It is exactly fifty years since I began my Foundation Course at Guildford School of Art. Eek.
The Sit-In protests taught me more than the actual course. The 1960s was the beginning of the end for the teaching of traditional techniques and activities. When I went on to the Sculpture course, I concentrated on nothing but traditional skills and techniques - bronze casting, forge work, plaster casting, woodturning and a little stone carving with limited facilities and tools. To hell with Art was my attitude.
Anthony Caro had attended my college in the 1950s, so our sculpture studio was very well appointed and equipped. One Northern student actually began making little brick walls with brightly coloured RSJs on top of them. How embarrassing.
Toward the end of the course, Cro and I booked the large exhibition hall and set up what today would be called an 'installation'. There were neat rows of electrical sockets across the floor underneath metal flaps, and over each one we put small, conical piles of brown leaves (gathered in the Autumn woods and brought back in Cro's car), and threaded strands of cable up through them with low wattage light bulbs resting on the top.
On the night of the opening we turned off all the main lights and the little piles of leaves looked lovely. They glowed magically in the gloom.
Our fellow students arrived and we all agreed that one of the best things about Autumn was scuffing your feet through dry leaves on a walk, so we all walked around the hall in circles, smiling as we destroyed the neat piles.
Afterwards, we turned out the lights and went home. We left the leaves scattered around the hall for the next two weeks, and when the caretakers told me to sweep them up and clear the hall, I explained that it was all part of the artwork and must stay exactly as it was for the duration of the booking.
I would have got a first for that these days.
I got a first for it THEN. It was fun wasn't it.
ReplyDeleteI think a little painting might have been involved in your degree results... Yes it was fun. At the time when I should have been setting up my show, I went to Scotland with Andy and a couple of 2nd year girls. When I got back, Simon was in a dire rage about his results. I don't think they liked him. Like Joe, he spent too long at home to be 'taught' by them!
DeletePiles of rubbish were quite a fashionable installations when I was at art school. I didn't do much of anything in my first year, just disappeared, it was such a disappointment after Foundation which was THE best year, and I was failed. Best thing I ever did, I then got tutorials galore and loads of visiting artists to my space and I ended up with a First. Best years of my life, art school. I like the sound of the leaves and can imagine them. I love kicking through Autumn leaves.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed memories about my foundation. Mainly good. The Beatles featured strongly.
DeleteI am envious of anyone with talent who can draw. I like to think I have artistic leanings, with a not an artistic bone in my body. Sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteLX
I never really believe people who say that, but you must know better than me.
DeleteMakes you glad to be alive and remembering it all!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to smaller things these days. Holidays, for instance.
DeleteAre you inferring that you were both well ahead of your time?
ReplyDeleteNo, I am implying it, Weave!
DeleteAnd we were!
DeleteCutting-edge piles of rubbish.
DeleteI hated school desks like those, your body space was always invaded
ReplyDeleteThey were called 'utilitarian', but they were far from it.
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