All over, 3000 Plastic Bags. Finishing stages on 2nd May 2010

Another week has gone by. Time has become so unbelievable fluid ever since art has taken over my life. One plastic bag to the other, like cherries, and then a next one, suddenly 3000 bags each one rustling away, beating time away. Time, unjust, exactly like Dali' melting watches. Although maybe it feels more liquid, more like a running water tap, sprinting from one day to the other and abruptly splashing into the next week and gushing out into another season.

The police came the other morning. each time I open the door worried and wondering if I might be guilty of something. This time I thought: "oh shit, maybe these 3000 plastic bags taking over the flat are an illegal posession! Maybe I am running an illegal activity! Maybe the neighbours have been complaining about the ongoing loud rustling, or maybe they are concern about the all white matter that has been growing inside the flat and that is now pushing against the windows.

Thankfully it was none of all this paranoia nonsense. Instead and more importantly they are investigating on 2 loud bangs, last Monday, at 22.30. I could not remember hearing them, to me the 22.30 gun tows banged unnoticed and blended into all the rest of the happenings rhythm.

So what have I done this week? Art, I think! I am now at the finishing stages where all the bits and pieces have to be taken care of and of course the packing up. In between all these things I have been filming, quite a bit, and I am hoping to make time to edit the material and to show you soon.

Veronica has been complaining to me: apparently my bags have taken over all available room, even the little space she needs as a writer. On top of that she even had to put up with white plastic bags dreams!

You might think, and I too think, that I might be in love with Berlin, like probably most artists!

Still I am the biggest fan of Britishness and British culture and I've always loved to live in London even if at times it has been tough to survive. After graduating, in fact, I quickly realized that I could not do it all and by myself: live, make art full time, in London. The first year after my graduation in 2005 I was making art from home, then slowly and shyly I ventured outdoors. It was a necessity really, but I enjoyed it a lot! since then it has been a half conscious process that has lead me to realized that it all links into the concept of my art-making and my concerns and that my strength was most likely in outdoor work, even though I enjoy making art anywhere, indoors as well.

So after my very first residency (at I-Park, Connecticut, where I made my first ambitious outdoor project, picture left) and then the second one (Ireland, picture below) in 2006, it was clear that that, was the way to go, to keep the art making going, the pushing towards more ambitious projects, and at the same time loving it all. Since then I've obsessively started applying, a bad habit that I've kept.... and voila'...that was it, the beginning of an addictive nomadic and homeless life!

One of my main surprising discoveries during this journey is on how very little one can survive on and still be a happy and fulfilled being. Please note that this optimistic statement is not taking in consideration and turning a blind eye on the dark patches and stretches that one has to encounter from time to time.

Anyways, regardless of that at this point I am not sure anymore If I am following my art, by chasing it wherever it takes me, or if my art is following me wherever I go, or if we are just chasing each other to the point of total confusion and union!

All of this to say that I don't have a permanent studio nor a permanent living place, I used to have one! Now home is wherever my boxed up plastic bags are and the motto is: 'make the most of what you have, adapt quickly and enjoy it!'

So every new place is a new sublet flat to settle into and a foreigner land to discover and to find out where to get all your art supplies, and everything an artist might need!

Nevertheless the residencies I was so fortunate to attended to this point have all provided me with great amazing indoor and outdoor spaces and facilities, where I was able to develop my work and my ideas and my portfolio.

Last year I was also very fortunate to have been awarded the Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner Grant. Thanks to that generous support I was able to treat myself with a 250 square meters studio space here in Berlin. For 4 privileged months, I did not have to organize, coordinate, nor worry and be preoccupied about finance, traveling, arranging accommodation and flights and whatever else is so time consuming.

These are some images of one the installations that were followed by a performance that took place in my Berliner studio in Friedrichshein.

The title for this work is" Chain Reaction"

And for the work below it's "GREED"

Here below is also an outdoor work called " Urban Candle"

I think I am into this now, so i will keep writing, making up for all the times that i couldn't write and the future times that i won't be able to!

