Making Space: Four hundred and fifty-nine pots broken for you
Gabriella Gilmore
The work was presented to the public in the form of workshop sessions. Each workshop comprised of two sessions. The first session provided the opportunity for participants make clay pinch pots whilst discussing cognitive dissonance as a theory, including examining dissonances within life, culture and politics and exploring how it can be used as a motivational tool. The second session, involved participants ritualistically destroying thier own pots as a performative act.
In a separate event Gabriella presented her own, larger version of this process by showing 459 pinch pots as an installation, before leading a performance to destroy it. This was followed by an informal Q&A with the artist.
As part of her Making Space residency, Gabriella documented the whole process and what she learnt through it, as an illustrated document.
About The Artist
Gabriella Gilmore is an interdisciplinary artist and organiser/ creative producer working primarily within the visual arts. Previously based in Brighton where she maintains strong links, she is currently based in the Cambridge area where she lives rurally with her family.
As an artist: she is interested in how certain acts and spaces become imbued with meaning either through ritual, historical events, and/or political distinctions. Research based, her practice draws from academic interests in philosophy, cultural theory, politics, psychology and art theory as a starting point from which to explore these ideas. When realised, her work takes the form of sculpture, installation and performance, often being site specific and temporary, responding directly to the environments and moments they inhabit. Projects also tend to be socially engaged, rooted to personal experiences and histories, and creating opportunities for participation, interaction and shared learning.
As an organiser/ creative producer: she is an experienced project manager who works across multiple platforms in differing contexts to realise the ambitions of artists and organisations alike. Her approach is detail driven, person centered and audience focused. She works closely and tirelessly with groups and individuals to build relationships and bring their visions into being, overcoming obstacles and responding thoughtfully to the needs of those involved along the way. She is passionate about collaboration and especially seeks out projects that support emerging artists or that have a social impact.
