Aid and Abet

As part of our public art unit we had a talk from CJ Mahony and Sarah Evans fro Aid & Abet on 20th of June. Founded by CJ, Sarah and David Kefford this artist-led contemporary art space located by Cambridge Railway Station encourages artists to take a risk and experiement with their artwork and share their work.

It is a production and presentation site for contemporary art that combines work, project, gallery and performance space allowing audiences and participants to engage with cross-disciplinary practices in both creative and critical ways. Aid & Abet is part of the CB1 programme for public art in Cambridge’s new City quarter near the Station Road area and is supported by Commissions East, Brookgate and Hill Residential.

CJ and Sarah had a powerpoint that they showed us all about their current and past work. They talked to us about how the business setting up the new university accommodation commissioned them to get public artwork for the new buildings. Sometimes companies can spend up to 3% of the cost of some new buildings on public art, when spending millions this is actually a lot of money that is spent on Public Art.

They talked through past projects and artists they have been involved with creating public art. Artists such as...

-David Ward

-Dryden Goodwin

-Antoni Malinowki

-Jem Finer

David Ward

David Ward’s commission for the CB1 development Foster’s Mill Firmament drew on the history of the mill and other buildings in Cambridge to create a temporary light projection for the iconic mill building at the centre of the CB1 site.

Dryden Goodwin
Dryden Goodwin is known for his intricate drawings, often in combination with photography, film, large-scale screen-based installations and soundtracks. The dispersal of the plates means that visitors and local residents may only see some of the plates, but will discover previously unnoticed etchings over a period of time as they further explore the site.

Dryden Goodwin will begin his commission for the CB1 development in 2013. Wander consists of 100 etched steel plates laid into the paving. Inspired by a series of drawings collected around Cambridge by the artist, these start close to the railway station and are scattered across the site.

Antoni Malinowki

Hundreds of small glass inserts across the brickwork of the new student accommodation respond to the changing light with reflections and shadows that create a large subtle drawing on the surface of the building.

Jem Finer
¡supercomputer! is a functioning computer made from a series of beautifully constructed and designed pipes, enclosed in a glass fronted pavilion, similar to the mainframe computers of the 1970s.

Aid & Abet are constantly running exciting projects and they are heavily involved with commissioning public art around Cambridge so it was brilliant to get an insight in to what they do.

What does the Visual Art department represent?

Our visual arts department

To start thinking of ideas for our sculpture for the fountain we asked people using the visual arts department what they feel it represents. They came up with many words to describe the art department such as...

-art

-creativity

-expression

-virtues

-exploring

-passion

-learning

-developing

-refining

-friendship

-pathways

-inspiration

-support

We used these words as a stimulus to begin thinking of ideas for our designs and sculpture for the fountain in the visual arts department.

Ideas for fountain sculpture

Thought and Independency

For ideas for our sculpture we looked at words that we use to describe the visual arts department. We used these words as a a prompt for our sculpture. The words I focused on were thought, and independency. I used these words as a stimulus to start thinking of ideas for my sculpture.

When using the word 'thought' for a stimulus I wanted to focus on the way when in the visual arts department we think about our artwork, we brainstorm ideas.

The word brainstorm makes me think of an explosion so I looked up 'explosion sculpture' and found this first image.

This sculpture is by an Indian artist called Subodh Gupta it's a giant mushroom cloud made from brass and copper pots and pans. This sculpture was made from recycled found objects like ours will be.

DNA Double Helix- 2005. This sculpture is by Charles Jenks and is on the Cambridge Sculpture Trail that we went on.

I then went on to look at sculptures that have been made based on the structure of DNA. This then linked in with my word independency as everyone in the world has there own DNA as it makes up who we are. 

I think the words independency and thought link really well and are good words for a stimulus to start thinking about a sculpture within the visual arts department. This is because we are all individuals in this department and we all think in our own way to be creative. We all have our own ideas that make up our body of work whilst studying at Long  Road Sixth Form college.

I looked at some other spiral sculptures that follow the DNA structure for some more research and as a prompt for my final idea.

Review of my exhibition

My exhibition

This week I put up an exhibition of a selection of my year one art work for moderation. I had many pieces of mount board with final pieces from most of my units. Alongside my mount boards I also placed all my sketchbooks with all the documentation and artist research of how I managed to create my final pieces- I placed all these sketchbooks on a plinth under my boards. Sketchbooks from all my units are there.. Printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, textiles, photography, painting, drawing, art history, computers in art.

My sculpture I created for the Zoology museum in my sculpture unit is hanging in the top right corner of my given boards and is hanging from the ceiling with sturdy wire. I placed work from my mixed media unit that was based on the wings from my sculpture (as I had used the same natural form in both units for inspiration) just behind where the sculpture hung as it links in well.

I had to think about what boards would go where, I tried to keep my clean mount boards (photography, computers in art and textiles) on one side and the more messy work on the other side (etchings, mixed media and painting). This is so my exhibition linked in well with each other and was easy for moderation.

Alongside this exhibition I have two A1 size portfolios that I have kept other mount boards in of other work I have mounted within all these 9 units. So obviously I couldn't mount all my work but I think I mounted most of my best work and the exhibition makes sense and I am happy with it.

Place of Sculpture

The Fountain

To begin thinking of ideas for our designs for our sculpture we had to think about the place where it will be situated. The fountain that we are looking to design a sculpture for is situated in the art and design courtyard in Long Road Sixth Form College.

We also needed to think about the measurements so we knew how big the sculpture could be.

Around the outside of the pond measures 325cm by 325cm
The inside of the pond is 223.5cm by 223.5 cm
The depth of the pond is 44cm


This is a picture of the fountain area where the sculpture will be placed (panoramic view).

Health and Safety

Health and Safety in Public Art

When designing our sculpture for our public art we needed to consider elements of health and safety to ensure our sculpture is safe for the location it is situated in.

- the design and shape of the piece
- suitability for the location
- use of appropriate materials
- use of electricity? will water, rain be involved?
- social/economic subject - offensive? 
- installation
- post-compleation and maintenance 
- public liability insurance

Whilst designing our sculptures we have to take all these factors in to consideration and create a risk assessment for any health and safety issues that could occur. The shape and size of the sculpture needs to be suitable and safe for the chosen area it will be placed.

To help with our risk assessment we can visit websites such as:

www.hse.gov.uk
www.publicartonline.org.uk

What is Public Art?

Public Art

To began our public art unit we needed to think about what Public Art is. Public Art is work that is commissioned by the Government that can be viewed by members of the public. Public Art is to attract public attention to a certain area (mainly outside) it can be a temporary (projection, performance) or permanent (sustainable sculpture, engravings) display of artwork. To help with this public art unit we are looking closely at artists that create public art and what makes a piece of public art different to a piece of art that’s in a gallery.

Public Art, Unit Scenario

My scenario

I have been commissioned by Mike Junkovic to produce a dynamic and expressive pond feature/sculpture/fountain for use in the visual art pond, using sustainable and or recycled materials.