Few days ago I got back in touch with the Berlin gallery owner Charlotte Steg Infantellina. She, like me, is also half Italian and half German. I had a show at hers last year. She is really nice and invited me right away to that evening event: 'Italiens', an exhibition of works by Italian artists living in Berlin and hosted by the Italian embassy. I thought that was nice for a change for Italians to finally engage with youngish artist and to open their doors, risking their so cherished image! The art I did not find of much interest, much more entertaining instead, was to observe the formal Italianate behavior and the people, who like me, probably have never been behind the doors of an embassy sitting room refreshed by a very civilized glass of Italian Spumante and made feel at ease on Italian designed leathery settee.

So yesterday I made it to the free classical music concert. It was not just one concert, but the whole Berliner Philarmonie building (very interesting architecture, by the way) was filled with the notes of all kinds of instruments in a series of concerts spread throughout the modern construction and mainly performed by young and not so young, promising and non, students. It was buzzing! Each time my sense of wonder and surprise is renewed to see how many cultural events, especially Berlin, but the whole of Germany too, offer to a wide and very mixed audience of people of all ages, and social backgrounds. All of them seem to have been exposed and posses a tuned sensibility and rooted love towards the arts.

When in Berlin, every time it is a real mission to try to be updated and at the same time enjoy the variety of the ongoing cultural programmes. You kind of get confused about what the priorities of an artist should be anymore:

- is it to make and construct art?

- Or enjoy hours of lingering at the Schrott Markt and the Baumaerkte looking through the huge selection of cheap sculpting materials?

- Or better apply for new opportunities and deadlines submissions?

- Or keep your blog updated?

- Or update your website?

- Or spent time with your loved ones, family, partner, friends?

- Or read their blogs and keep updated with their life, and the rest of the world?

- Or read, all the books and newspapers and art magazines?

- Go to the the main Galleries and Museums maybe?

- Or visit the hidden galleries in the delapitated and graffiti up old Warehouses and Breweries heroically resisting on the East-side?

- What about all the music events then?

- Or the amazing nightclub scene, and Techno heavens?

- What about all the international art movies shown at all the Film festivals?

- Or go to all the Classical music and opera establishments?

- But maybe you would just want to hang out in the parks under a blooming scenting tree by the lake and watch the ducks drifting in the river, just get inspired by metropolitan nature?

- Or just loose yourself in space and time, wandering, is it east or west side? daring the border lines, trying to make sense of it all?

- But then you again don't want to miss out on an intellectual conversation in a Cafe' making your life sweeter with a mouthwatering slice of Kuchen mit Sahne (cake with side wipped cream)?

- Or, get even more passionate about art and life, cosy, behind a long thin glass of foaming Berliner Pils that makes your heart glimmer in the yellow candle lights, in any Kiez berliner workers Kneipe(pub) ?

- And what about the late turkish suppers?

- Maybe followed in the morning by a Royal Fruhstuck (breakfast) moist by bubbly Sekt, if you have money. If you don't you can eat All You Can Eat ( 2,95 euro) and reflect on the pervious day events that will eventually mingle with the rest of your memories and will illegally intrude into your art, camouflaged in the colours drawn from the local weekly market.

- But maybe ultimately you would just want to spend some extra time in bed and make love!

Well today, I had no choice but to submit work for a few applications deadlines, work on updating my website and write my blog, reply to emails and start preparing for the next stage of my sculpture making ordering more materials online.

This evening though I am off to the opening at the Instituto Cervantes for a new art show called: 'LA Invisible City'. I am interested in maybe capturing other artists opinion on the parallels between the 2 cities: Berlin and Los Angeles.

So to get back to what I am doing now:

This is how far I got, about 2000 plastic bags but still a long way to go. But really my main concern is how to pack them all up and take them on the berliner S-bahn and the bus to the airport and ultimately on the plane?

Well, today it's a glorious sunny one here in Berlin, and I think I will try to worry about this at a later stage now and enjoy a free classical music concert at the KammerMusikSaal performed by the student of a nearby music school. I shall be also looking forward to my Pils at the Bier Garten in the Tier Garten, before getting back to work and hopefully find the time for more blogging!.....so much more to write, to say and to show you!

