MA Art in Public: Oxford Island

http://www.oxfordisland.com/

Oxford Island

Logbook – Oxford Island


Day 1

We were given a brief - Design and build a wood fired bread over in the Artspace Area. The cob will be made up on the spot from local clay and sand. The design can be based on traditional Ulster or Cornish examples or on Italian/Spanish ovens. We took a synergetic, humanity, community approach using traditional methods and materials in our construction. We researched the Ulster oven as we liked the simple design of the form. We spent most of the first day planning and researching. I learnt basic things in building about clay ovens – Face door away from wind, 1part clay to 4 parts sand: cob combo.

In the afternoon firstly we put up a canopy to shelter us if it rains. We naturally split up into two groups: builders and twisters. The builders constructed the block structure that was to be a platform for the clay oven. The twisters well twisted!! The cob was made by mixing the clay and sand together using your bare feet. It was an enjoyable experience I must say being allowed to muck about in the dirt.

Day 2

At this stage we had constructed the platform and mixed up some cob and were ready to get stuck in. we added extra support to the platform to support the weight of the oven; laid down planks of wood on to platform, then an inch of sand and finally the layer of bricks. We were now ready to create the mound. The mound will be the belly of the oven. Eventually in weeks to come the sand will be taken and the oven will be ready.

We ran out of sand so combined logs and several objects we found lying around to form the belly of the oven. We covered it with newspaper to soak up excess moisture in the cob and also to separate the cob from sand. At this stage the cob was ready to be fixed on. We built the cob up by forming layers and pressing it down giving it more structure.

Day 3

We had a lot to complete by home time: finish moulding the clay, pat down cob, collect firewood, attach wooden panels and mould door on to the front. The surface needed to be smooth so that the rain water runs off. Furthermore the wooden panel fixed to the base of the platform protects the clay from getting eroded by rain water. We fixed more wooded panels to the front section to cover the blocks and make it aesthetically pleasing. Holgart made tea with the Kelly Kettle’s and soda bread on a wooden fire for us which were nice refreshments to the days work.
We celebrated our work by combining the finished pieces together: the clay oven with the wooden table created by the rustic furniture makers.

Archiving: An Accident of Practice?

(in conjunction with This Will Not Happen Without You, from the Archive of The Basement Group, Projects UK and Locus+ (from 1977 – 2007)


Tuesday 23rd October 2007
Interface Seminar Room, Belfast Campus, York Street
10.30am – 4.15pm



A day long seminar looking at the responses of individual practitioners and organisations to the issues of archiving their works, particularly time-based and public domain projects. The panelists are Bill Furlong (Audio Arts, London), Andre Stitt (Trace, Cardiff), Loraine Leeson (artist, London), John Kippin (artist, Newcastle) Alastair MacLennan (artist, Belfast) and Karen Downey (Belfast Exposed, Belfast).

Participation is free, but spaces are limited so advance booking is advisable. Please contact Gráinne Loughran for more information and to book a place: g.loughran@ulster.ac.uk or Tel: 028 90267217.

more links to look at...

http://www.jeanneworks.net/

introductions

Welcome all the MA Art in Public students!

This blog is for you to post comments, discussions, issues, questions, news, exhibitions, pics, text, links ...etc all related to the MA Art in Public realm. If you have any problems posting or do not know how to use the blog please email me or talk to me.

Here are some artblogs to take a look at for starters:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/art/
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/
http://blog.goethe.de/artsummer-germany/

see you soon,

Saoirse