SPECULATIONS
Our idea of what makes a safe space changed in early Spring 2020. Walter Benjamin described how the domestic interior emerged towards the end of 1700s as separate from a place of work, but he might have had a surprise seeing us reverting into having the living space becoming a work space again with the upheaval of pandemic.
An image is shaped by the space it is created in. For an artist, that is often the studio, a place that is simultaneously personal and work, and during lockdown it becomes a safe haven. We too tend to be shaped by the environment we work in but sometimes we are able to shape these spaces according to our imagination. The scale of a work can be determined or limited by the studio but it is the mental space that cannot be measured in rent or square metres that is the most valued possession of all.
In Speculations papier-mâché sculptures are layered with projected images to create a new entity with the artist’s presence dominating the space and not the other way around.
The project has been supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Behind the scenes of Speculations
In ‘Speculations’ paper constructions and papier-mâché sculptures are layered with projected images to create a new entity with the artist’s presence dominating the space and not the other way around. Filmed in the artist’s studio during days of creating this project, this short documentary gives a unique glimpse into the process of creation of this series & all the perils and joys of making an idea happen.
Duration: 7 min. 42 sec
Filmed by Simon Crofts on location in Sylwia’s studio in Edinburgh; the artist was interviewed by Kasia Jackowska; with special thanks to Boom Saloon Projects team.
The project has been supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland
