In an attempt to avoid dashing the experience of viewing the degree show works in their entirety, I had made an effort to turn a blind eye whilst navigating around the third floor. However, one piece that eluded my efforts entirely, partly due to its allocated position but predominantly due to its presence within the space, was the large scale, seemingly contorted and finely, yet tentatively balanced wooden sculptural installation by Janet Blackman.
Upon eventually being asked to privately view the exhibition of now completed works, I found myself being drawn to sculptural piece once again, however, this time for a much more intimate and in depth encounter than my semi-voyeuristic stares from across the landing.
Now able to closely examine the piece I was initially struck by its materiality and form within the space. It’s laminated wooden sections were reminiscent of delicately formed and folded origami paper machetes and this fluidity was juxtaposed against the rigidity of what seemed to be bronze casted clothing pegs. The overall piece presents a very real sense of balance both literally as a number of the warped wooden sections suspended from a wooden pole that closely resembles a clothes hanger illustrate and metaphorically as alluded too within Blackmans accompanying synopsis.
Her work aims to reference her ‘conscious and subconscious understanding of the world as a mother, wife and dancer’. She aims to create work that is true to herself and that bestows qualities such as balance, movement, fluidity and tension that has culminated in ‘it’s ok to let go’ (unpegged) a piece which accurately and quite beautifully reflects the ‘balancing act’ of life.
JAMIE WALTON 