Joanne Smithers Open Space

C.V Name: Joanne Smithers D.O.B: 01/07/1978 Address: 3f3 62 Montgomery Street, Edinburgh,Eh7 5ja. Scotland Education: Ma.hons Cultural History, currently studying for Ba.hons Tapestry

Artist Statement I am currently exploring our relationship with animals and what this says about ourselves and our society. I am looking closely at the practise of taxidermy and the idea of animals as objects. I have been looking at the authenticity in taxidermy, the value we place upon the ‘natural’ form created which is really anything but. I believe that you can learn much about ourselves through how we view and treat animals. I have taught myself basic taxidermy and have been using basic taxidermy forms to explore this creating both objects and drawings. I have recently begun to experiment with using other types of precious materials, such as rhinestones as decorative matter in creating alternative decorative objects. I have been influenced by reading Borges’ book of Imaginary beings and Baudillard’s theories on our relationship with animals. “ The sentimentality in which we view animals is a clear sign of the disdain in which we hold them” Baudillard I am not particularly an animal lover

Why I would like to go What duty do we have as artists in today's cultural society. In a world where art is increasingly viewed as a good investment and the major stories read about art is which monetary record has been broken by the latest auction is art still relevant to the population at large and is this what we should be striving towards? As an artist working today I have a need for my work to be relevant and I believe that a healthy society envelopes it artists to enhance its culture, not merely in a decorative form but as reference point for society as a whole. Art can exist in many forms and influences every part of daily life, whether on a conscious or subconscious level it enriches our common experience. As an artist I feel it is imperative to develop a critical voice, to know how to disseminate not just other artists work but also my own. I would like to develop this skill and believe this workshop would be an invaluable experience in developing this.

As an artist I have questioned the making of art. Why I make things, who are they for and what I hope to achieve. Being the first in my family to work as an artist or to be involved in the art world I have come to the situation where my own family has questioned whether what I am producing is art. I have asked if I want to create things which many people find to be inaccessible or simply do not consider to be art. If the majority of people do not consider what I am doing to have any significance to them, who am I making for and to what end? As an artist I can not ignore the environmental impact of my work, in a situation where we are faced with environmental damage is it always ethical to create more things. How do we as artists weigh up the environmental impact of our work, for example flying to Germany for this workshop with what we can achieve by going there. It is a very hard question but one which cannot be ignored.

I believe that one of the most important roles art can play within society is in opening up a dialogue. In order to do this successfully it is important that as an artist that you have a strong critical grounding. I am not interested in merely creating decorative pieces. I feel that my time at college has been mostly spent concentrating on the practical aspects. I feel my work would benefit greatly at this point from this opportunity to further my critical thinking I noticed that One Hundred Years of Solitude was on the reading list. This has long been one of my favourite books. I think we can take magical realism as a template for our society as it could or should be. A place where the magical is commonplace, an accepted part of everyday life that enriches and informs everyone’s experiences. This is what I would like to do as an artist.