no. 1: The Significance of Insignificance: Claire Harvey and Meaning

Claire Harvey, a Britain born, Amsterdam based multi-media artist, is known for her peculiar use of materials in her work: Scotch tape, repurposed glass slides, projections, acetate, sticky notes and Blu-tack. Most of her work illustrates mundane characters doing mundane activities, they "...lead a mysterious existence: some are fixed on canvas or transparent foil, while others exist only by virtue of a temporary illusion." (Art Agenda, 2010) Each character's non-descript appearance allows the viewer to derive their own meaning or story on the character, or perhaps find themselves in that character.

"...she constructs roving constellations of people into which we can project ourselves or become part of the image" - Secca, 2014

Her "stripped-down aesthetic" as - Eric Ginsburg from Triad City Beat magazine puts it- echoes an ambiguous and strange feeling of familiarity with the characters across her work. The ephemeral and "vague" nature of her work allows the viewer to derive their own meaning. It allows viewers to ponder on what isn't there and find themselves deep in thought as each image triggers a memory or feeling . These simple works manage to "...hold our attention rapt on the small, ephemeral and seemingly ordinary aspects of daily reality, making observation fascinating." (Secca, 2014). When we go to the art gallery we often expect to come across work that is fascinating in the way that it is "unreal", it is often thought that that arts is "another world" however, when going to see a Claire Harvey exhibition, viewers are engrossed in the normality of Harvey's work. The simple and disposable materials along with the simple characters and simple action lead us to no simple thought, these simple and peculiar works trigger complex and deep thoughts. "Harvey's artful compositions elegantly balance the real and illusory, the simultaneous suspension of disbelief and belief." (Dimitris Lempesis, 2018).

In an interview with Harvey conducted by Yen Magazine , Harvey explains that her works are simply "...reflections of humanity. Some are friends, most are strangers. They fascinate me." (Yen, 2016). When we are fascinated with things we are often in a state of slight confusion and disbelief, Harvey then comments that "...my images don't necessarily reflect what my deep personal process is, or maybe they do..." (Yen, 2016). Perhaps even she is still in thought about her own work. Trying to find her own meaning.

John Hartley's Communication, Culture and Media Studies: Key concepts provides a comprehensive insight into meaning . He goes on to explain that meaning has no real location, it is not found within the object or thing but the train of thought triggered by this thing. But even then the locating of meaning has been ever-changing and impermanent much like that of Harvey's work.

"...meaning should not be assumed to reside in anything, be it text, utterance, programme, activity or behaviour, even though such acts and objects may be understood as meaningful." - Hartley 2002

The following video may be of help to you with understanding how you managed to arrive at your meaning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZWP5uul1aQ

What is it that you find significant the insignificance?

CIU110 Blog Post #1

Grassland

Please enjoy more of Harvey's work below.

References:

Bigham, D. (2018). What is meaning?. Youtube.

Claire Harvey | Art Agenda. (2010). Art-agenda.com. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from http://www.art-agenda.com/shows/claire-harvey/

Claire Harvey, Artist, Image Gallery of Works. Claireharvey.net. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from https://claireharvey.net/imagegallery.html

Claire Harvey: Daily Measures. (2014). SECCA - Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from http://secca.org/exhibition-detail.php?LinkId=318136305

Ginsburg, E. (2014). The minute precision of Claire Harvey. The NC Triad's altweekly. Retrieved 16 February 2018, from https://triad-city-beat.com/the-minute-precision-of-claire-harvey/

Goddard, P. (2015). By the way - Exhibitions - Galerie Fons Welters. Fonswelters.nl. Retrieved 15 February 2018, from http://www.fonswelters.nl/exhibitions/by_the_way/about

Hartley, J. (2002). Communication, cultural and media studies (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.

Lempesis, D. ART-PRESENTATION: Claire Harvey-By the way. Dreamideamachine.com. Retrieved 16 February 2018, from http://www.dreamideamachine.com/en/?p=6046

Sebel, A. (2016). Take Flight With Claire Harvey’s Postcards Series. Yen Mag. Retrieved 16 February 2018, from http://www.yenmag.net/claire-harvey-postcards-series/