Fran Allison - Collabration vs collective

1. Define collaboration and how it differs from a collective.


2. How have these terms influenced Fran's practice.


3. Give an example of collaborative art practice.



This week we had Fran to host the lecture for the class. I don't have Fran for class this year, so i am curious what field of art she specialises in. Prior to the lecture i know that Fran work with jewellery along with Mary Curtis, so i am intrigued to compare the two jewellers. Also this is another opportunity for me to understand the process of constructing 3D artworks better, as i am still quite a stranger when it come to translating my idea into something 3D.


Fran is a member of a group of artists called 'Weeds', along with Andrea Daly, Shelley Norton and Lisa Walker. Despite they have made many collaborative works, Fran explains that 'Weeds' is still a collective of artists. Fran went on by explaining the difference between a collaboration and a collective. Although both involves having a group of participating members, the two terms are actually very different. As Fran states, a collaborative group is having all members working together to construct a piece of work together, each person might get assigned to do a particular job to do, yet most of the time the aim is to help each other. And in the end the work is put together by the entire group.


Where as a collective is having each member making a piece of artwork individually that contributes to the group as a whole. Therefore the participants are recognized as a group of artists, however at the same time the group doesn't necessarily agree with each other's ideas on art and each member make their own separate artworks.




Fran told us that 'Weeds' was formed after a visit to the show of Bone.Stone.Shell. As Bone.Stone.Shell is well known internationally, it is how the world knows of jewellery of NZ.


Fran and the other NZ jewellers felt angry at the fact the change in progress of NZ's society along with it's contemporary art still not being noticed. And with this common goal, 'Weeds' was born. I liked the joke they shared, as they said Bone.Stone.Shell sounds like tramping jewellery.



http://www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/Weeds_05.htm



Fran started the lecture by showing us a series of collaborative and collective groups. The first group which is also my favourite of all is 1234 Lab.

1234 Lab is a collaborative group that attended the Royal collage of Art together. Although they went to the same school, they all specialise in different aspects. As Fran explains a collaborative group is having the group working as one, the group would not be successful if a member is missing as everyone have one thing they specialise in. They make jewelleries by speaking words and translating them into 3D sound map. The necklace in the picture is actually a quote from a French actress, 'age does not protect you from love, but love somewhat protect you from age.'

Another group Fran mentioned was Workshop 6, which is a collective group which includes Areta Wilkinson, Lisa Walker, Helen O'Connor and Anna Wallis. I like how they manage their work area, as Fran explained workshop 6 allows jewellers to come work at the studio benches and also they give jewellery classes to help with the rent. Additionally i really like the way

Unnatural/naturally share ideas by sharing a sketchbook. I think this idea is fun and unique and would love to try this method with some friends myself.

Fran continued by going through her years of artmaking with the class. She started off with a design course along with metal work and jewellery. She began working as a metal smith making design domestic objects. It is then Susan Con a jeweller Fran is friend with, inspired her to work into small scale works like jewellery. Fran explained that she like to explore the 'accidents' in art-making. She enjoy the idea of not knowing what will happen and the lack of control. I see a close connection to her domestic theme with Francis Hansen's artworks. Both artists's work carries a 'domestic house-wife' motif, that is inspired by what is found around the house and everyday life. Such works like the rings Fran made out of her son's toys, and the 'Wife' ring (which was my personal favourite because of the sense of humor) which was a ring that is made out of precious material just like a wedding ring, however with words such as 'cooking,cleaning,f--king...ect' carved on it, also suggests what's happening in her life that inspired her to make the works. And just like Francis Hansen and Mary Curtis, Fran make works by recycling the materials she use, like she said 'objects carry stories just like a person, by reusing an object it's like carrying on with the story, layering story upon a story, like meaning upon meaning.'

Like the work 'How to make a necklace from a frock' The neck is made out of the cut out circles of the dress. With one material two artworks was constructed.

http://www.objectspace.org.nz/programme/works.php?documentCode=676

I think Fran's art making is a form of collaboration itself. She have merged all the different skills in different fields together through out her working experience and 'collaboratively' produce works. I really like how she also brings the skills she have from food model making into her works as well, it sounds like fun making metal works that look like chocolate.

Additionally i think her works also need to the collaboration of the audience. Like the work 'Soap', which is a ring inside a rose scented soap, washing is required to gain the ring. So to me the piece is most successful as the work start to progressively change toward the final product when there is interaction between the work and the viewer. Such interaction with the audience is very similar to Dion Hitchen, who often involves the audience into interaction with the artwork.

An collaborative group that i really like is Rise industries http://riseindustries.org/

This work is an installation of a 'handmade-magazine' that was set up in the public space and passing by audience can leave their own messeges too. I really like this collaborative art as it also involves the audience collaboration as well. Which is very similar to Fran Allison as well as Dion Hitchen's involvement with the viewers.








I really enjoyed Fran's lecture and i also really like her works, which are very cute and feminine. I am also very keen to make more interactive artworks with some classmates as well, as the collaborative work my group made for my sculpture paper was very fun.
I am interested to see more works from Fran.