The page below has a short video, documenting the outdoor installation: "Blow me away if you can!" 2009

Blow me way if you can!

So I presume that this is how it happened!

I worked until late last night. It has been a busy week. It took longer than I thought to gather my materials. Not the various tapes and the 400 meters of fishing line. But the 100 meters of Metal Wire, which is not just any flimsy metal wire, I hope! but a special one for me! It is a stronger iron and steel mixture wire, that should make its 3 mm. body stronger and somehow rigid but still bendable and not so heavy in weight for the sake of plane transportation! I have now chosen 2 different kinds of this wire, each with slightly different properties hoping that they will grace my sculpture with two different range of movements and reactions to the natural elements: wind and air and possibly rain too.

So as you can notice from the pics the bags are taking over, but not just in my life and in the studio flat here in Berlin, but all over the places, one could in fact say across the world! For instance I keep about 50 thousands bags stored in my London Storage, Probably another dozen of thousands at my parents garage in Italy, more boxed up bags are at Veronica's storage in Los Angeles,

then at my friend's Nina Haft in Oakland, CA with whom in exchange I did a collaboration with her dance company and lent my work I did a Djerassi, in Woodside, CA. that was also recently displayed at the Institute of Contemporary Art in San Jose, CA and other bags are stored in Mexico, at the dearest artist and gallery owner house Mary Brenemann.

Ah and i almost I forgot, I also have a work stored over here in Berlin at the Gallery Infantellina where I was part of group show last year.

Here are couple of images of those works stored around.

I have been trying to upload a short video of the outdoor installation: BLOW ME AWAY IF YOU CAN! made at Djerassi last year, i might have to paste it to a separate page.

These are the all the bags that get to travel around and see a new life in a new form in a new place every time. It is almost biblical how light and air gives them life and shape nd how they resuscitate each time into a new artwork.

These are just few of the boxes that I kept shipping around the USA while attending various artist' residency programme across the Country.

So my life as most other artist's life is all about art all the time and everywhere at all times.

When I am not busy making art or traveling or going to exhibitions or applying for new possibilities I should really make time reading my friends blogs.....I still did not get around to do that, but maybe you can!! Here some addresses if you are interested in people's blogs that are traveling or making art or both:

http://www.getjealous.com/swanningoff

http://www.ninahaftandcompany.wordpress.com

www.storyportraitmedia.com/blog

http://www.visibletrash.net

Good Morning! This is how I woke up this sunday morning! I must say that I slept quite well, you would be surprised how versatile, comfortable soft and warm plastic bags can be!

I really have no choice as plastic bags are everywhere in my space and take over wherever i settle in in my travelling.

So I am now in Berlin where I will be working for the next month and half.

I have started constructing my new piece for Broomhill but I am still looking for some material, hopefully tomorrow I will find everything that I need.

Today i will enjoy the glorious springtime. The whole of Berlin is full with coffee tables spread all over the perfumed streets and the blooming parks. For the next 2 weeks I will try to relax and enjoy making and viewing art before starting packing again and once more trying to get and fit my installations on the plane....fingers crossed!

Travelling to Berlin from Birmingham has been another epic journey of mine: 4,30 hours to Stansted Airport on the National Express coach service and a crazy stressful time checking in with Ryan Air with over weigh luggage (although we were prepared) and very light weight budget and they still are trying to scam and suck every penny out of you. I hate them!! We were packing and unpacking for 2 more hours at the airport, trying to cheat the system that can only get the real worse out of you. Please note that we had been packing for a week before that, shifting my plastic bags around, from one suitcase to the other, weighing them over and over, in order to follow the RULES of "cheap" flying.

Through out the whole airport, Veronica, my partner, out of stress was sweating, while I was swearing, while "they" (Ryan Air) kept weighing our humongous and deceiving hand luggage, I even had to run away from some Ryan Air security chick that was trying to stop me and again weigh and measure my trolley while bossing me around. I had to have them chase me, and me shouting angrily back at them, trying to get away with 5 extra kilos: 100 pounds worth in surcharges.....in the end we made it...I don't really know how! We were both completely exhausted from the experience, thanks God for beer......

