pupil of the school from the early 1900’s standing holding an umbrella beside a replica of the original road and railway signage from the site. The work is fabricated from steel with the sculpture standing on a substantial metal plinth secured to concrete foundations. The surface is protected with two coats (Approx 100 microns) of silver metal protection paint, which has been treated with black paint in parts that gives a distressed antique appearance. From the roadside the life size sculpture clearly gives a true representational perspective of the subject matter, however on closer inspection of the work its surface area is made up of various textures and tactile finishes indicative of the welded and forged processes used at different stages of manufacture. The abstracted treatment of the metal surface when viewed holistically gives a sculptural illusion of smooth skin, windswept hair, the folded patterns of the coat and pleated skirt, and the taught tension of the umbrella fabric pushed against the signpost.
The process of manufacture involved several sculptural processes built on an armature of wood, plaster and clay. The surface treatments of the steel and the overall figurative motif of the work has been influenced by the works of Auguste Rodin and Manuel Neri. Neri’s influence in particular through his humanist sculptural ideologies (Nixon, 2017) and unfinished, distressed treatment reminiscent of the early twentieth century abstract expressionism movement (Anfam, 2015) is evident in the marks and scars of the welding, forging and grinding processes that were used to create material appearance of this work. There is however an aesthetic balance between the rough weld runs in the hair and coat and the smooth finish of the face and umbrella fabric. (see figs 3,4 and 5 below)
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
On a point of technical development, I experimented with the application of steel in mosaic style tiles to follow the form of the clay sculpture beneath. The tiles were then tack welded together and when the surface area was complete the surface was cut in half to remove the armature then the halves were welded back together forming a 3mm thick sculpture shell to be fettled and finished in the various textures. (see fig 6 below)
Fig 6 Steel cladding process
There was very little deviation between the proposed concept and the delivered outcome, and the installation met the building handover deadline of the 10th September 2021. This was achieved by aligning my project plan with that of the architect’s and the builder’s and liaising with both parties during the manufacture and installation process. In effect I took on the several roles during the project, that of being the artist, the project manager and the contract manager.
The success of the project alignment lay in the establishment of a good working rapport between all stakeholders involved (Slack et all, 2020), which enabled a positive dialogue between parties, especially when identified risks subsequently turned into real issues for the project. One example built upon learning from the previous contract when the builder sank the sculpture foundations too low in the ground. With this in mind a site meeting was arranged with the site manager and architect technician to establish the setting of the foundations at the correct level, 50mm below the ground surface level to hold the bolt box upon which the sculpture base plate would be attached. Even though this had been agreed, the ground workers over filled the concrete shuttering, and the foundations were set at 50mm above ground level, which would have exposed the concrete. Whilst an unfortunate mistake, our established lines of communications enabled a solution to be formulated and initiated immediately without effecting the project deadline.
As the key success factors of the project were very much aligned to the design brief and concept proposal, evaluating whether they were achieved or not could be answered with a simple yes or no, and in this case, it was a yes. However, engaging in this deeper critical analysis caused me to doubt this simplicity, and to explore the approach I took in the design stages and the underpinning capabilities that enabled the effective project management of the work.
In terms of technical capability to make the work and to project manage the process, the transferable skills I have developed over years as a metal worker, operations and project manager have played in key role. Having said that, combining those skills in the context of contemporary fine art sculpture has proved a more challenging aspect of my developing practice and in response a greater understanding of the public art context is needed.
Public art sculpture in contemporary culture – theories in practice
In commissioning this work SCC is incorporating public art as a key element of their regeneration plan. The development that hosts the work is the first council commissioned social housing for over thirty years in the Sunderland area. They may have been influenced a pragmatic study of art in regeneration by Julie Crawshaw (Crawshaw, 2015). The study looked at the collaboration between urban planners, art commissioners, artists and the community. Interestingly Crawshaw’s research was carried out in Sunderland in 2010, tracing the making of public art through several pieces and the part they play in regeneration practice. She concluded that ‘art mediates collaboration with and in planning practice as a catalyst for professionals to re-consider their professional remit anew’ (ibid, pp 76-96). This collaborative process has been evident throughout this project, from its inception to installation.
An emerging contemporary fine art discourse is emerging at the far end of a public art sculpture’s life cycle, the sculpture’s demise. In ‘A History of Love and Hate in 21 Statues’ the author Peter Hughes contemplates the question of why statues that are removed in response to emotional public demand are such emotionally charged events (Hughes, 2021). We can mark the toppling of statues of tyrants such as Joseph Stalin and Saddam Hussain as pivotal moments marking cultural and political change. More recently, in response to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement we have seen in world news coverage the removal or toppling of statues of many prominent historic figures with links to the slave trade feature as important breaking news items. On the 8th of September 2021 the removal of the iconic statue of General Robert E. Lee took place.
On the 7th of June 2020 in Bristol the statue of the 17th Century slave trader Edward Colston was toppled and thrown into the harbour by Black Lives Matter protestors in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Interestingly the sculpture, one year on, still plays a part in cultural public debate, returning as a transformed sculptural artefact in an M-Shed exhibition in Bristol Museums (see fig 7 below). The resurrected 1895 work by Irish sculptor John Cassidy is displayed in a horizontal and graffitied form alongside placards from the protest, whilst residents of the city are invited to take part in a survey to decide its fate (BBC News 04/06/2021). Hughes (2021) states that statues can define and sustain our identity through time, who we are and who we are not, our beliefs, our values and our memories. However, when the idea of our identity is challenged, public art statues can become a stimulus for grievance and hostility. In this contemporary art exhibition at least, the sculpture has survived its toppling to live on as a now contemporary work to facilitate further debate around public arts place in the world.
