Anne Deeming, 'I didn't see you there', 2013. Photo © Jake Hancock. Courtesy of the artist and Hand in Glove.
Synopsis
For I didn’t see you there, Anne Deeming sited 12 new sculptures on street furniture, benches, bike racks and bins, around the Redcliffe area of central Bristol. Designed to temporarily interrupt the usual commuter traffic from their routine journeys the works created playful interventions on the grey city streets, highlighting the points of interface between people and their built environment.
Anne Deeming makes sculptural objects that look useable and recognisable in some way – and yet are not. As amalgamations of commercially produced commodities, her works examine the role that expectation and memory plays in our reading and understanding of the everyday objects that we encounter and surround ourselves with. Deeming’s unique objects are predominately human in scale, conjuring multiple associations with things domestic, industrial, playful, useful, useless, familiar and foreign.
Often Deeming’s reference points are photographs – taken of things seen on the street – litter, recycling, abandoned furniture; or items in buildings connected to larger systems – switches, handles, thermostats. I didn’t see you there sees Deeming’s work returned to the public realm, occupying the transitional spaces between destinations, the municipal bits missed from memory, the everyday.
I didn’t see you there was commissioned by Bristol based organisation Hand in Glove as their first public realm project and was funded by ACE with additional support from an online crowdfunding campaign.
The objects I am designing and making look familiar and usable in some way – and yet are not. Their features can trigger an association, a memory; of something you have used or seen before. My reference points are usually photographs – taken of things I see on the street – litter, recycling, abandoned furniture; or items in buildings connected to larger systems – switches, handles, thermostats. Alongside this, I research existing domestic or industrial objects, such as soap dishes or shelving. All these references are then pulled together in a new prototype, hybrid object, using casting as the technique to reproduce large quantities of each item. The process of making is vital, as is excessive repetition. Although they appear identical, small differences in thickness or surface marks indicate each object as handcrafted, and not machine made – and this is essential to the work. By working with minimal means – the objects made from one material i.e. plaster or resin, supported or carried by another different material i.e. fabric or rubber – many different meanings can exist within the work; a psychoanalytical reading alongside a comment on commercialisation. But fundamentally, it’s about myself, being a maker, striving for perfection that is never satisfied. Useless, beautiful objects of desire; neither functional nor purely ornament, they encompass much about craft, about time, and the ambiguity of things. They take their place in the world, relating to everyday life and the experiences of living today, in this time and place.
Hand in Glove is a group of artists and curators based in Bristol. Founded in 2009, their aim is to bring emerging artistic talent to the fore, creating a platform for artists at a crucial stage in the development of their careers. Hand in Glove are interested in collaborating with artists who work across a range of disciplines to develop and present artwork with a focus on process, dialogue and exchange. They organise, curate and support a range of events and exhibitions, produced in a variety of contexts, and also provide professional development opportunities for artists.
Their nomadic working method allows for flexibility and diversity in the projects they produce as well as the opportunity to engage with a range of locations and curatorial approaches. By establishing professional and social relationships with a range of artists Hand in Glove aim to develop a strong network, which is continually evolving to support and facilitate future collaborations.
The current Co-Directors of Hand in Glove are Leela Clarke, Dominique Hill and Cara Lockley, with Associate Producer Rowan Lear. Previous members include Vickie Fear, Lauren Jury, Camilla Lassen, Sam Mason and James Sargent. Hand in Glove is part of the Visual Arts South West network.
