Jill Randall – Tate Project

As I mentioned previously, my research has caused me to revisit in detail the Residency I undertook at Magnesium Elektron (MEL) 2001-3, a magnesium-processing factory in Salford, Greater Manchester, especially how I interacted with, and involved the workforce in the production of artworks, and what they, and I , got from the experience. I basically set up studio in an abandoned workshop within one of the main factory buildings and continued my work exactly as I would in my permanent studio, without compromise. My thinking was to make the whole creative process transparent and available to anyone from management to shop floor workers , and I slowly established good working relations with a large number of individuals. It was about a mutual respect for each others professions, expertise, skills and specialist knowledge.

Nearly all the photographs of my work over the years have been taken by excellent photographer David Bennett, known for his “5 a day” Project, taking 5 photos a day for 1 year and assembling them into a book which is an extraordinary document of his life and the environment in which he lives on an urban/rural interface. Check his website out:-

http://davebphoto.co.uk/clients.html

Last night, I went to an Artists Talk at Camden Arts Centre, one of my favourite London galleries-It was sculptor Eric Bainbridge in conversation with Penelope Curtis (Head of Tate)  http://www.camdenartscentre.org/