Project Director’s Journal
April 2003
The project is now ‘live’
and I think the most useful first page of my web journal would
be to summarise how we arrived at this point. As ‘Textural
Space’ gained momentum and we became aware of the huge
numbers of visitors and the extraordinary responses to the
work, we began to feel that there should be ‘something’
which built upon this experience. It had become apparent through
the relationships established during ‘Textural Space’
that the processes of realising form and structure in textiles
in Japan and the U.K. are linked by the nature of the activity
but diverge significantly in terms of intent. Yet these particular
approaches have much to offer the other through opportunities
for expression and development. That ‘something’
slowly crystallised into THROUGH THE SURFACE.
Having decided that the idea of a mentoring
exchange between the UK and Japan would be the appropriate
vehicle it was then necessary to put the appropriate framework
in place.
Selection
Process
The selection process for participants took place over an
extended period between January and November 2002. This project
is about process and collaboration and I felt that this should
extend into all aspects of the project, including the selection
process. I had worked with Keiko Kawashima on ‘Textural
Space’ and I invited her to be the Project Co-ordinator
in Japan for through the surface. In January 2002 I began
to talk to people about the project, to gauge reaction, to
collect feedback, to listen to and note any ideas, comments
and suggestions made. In April I stayed in Japan for 6 weeks
to do the same, visiting:
· Universities
· Museums/Galleries
· Funding/Support Bodies
· Potential Participants
I also had lengthy discussions with
Keiko Kawashima each week during my stay and we began to put
a structure in place for the Mentoring scheme. Our identified
target areas of collaboration were:
· links between textiles, science and technology;
· the impact of new materials and processes on the
re-evaluation of traditional practice;
· textiles as architectural intervention;
· the use of materials that act as interface between
interior design and fashion.
The selection of the participants was/is
a very delicate process, almost akin to ‘marriage brokering’
and the greatest thought and care has been given to this.
We decided that the selection for the Mentees should be done
in two ways:
o open submission through advertisement
o by networking (with artists, educational institutions, arts
organisations, galleries etc)
We decided that we would first select
the Mentees and then seek their Mentors through networking.
In this way we could allow as open approach as possible while
still ensuring that the most appropriate matches were made.
After advertising and research Keiko and I exchanged portfolios.
In October I returned to Japan and Keiko and I spent a week
choosing our emerging artists from those whose work we had
put forward. We then spent another week discussing, contacting
and meeting Japanese artists who we felt would be appropriate
Mentors and we were delighted that all accepted. I returned
to the UK and contacted the artists here who we had identified
as Mentors and, again, all accepted. The partners were then
put in touch with each other and the collaboration began.
Now young artists are travelling halfway
across the world to work with those established artists who
have been generous enough to agree to take part in a project
which will inevitably affect the working practices of all
those taking part. This is the most exciting time for all
of us as the working relationships are formed and collaborations
begun. I will be travelling to each partnership to photograph,
interview and document and we will all have the tremendous
privilege to read the journal entries from the artists on
this website.
We hope that the experiences and the
documentation will prove to be an invaluable resource for
those who are involved with the creative processes and of
real interest to everyone. The outcomes from this project
are unknown at the moment, but will appear finally as an exhibition.
But that is next year, and meanwhile we are really working
through the surface.
Lesley Millar
Project Director THROUGH THE SURFACE
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