So You Think You Can Make Art

Reality TV's next big sensation: Ten artists with diverse practices and mediums taken away from the comfort of their hometowns across Australia, and from the comfort of their own art making methods, and pitted together to live on top of each other in the luscious locale of far north NSW for three weeks of intensive and challenging tasks and training. So You Think You Can Make Art. Given tasks and sent on missions by a range of "Provocateurs", whose aim is to provoke the artists to new heights, we watch the reactions on their faces, ranging from elation to near tears depending on the task at hand. So You Think You Can Make Art.

Is it just my brush with real reality TV that had me occasionally imagine our activities at Splendid as seen through the prism of the box? I am back in Sydney now after a truly amazing seven days of my involvement with Splendid as one of the Provocateurs, and wishing that it was as simple as switching on the telly to catch up on the latest activities and developments of my latest favourite cast and crew.

I think this connection I have made is a testament to Splendid organisers for not just shipping me in for one day, I did afterall only "lead" a workshop for half a day. But I was there from day one getting to know all the artists, and seeing what they learn from the other provocateurs, with whom I was also collaborating daily, if not directly on the workshops, certainly on the overall direction, and the evolving care needed to support (and provoke) the artists in the best ways possible. There was also the time and space to randomly meet, and shoot the shit with the artists one on one, or in small groupings, over lunches, by cycling to the venue together, over a beer on the club balcony, or at the Splendour site visit, or at Pecha Kucha, etc.

Not having any prepared ways of "teaching", I was able to ease into what was needed to present my elaborate concerns with the making of work, and how they could rub off on a disparate group of artists, in a way that it would build upon what they had already been learning. I think then that my workshop was a provocation, but not not one that was simply out of the blue.

I wish I at least can go back for the season finale! (Splendour next year!)

Oh this video is for y'all, but especially Lachlan!

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