Studio in my Pocket

Alternative Studio part one

We were given a new brief for spatial practices, which consist of three parts. The first to use the pocket as a studio to create work and to be a part of the work. The second to work with a cardboard box for a week and the third to create a piece of work on public transport. These short week-long tasks were given to make us explore the studio as an unconventional space, to explore the environment of making work outside of the conventional walls of the studio.

For the first project of studio in my pocket I was quite confused and frazzled to start off with, I wasn’t sure which direction to take the work in or how to make work in such a small and confined space. I started thinking about things I keep in my pockets, I also asked other people and compiled a small list. Money, phone, keys, headphones, tissues, wallet, feminine hygiene products, cigarettes, lighters, gum, tickets, etc. I also thought about how many germs must be in pockets that have transferred from the hands. The dead skin that will harbour in them. They’re good for hiding things, stealing, they’re filthy.

On the brief we were given artists to look to for ideas and one was William Anastasi, I found his work quite interesting and influential. He folded the paper into eight squares, making them small enough to fit into his pocket. As he walked, he held a tiny pencil against the exposed paper inside the confined space of his pocket; the resulting marks on the paper show his movements. When he deemed a section complete he would refolded the paper, creating a new blank surface, and the process began again. I found this quite exciting as he wouldn’t know what the work looked like until it was finished and pulled out of his pocket, each piece was a surprise. The image on the right is a photo of his pocket drawings. 

I carry a lot in my pockets, too much sometimes and I refuse to get rid of any of it because I may need it at some time. I had many receipts and train tickets in my coat pocket and so I decided to try something similar using those receipts and tickets that I had in my jacket pocket.

I also thought about something my father said to me concerning money, he said ‘you’re burning a hole in my pocket’ this phrase triggered me and made me think about all the things that burn holes in my pockets, things that weigh me down. Truths and lies. I decided to combine this technique of Anastasi and the thought of the things that burdened me. I placed the scrap papers in the pocket of my hoodie and started writing confessions on them with a simple biro pen. Once I had finished, an amazing scribbled pattern had been made that wasn’t legible but because of the motions you could tell it was stressful and unwanted. I repeated this many times on various receipts and tickets all with different confessions and things that troubled me, that weighed me down.

I didn’t think that it would be enough to display only these scribbled patterns and so I decided to convert it into a more structural piece. I wanted to add elements of the phrase into the piece, so I got an old pair of jeans and burnt holes into the pockets and surrounding areas. I quite liked the idea and I stuck by it, it made it into a literal sensation of the confessions burning holes. I also stuck pieces of trash, matchsticks and chewing gum to the piece, taking things, I had in the pockets of my bag and infusing their disgusting nature with the delicate nature of the burnt confessions.

I am not pleased with the final outcome of the piece. I am disappointed with how the end product looked but I like the idea behind it. I think that I should have left the piece at the stage of the confessions on papers instead of pushing It further into a jumbled mess. I wasn’t able to hang the piece properly and in a professional way which also impacted the piece. I much prefer the idea and the simplicity of the scribbled patterns on the scrap paper and I think they would have had a more visual and sensual impact, an impact that was taken away by hiding them in the burnt pockets of old jeans. I will hopefully come back and take a second look at the piece, maybe even start over.