Nothing exciting happens here, wrong, here is a wondrous room of invention and intrigue, will the cake rise, will the drawing resolve itself, will a miracle happen and the dishes will clean themselves and then jump into the cupboard…
Laura Ashley started printing on her kitchen table, sure the brand has had its ups and downs, but as acorns grow to be oak trees, the kitchen table can spawn an empire. Though generally most kitchen tables simply exist to meet our needs without becoming legendary. Kitchens help fulfill some of our basic human needs: eating and drinking, there is that other thing but we don’t do that in the kitchen.
Perhaps kitchens are overlooked, but they are not boring. We live and laugh in our kitchens, we connect and cook in our kitchens, we experiment with food in our kitchens, and artists create art in their kitchens, when there is no alternative studio space.
The drawing above is an exploration of my movements through my kitchen, as I sit at the table with others, as I empty the washing machine, get dishes out of the cupboard or food from the fridge and even cook, among other things. The pages have then been shuffled and sewn together into a book, the existing elements and the bleed through of ink provide inspiration for a series of stream of consciousness abstract drawings. I feel I should be able to call it an artists cookbook as I’m cooking up art in my book, and I can say I made my book from scratch…
Above and below are constructs and video of an imaginary house full filling COVID 19 lockdown needs, its spacious, it’s got lots of light and access to fresh air without having to be outside.
There is a roof garden with a water feature, allowing for safe access to outside space and the mental health benefits of blue spaces (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/03/blue-space-living-near-water-good-secret-of-happiness).
And a garage which, is a safe space to put your car or bicycle or lockdown non-perishable items.
A maquette of the COVID 19 Project paper construct, and the Project itself, covering themes of: Religion; Isolation and Intimacy, how we experience intimacy, everyday life and comforting behaviour in a time of isolation and social distancing; Invasion, animals in ‘people space’ and overcrowding at the beach in a time when we legitimately avoid contact with others; and Digital Hamster Ball, how we are turning to the digital and abandoning ‘people space’ to outrun a disease.
The audio on the COVID 19 Inside OUT is done by Jasbir Nangla (jasbirnangla@hotmail.co.uk).
ourhouseyourhouse.com 