a life in representation 1
Originally uploaded by blind sam.

Quite reasonably I was recently asked whether I had a studio. Simply, I don't and outside of university I never have, but I also understand the pschological need for one.

I think Its important for the spaces in your life to represent the life that you lead. I'm sure thats why -at one level- we have rooms for sleeping and bathing and so on: to demarcate the psychological differences in what we do in our life and reflect the differences that we can make in creating our lifes. Of course there are practical, plumbing, heating, social considerations and so on but these could be overcome should there be a need for it at the level of our type of humanity. However, The divisions, walls, and functionality of spaces persists.

The spaces I occupy reflect parts of my mind and my activities. So, as a photographer, as an artist, the absence of a studio should be a concern. Because of the question and because of my persistant tinkering with this site over the last two months I made a mental bridge between the two. The more that I have thought about this more coherent the argument seems.

A studio is firstly somewhere to make work - ok so the site does not do this, but the laptop and desktop that I maintain and update the site upon does. Secondly, it is a place to reflect, and to spend time in. This is certainly true. It is a space for constructing and organising what my work is about and how it relates from one body of work to another. Again this is something that I was conscious in doing when I recreated the site - that it was an opportunity to reframe the work contained in it. Its also that persists and holds my work, and lastly somewhere for others to see my work, a place to hold studio visits.

The analogy is not perfect, but it is useful. This studio (with the laptop) moves with me wherever I go, and is always open for a view. Perhaps it is better to think of the site as an aspect of my digital studio, it is the public aspect for viewing my work and also the reflective space when my physical space won't permit it.