Born out of an original enquiry into appropriation within art, I looked at theoretical ideas of authorship, primarily Barthes and Foucault. I was interested in making work in which the idea of authorship was challenged. How necessary is artistic authorship for successful art, if at all? How far could I go in eradicating myself as the author? This line of enquiry took me into the realms of relational aesthetics and more broadly participatory art. I found the artists and collectives working here such as the Fluxus Movement, Lygia Clark and Kurt Schwittzers, who were similarly attempting to challenge authorship and the artistic ego within art. Another theme that arose was that of connection and intimacy between the artist and the viewer, and in extension society. I attempted to create “art experiences”, where the discourse between the artist, piece and viewer became paramount to the intention. I explored this concept through experimenting with projects centred around creating a feeling of social intimacy through collaboration. These were conducted through the post and online due to COVID-19
I created my own website as a way of presenting the various projects in a clear and professional way. Given a normal situation I would have been presenting these projects physically in a gallery-type setting however, I really enjoyed making this website and I feel its come out quite successfully. I feel quite accomplished when I see all my work displayed like this and it allows other people to see my work in a professional manner. Its something I plan to keep developing and adding to.
Continued digital manipulation and experimentation using the letters I wrote to strangers.The overall message is difficult to read but, but a highlighted message has been can be read from between the lines. Not necessarily connected to the original intention of the letter, were picking up the wrong message unless we actively choose to read into the piece and go further,
The viewer is activated to participant more and go further and decipher the “real” message
Reminds me of ransom letters you see in movies where the message is made out of little random letters cut from magazines.
Experimenting with presenting the letters in like a ransom letter.
Ransom letters themselves present an interesting question about authorship. There intention is to get the ransomers message across, but in a way which cannot connect them to it. It is aimed to conceal the ransomers authorship.
Interesting to contrast my letters which feel so vulnerable and connected to me, with a presentation form that aims to sever the connection between author and letter.
I would have liked to make ransom letters using collage letters but I was unable to collect enough materials in time for the hand in, however this is something im going to experiment with over summer. Here I have just used a application on the internet to give an idea of what it could look like.
Experimenting with digital manipulation of the letters series.
I changed the orientation of the letter so it becomes a bit more trickier to read, which I think adds to the piece a bit, its inviting the viewer to look harder and actively discover its message. I think the new orientation has added a new sculptural element to the piece, the words alignment creates these drippy designs.
Experimented with highlighting different stand out words or phrases within the letters so see if this would alter the overall message?
This is "Layered Voice Experiment" by Martha Ritchie on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
I layered the audios of the letters directly over each other which resulted in this chaotic splurge of communication.. some parts the voices are more harmonic than others which is interesting.
This is "letter audio experiment" by Martha Ritchie on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Ive been asking people to record themselves reading out the postcards I found in the antique shop in January. I wanted to experiment more with these pieces because I feel they really exemplified communication and connection whilst in separate locations. The postcards to read are so beautiful and heartfelt, even the really simple ones. Reading them makes me feel connected to the person receiving and the person writing, even though they are over 50yrs old, the connection and intimacy still comes across.
Bringing these back to life by recording their messages again in audio has created beautiful samples. I experimented with layering them over the video clips ive been gathering which depict isolation, so its kind of a contrast between isolation and connection.
This is "Walking clips during lockdown" by Martha Ritchie on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Over the past few weeks ive been taking clips of isolated spots as I go on my daily walk during quarantine.
Seeing these places deserted with would otherwise be full of people, they hold a new feeling now. Its weird because when there’ s a lack of people you are confronted with the amount of sheer space within the city.
Also ive never been one for architecture, ive never really noticed these things, but in this deserted city, ive become increasingly aware of the shapes, colours and styles of buildings and how they interact with each other, getting rid of most of the people really allows for the city to shine in a new light.
This piece had two aspects to it, the participant was sent a nonprinted letter from the Letters to Strangers series where I wrote letters to different members within society such as the postman or the local seagulls about how I imagine their life to be during lockdown. All real entities but I didn’t know them personally. An attempt to invoke a sharing of intimacies through shared human vulnerability.
Each was also sent a piece of the modular sculpture Colony, as a physical reminder that although separated and individual every person forms a crucial component in a larger, more powerful movement.
Altogether Cultivate explores what type of connectivity and sense community is available whilst society is physically and mentally isolated and how one could cultivate this.
I set up a monoprinting station on my desk to see if I could get a more “intimate” version of the letter by using my own handwriting.
Turned out to be more complex that I originally though because I had to write backwards in order to get the letter to print correctly. Quite a time consuming task but I do like the outcome, its comes across as more personal and connected that the a typed letter.
Experimenting with different ways I could present the letter series, I like the typewriter font, its clear and simple.. but maybe too simple?
I tried a telegram template but I feel its a bit twee.. I was thinking along the lines of old methods of communication, as writing letters is antiquicated by todays standards, as is telegrams. Telegram, the precursor to the email/text?
Stay inspired at home with Firstsite's artist created activity packs, featuring contributions from Antony Gormley, Jeremy Deller, Gillian Wearing and more.
Chain mail, a chain letter, or a chain e-mail is an unsolicited e-mail containing a common myth or scare is sent out and because it seems significant or frightening, the recipient feels inclined to let all their friends know. A good rule of thumb to follow is if the mail sounds unbelievable, but has never been mention on a reputable news sources, it is not true. Don't forward these e-mails even if it claims its never been mentioned because of a cover-up or conspiracy.
Dundee-based project Dain’ Hings was initiated by Duncan of Jordanstone fine art students Jek McAllister and Saskia Singer as a way to invite fellow artists to ‘just dae hings’ This profile includes a video interview, recorded at Assembly Aberdeen, in which they explain how they got started using readily-available resources, including their local pub.
A group of artists from DJCAD started their own collective and have been doing various pop up shows in pubs and such. Similar vibe to what our collective is going for.. Possible collective collaboration?
Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas on the brazen T-shirts, big-name clientele and wild closing party that made their art shop the place to be in 93
I love this idea. What I love most is the attitude Emin and Lucas had, about just doing something.. not waiting for things to happen or planning things out laboriously, but the whole ethos if you want to put on work or create a shop, then just find a way of doing it.
Along with Astrid and another artist we decided to create an arts collective based in the east end of glasgow where we live.
The east end doesn't really have a lot of creative spaces like galleries or a large creative community, like for example the west or south of glasgow. We decicded to make a creative hub for east end artists with an aim to put on exhibitions, promote artists work, have monthly meet ups where artists can hang out and discuss ideas.
Really we wanted to create a space which we couldn't find within the community with a strong DIY ethos.
Creative Project @creativeprojectmartharitchie - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
