An open exhibition at the John Hansard Central Gallery.

The Weigh House is a medieval ruin, four high walls surrounding a courtyard. Once it was used to weigh the goods brought into the docks of Southampton and a proportion taken for the kings tax. It now stands unused and locked.

The locked gate signifies an ownership of that space; a space the public are permitted to use when paying and under certain circumstances.

My work was opening this locked gate to the public, allowing the public to use the space as they want. It also represents the underlying politics of the use of public spaces in Southampton.

Is it ok to lock these places away or lease them out to commercial businesses? Is it part of an on going erosion of freedom and public property that people take for granted and accept? So, in a bigger picture the act of opening the gate also allows us to think about the freedom of speech by the act of unlocking to a free and open space. What people do in this space is their choice. Should people wish to sit and eat lunch that is fine. Stand and smoke, that is fine, children run about playing, that too is fine. Street entertainers to set up and play would be terrific. During the time of the exhibitions opening hours, it is the people’s space to use respectfully and lawfully. Anyone, or any group can use the space as theirs, to enjoy and admire. It is after all a public property.

The idea is to not interfere or plan any events, no rotas of who uses it when. Simply allow the space to be.

Hopefully the presence of the open gate will encourage inquisitive people to enter; and therefore take part in the art. Freedom also means to give a choice; they can also ignore the open gate and walk past.

http://www.farawayvisions.com/mayday-picnic-at-catchcold-tower/ A review by travel writer Meraid Griffin.

The title is taken from the book of the same name by Michael Auping. It was a transient public art gallery utilizing public space, exhibited for just an afternoon at Catchcold Tower in Southampton. The pieces were archived groups of resin minumentals repeating a pattern but with a difference each time. The point of the art was the use of the space but with a secondary underlying display of order and difference. Much like humans, in the end we are all made of the same stuff regardless of hierarchy, race, religion, political leanings and so on.

The first night of 'Open' was interesting. A quick brief on the concept;  to open a locked public space to the public for them to use as they wish, the thinking being how people view public spaces. Most are 'owned' by a local council, which in turn is funded by people. So it does question ownership of these spaces. The aim was to not project my personal views, but to get others to form their own views unencumbered by political propaganda.

So the opening night arrived and in came people. I have a small tent set up in the corner of the space to keep dry if it decides to pour down and to keep paper work dry. Flyers, press release and my comment book. Which simply asks: 'What do you think?'

At the begining of the evening a local group of musicians came in to the space to play for everyone which made it a rather spectacular opening. Lots of singing and dancing. Being evening though meant the light faded quickly and it became too dark for them to continue to play. So my thoughts were; should I have provided more light. I came to the conclusion even though more light would have been very beneficial that would have been me taking control of the space, which contradicts the point of allowing the space to be, to relinquish the idea of ownership of a space. No ownership means nothing provided.

For a while I played with the portable projector using an ipad app to write in light on the walls, which I then let the children of the band members scribble on, they rather enjoyed making marks that lit up. The mayor was making a tour of all the exhibtion venues, and arrived, watched and went.

Once the band had gone the space became relatively quiet for the remainder of the open night. Which then left me wide open to da da da da....the critics. I was char grilled over the concept: "Isn't that somewhat of a cop out? Is it art? All you have done is just opened the space!" Yes. I explained a little behind the concept but could see by the facial expression he was still unimpressed. "They are locked with good reason" came the reply. I decided the best response really in that situation was to accept that his view was valid, as was mine. Art is subjective. I offered him the use of my comment book, but to be honest it was so dark, that was not happening. The man looked to my tent: "Are you sleeping here?" "No I am not, I have a very comfortable bed at home, it is not a performance". He then asked if I was locking the gate at night. To which I said I had proposed it was left open all the time, but the official hours of the exhibition was all that would be allowed. "So hasn't it failed then from the off?" Well at this stage I really cannot say if the project was a fail or not,  far too early, but he was right in the respect it was not open 24/7, but...and here is the but, baby steps, the aim was to allow people to think about the use of these spaces, so being denied the opportunity to keep the space open full time is also under that banner.