Fig 7
Being in the world
From a philosophical perspective one of the most influential modern philosophers to contemplate ‘being in the world’ was Martin Heidegger. Whilst his early works on authenticity were focused on human ‘being’ (Sharman, 2009), later in the 1950’s and 60’s he turned his attention to sculpture, a medium through which he rethought the relationship between bodies and space and the role of art in our lives and how sculpture can show us how to belong in the world (Mitchell, 2010).
Improving people’s surroundings by commissioning an artwork is a desire of many artists and commissioners, which at best can result in a profound engagement with all aspects of the context; at worst, it can lead to an outcome that tokenistic and emptily decorative (Buck and McClean, 2012). In their book ‘Commissioning Contemporary Art: A Handbook for Curators Collectors and Artists’ the authors go on to emphasise the positive and regenerative power of art in terms of reinforcing a local community’s sense of place and identity (ibid, 40). This work sits in the residential gardens of the social housing development, therefore the community, as key stakeholders sharing the same the same place and viewing the work on a daily basis, can offer an invaluable perspective on whether the work is successful or not.
Community perspective
Immediately following the installation of the sculpture and before any public announcement or official opening, the community started to engage with the work. Posts started to appear in social media discussing the sculpture and in identifying with it, the local Columbia Community Forum even contemplated whether they should name the girl featured in the work. The consensus was a resounding yes, and after much debate and having requested my permission, they decided to rename the work ‘Joy’.
My initial fears that the work would be seen as nostalgic, twee and clichéd, were unfounded, at least from the perspective of the community. In fact, I had not considered the beneficial nature of the nostalgic influence the work could have. Several former pupils, many now retired, have stated in social media how so many fond memories have been rekindled in viewing the work.
Whilst it is far too early to fully critically evaluate the community’s and other stakeholder’s perspectives, I am however collecting data and feedback to follow up on later.
Stepping away from the work and taking some alternative perspectives has enabled me to create some necessary critical distance to glean as much relevant information as I can to inform my critical self-reflection on my practice development.
Critical Self-Reflection and Conclusions
The opening to this critical assessment blog I introduced Susan Hiller’s comments on being true to the material and not being able to establish or fully tell that truth as it is an ever-emerging dialogic concept. In critical self-reflection the question remains: am I being true to the material and true to myself as a contemporary sculptor? Whilst my initial reflective thoughts created in my mind an emotional disorienting dilemma, it also presented an opportunity for some deep transformative reflexivity and by following the reflective process outlined in fig 1 above I have been able to gather sufficient information and data to challenge my assumptions around the narrative of the work’s creation and my part in it. I have also widened my perspective to include alternative views, specifically on the theoretical perspective and the reaction of stakeholders/audience involved. Having covered a critical analysis of the content and process above I would now like to consider how my professional practice as a public art sculptor can benefit from these reflections.
As I reflect on this commission I can see how my learning journey has unfolded. I transitioned into being a contemporary sculptor from being a practicing business school academic and former metalworker who used art-based approaches to engage students in transformative reflective practices, and I can see how my experience and learning combines to give a better understanding of the business of being a sculptor.
I have learned that there is a valid place in the world for public art and in particular, its place in urban regeneration, and to operate as a commissioned sculptor in this field requires more than just artistic conceptual insight, it requires business and management skills such as project management, marketing and building effective stakeholder relationships.
Moving forward in my practice I know feel I must pay closer attention to the way my art acts as a link between social and physical materials (Crawshaw, 2015) and to push my development work out ahead of potential commissions, by being more proactive with my conceptual ideas and technical execution. Whilst I have enjoyed working reflexively in an iterative problem-solving process, I feel it would be beneficial to work more with smaller scale maquettes to capture the concepts in 3D and then using 3D scanning to scale up for larger manufacture thereby enabling me and potential commissioners to envision the final outcome.
References
Anfam, D. (2015) Abstract expressionism. Second edition. London: Thames & Hudson.
Crawshaw, J. (2015) ‘Working Together: Tracing the Making of Public Art as Part of Regeneration Practice’, Anthropological journal of European cultures, 24(2), pp. 76–96. doi: 10.3167/ajec.2015.240206.
Ellis, C. (2013). Coming to know autoethnography as more than a method. In Holman Jones, S., Adams,T.E. and Ellis, C. (eds.) Handbook of Autoethnography. Walnut Creek CA: Left Coast Press
Gormley, A. (1998) Making an angel. London: Booth-Clibborn Editions.
Hiller, S. (2015) in Lange-Berndt (ed) Materiality: documents of contemporary Art. London: Whitechapel Gallery
Huhes, P. (2021) Love and Hate in 21 Statues. Aurum
Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential Learning, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Lawson, R., Blythe, J. and Shaw, G. (2014) ‘Alternative Stories: Creating Liminal Space for transformative Learning in Police Education’, Proceedings from the 11th International Conference for Transformative Learning, New York, pp.148-154
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Mitchell, A. (2010) Heidegger Among the Sculptors Body, Space, and the Art of Dwelling. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.
Nixon, B. (2017) Manuel Neri and the Assertion of Modern Figurative Sculpture. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Sherman (2009) Martin Heidegger's Concept of Authenticity: A Philosophical Contribution to Student Affairs Theory, Journal of College and Character, 10:7, , DOI: 10.2202/1940-1639.1440
Usher, G., and Whitty, S.J. (2017) ‘Identifying and managing drift-changes’, International Journal of Project Management
Wall, S (2006) ‘An Autoethnography on Learning about Autoethnography’. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 5 (2)
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