Each grip was wrapped in white tissue and boxed for each participant, they were handed out at the same time and everyone had time to open the object and think about it before sharing the response to it and the process of opening it. The objects that I had originally formed as small solidified gestures for the first group had been grips of clay. Having considered various grasps, handles and grips the force of my hand on the simple material had seemed most appropriate. It wasn't introduced as a completed object or as an art object, it was introduced as part of the converstaion for the navigation that would take place within the galleries at Tate. Some aspects of that handing over - my handing over reamined cleraly within the evolving practice and particularly when Lloyd had said that the object had made him feel as though he was holding someones hand' he went on to say that ' I suppose we are actually holding Kimberley's hand today in these spaces'. This statement which was materially and metaphorically correct reseonated and whilst I wanted to provide the another small gesture for the second group my ideas had moved on and the grip had to be different but with similar intent. I am now more aware of the 'handing over' being a gesture of trust and attention. The group called it ' a gift' but this was very much their own term and that in turn brought about a whole set of notions that realte to the gift and the burdon of responsibility in the receiving of the gift itself. This new small object was again an impression or sqeeze of my hand. The objects are the same action but form differently and so they are multiples through action but differ slightly through that same action too. A real handful. When making the handful I would squeeze as much as my hand could squeeze and push one of the fingers more firmly into the clay. This action had been informed by the earlier object made for lloyd where the thimbles had created a locating point to hold and get purchase on the object. However, I was clear that whilst my hand shape may not fit anyone elses, the thimble was likely to allow a hold to take place. The thimble was also there to create a valve a point where something could flow in or out. The thimbles were inserted so that the name of the place it came from was masked but not completely so that a hint of somewhere else was visable in the intermacy of the object.
Having said these details and the attention on how these simple forms were made and considered- they were only seen as introductory forms to the research, A hand shake, a hand full.
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Kimberley FosterKimberley's practice as an artist is pedagogical, it doesn’t just reference learning, it plays with, embodies and encourages learning at its core. The objects consider ideas of collaboration and authorship, discussions about touch and encounter, and bring into active consideration issues of learning within social and participatory practices. Archives
October 2018
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