Glitch: a sudden, usually temporary malfunction or fault of equipment.
In this instance the equipment is my mind, a temporary malfunction in the bouts of depression or mania which mark me as corrupt and broken.
Within my work I strive to create a Cartesian Dualism, a link between physical ‘stuff’ and thinking ‘stuff’; through the building of installations I create an environment which tests the psyche of the viewer. I explore this through the relationship between the audience and myself, focusing on the behaviour and reactions to specific encounters with the work.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder and at times my life can be extremely difficult, however it can also be incredible wonderful. I feel my life is balancing on a knife point and when I wake up I’m not sure which way my mood will fall, living like this can be frustrating but then again, maybe more rewarding. I tell myself that if I fall into a good day, then let’s make it great because tomorrow may not be quite as good.
For the past two years I have been working on Broken Grey Wires, and my passion is fully focused on what this project can achieve. In this time I have been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for days at a time, and also for weeks, this has given me the determination to turn BGW into a legacy for contemporary art and mental health, to help others struggling, and those who feel they have nothing left to give.
I am working alongside artist and curator Mike Chavez-Dawson on the project, which has three parts; part 1 will bring together all the research material and findings through the website platform. It will be a place of resource, and eventually an evolving reflective catalogue around the outputs (physical shows/workshops) that will also serve as an archive and promotional device for the overall project. As it precedes the second phase (physical exhibition) it will allow us to anchor the overall project both nationally and internationally.
Part 2 and 3 will be two exhibitions in leading institutes. Along with the artists involved I envisage that the exhibitions will enhance our experience and knowledge of mental health. All artists involved will share their experiences, whether it is of their own mental health issues, or from their understanding gained during study or knowing friends/family with mental illness. The key aim will be to make mental health situations such as my own and others more tangible to people in similar positions, albeit from a research led contemporary art perspective.
Artists include; David Shrigley, The Vacuum Cleaner, Beagles and Ramsay, David Sherry, Paul Digby, Magda Archer, Stuart Semple, Bobby Baker, Marcia Farquhar, Jeremy Deller and Ryan Trecartin, plus many more.
The point in this project is that I have been there, I’ve been in that situation, that dark hole where you wonder what the point in living is; in fact I still slip into those situations now, but I got through those times and I’ve learnt how to pull myself out of that hole. I want Broken Grey Wires to be a project which can help those struggling, can give them their confidence back; restore their pride and encourage them to find that spark again.
Workshops will be designed by artists, occupational therapists, and performers, to be fun, educational and relaxed. Talks will give the audience something to relate too and give the opportunity to ask questions to people who have gone through similar experiences.
The art will be interactive and show that it is alright to feel ‘melancholy’ it’s alright to feel ‘insecure’ we all do at some point.
And if we got through it, so can you.
To get the project underway we need to build part 1, the web platform and exhibition catalogue. To do that we need your help!
Please support the project by pledging here http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/broken-grey-wires Add us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/brokengreywires
And find us on twitter @brokengreywires
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p.s. Hey. Today the fine visual artist and DC's contributor Lizz Brady introduces us to a very interesting project that she is masterminding and asks for your thoughts and support. I hope you will explore her words and plans accordingly and help Broken Grey Wires come to fruition in whatever way you can. Thank you! And thank you very, very much, Lizz, for sharing this here. ** Kier, Hi, K! Jonathan Mayhew was telling me about the Astrup Fearnley Museum, and I don't know why Zac and I missed it when we were there. The Black Metal museum/store is open? Awesome! Stephen told me it closed for a while. In fact, it was closed when I was there, but I wanted to visit it so bad. Cool, excited for the Diorama installation pix! Yeah, how was 'Lyle'? Nice poster. I didn't end up seeing Psychic TV, unfortunately. Long story. Too long. But I did get my tickets to see Lust for Youth and Croatan Amor next week, which I'm excited about. Cool about Cappellens Forslag, and that that guy is a fan of Justin's. Internationalism is so trippy! How much longer are you in Oslo? ** Pilgarlic, Hey there buddy! Long time no see, and doing so is a sweet thing. I'm good, man, and you sound pretty revved, which is ear music, or, I guess, eye music rather. I've heard of the Music Midtown Festival. Yeah, I don't think I'd pony up for that line-up either. You know, weirdly, I've never heard a peep of music by Lana Del Rey, or probably I have somewhere but I didn't Soundhound it maybe only because I don't know how to use Soundhound, although it's probably a snap. You make her seem interesting. I have never heard of Shovels and Rope, but what a name they've got there. Okay, I have to go find out what a duo that chose that name sounds like. I'll do that as soon as I scoot out of here. Did you have a good summer? Is summer over there? Our summer here felt like fall and our fall here feels like summer so far, so I don't think I could answer that question if I asked it of myself. ** David Ehrenstein, Thank you kindly! And great that you linked to that clip. I wanted to use