Research and development, critique, number one

As part of my ongoing development, I need to attend regular group critiques, the purpose of which is to see where, as 'artists', we are individually thinking and situated in our development, - and to get constructive feedback from both tutors and peer students.  The intent is supportive dialogue, something that I am sure is a familiar need as any artists career progresses.  What I recognise in each of these sessions, or critiques, or crits, as they are sometimes called, is to create an environment of academic rigour.  Therefore a constructive, and indeed at times, deconstructive but not destructive approach is necessary.
As the first critique of this final year, trust me to position myself to start the session off!

With reference to the mind map that I created earlier this week and last week, in which I have attempted to create a professional and presentable artefact, I explained to the whole group my position with regards to my title of "Things left behind".
The feedback I received was very positive.  It was clearly understood by the group that I am exploring my own position of "loss and grief".

• The observations are to work the art process itself as part of my own process of understanding loss.
• There are layers to the art.  Each of these needs to connect.
• The group understands that my intent is in helping others to "let go"
• I need to do this by making work, and those works need to connect in such a way that I can ask myself, how can images, help with the loss? 
• Where is the emphasis?  And how can I narrowed down my enquiry?

I need to continue to be focused to make work, which is rigorously tested, and work out a way to understand how I can prioritise acceptance of the work by other viewers.  And finally, I need to continually ask myself what do I want to get out of each of these exercises when I approach a new piece of work.
My colleague Charlotte made a very intuitive suggestion, that I should work first from my own perspectives of loss and then apply those feelings through my work in order to get the attention of others/the viewing public.

Tutor feedback was suggested, - to systematically explore different types of loss, which fits nicely with my own intentions to do so, too.
A suggested website to review is that of the Institute of failure, by Tim Etchells, (who is part of the group.  "Forced Entertainment").  An interesting excursion!
 http://www.institute-of-failure.com/about.html

An other interesting observation was made by my professor, who said that he was "sceptical of art projects that are specifically designed as being 'useful'".  What I think is meant by this is that he is sceptical of art projects with purposes that are predefined.  He was keen to understand how I would contextualise my artworks specifically as contemporary, and I agree that I need to demonstrate first and foremost my own processes of investigating materiality.  Nevertheless, in thinking about his comments with regard to engaging with people through art, I have reflected deeply and agree with his encouragement to be more "poetic" in my approach, to "not be too literal" which has been a constant battle I have been trying to remove myself from.
Finally, his suggestion to imply a level of restraint makes absolute sense too, - as, after all, I am studying a contemporary art and illustration degree, not an art therapy or psychology degree.  Therefore, whilst my goals are no doubt laudable, it is through art that I need to focus and these secondary objectives (to satisfy my own curiosity), should remain exactly that, in being secondary objectives.

Further recommendations to look at the work of the Chirico and Tim Etchells, should assist in my quest to find open ended-ness, or in another way, 'non-obviousness'.

I recognise too, that I may not capture everybody's interest because we are talking about an area of art with its' own subjectivity.

Additionally, there are some new works suggested for me to investigate (- in the Leeds Gallery), of J.G.Ballard, or rather his daughter, who is presenting a series of works of her late father, J.G.Ballard.  This is a photography exhibition which examines the idea of fading out of images.
(The curator for the Leeds Gallery is Derek Horton and the works in question are called "and model").