A response by Matt Dalby

Artist Matt Dalby has written a massive commentary of the work made during my recent residency at The Gowry Art Institute, India. The commentary is full of intricate and fascinating readings which I didn’t know the work was capable of. I can’t express how astonishing and motivating it is to have the work engaged with in such a way.

The work was created in an environment which, both on a personal and creative level, I found very challenging. After  8 weeks of solitude, without interaction or conversation with other artists, I started to feel a void when thinking about the work. I started to feel like something important and instrumental to the reason why I create had been lost.

Reading Matt’s response really does makes all the difference. It’s just great to feel such a massive amount of support and enthusiasm from another artist and also to have the work incite conversation and a sharing of ideas. Thanks alot Matt, and thanks to all the great people I met at the exhibition in India and the big support from people in Manc! Such great feeling.

Jen xx

Life in the Forest

I am currently artist in residence at the Gowry Art Institute. The studio is located in the forest, at the base of the Ponmudi Mountain, South India.

The other day I was walking in the forest and came to a valley where the river ran through. I found a spot where the butterflies rested. They let me to get right next to them. After a while I noticed that they were ejaculating… well ejaculating something for sure. They went on squirting for about 5 minutes, continuously jerking their abdomen, shaking the liquid away. You can see the little pool of liquid still attached to the body in some pictures .

Found a baby Bungarus Caeruleus snake outside my bedroom window. Sughandi said,”‘Oy, yoy yoy” twice, I think I could see what she was getting at. The neighbours came round with sticks and pounded his  head in. Felt abit sad but can’t piss about I suppose.

The photo is of a different dead snake.

Saw spider walking with Philippe. The spider was pretty big, maybe the size of my hand outstretched. I wore a near identical pattern on my shirt. Phillipe reckoned the spider was thinking I was highly venomous and predatory.

Amongst the banana leaves and palm tree roots find an empty packet of ‘Lovely and Fair’.

Saw a monkey pull something off the end of it’s red raw, odd shaped willy and eat it. I did find that pretty disgusting.

Indian Bins

Other People’s Blood – Om Hotel

Buying Materials

I thought it would be a good idea to arrive at the Gowry Art Institute with some materials in order to start making things right away. For the past few days I have been visiting a local dentist to buy alginate (a material denstists use for casting teeth).

I have very much enjoyed the negotiating time I have spent in his dentistry room. The place is like a cabinet of curiosity, bottles of substances marked poison stand open, minature xrays of broken teeth, mixed up pastes set hard, open syringes, prostetic fingers and other stuff like that knocking about.

The Dentist also makes silicone prostetic implants and false eyeballs so he is able to get hold of some silicone. He told me about a man in the village who had a boil that turned into a degenerate skin disease. The man was left with an open flesh wound on his left cheek. The destist made a face implant piece which the man could hook on with a glasses style ear hook.

The trip has really sparked my imagination and given me a real lift. I am looking forward to getting into the studio.

en suite 2 and 3

I’m not sure how apparent this is from the photo but I find something quite lovely about the water coming straight out  from the tap and directly pouring onto the floor.

en suite

Here are some images of the en suite shower room from my hotel in Mysore. So far in India I am finding many of the hotel rooms and other domestic environments very appealing.

I am wondering how an Indian audience will respond to the work I make whilst in residence -  whether the differences I am attracted to will appear mundane or  sterile.

INDIA

I have arrived in India and will be here for 5 months. On the 19th December I will be starting an 8 week residency at The Gowry Art Institute in South India. The institute has a strong emphasis on representing women artists and on exploring work that deals with the feminine and nature. I cannot express how excited I am about this project.

Here are some images of a piece I made while I was visiting the back waters of Karela. I have been drawing alot in India but on this particular day I really wanted to  make something physical. This piece is an idea I have been trying to realize in England. I am bored with this idea. The cage is too big the orb is too small.

In India I feel drawn to making large and colourful installations. Of what I’m not sure.