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Curator overview: Zoë Gingell
Beginnings: 1st Pairing Feb 2020
ReLAY began as an idea suggested by Ethan Dodd and Mylo Elliott in early 2020 (pre-lockdown) two artists based in Cardiff who were already familiar with each others’ practice.
The interplay of text, symbolism and personal motifs, being common in their work seemed like a natural fit and a way of them understanding through observing and reacting to each other’s marks – a new way of developing these references.
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Process Idea
Using drawings passed to each other, initially side by side, then after lockdown via post - the process enable thought to come in to the process as responsive - forcing their habitual method of image making into adapting to another.
2nd Pairing : 2020-21
Caitlin Flood – Molyneux and Abi Birkinsaw, again contemporaries on the Cardiff art scene, working with mixed media in a developed personal individual visual language, were given the challenge of sharing pictorial space, but during very different and compressed timescale during lockdown.
Context & Language
Some pieces went through several ‘rounds’ of being worked on, often with one artist making the final intervention in the work as an answer, to complete it . As Elliott states, they were creating ‘unique statements’ , working from a series of clues which the other had initiated.
The fact that they were preparing work for each other, the ground , setting up a call for a response: was a very different process post lockdown to the initial series in feb 2020 where they were working fast, side by side. There appears to have evolved through the project, a more considered use of language, a learnt sense of respect – knowing when to push and pull back.
“The project has always been about bringing a working method, and agreed points of departure, on complexity and understanding. Context is all important.” says Elliott.
Studio ReLAY : during Lockdown
For Flood-Molyneux and Birkinsaw, the circumstances of the project were very different – engineering time to work alongside each other in restricted social climate, resulted in attempts to paint side by side – outside, in the middle of winter.
A period of intense drawing in a studio (socially distanced) followed as being quicker and easier to manage through a series of arranged shared studio sessions. This meant working rapidly in response to each other and a more reactive and more challenging process of territorial claims on the picture space as a route to allowing a symbiotic ‘common’ ground to evolve.
Finding Common Ground
The domestic arena found its way into all of the works, still lives taking on the reference of a shrunken lockdown existence world revolving around the table and immediate environment of pot plants and wine bottles, current lived space.
As Flood –Molyneux says “One piece I am particularly happy with is “Still Life Interrupted” as I think it is a good reflection of mine and Abi’s practice blended into one. We almost battled on the canvas, Abi (Birkinsaw) building on her still life using collage whilst I come in with big bold marks of expression using materials such as spray paint. We both found similarities in our practices and interesting contrasts such as painting is a very reflective time for Abi and mine is built on escapism and unlocking into my subconscious.”
ReLAY : Legacy
This laying of the ground and the push and pull of energies between immediacy of mark making and reflective, conceptual need to make sense, shape or form meaning - when to construct and when to allow association to form connections, is something which has occurred across all the works made for this exhibition. Conveying a sense of freedom within a framework set up by another, allowing understanding.
Ultimately its testament to the strength of an image which can hold and convey all this complexity, and beautifully.