Some answers to some questions

Q: How do you decide when to move your work around?

A: For this series I moved the work almost instantly, pausing just long enough to take a photo – these are just three image of many that where captured on the walk. The intention of the work was always for it to be fleeting, to be gone as quickly as it has arrived. Just as the word is when it is spoken.

Q: What made you choose the word 'hi'?

A: It draws on our shared public language – it is a word that most people know and know how to respond to. This is an important aspect to all of my work, how easy it is for the public (not just an art audience) to respond to the work.

From a more practical point of view, when on a walk of artwork and a camera you do not want to be transporting anything that is too heavy. I would have struggled to carry, ‘hello’ for example. My art practice is very DIY and that includes things such as the transportation of the art work,

The context is important here too, as it always is with text. This was during the first UK lockdown and so communication with people was at an all time low. When on a walk in the country side, as you rightly point out, many people stop to say ‘hi’, however this was no longer possible. The photos of the installations end up representing something much deeper when you consider the specific context of the situation.

 

Q: Do you think you will use other language in the future, perhaps a mix of friendly with unfriendly?

A: My art practice is entirely text based. I have used many different words and phrases at different points in time. As previously mentioned the context is really important and so words that I have previously used may not have worked as well as ‘hi’, which was picked for the specific project.

The world is an unsettled place and I try to avoid adding to that with my language choice. That being said, the great thing about working with language is that each and every person who reads the words will interpret it differently and so a simple ‘hi’, to someone in a bad mood could come across as short and abrupt.