Please take a moment to see my work and that of my fellow graduating artists - the Glasgow School of Art Digital Graduation Showcase has now been launched. https://gsashowcase.net/julita-hanlon/
Faceless Decision Makers
There is something really ugly about hearing that the government even considers people being ‘processed’ in inhumane conditions on decommissioned oil rigs, plans which were (or maybe still are) being considered to deal with migration.
But the language of bureaucracy and media is dehumanising those who are disadvantaged because of where they were born, how much money do they have, what resources do they have at their disposal to live safely and to fulfil their potential is irrespective of whether they are our own people or those seeking help from outside.
That ugly monster of unsympathetic, damaging, dangerous manipulation of language, and the inhuman barricades of legislation behind which hides our privileged status quo, has been a subject of my recent research. I focused on two aspects to that dehumanisation.
One, to do with the idea of ‘otherness’, with highlighting and exploiting difference, whether in language or through legislation, in controlling access, in bending common perceptions, in identifying and branding the ‘other’ as someone to be feared or despised.
Another is anchored around the idea of decision making that is systematic rather than individual focused, for which terms like ‘rubber stamped’ or ‘sealed’ have a very particular meaning, one that does not have positive connotations. There are some words that we dread when going through the system/the process of decisions that others make in relation to our lives - accepted or rejected. Or maybe denied.
Fragments - Exchibition
Here we are - finally first real time exhibition. Fragments at Rogart Street Campus, Glasgow are going ahead. Opening 5pm-8pm on Monday, 24th August, after that weekdays 10am-4pm until 15th September. For those of you around Glasgow - hopefully you will get a chance to see it.
Art in the lockdown
I do hope that all of you reading this blog are well and that so are your families and those close to you. It is a strange time. A time that should have united us all, a small reminder from nature that we are all the same and that we live in this wonderful environment, so perfectly designed to nourish our human race.
And yet, it seems, we are still divided, we are still following the famous Orwell’s quote from ‘Animal Farm’ that all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. It seems that in these highly charged times, we still forget about those less fortunate, we bury war behind Covid news, we put commerce before refugees and asylum seekers, the people that have come to us for help after we have directly or indirectly contributed to destroying their homelands.
So, I felt it was a good time to revisit my sculpture which I had made to contemplate destruction of all kinds - physical and psychological - caused by conflict or abandonment.
The material I used was steel plate and the process - deep etching. In the process, I destroyed tracing paper, discovered the fragility of paper as well as steel; videoed the volatile and violent process of destruction with acid and thought about how horrid it must have been to those who faced acid attack. It was strange to reflect on the sharpness of the etched edges, versus the thin etched lines and the lacy, delicate quality of thinned out material where it clung onto the main parts of the plate.
The sculpture had its first ‘test bed’ appearance at the group ‘Rabbit Skin’ exhibition in the Glue Factory, Glasgow, in March, just a few days before lockdown started. Since then, it sat in my studio waiting for the right time to resurface. I took it out for a walk yesterday (18/06/2020) just to reflect on the issues again, in light of all the terrible and unjust conflicts happening around the world.
Please check out the Project’s section for more images. (Fragments III - Conflict).
'Rabbit Skin' at the Glue Factory
It is amazing how a little virus can affect us all. I have been lucky to get the opportunity to show my work in the Glue Factory group exhibition ‘Rabbit Skin’, absolute fun even if curating 60+ artists in a massive maze-like venue was a challenge. So was finding anti-bacterial hand wash (against spread of Covid-19), but we managed.
Have I learnt a lot this week!
Masonry drill is not enough, you need to master the walls too and the drill will move in any odd direction if you don’t treat it with respect. And it is possible to hang five paintings in five minutes, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Blu-tack and masking tape are fabulous to ensure that levels are right on the walls that are more reminiscent in texture to the bark of the oak tree than to a brick wall. Also, paper and wood do not like dampness.
The setting up, curating and hanging the Rabbit Glue exhibition in the great company of my very talented co-students and friends and our tutors from the Glasgow School of Art was fun.
All the lessons learnt were implemented, paper works taken away and replaced with paintings where possible, gin and tonic flowing and some 400 or more attendees at the opening night meant that the event was a great success.
I will be posting images from the event soon, please check my Work section for update.
The deep etching challenge
There is something to be said about working with metal and acid. It is fascinating.
The solidity of steel plate reduced to lace thin strips with acid is not to be missed.
I have been working recently on three plates to create a sculpture that is reminiscent of displacement, conflict, disaster, tragedy. It is amazing how much time destroying a plate takes compare to a split of a second that the drone takes to reduce homes into ruins and ashes. Or that fire takes to do the same.
It took me in excess of 120 hours to get to the point where I am happy to show it in an exhibition. The first will be at the Glue Factory in Glasgow (opening on 12th of March 2020) , as part of a large group show for all 3rd year Glasgow School of Art Fine Art: Painting and Printmaking students.