We are:
1 Joe Cerski
2 Josephine Fairbrother
3 Katherine Fishman
4 Ruby Lloyd-Burman
5 Bobby Sayers
And we form The Neo-Supervaluationists.
We are a group that deals with concepts of ambiguity, grey areas, inconclusiveness and the unresolved. Our practices are diverse and wide ranging and by utilising the themes that link our artistic practices together we can explore and experiment on a grander scale. As a group we can expand our knowledge and understanding of the indefinable; a challenge we are excited to embark on. Collaborating together should make a subject with so few constraints, more manageable to explore, as we will be driven to respond to each other’s interpretations. As a group we can explore and fumble around these grey areas in a nurturing environment and with confidence.
We are proposing to:
1 Write a manifesto that will be subject to constant change and re-writing. (Over the summer months of 2010) We will be screen-printing limited edition runs of the manifesto/collections of manifesto’s.
2 Organise and host a symposium (referring to its classical meaning of an informal drinking party). It shall be a celebration of ambiguity inspired by the content of our manifesto; it will consist of free short talks, workshops and screenings in a bar/gallery environment, forming an informal social event. It will include speakers from a variety of areas and professions inc. physics, art theory, philosophy, painting & decorating, and hairdressing. The manifesto will be on display as part of the accompanying exhibition.
For a sample day plan see appendix.
The manifesto will be generated by a collaborative writing task, carried out via email over summer 2010, based on the following brief:
- First participant writes or finds a piece of text that references the term Ambiguity. Email to next participant
- Next participant responds by adding to or editing the text in a way that could, link to, expand upon, discuss or contradict it*.
- Material could be found, written, rule-determined or chance-determined text, or an image/diagram*. It may be about general ambiguity, or ambiguity within a specific domain*.
- Respond within 7 days, sending to next participant. Manifesto should circulate for the duration of the summer, based on alphabetical order of participant’s surnames.
- Make any additions/changes in your assigned font colour.
- On a separate document that will circulate alongside the manifesto, please reference any sources and state your method of selecting chosen text. This will be used for archival purposes.
* Suggestions, not constraints
The subject matter of the manifesto will provide the basis of inspiration for the symposium.
We have decided to work via email, as it is a way of connecting group members from a distance, in different locations. We will be editing the group text without explicitly consulting each other, but trusting each other’s judgment and input. We shall be working together, yet separately, allowing our different interpretations to be made visible in the same space. As the theme is grey areas and ambiguity, expression of our individual differences should be celebrated, rather than trying to portray a falsely unified front.
The Malt Cross Gallery and bar would be ideal for our purposes; the upstairs gallery is a good size and well lit for showing a manifesto and hosting workshops. The bar area is a comfortable size to house guests and speakers, and would provide a relaxed atmosphere for the informal talks and screenings that people could enjoy alongside their drinks.
We hope this symposium will be the first of a succession of talks, exhibitions and events all of which centre around notions of the indefinable and the state of flux. These events will enhance and support our individual work and thinking. We want the group to gain and maintain a mythos through the execution of events and our personal brand. Our logo is based on the uncertainty principal equation. See appendix for logo.
Individual Skills and Interests
Joe Cerski Interested in the relationship drawings and narratives can share and the way they mutually inform one another. I’m specifically interested in applying ambiguous narratives to drawings. Skills include writing, illustrative drawings, drawing and portraiture and group work.
Josephine Fairbrother: Practice is concerned with the relationship between sound and painted image with a focus on atmosphere and presence. Skills include painting, film photography, basic sound recording and writing.
Katherine Fishman Interested in collating diverse fragments of information: experiences, images and text. Skills include writing, artists’ and events assistant, planning and running workshops
Ruby Lloyd-Burman Interested in using rules, processes and repetition around themes of futility and ambiguity. Skills include writing, drawing, basic public speaking, workshop assistant and festival programmer.
Bobby Sayers Interested in the idea of what the artist is and art In relation to others. Questioning the authorship of art and how art can be produced. Skills include curating exhibitions, writing briefs and general production of creative objects.
