Invigilating The Land

Visual artist URSULA ZIEGLER describes the project she is currently preparing for an exhibition in November at An Tobar on the Isle of Mull.

IN SEPTEMBER I spent a period of four weeks as Artist-in-Residence on the land of Tireragan (in care of the local charity Highland Renewal), on the southern tip of the Ross of Mull.

This residency allowed me research-time to gather material and develop ideas.

During this period I established a ‘Four-Weeks-Work pattern’, in which I would walk and Invigilate The Land.

‘Invigilating’ means ‘to keep watch’.

It is usually a term or job description used in a galleries and museums context, and stands for those people looking after shows and exhibitions.

For my project, I decided I would walk and keep watch of the land with the skeleton of a chair, which I had previously stripped of its upholstery.

I would investigate the landscape and its changes under the varying weather and light conditions by making use of this chair. By using it as a frame to look through  as well as to sit on when recording my surroundings it would help me to see, therefore being a ‘tool’ (for my work) as well as ‘object’ (in the context of a show/exhibition).

The research material gathered during this period I will now take to An Tobar where I will be spending a further four weeks as Artist-in-Residence.

Here, with the use of the facilities of An Tobar I will develop and evaluate the research material. The focus for this time will be the ‘Studio Open Days’ on Friday 5 November–Sunday 7 November, at which I will be present to talk about my work. 

The project is funded by Highland Renewal and An Tobar.

© Ursula Ziegler, 2004