The Process Room 24.05.2011- 05.06.2011

Beattie’s work explores ideas and perceptions relating to The Artist, The Studio and The Audience. Through process based and context specific methodologies, his work attempts to create discourse between academic classical traditions and contemporary practice. Employing the use of drawing, video, photography and performance, Beattie explores how the viewer engages with or unravels the creative process through methods of documentation, production and representation.

For the Process Room at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, John Beattie has re-fabricated his studio table and lamp into a sculptural drawing tool using wirelessly controlled technology. These items have been installed in the gallery space and Beattie has created a subtle intervention by controlling the lamp live from his studio (based on the grounds of the Museum) to produce a simple drawing onto the gallery wall, consisting of a Sol Le Witt text from ‘Paragraphs on Conceptual Art’ first published in 0-9 ( New York ), 1969 and in Art-Language ( England ), 1969.

If The Artist carries through his idea and makes it into visible form, then all the steps in the process are of importance. The idea itself, even if not made visual, is as much a work of art as any finished product. All intervening steps, scribbles, sketches, drawings, failed works, models, studies, thoughts, conversations, are of interest. Those that show the thought process of the artist are sometimes more interesting than the final product.”          – Sol Le Witt

Animating the installation with a live performative element, this process happened via live feed monitors, multiple cameras, and sensor controls. This performative intervention was developed in collaboration with Dr.David McKeown, a mechanical engineer based at UCD Dublin.

Beattie received his MA from The University of Ulster, Belfast in 2005 and a BA from NCAD, Dublin, 1999 – 2003. Selected exhibitions include The Artist Studio Series, The Goethe Institute, Return Gallery, Dublin, 2010; Fragile, Le Carre Bonnat, Musée Bonnat, France, 2009; LOOP Art Fair, Espai Ubu, Barcelona, 2009; Once Removed, Wexford Arts Centre, 2008; EV+A, Limerick City Art Gallery, 2005, 2006; Precaution, IMMA, 2005 and Open Archive, ARGOS Centre for Art & Media, Brussels. Beattie is a recipient of a Visual Artist Bursary Award from the Arts Council Ireland 2006, 2007 and 2010. John Beattie is on residency at IMMA until the end of August 2011. Further information on his work can be found at http://vimeo.com/24772437 and  www.johnbeattie.ie

For a printable version of this information please download the following document:

  John Beattie: The Artist Studio Series (Word 2003, 554kb) 

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