Space / Place and 'Non-Place'

Currently on the MA we are looking at the idea of space and place, and in particular that of 'non-place' as coined by French anthropologist Marc Auge. He used the phrase 'non-place' to refer to places of transience, places that are not significant enough to be regarded as places in fact. Non-places would be fleeting places, those you pass through and don't linger in, places like airports, supermarkets and subways.

In terms of the issue of space and place/non-place, I have chosen to look at the work of Yayoi Kusama, and in particular the piece she exhibited as part of MADE UP for Liverpool's 2008 Biennial; 'The Gleaming Light of the Souls'.

Her practice involves the abstraction of objects, spaces, environments and bodies through techniques like patterning, mirroring and reflecting. Kusama has an ongoing obsessive interest with the idea of infinity and the illusion of infinite space; infinity referring to 'a limitless time, space or distance that cannot be calculated'. From her Infinity Net paintings to these sensory installations, she creates a sense of neverending and uncontained space for the viewer. In 'The Gleaming Light of the Souls' visitors are invited into a small chamber, whose small, plain exterior unfolds into an all encompassing, sensory environment within, creating the illusion of neverending space. Inside the void all four sides are mirrored and hundreds of changing LED lights hang from the ceiling, producing endless reproduction and reflection. This multiplication and exaggeration of space transports the viewer into an otherworldy place within the confines of the gallery. 'After the viewer respectfully removes her shoes and surrounds herself with this space, it becomes even harder to define the nature of visual reality'. The hallucinatory environment reflects that of the visions Kusama has experienced and suffered with throughout her life, and so on entering we, like Kusama, experience the universe and the obliteration of ourselves as we become part of the work. Reflected as far as the eye can see, the viewer becomes an integral part of the space. The platform, set above a shallow layer of water, forces a common point of view for all participants; everyone who enters sees the same vision, only with themselves as the focus of the space every time. In this light, Kusama is concerned with ideas of solitude and nothingness, and the mysteries of the universe. Time seems suspended and the viewer is taken on a journey without going anywhere.

With this piece and others like it, Kusama is creating a space within a space; a universe within the walls of the gallery. Almost like the wardrobe in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (for me anyway). Thinking about the idea of the labyrinth space, as contained, enclosed, and where you can wander around the unknown, not something you pass through, the mirror box keeps you enclosed and disorientated in a space that has no beginning, middle or end. I think this is a space that you perceive based on your own tastes and norms. Within the box I felt comfortable and at ease, in fact I could have stayed much longer than the brief time slot I was given. It was like a mini escape from the world; otherworldy definately. Others may feel fear; of the dark, of the enclosed nature (the door was closed on you), of the illusions and tricks the infinity effect can play. Similarly others may be neutral and this space may have no effect on them whatsoever. Although not technically a non-place, the space we find ourselves in in this piece of work is certainly a place you pass through, a place where no interactions take place (you enter alone), with no roots or solid location (it can be transported), and a place that certainly does not respond to time. Not only does Kusama intervene in space, in terms of the gallery, but she is producing a new space; a small slice of infinity or a kind of black hole. This place is artificially created and has no history or memories, no relationships aside from with ourselves into infinity.

I would love to see more of her work, as seeing a picture in a book and actually experiencing the space are two completely different thing I'm sure. This is where experiencing the sign of the space instead of the space itself really doesn't work.

Leo Fitzmaurice. Noticing the un-noticed.

This week I went to a lecture at Chester University given by the artist Leo Fitzmaurice. Well, I had never heard of him before. I have definately been missing out! Not only is his work the sort that I really enjoy looking at and experiencing (I would love to actually see some in a gallery situation), but work that relates to my ideas and interests so much that it makes me want to learn more and create more.

'Using found and altered objects to re-contextualise the banal and everyday, changing our ways of seeing the familiar by altering or coupling objects with others'.

Leo Fitzmaurice is a British artist who remixes existing objects and in particular, discarded advertising and consumer materials. His work starts with simple observations. He often begins with an object he is irritated by, reworks it, and begins to enjoy it in other ways. His chosen material comes in the form of everyday materials specific to Western culture - flyers, packaging, consumer detritus. What particularly interested me is the way in which Fitzmaurice imposes a strict system from the beginning, imposing strategies and tactics in the creation of a piece. With his flyer pieces for example, he simply layed the flyers on the ground in a formation until that particular flyer ran out. Then he would start on a different one until a patchwork was generated. With my work often the system used in creating the piece is more important than the final outcome itself. And certainly with Fitzmaurice's work the idea of a system used to generate the pattern seems an important one.

Another point I found interesting was Fitzmaurice's use of language, or rather lack of. In one piece he re-works found carrier bags, extending the design until it no longer resembles that of the supermarket we recognise it as. But the point is we still do recognise it. Whether this is because of the common universal language of packaging that we all associate with or because of colour and pattern connotations we continue to relate to. We can still see elements of the original products but they have been abstracted. He obscures the information and in effect removes the original function of an object, while at the same time keeping the essence of the material and allowing other elements to breed. For him it is not a case of obliterating information but finding a new dialogue with the material. In this way he doesn't impose himself too much, but just enough.


The main connection and interest I have with Fitzmaurice's work is simply the way in which he starts with a simple observation of the everyday. This interest in the mundane materials of everyday life has been with me for a number of years now. A simple thought of 'What would that object look like without writing on?' is all it takes to completely re-work something just by changing it slightly and simply. Seeing the potential in something so simple. That's what it is all about for me! With his box sculptures he takes everyday packaging, the simple box, and removes any trace of information displayed. These boxes when displayed together then create a kind of cityscape. This idea of an objects relation to others is an important one. One box alone would be a box with holes in, but this mass accumulation of boxes creates a real visual impact and a mere box becomes a skyscraper. The importance of a simple box is exaggerated. What I particularly like about this as well is that it is evident of the process that has been involved in creating this work. The time consuming and repetitive nature of cutting out all of the words from all of those boxes. This investment of time and effort heightens somethings importance in and of itself.

Something he said during the talk resonated with me greatly. He said that he had begun buying things now for the packaging rather than the contents inside. This is the collection taken to the extreme, as I well know. It is a thought that has occurred to me many times whilst looking at my own accumulations. I myself began to buy chocolates not for the chocolate inside but for the wrappers that covered them. This is happening increasingly so. Something Fitzmaurice does that I haven't the guts to do quite yet is to pick up 'stuff' in the street. He then alters it and often returns it to its original setting, changing an objects identity then replacing it.

I am so glad I attended this lecture as it has opened up a whole new set of agendas for me to be interested in. For example I hadn't really thought about how language could play a part in my work. This is something I could possibly look into. More than anything though I have been able to relate myself and my own interests to Fitzmaurice's work. The way he notices the un-noticed, how he documents everyday observations, the imposing of a strict system and materials so the work generates itself, and working within the limitations of an idea and how far you can push that. More than anything he prompts people to look and opens up a visual search of the things we see everyday, pushing connections between objects and everything around them. All of this is what I am deeply interested in at present and seeing Fitzmaurice's work has made me even more keen to continue developing in this vein of thought.




'Leo Fitzmaurice highlights the obscure forms beauty can take, articulating its constant presence and its reliance on the eye of the beholder'.

Just getting started

I am starting this blog with good intentions. That of actually using it beyond the first week and updating it (fairly) regularly. We can hope can't we! As domesticity and the everyday is so important in my work I hope the blog reflects this and becomes a part of the everyday (or so...) routine. Stay tuned!