Work in Progress: Further Updates from Stan Chisholm
Update us on where you are
Well right now, as of yesterday I’ve actually begun to attach it to the space. So I’ve just been out cutting the foam and pretty much setting up the scenery that the characters will hang out in. And this is the part where I tend to take longer than I need to, but luckily I’ve got really simple plans for this. But I just really enjoy cutting foam. So I’ve been spending all this time just sculpting everything out. But I don’t have too many complex plans for how the foam going to stack on top of each other or wrap around things. It’s pretty straight forward since it’s all in a straight line. But I am bringing in a few new things where like the high ones kinda float off the ground; everything doesn’t have to touch the bottom. Putting in shelving. It’s sort of expanding what the foam is, sort of what the landscape can be. Rather than just being all hills I’ve got sculpture mixed in. Different built man-made structures. I guess I’m replacing technical complexity with variety of what the setting could be.
What kind of landscapes will you have?
I’ve got the Lemonade Stand. And it’s going to have a few different objects sitting on top of it. There’s SFO is going to be in it. The Chrysler Building. The quote on quote “Vagina Building” off Randolph and Michigan… I guess that’s it. I mean I’m probably going to paint over the door and make that look like it’s foam too. But as far as man-made objects, they’re pretty recognizable things.
What kind of tools are you using?
Yeah, maybe just the drill, just to get these things in place. Hot glue works as well, I’ve found, but it’s a little more destructive to the wall. And so I guess it’s just not as quick, having to drag this thing around. [Instead of] burning myself with the hot glue gun I might end up putting a drill through my hand.
Yeah. Different utility knives. Usually snap offs so I can extend them all the way since the foam’s pretty thick I can just slice all the way through it and like carve through it if I want. It’s pretty flexible. The first time I worked with this stuff I used a number 11 Exacto the entire time and it wasn’t difficult because the foam wasn’t as thick, but it’s definitely harder to get through because you have to slice it and keep cutting. With this I can just slice right through with one if I have to. I guess I’m more of a sculptor if I have a sculptor blade. I guess I feel like a sculptor even though I’m not a sculptor.
How does this exhibition fit in? Because it’s not really sculpture, it’s not really graphic line drawing.
It doesn’t (laugh). It’s just, some of everything. I’ve always refused to dive all the way into one category. It’s just like going as far as I feel. Whatever I feel like doing the most is kind of what I do. That way (my) happiness doesn’t depend on what I’m supposed to be good at. And I’ve always drawn [but] this is the first time I would consider this a drawing show, that’s like all line drawing, all just ink all paper. Well mostly. It’s never really all ink or any one thing.
How did you get involved in the Art Center?
I guess the first time I had done something with HPAC was, I think I came in for a Cocktails and Clay. Yeah, that was the first time. It was me and my friend Maddie, who’s in Philly now, was responsible for us coming to Cocktails and Clay. We worked with Theaster Gates. It was a nice time. We just came out, stayed out late. It was my first time out til midnight doing strictly art things. … I just liked what goes on here. I think it’s weird that people kinda make fun of me like “What’s up with you and the Hyde Park Art Center?” Like celebrity gossip or something. “I always see you creeping around the Hyde Park Art Center.” I don’t know. I think I just, I totally agree with the way you go about things. Like even if it’s not just a community show there’s some way groups of people can come here and find out what’s going on through the various events, like weekends. Even just having kids hang out while I’m working. I don’t know, it’s like there’s always an excuse for some community involvement. And even when the Art Center does something typical of art institutions there’s always some different twist on it. I like seeing how the projects or formulated. I think that’s why I like sticking around. It’s simple, we just relate to one another.
How did that evolve into having a solo exhibition here?
I’ve been in a few [group] shows [here]. I’d imagine maybe those had something to do with it. It’s been a while in the making cause Allison [HPAC Dir. Of Exhibitions] started talking [about it] in like March of last year. And then she was on maternity leave and then I had the BFA show and I was traveling over the summer. Then I ended up doing that MoneyBags show with Francesca … I don’t know, I guess Allison talked to me a lot about the show I’d done in June of last year, and that’s when she decided that she would like a sort of foam site specific installation and we kind of worked from there. I don’t know what she had known of my work before, maybe she had just known the small pieces I had put in for Not Just Another Pretty Face or leaving artwork around the Art Center from coming in for the different events. …
Like I said, I started [volunteering] with Cocktails and Clay. And I guess, donating art works for fundraisers, and Cocktails and Clay and different family events, and just like responding when I can’t volunteer. Being like “oh, I can’t make it, but here’s what’s going on” or like “if I can help let me know.” Just trying to help answer questions (and I know that they know I’m lingering around). So I tend to forget how it happened. I’m around. I just like hanging around, asking questions, talking to people at the door. … So, I think simple things like that help a lot, but don’t think I can blame those things for why I have a solo show. Cause if I was irresponsible and I sucked, no one would give me a show.
How is the process of putting together this show different than things you’ve done in the past?
Having a studio space makes a world of difference, because it enables me to challenge myself in different ways. This show is very much about trying out different things. … But like in doing these interviews and writing these blog posts, it’s been helpful. Cause, like, I don’t always get to talk about these things while I’m working on them, but I don’t always get to voice them and getting to voice them and feeling like someone actually cares about the process is a big thing. I mean it’s part of the process that I want. And I might start blogging about my projects now talking about it a little bit more rather than leaving it wide open and just throwing them out there. Cause you usually don’t get feedback for individual pieces when you do a show and no one really knows about individual pieces unless you talk to them directly. Unless someone pulls you aside and asks at an opening. And yeah I think one of things I can see exactly how my work is going.
It’s coming down to the wire. Are you starting to feel nervous?
Um I think this happens every time. I always lay out a ton of options for the show. There’s always a set of definite and I make sure that I get those done first. And if there’s extra time I’ll go for a few last things. So my only worries that ever come up are maybe I won’t get to put that one last FU punch in there. So, I mean I know the important things will be in there, and I know I’ll get the space filled, it’s just a matter of if I get to test out a couple of things I’ve been thinking about. And I also like when I can’t think about things. I like making things a little more dramatic than they actually are. So I’ll definitely be acting like I’m freaking out. But I’ve got my plans together, so I’m good.
Have you seen any other benefits to having your studio in the same space you have the gallery?
You mean other than being able to work on site? I think so. … I usually like visualize everything first. Cause for a while there was another show in here, so I couldn’t just come in and start scribbling on the walls right away, which is what I would have done. But because I couldn’t do that, I had to go about it a different way which I think is helping out. Because had I scribbled on the walls I would have had to erase that and paint over it. So I don’t know, what I’ve been doing, it makes me plan more. Like having the space and getting to see it, but not being able to touch it makes me think about it. So I thought: these are the most important characters, these are the characters that could potentially take up the most space, so I have to think about, ok this is how tall they need to be or, what’s the landscape going to look like. So there’s more measuring involved in this show. It just makes me think about the way out a little bit more. Especially considering the shape of the space. It’s not just a round circle. It’s like a definite path. So I have to think about what character is going to going to introduce the next character or which things are going to show. So I’ve kinda got them lined in order of, there’s some relevance between what’s going on, what they have to offer and what ideas come to mind.