Helen Statham
Helen Statham
On starting the MA, her primary question was; how might I generate work that is relevant to its viewer? She is now researching and developing art that primarily requires public participation in order for it to function.
This has led her to continue the research she started on her undergraduate degree about the connection between the artwork and the viewer. Since starting the MA she have become aware of the recognised term ‘Connective Aesthetics’ and have been able to locate her own research within this existing context.
Another line of research that she is currently following is the idea of the gift. Through her own practice she is exploring the gift as a form of exchange and investigating the extent to which people are willing to ‘give back’ to the artwork. This again links with the idea of an active or engaged viewer.
Over all her work work revolves around 5 main areas of interest. These are:
1. An aesthetic that can only exist through the connection between an artwork and viewer.
2. Sincere art that relates to universal life issues and can potentially be of interest to anyone.
3. An engaged approach to art where the artist thoroughly researches their subject matter, materials, site and audience in order to create relevant and engaging work.
4. The links between science, philosophy and art, particularly the different understandings of existence and how life may be interconnected.
5. I believe everything is interdisciplinary and feel irritated by the way aspects of life are ‘neatly put into different boxes’. I see art as a way of bridging the gaps between these separate aspects and wish to encourage a whole and non fragmented way of understanding the world.
© 2008 Social Sculpture Research Unit
