deptfordx

Having finished my “Deep Trouble” exhibition of about 20 framed Cyanotypes, when it came to Deptford X 2023 I wanted to do a single artwork. The theme this year is looking back on 25yrs of the festival. I’ve participated several times, but my standout year was 2021. We had just came out of lockdowns , everything had to be outdoors or online.

I made a big cyanotype collage, and on it I painted a Plague Doctor figure overlooking the High Street. I had interesting conversations with people about local history and about pandemics. My online scripted Zoom ‘happening’ going back in time with an actor really felt like it was breaking new ground.

Learning Curve

This year instead of a Cyanotype collage, I wanted to use a collage of photos of Deptford taken over the last 25yrs. That is where I made mistake number one! I had these images in my head, memories, but I had to find them in my archives! It took days to do this.

There was a mixture of darkroom prints, iphone photos etc to source. As I was scrolling my vast library it was a bit like seeing your “life flashing before your eyes”. (Similar to BeReal which I am very into. ) What is life, if it isn’t a series of photographic images in your memory? It is no coincidence that my background is in TV, the collage felt a bit like 24 frames per second , but laid out on a flat plane. However, glued down on a recycled piece of cardboard the images were underwhelming.

After the draining process of collating my very meaningful images I had lost energy to paint the Plague Doctor figure on top! But Deptford X is playful, and allows you to experiment, so I got deliberately sloppy with the paint.

I was fed up with painting the black colourless figure! Then I ate some custard and thought that would be a good colour for his ‘all seeing’ eye “. From there on it started to look like a GCSE art creation… but I’m ok with that. I know full well that if I had immaculately framed my stunning photos individually, they would have have had a very different impact. Instead, they are butted up against each other and give the impression of haphazard, slightly messy, clashing, loveable Deptford, The punky DIY assemblage also suited Overdrive music studios, where my piece hangs.

Public reaction has been fascinating so far. I will report back on that later. I am learning loads.

Catch it on 23, 24, 30th Sept & 1st Oct 12-10pm at a unit 7 Resolution way opposite Deptford station. Details here

Also my free drawing workshop at Pepys Hub should be fun!

Since Lockdown work has been like buses, nothing for ages and then 3 projects at once. I always love Deptford X Festival as it interacts with my local community, but it was a lot of work this year because all work had to be outdoors. Artists had to find their own outdoor spaces, and I was walking down Deptford High Street in the pouring rain one day, and knocked on the door of a new bar (many places were still closed at this stage of lockdown). The venue (Badger Badger) were very hospitable and have allowed me to hang my work outside , and in the windows, and on the roof !

Now more than ever I see the value of physical art in a physical space like a street, and one that isn’t just a ticketed ‘art prison’.

My “Day 59” exhibition includes images from my Lockdown Diary in Cyanotype (book still in production!) and more responses to my thoughts on historic plagues. My work will come down at about 10pm on Sunday 18th July.

The opening event I held was online due to restrictions but it was quite a happening ! I gave a talk and demo but I then wanted to discuss pandemics in general , and we looked at the historic Plague Doctor. Having engaged the services of actor Ian Crosson, I was able to get a real Plague Doctor to join the Zoom and read my script that was based on my historic and scientific research.

I have my 1st in-person Cyanotype Workshop of the year planned on Friday 23rd July in Woolwich. Only £15 and a great opportunity to make some lovely blueprints in the midday sunlight. I am also planning a Process-A-Film Workshop for Fri 13 August – I am not sure if there will be interest in that but it can certainly save you a lot of money in the lab !

The other new project I am working on involves more mermaids – watch this space !