I think the whole experience as comic and tragic as it was is probably impossible to fully describe!

Anyways, Veronica who is Mexican-American, is barely getting over the shock of our European low cost airlines and I am used to it by now!

Here are 2 pics of how I travelled with all my bags. In this instance I was travelling by train to the Rhyl Art Centre with 2000 plastic bags.

I don't have images of how I recently travelled to Stamford by train with 2,50 meters long and one meter wide monsterish black bin bags wrapped package. The preparation for travelling, not to mention the stress, take more time to construct than the actual art work! Walking around with them and trying to fit them in all sort of public means of transportation is in fact a very entertaining performance for the casual audience that always seems very intrigued and interested in the happening. Maybe I should consider to move on, and make that my actual work. I am sure at some point I will be integrating it all into my work some how!

Before taking my work down at the Rea Garden in Birmingham I did a silent performance which I filmed. I have one hour film footage that I am aiming at editing into a final video piece.

I think fiming my installations while in the process of destroying them is a direction that I am drifting into more and more and that I am lately very keen to explore.

I am attaching few images of the aftermath of the performance.

Before traveling to Berlin and in between hanging and drying plastic bags at the Rea Garden I was in Scotland, that also was my very first time. I loved it! and I was surprise how good haggis tastes and got addicted to it. I could not make myself eat the deep fried Mars bars though! Instead i greedily devoured the as solid and sculptural architectural shapes of the city of Glasgow, possibly my favourite between the two: the other of course in competition is Edinburgh. Of Edinburgh I liked that natures envelopes it all around and the decorative constructions climb down from the hills into the sea.

But what I enjoyed even more was the Scottish Royal Academy Degree show. It was very impressive to me. I don't remember to have recently seen such an extended excellent combination of great craft, humor, and interesting concepts. All work on display were truly inspirational and managed to trigger an unresistable desire to make better art to push myself further. Hopefully i will get into an MA programme soon too!

So going back to my bags, I did say that I was posting some images of the drying process, here we go:

Good morning everyone,

I have just arrived in Berlin after a crazy time drying all my bags and making and setting up a new work at Burghley House in Stamford. Stamford is a really special town, everyone should make a trip there. This little jewel is set admits enchanting countryside. Burghley house is even more impressive: A grandiose Elizabethan palace is surrounded by extensive grounds with dears and sheep all over and a manicured park with romantic gardens.

In a section of these gardens a selection of sculptures are on show until November. Some are permanent but most are not. The show is curated by Mike Shaw and I think he has done an excellent job creating a very interesting sculpture garden.

My great challenge in this occasion is to leave my ephemeral work outdoor for more than 4 months. But I had to come to terms than i can only have control to a limited and certain extend.

so I should just relax and observe the process of transformation that will inevitably occur in those months. Hopefully Mike and Anthony (Mike's Shaw assistant) will document those change and forward them to me while I am in Canada for my next residency.

Here are some pics of the installation.

Hello everyone!

This is my very first blog EVER! How embarrassing is that!!

Anyways...Happy Easter everyone!...I am starting mine in ten minutes, after I finish writing this.

I will be cooking a nice easter meal and have some wine too as a treat for making art all the time...that is the best part really!!! The art and the TREAT!

The past week I have been taking my work down, from my last show at the Rea Garden in Birmingham were I have just finished attending a three month residency

here are a couple of unedited pics, I was told that 483 visitors came to see the show in just 2 weeks, WOW, I was impressed and flattered, still nobody has yet seen the images, I have taken of my work....

The piece is titled: "Shipwrecked: my life for a bag" and the 500 bags hanging from the sky that you can see in the picture contain water.

Anyway the task for the past few rainy days has been to dry the plastic bags as I recycle the very same ones over and over into new art works.

As usual it is race against time as i will need them for my next group show at Burghley House next week.

I will post a picture of how they bags look now soon.

got to rush for my treat

claudia