take it to the pubs

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Last night the SuperWindowTable made it’s debut in the Wellington Pub in Garston. The ‘provisional construction’ brought together some important themes in my project [art, tables, pubs, community engagement, beermats]. It was the feature at an “Anything – Special Edition” night organised by Mike Carney. Mike had done some posters and publicity for the event, and the pub was a lot busier than last Friday.

Again it was a varied clientele of young scallies in tracksuits and hoodies, alongside older locals, a few of Mike’s studenty mates, and a few of my mates. The table pretty much served it’s purpose of provoking conversation and banter between different people. It was a constant focus of interest and raised a lot of questions. The scallies were especially curious and questioning, although they were very reluctant to get involved or appear on camera. Others were less camera-shy, and the table was disassembled and assembled by some non-locals and locals working together, which in itself generated interest amongst others [watch this space for the film].

The response to the table was equally varied. Different people had different interpretations of the table. Some read it as a design prototype, and asked how many I was making, and how much they cost. Some read it as a tactile domestic table, and made suggestions about the materials; how the rough surface should be made smooth at the edges. Some read it as a garden table, and suggested the timber should be sealed and waterproofed.

Interestingly many read the table as a piece of “art” even though it wasn’t actively presented as art. This was probably due to the association with the “Artistic Republic of Garston” project, and the fact that famous Garston artist Alex Corina was sitting with us. Or maybe it was because it was unusual.

As a result, many of the locals were naturally sceptical of the table as “art”, and raised some interesting questions about the role of art, and public perception. “So what makes this table art?” asked one local man, as I sat at the table with Alex and two of my mates. He proceeded to tear up a beermat into a random shape and ask “Isn’t that art?”

No doubt if I was in his position, I’d be equally questioning of a strange table in my local pub. In trying to explain the ideas behind the table, I emphasised the main themes of optimism, and collaboration; “It’s four bits, the four bits are useless on their own, but useful when they work together”.

Some understood it better than others. As Alex said, we were now in a normal setting, with everyday people, far removed from an academic environment. And as such, any explanation or discussion of the table had to be phrased differently than it would in an art school. That’s not to say it should be dumbed down, but like many things, just presented appropriately to suit it’s audience.

For all the academic meanings and layers and symbolism in a piece like SuperWindowTable, they’re arguably irrelevant when initially read by the man on the street. Like the Winter Lights project, what reaches the man on the street is arguably no more than a quick novelty factor – some flashing lights. Perhaps the great thing about art is it’s ability to be interpreted differently by different people. Is the table art? Is it just a table? Does it even matter? Perhaps the very fact that it was provoking these discussions, is what’s really important.

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Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Sticky Bar (above Table for 20)
• The Naked Table Project: Sustainable Furniture Bringing Communities Together
• Only You, Ric – Part 1
• Roomba Art Will Vacuum Your Brain

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Filed under art, garston, images, tables, words