.. coming to the end

End of third year..

I can't really sum up just this subject without the top heading "end of third year".. because this subject has been more than just another subject, but a subject which has made me inspired again, and move my practice in a really different way. It feels apt that it's at the end of my final year in a way.. wow feel like i'm really rambling!

Prior to this subject i was ready to go "fuck art".. what's the point? so we get to sit around together and talk about how great that artists managed to portray a concept of something we already know something about. How many times can I really say an art work deeply challenged me?.. not that many really. Whilst it feels nice to sit in a room with other students and critique all these artists.. where was it really taking me? or anybody else? what did it really mean beyond this school, these students, and the 'art world'. In some ways, maybe that's ok.. but it's not enough for me. I want to be a participant who questions and challenges, i am that participant.. and the fact i can use art to do it really excites me!

I loved learning about collective practices, about public space art, and about art as activism. I think these a powerful tools for change which reinvigorates me about not just art, but also new ways forward for activism beyond another meeting, another fucking rally. It's changed the way I feel about art and my activism.

Doing this course made me see so much potential for artist activist work... for some reason i wasn't taught this up until now... and i think that's fucking incredible and disgraceful. I forgot this potential existed when i was surrounded by works which existed on walls. My current piece of work was going to exist in a public space, (running out of time.. this might come later).. you know what my academic advisor says to me, in a panic "but what are you going to do for the grad show?"

As I write my honours application i wonder if it will make it through.. i wonder if this institution will support a process driven work. I wonder if i want to stay in this institution? Is this the best way to develop my practice?.. one which i want to be collaborative, maybe collectively based, and explore community issues. Well.. I'll submit it.. and see what happens.