The Wednesday Lecture Wednesday 24th February 2021
The Phyllida Barlow Documentary
I had not previously come across Phyllida Barlow’s artwork before today, however I have only since my studies at the university been familiarising myself with more conceptual artists centring their practice around abstract installations and sculptural pieces. For my independent practice I am creating a sculptural based piece with clay, so this documentary has really influenced the planning process of it. I hope to suspend my concept, and the primary theme and focal point of the artist's work is the unconventional display and almost uncertain state of the structure. This is because Barlow creates sculptures on a mass scale with unprecedented organisation so that they appear unstable and vulnerable to collapsing. Despite not hearing of this artist's work before, I can definitely envision myself looking more into her abstract work and even relating her to my own artistic practice in my current project as there are similarities.
I have found that I have frequently enjoyed the documentary sessions of the Wednesday lectures as they differentiate in themes and subject matter, with each session showcasing an individual artist and medium of working. I may not like all of the artists but just the structure of the presentation in a documentary I find easier to engage with. With this in mind I can say that I found this session virtuous. I liked the realistic qualities of the artist, I found her quite down to earth when discussing herself and her artwork, I really appreciated the realistic circumstances she has endured and experienced, which is reflected in her art. For example her struggle with bringing up five children and succeeding as an artist whilst teaching part-time as an art teacher, she talks about how she only really reached recognition later in her life after her installation piece showcased at Tate Britain in 2014. This is relatable and relevant to be shown to us art students as we are entering the realities of the art world and work as an artist. So I think to present to us an artist that shares similar ideologies to us as students is of high importance and this is what appealed to me the most about this Wednesday lecture.
Something that surprised me throughout this documentary was the conventionalities of the artist, in particular her favour of using ordinary materials rather than artificially accepted expensive art ingredients. For the majority of her sculptures Barlow leans towards using the unconventional materials of offcut wood, chicken wire and Styrofoam. This really appeals to me as I believe it reveals more about the artist as not just a professional but as a person. She decides to use more domesticated items of mediums apparent in our ordinary lives, and in particular would be of convenience for her as she was progressing as a struggling artist. Again I just find that this artist is so significant and relevant to our current circumstances, with the pandemic not allowing normalised practice we are left to fall upon materials at an easier access, whether they be cheaper or around us in our domesticated settings. I can definitely agree with this artist in using materials that have been discarded or are already in our possession, as for my sculpture piece I have created a beam to suspend my clay masks from old wood I have. The artist stated that she recycles a lot of her materials from previous works to participate in future sculptures, in the documentary we could see what she calls the “Sculpture Graveyard” which just shows old sculptures left in disarray, waiting to be harnessed for their materials.
The focal point for the artist is objects failing, and Barlow aims to reinforce this in her chaotic sculptural pieces. She stated that whenever working on an installation piece she priorities conveying her relationship with the materials, and I think the fact that she is using recycled materials enforces this even stronger. She understands that artworks are unpredictable, that it is inevitable that one day they will fall or perhaps break. But rather than remain afraid of this uncertainty, she looks forward to it, I really like this. Creating unstable sculptures dense in their configuration, intimidating in their grand scale and almost obscene spontaneous materials that others may identify as scrap, but she recognises as art. Barlow reinforced throughout the documentary that what appeals to her the most during her artistic productions is the materials of her sculptures, and in a way she personifies the materials properties in her work.
The entire documentary is orchestrated by interviewer and friend Lynn Barber who frequently asks questions viewers may be thinking about when watching. In particular when asked about the artists influence she stated that she has had a long time interest in old fashioned slap-stick comedies of the likes of Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton’s relationship with inanimate objects. From this she gathered this humorous acknowledgement of materials and the action of failing and things not going as planned, like with artwork and creating sculptures. In regards to artistic references from artists surrounding her she stated that she received inspiration from the sculptural artists of her generation, the conceptual sculptors of the 1980’s like Deacon and Gormley. Phyllida’s audacious installations have appeared in exhibitions throughout the years, in particular in Tate Britain in 2014 that ensured her position as a successful artist within the art-world, establishing her reputation. At the time of this documentary she was working on a sculpture piece for an exhibition in Zurich, as well as this she has been elected to represent Britain in the upcoming Venice Biennale.
