Leading Up to the Event:
The concept for the night formed relatively quickly: we played with the idea of it being a 1930s themed night, but in the search for a more ambitious idea that was stronger contextually and in its link to both House Proud and Easter Exchanges, Broke emerged from, "design loves a depression" (which we changed to 'recession' for a short while) and "do I care about design? I'm broke." It was at this point that we had a strong catalyst from which to generate ideas. This was a really strong quality of the group: we had a lot of ideas and many of us bounced off each other well, enriching each other's ideas and developing them as a team.
However, as stronger personalities in the group assumed leading roles, the input, generation of ideas and general final say on which ideas were carried forward or not was stronger from these individuals than others. This put a strain on the group at times, as those who are slightly quieter found it difficult to have their say and have a fair input in the ideas. Those who had assigned themselves leading roles made it very difficult for people to have a voice in the group, and suggestions and ideas from other members were quickly dismissed or, at times, completely ignored. I would say that this may have been one of the factors that affected the attendance of the internal meetings organised by everyone in the group - some may have felt that there was no benefit from them turning up as their opinions and ideas would not be counted anyway.
Having said that, the stronger personalities in the group may have contributed to how quickly the ideas and concepts materialised. We were on time with all that needed to be done and held regular meetings, at least once a week, to catch up with everyone and to make sure that we were all on the same page with regards to the concept of the event and at the same level of progression with workshops, artwork, performance ideas etc.
I found that the majority of the group worked well as a team and many of us were always on hand to help others who needed it. This was especially the case when it came to writing up proposals or a short piece of writing about the work or workshop they were putting in or on for the event. For those who did not feel confident that they could write this piece but had a clear set of ideas that they wanted to include, they would send me the main ideas and I would articulate them into a short paragraph or a few lines, depending on if it was for a label or to be included in the handout.
The meetings at Manchester Art Gallery with Kate Jesson were invaluable to how ideas were realised: a positive about the group is that we always had something to offer for every meeting, whether it be questions about workshops, health and safety, sound, pros and cons of the different rooms - these meetings really helped us to keep up the pace with both the creative side of the night and the practical side.
Personal Contribution:
In the early stages of group meetings, I agreed to be part of a workshops team that intended to generate ideas for the workshops together. The leadership issues I mentioned above meant that the workshop group splintered into many different, unclear ideas that were very difficult to pin down at the beginning. The quilt making and ceramics workshops were solid from the start and only needed the logistics calculating for them, but I felt that there was room for a workshop specifically about drawing.
As seems to be the case with my practice in general, the concept for the workshop was complicated, and after a tutorial with Dave we agreed that maybe a workshop was not the way to go, but instead a performance might work better. I planned this performance over Easter with the intention of keeping it open to public participation, but when I returned after Easter to pitch the clearer ideas to other members of staff at MAG, I knew that the concept wasn't strong enough as a workshop, had no necessity for a performative element and there was already a number of workshops occurring on the night.It was at this point that I made the decision to withdraw my idea for a workshop and concentrate on making a piece in response to House Proud that embodied many of the same ideas.
Making this decision was a turning point for me in Unit X, as I was able to focus on the concepts at hand. I also felt a great sense of satisfaction in how far the idea had come, and pride in my ability to compromise, be flexible, go where the idea takes me and ultimately do what is right by the Thursday Late event.
I enjoyed working with others a great deal, such as with writing the text pieces for the signs and handout, and in return I received a great deal of input and help from members of the team about where the piece should be located, how best to display it and hang it and general support when I was unsure about things.
The Event:
The most successful aspect of the night, without a doubt, was the workshop and bar area in the Clore space. The whole night it was buzzing with energy, and there was not a single workshop left wanting for participants. That space as a whole was such a success, however, that potentially it detracted from other things to see/do/experience in the gallery. I noticed a numerous points in the night that the gallery spaces themselves were relatively empty, while the Clore was bustling with people. This may have been down to not being able to take alcohol into the gallery, though.
One thing I enjoyed during the night which I did not expect to was meeting and greeting visitors and the public that came into the gallery. I felt confident in briefing them on what was going on that evening, and found I was able to identify those who had come in with prior knowledge to the event and those who had simply come to see the exhibition and were not aware of the student takeover. In the case of the latter, I would stress that all exhibitions were open as usual and try to make them comfortable in the space (some were very taken aback by the sound performance and general buzz of the gallery).
I was very surprised at how many people who were not previously aware of an event that night fully embraced the atmosphere. It was lovely to see their faces light up as they entered the spaces, surprised by the energy that they had not been expecting. That was the highlight of the night for me.
I was extremely pleased with how my worked was presented in the end. MAG also provided me with a small spotlight for the piece that really lifted it and made it flow with the rest of the space. I felt that it complimented that particular area well, with its neutral colour palette and wallpaper-esque format. Overall I really felt that it looked like a professional piece of work, and I was especially bemused to be situated next to a Ben Nicholson.
Unit X Overall:
Overall, I would genuinely say that Unit X has been the highlight of my degree so far. From taking part in leading workshops at The Whitworth, seeing where MAG store their art to working closely with MAG in general, it's been an amazing experience.
My intentions when choosing Unit X were to see what else was on offer to me other than being an art practitioner after I graduate. I feel that Unit X has given me a window into the different opportunities that can be had for someone with a Fine Art degree, and I definitely feel like I have more options now.
I would say that the most successful element of Unit X has to be the MAG intensive week. I believe that without working closely with the gallery for a week, getting to know some of the staff and the spaces, the event would not have been what it was and would not have come together in the way that it did. I was not aware of just how much Manchester Art Gallery caters to people from all walks of life, from all backgrounds and situations - they truly are a cultural hub for Manchester and no one is left wanting. Being made aware of just how much else MAG does other than exhibiting art instilled in me a new appreciation for what it does for art and Manchester, and being able to say that I have worked so closely with amazing people like Kate Jesson and Kate Day, even if it was only for a short period of time, makes me feel blessed and proud.
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