Today my schedule is to
- Visit Artist in Residence Abi Spendlove's Open Studio at the Hat Factory
- Go to share a book day at the Mall
- Go to the opening of Tim Etchells exhibition Hearing Voices at Departure Lounge Gallery
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ON THURSDAY 6th MARCH
THERE WAS
A Body twitch towards my phone
A thousand google searches
what shall I do with tasteless satsumas?
whats the weather today?
AM I A CYBORG?
AM I A CYBORG?
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Today I set myself a challenge to not use the internet. Last week I documented my internet use and this week I wanted to see how I feel and what I would do if I didn't use the internet? Would I be reading more books? Would I be feeling more relaxed? Would I be more present in Luton?
Every morning I read the newspaper on my phone with a cup of tea. Within the first hour of waking I already have about 10 questions I think the internet might help me with. This morning I read my book, and feel quite happy (maybe a bit smug?) with myself for reading my book.
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I spend a lovely morning chatting to Abi. She is artist in residence for a year at the Hat Factory where she is researching and creating art related to the River Lea which runs beneath part of Luton, including underneath the central shopping centre. Her research will culminate in a public exhibition and film screening of her work. We talked about lots of things. Podcasts, gentrification, artists networks, Lutons reputation... below is some of my notes.
One of the questions I was asked before I came on residency was what did I know about Luton? Well I knew it was multicultural, about the airport, and I also knew that Tommy Robinson is from here. I had a very limited view, which was mainly informed by national media.
One of the pleasures of being here has been that I have the opportunity to go to places, and meet people that won't necessarily get a mention in national newspapers. Me and Abi talk about Luton's reputation. She tells me in 2004 it was voted the UK's crappest town. We speak about how labels such as this can become internalised, becoming defining and destructive narratives that people might take on about a place. Again, I think, about the power of narratives, words, and stories to transform how and what we think about a place - and who is telling those stories.
We talk about networks for artists, and I find it really interesting to hear about some of the groups that Abi is involved in. She goes to a reading group about art, crit group (in Hitchin or St Albans?) and is part of a whats app group that meets up for saunas in a friends homemade sauna in her garden. I'm excited to hear about these self started groups. I've been involved in lots of groups and collectives - they help support my practice as an artist, as well as being half my social life!
We also speak about gentrification, and what effect it might have on Luton. Abi points me to this article by Stephen Whiting
I've lived in London since 2005 and seen the accelerated gentrification of the city, the impossible rents, the heightened divides, and destruction of communities. London is a different context, but the article by Stephan points to issues that Luton may or is facing, and efforts made to 'clean things up' which feels similar to some of the issues in London. He asks who is being cleared in this process? and who does the town or city become for? Its an ongoing and very familiar question for artists and arts organisations. What role does the arts play in this process? and how can art not be co-opted into strategies which displace people?
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Next I go to the library, and spend some time in the mall. I feel quite tired, and whats noticeable is that without the internet I spend time just sitting, thinking, looking around, and resting. Its strange to be resting in public space. Not tapping on my phone or computer. Just sitting, looking around. Its remarkable that it feels remarkable to do this.
I go to the book event, and find a sweet set up in the corner of the Mall, where adults from the book day event are reading to children. The Mall is quite a popular space not just for shopping and I often see people sitting in the chairs and benches. It's interesting to see how the Mall provides these cultural and social activities as well as shops and I wonder if people then spend more or less time in shops because of them.
In the evening I go to artist Tim Etchells opening at the Departure Lounge with Jenny from Revoluton. It is a fun evening and I enjoy speaking to lots of people there - particularly someone who came in by chance, who I speak with about life planning - how to plan for the future. I find it really interesting hearing about how she plans for her life and realise how one person organises their life and tries to make their hopes and dreams happen is a very intimate thing - I realise I never really speak or ask people about this. I also get the opportunity to ask Tim a bit about the process of making the artwork in Luton. I really enjoy the hand drawn text, and humour in the work, the snippets of conversation and things people have said. We speak a little bit about avoiding creating overriding singular narratives - art can be good at this, depicting in between things, slippages, things that point in many directions and not just one.
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P.S Im writing about Thursday on Sunday, so I'm mostly writing from remembered conversations and notes I made on the day.
