Friday 12 November 2010

Sam Basu





Treignac Projet 2010 Archive. 
1. International Cabaret Cycle. 
2. July Video Coalition. 
3. New International School evolution. 
4. Projects October 2010

Technique and material:
A4, paper mounted on card. Some with folds to give shallow depth, some direct onto card. Hand tracing of printout through carbon paper of groups and individual names.
Notes:
The diagrams represent real groups that I have been involved in creating or work with through the artist run project Treignac Projet. I am not presenting the formations of the groups as my work; this leads to too many problems in relation to the other people involved in the collaborations. Instead, I was thinking of them as an archive of the evolving groups, and as a file record. (Four simple ones like the 3rd image down, were used as secondary gallery commentary (and not as official art ) in a show that work from some of these groups was shown in. )
I think they have the quality of sketches and notes, perhaps there is something educational about them, perhaps a little sci-fi?

3 comments:

  1. There is something sci-fi about them, like plans pointing to a possible other future, made up of simple elements and secret codes... the geometry and symmetry remind me of some of Louise Bourgeois drawings ( which are on my mind at the moment).
    I like the way there seems to be a gentle attempt at creating some order out of what happens organically and with an element of chance-working partnerships etc.
    Even though you say they are a record of things past do you think they could influence a future project? Maybe there's a some kind of storyboard for a video there? Or a design for a room of related objects?

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  2. yes, This consideration of imagining possibilities trough sci-fi-not just as a fantasy device-is attractive. in this way there is a connection perhaps to El Lissitzky and his Prouns? I like his idea of goal-oriented creation, and very much liked the take on him that Alasdair Duncan is developing. He sees Lissiztski's work as an art made for and understandable by only a liberated society. I am not yet making those sorts of claims, but you never know. :) But certainly I am concerned with groups and how they might and might not function. Functionalist group dynamics?
    The question of what to do with the drawings:
    Yes that seems very possible, the relation to a video object through story board, or perhaps as architectural model: The architecture of a film perhaps? Ironically a lot of the groups in the drawings are experimenting with video as their working platform, so it may be a way to proceed.
    Luckily I have the luxury of space and I am thinking of building an archive room here, perhaps I will organise it through the drawings. It would be great to invent a new filing system that worked. 3D hexagonal matrix system? I'm going to look filing up on wiki.

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  3. There's probably much to be gained from using a fling system as a device for artistic practice! I would love more order and less chaos!
    Louise Bourgeois ( sorry to mention her again) claimed that she used geometry in her work because she found it 'comforting' which I don't think would be the case with Lissiztski. His use of geometry in the Prouns would be about empowerment towards a new utopia...
    I'm interested in the possible gender specifics within futurism and sci-fi, is that something you think about when ordering groups/ sketches/plans?

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