International exchange : resonating across borders (May 2016- ongoing)
The plan was to make art responding to FCF manifesto and then responding to each other´s works.
We wanted to exchange and share experiences and to reflect our research which needed to based on circumstances at the time and to have time for reflection. The works respond to events at the time. The limitation of the distance between us was considered to be a bonus, it is a mechanism to support reflection.
The starting point was the FCF manifesto looking at the introductory paragraphs allocated by a coin toss:
1.1 FCF sets out to explore, illuminate and to challenge, believing that the role of the artist is to apply contemporary artistic practice in response to current issues.
1.2 FCF seeks to liberate art from the art market and to reach new audiences, enhancing public space as a place for art.
Exchange of work by postal service constructs a more extended time scale process and enables exchange of original material. It allows a direct response to the artifact and included an element of uncertainty because postal services have their own rules and limitations and an element of unreliability in different countries. We agreed that there was not going to be any physical limitations of what was posted.
Generating a response
This project has a cyclical method. Since the beginning we responded to each other´s art works with the artwork itself being the starting point plus a consideration of social, political and environmental current events. The artwork made as a response was a function of the received artwork and a consideration of events and personal circumstances applied to the creative process.
Following the FCF principles there was no intention to be impartial, even if the project contains journalistic elements we remain committed to our beliefs.
Travel
The artifacts travel across borders from the sender to the receiver, but the senders were also engaged in travel during the project. The participants different backgrounds, nationality etc (age, gender experiences?) was seen as contributory factors in the design of the project. The movement of the artworks via the different postal services was acknowledged as part of the creative method, influencing the pace of the project. Generating Slow Art. The travel of the participants influenced the circumstances that were reflected in the works and contributed to the pragmatics of making and sending.
Receiving
Receiving the exchange was a precious unique and personal experience. This became an important part of the project since the work received was a specific response to the work that comes from you.
The essence of each other's works is a response to the other and acts as a mirror, it reflects your own ideas but in a way you couldn't have predicted, which is challenging. The exchange satisfies a curiosity. There was to be no sharing of information about the work during the project, so that surprise is a big part of the experience. When the package arrives there is a great anticipation but no knowledge of the content, eliciting a child-like wonderment
Expanding (open invitation to collaborate)
International Exchange: Resonating Across Borders is a long term ongoing project in which we would like to keep on experimenting with process, outcomes and presentations of the work. There are possibilities for new participants to share this process. Please contact FCF to express an interest in joining this artistic collaboration.
Work in progress. Yet to be published.