it in the post and tried, but it's locked. So, cool. Beautiful scene, yes! ** Tosh Berman, Hi, Tosh. His huge face is a scary thing, and, for some reason, I like that scare. It's weird. Aw, sigh, a month in Tokyo, so, so nice. Time for me to figure out a return trip, I think. Turning 60 was so strange, right? Truly strange. And then, after a year or two passes, it's strange that it isn't so strange or something. Oh, you'll surely have another project figured out to do by the end of the year, I think. Oh, btw, that event for Lun*na's book with the fashion show and everything looked so good in the photos you posted on FB. Drat at not being there. ** Sypha, Hi. Yeah, I can see what WB meant about the Residents cover. Not so much about the Siouxsie 'Helter Skelter' cover, but I'll try it again. ** Steevee, Hi. I wondered if you liked Lewis's films. That's cool. I agree with you about 'HW' and 'CU', but there are some very inspired, terrific scenes and ideas in the former, I think. I know of Joe Sarno, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen anything by him. Huh. That's very interesting. Maybe I'll explore his work and put together a post about his work at the same time. Doing posts is a really good way to structure the exploring of filmmakers' works. Thank you a lot for the alert about him! ** Gregoryedwin, Hi, Gregory! Yes, he's frequently compared to Tati by people who take his work seriously, and the influence is pretty clear, I think. Got your email. Sure, no problem at all! What's next in the process, and when do you need it by? ** Etc etc etc, Hi! Me too, re: 'TDTCC', and it was interesting, if you watched that clip, to see even Lewis say it's completely awful and that he'll never let it be released. No wonder I liked that word exsanguination so much. Maybe I'm psychic or something. Thanks, man. ** Bill, Hi. That teaser is a total tease. Exciting! I'm going to google Birgit Ulher. I actually do know her name, but I don't think I've heard her work. Did Craig Baldwin talk at the screening? He seems like kind of an upbeat maniac in the clips I've seen of him talking. ** Jonathan, Hey, neighbor! Thanks about my cogency re: the Clark show. Dude needs a vacation from himself or something. I'm totally way down for checking out Berkley Books as soon as you think you can handle a return visit. I'm kind of jonesing badly to go there, and to that 2nd hand place too. Yeah, when do you want to go? And that show you propped on FB sounds really good too, Talk/see pronto. ** Thomas Moronic, T! Holy shit, your emails are such a incredible windfall! Thank you wildly! All hail that overdose of coffee! I'm going to post the 'LB' one on this coming Saturday, and I'll email you with the launch dates of the others. Really, wow, thank you a ton! As I told Kier, I didn't see PTV after all. Oh, well. ** gucciCODYprada, Hey, Codester! Nothing to report yet. I've just started, and I'm juggling that pleasure with two deadlines, so my pace is a bit glacial right out of the starting date. But I promise my slowness will pay off. I do remember you talking about Gesaffelstein, yeah. Thanks for reminding me and for spelling out the name. I'll go engulf myself in 'Trans' the very second this post hits the airwaves or whatever the waves inside the internet are called, if they're called anything. I guess there's no air in there. More soon, and thank you, and majorly big up to you! ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. I finally did see/read some stuff about the riots, but I had to really search for it, you're right. And, of course ,pretty much all the coverage I saw had an implicit 'it's all the 'Yes' people's fault' slant, which seems to be the ugly, barely concealed at best slant in most of the coverage of the vote. Obviously, I hope that "Campaign for 16/17 year olds to vote" thing succeeds in the extreme for every reason! ** Misanthrope, Hi, George. God in heaven, that's so ugly. I'm really glad that LPS is at least semi-safe. So, do you think his mom won't press charges against the guy? And would that mean nothing will happen? I mean, I don't know how these things work, but would 'child welfare', if that's an actual thing and not something you only see in the movies, step in to protect LPS by getting him out of that situation or something? I hope you don't have to lawyer up. God, George, that's so terrible. If there's anything I can do, you know, just ask or even hint at asking, okay? Big love, me. ** Rewritedept, Fucking Blogspot, yep. Kind of a here-and-there weekend you had. Mine was okay. I made progress on finding the guy we need to hire to help with the film footage, and, if I'm really, really lucky, that might even be a problem solved today or by tomorrow. I worked on the new Gisele theater piece a lot because I have to try to finish writing it in two weeks, and I have quite a ways to go. I saw Gisele, related. I didn't see any shows, but I bought tickets for one (Lust for Youth + Croatian Amor) and I sent out feelers to see if someone in the know can get me into the sold out Swans + Pharmakon show. It was a here-and-there weekend for me too, I guess. I'm sorry to be so vague about talking, but I always underestimate the amount of shit I have to do, so I have to say maybe later this week, yes, but we'll see. Sorry. ** Hyemin K, Hi. Oh, a mouse, yeah. We seem to get one to three mice at least once every year here because it's such a huge, ancient building. One of the oldest buildings in Paris. Well, with the mouse I took out to the park, he/she was really into our little plastic garbage can, understandably. So I made a kind of trash stairway so it could get up and into the garbage can. Then I listened, and I heard it doing that, and then I ran in there, took away the trash stairway, and it was stuck in the garbage can and couldn't get out, as planned. Then I carried the garbage can into the park and laid it on its side, and the mouse ran out and away into the park. Worked for me. ** Right. Please lend your eyes and brain and fingers to Lizz Brady's project today. Thank you very much. See you tomorrow.