People have made the comment: "I think you are very brave"...after that cross interogation, (which went on far longer than I have written about),  I now see why that was said. Critiques and convenors at university prepare you for such, the; 'Justify yourself and actions!' I will never fear another convenor after last night, the public can be far more brutal than anything said at uni, but with conceptual work it has to be expected and a big old double layer of thick skin was applied prior :)

Back to the night, another artist came into the space and introduced herself, she then used the one small light to the rear of the space to practice her drum, so was a pleasant end to the evening.

As part of our upcoming second year exhibition ‘Identity 14’ I will be exhibiting a conceptual work at the Weigh House, 76 French Street, Southampton. The Weigh House is a medieval ruin, four high walls surrounding a courtyard. Once it was used to weigh the goods brought into the docks of Southampton and a proportion taken for the kings tax. It now stands unused and locked.

The locked gate signifies an ownership of that space; a space the public are permitted to use when paying and under certain circumstances.

My work is to open this locked gate to the public, allowing the public to use the space as they want. It also represents the underlying politics of the use of public spaces in Southampton.

Is it ok to lock these places away or lease them out to commercial businesses? Is it part of an on going erosion of freedom and public property that people take for granted and accept? So, in a bigger picture the act of opening the gate also allows us to think about the freedom of speech by the act of unlocking to a free and open space. What people do in this space is their choice. Should people wish to sit and eat lunch that is fine. Stand and smoke, that is fine, children run about playing, that too is fine. Street entertainers to set up and play would be terrific. During the time of the exhibitions opening hours, it is the people’s space to use respectfully and lawfully. Anyone, or any group can use the space as theirs, to enjoy and admire. It is after all a public property.

The idea is to not interfere or plan any events, no rotas of who uses it when. Simply allow the space to be.

Hopefully the presence of the open gate will encourage inquisitive people to enter; and therefore take part in the art. Freedom also means to give a choice; they can also ignore the open gate and walk past.

Not quite the final frontier, but an exciting opportunity none the less. As part of our 2nd year exhibition 'Indentity 14', I put forward a proposal to use The Weigh House. We were fortunate enough to have the choice of four ancient buildings, all of which will be used. The Bargate Monument, The Undercroft, Castle Way Crypt and the Weigh House. It is a ruin with no roof but 4 high walls. A medieval structure that as the name says was once used as a place to weigh the goods coming into the port of Southampton so the king could take his share in taxes. It is a beautiful space, which inspired me to think of the space, a public space but locked away. Anyway long story short because too much writing is annoying here is the final write up to use the space:https://www.facebook.com/TinaLaneArt/photos/a.574390392575678.153354.574046875943363/821583544523027/?type=1&theater

Whilst on a visit to London Galleries I took with me a bag of my minumentals boxed. If I enjoyed my visit to the gallery and the staff were kind I gave them a box containing a tiny sculpt. This was to staff for them personally, it is a nice way to say thank you for a pleasant visit. In a world where we are climbing over each other to scrabble to the top, it is nice to do something nice just because you want too. I am happy to say all gifts were received with thanks and a smile.

The concept of my work is to allow the subconscious mind to create the inarticulate form. A paradox really because the form created is the direct result of the thinking, yet it’s construct requires no conscious thought to be true to the concept. It just is. A term referred to as ‘The Psychologists Fallacy’. Sometimes it can be re-related as the conscious mind struggles to articulate the inarticulate.

As a maker the materials and their behaviour are equally as important, as it is for me to experiment with them. It is trying to allow the material freedom to behave in it’s own way. Also using materials that are considered waste or ‘leftovers’ and questioning why is this not equally as valuable as a preconceived made thing. With all that said I have no absolute, no definitive, I am reluctant to marry a specific style, but isn’t that the beauty of art today? Here I sit with one foot in the camp of surrealism by the use of associative play and the other in set in the ideas of abstract expressionism. I speak with my work and once out in the world it is up to the viewer to interact or not.

This brings me to a juncture where it seems I have a series of contradictions that are yet to be fully resolved; I see it as an on-going evolution of my work.

Living in the south of England, I gained a BA 1st class in Fine Art at Southampton Solent University 2015. Ireturned to study for my MA in Fine Art in September 2017 at the Winchester School of Art. UK.