Spent Monday working in the studio and chatting to Hammam. He told me where he thought my work was week and how he would like to see it change and take new challenges on, I could not argue with him. We discussed the many pittfalls of my project and also the artists already doing simelar things that I may want to look at. This was some very useful time and I came out of the day knoiwing more and realising I need to work harder.

Home to eat and research some of the things we spoke about and then around to Rhainnons to watch a bit of tele and chat with her and Emmy. Good day.

wednesday 13th June

Spent he weekend in Liverpool after drinks with alex on Friday night. As always Rob and Linda were wonderful hosts, lovely BBQ and the evening and following morning spent in the shade of their sunny garden which has just recieved a huge make over.

Sunday and Monday were completely forgetable. Filling time and waiting for somthing to happen, I need to get out of the rut I am quickly falling into. Did visit St johns on Tuesday night in Roundhay at the back of the park. Stunning building with a graveyard that is slowly slipping off the hill, hence the small congregation having left. Peter mojsa informs me this church may well be open for me to use a s a studio if i put the right plan to him.

Tuesday saw a massive change in my mood. I had to meet Dave of Gateway at 2 to open up the church for some reason or another, recieved a reminder text at 7.30 in the morning, out of bed into the library and then into the computer room in old mining building. Spent the morning downloading info on St Johns church and info on english heritage and The Church Comission as well as gorvernment guidlines on graveyards.

Left old mining and went to St marks where the door was already open, a moment of panic was followed by the realisation David Calder was already inside. We had a godd catch up chat and then peter mojsa arrived. I had another chat with Peter about St johns and he then had to break and wait for a "Coach" outside. I got on with collecting up my work and storing it in the chapel.
All of a sudden the church began to fill with a veriety of well healed gentlemen, all sat down after a brief look around and then David began to give them a brief history of the builkding since it clossed. Must be due to the purchase by Gateway (who were also now in attendance) Peter Mojsa then spoke then so too dave from Gateway, i sat at the back listening. when all was done Peter pointed everyone in my direction. All of a sudden these men were introducing themselves handing over business cards and asking for photos of me infront of my work.

One particular man, the team manger of all the disuesed churches in england said how delighted he was with my work and how he would love to see me use other spaces, he then introduced me around and in particular to the chief executive of the churches commision who said "go on our website, we have over 300 disuesed churches around England that our organisation are responsible for, we would love you to fill them all, get in touch."

Shit the bed!

It turns out these gents are all spending 3 days away from there city offices in London having there annual visit to the provinces. each year they pick a dioces and visit the empty church stock there in. This year they Chose Ripon and Leeds. As Rob tells me every time I beat him at anything what so ever.

"The sun shines even on a dogs ars every now and again".

What now? much more research, planning and proposals. 2 options open a place in Leeds possible ~St johns a project to establish a studio/ gallery and also save the cemetary and tie all in to the Roundhay parc and local community. Or take the work on tour to some of the urban churches thatare empty, emials proposals and funding applications pending.

i am now busy and happy once more, no excusses for driffting aimlessly.

Friday 8th June

Final day of the degree show today, may have to open next week for the external examinar though.

Yesterday had the parents drop by, Hammam, James, Rona and kate all looked after the church for me, having said that they actually just set up on the alter and played chess. Very theatrical.

Clossed early at 3 and went for a walk with Rona to see the Briggate gallery space. For two months this summer the gallery will be free for use and we have been invited to take it up for one week each. We looked at the work and watched the Marcus Coates video (hysterical) before heading back up the hill. We said our goodbyes at the Met gallery where i cought a quick glimps before it clossed. A much more mature show than our own. i probably shouldnt even think that never mind put it in writting. If you really want to know what i think then here goes.

To many fucking rich/upper middleclass children using this course as either a finishing school or a three year party in a hip northern city. Few of them bringing anything to the course, no life experience, no strong ideas or beliefs except that they are here becuase they are the best, right? So concerned about art that the first thing they do when they graduate is either travel the world or get a job as a recruitment consultant. This is of course all jelousy. OK not everyone on the course is like this, there are some truly quality students/ people more talented and naturally capable than I could ever hope to be, i just wish that there were more of them. The Hamams, Evas, Ronas, Helens, Lauras and Alsias. Maybe I just dont know enough people, but then I barely know some of those mentioned. When i floated the idea that maybe more talented people never got the opertunity to participate on this course because of a lack of opertunity/ education/ luck i was roundly dismissed. No we are here because we are the best, everyone else agreed, slightly disturbed that anything other than this could have been suggested. I still plan on leaving a plack over the entrance to Old minning that says somthing like.

"And so all the truly talented artists were forced to work in Call Centres"

Christ I have a chip on my shoulder. Im actually in a very good mood, the sooner i start my next work the better for everyone.

Thursday 7th june

A long week spent in the church, ok thats an exageration. Yesterday Julius did another performance and the tutors all came down to see him and also mark my work. I let Julius down by not stopping some of the lecturers at the door, they were however rather inssistant that they were to enter.

Emmy (from my access course 3 years ago) popped in and was full of praise, a little bit worrying. today the parents come by and I will give them a guided tour of the shows, they arrive at 12.30. I dont think they understand just how much there is to see. I wouldnt mind getting to the Met show at some point, today would be a good call.

Not much else to reprot really, apart from that i am happy and content for the time being. Im sorry if thats a little self congratulatory (Roger) but thats just how it is. Give me time and that will change.

PS: Dave Marks and Mark Oliver ive lost my old mobile and your number with it. email me at stevenallbutt@yahoo.com

3rd June

So much has happened over the last few days. The opening was good, I got to see everyone Else's work with James whom i had picked up from London that Morning. Having my phone stolen in the afternoon was a minor irritant and Julius being disorganised and not conveying his instructions to people very clearly was also a minor worry but in general the evening was enjoyable. Richard was worried he may miss his train and I don't think he was impressed by James winning a bet against his grandmother, Roger Palmer walked out half way through the performance and did not stay to see my work, not that that was the point of the hour we opened for (Ive already had my show and the work has only remained in situ so as to be accessible to the tutors when they come to grade. Walking out in the middle of the performance is a egotistical and arrogant statement no matter what he thought of the performance.

Great weekend with James was spent walking in Shropshire and playing football in Cheshire. Sunday back to the church to invigilate.

This morning I arrived at the church after a moaning session at old mining, (the techs were the recipients, they listened patiently) to find the church had been burgled. The seven deadly sins had been taken. All of the electrical equipment remained, and there was a lot, all of the bullets were intact and there were enough, just the seven deadly sins, gone.
Dave came down to check on me and said this was all very interesting, my sins were gone, was this the absolution I was looking for? I could work with this Dave said, always the optimist.


Stayed in the church all day waiting for the police to arrive, had a couple of courtesy calls saying sorry for the delay but still no show. At 3 I decided to put the lock on the side door and shut the main door, turn off the lights and make like no one was home. If these kids were anything like i was at their age they would be back after school.






Rather alarmingly I was right. At 4 i was distracted from my book (generation X) by the sound of little bastards climbing up a pile of headstones (an improvised ladder) and into the broken window, they sat and talked big talk for a few minutes, half climbed in and then left quickly. two minutes later they were back having checked the lock was on the door and therefor no one was in (wrong) the first boy landed on the floor of the vestry after kicking out more glass and I grabbed him issuing some movie bollocks about him being "mine", his body jolted with shock and his mate smacked his head on the window as he recoiled in a panic. I took the boy to a pew sat him down and phoned 999. This time the police arrived in ten minutes and questioned the boy before taking him away. ten minutes later I received a call to say the boy had spilt his guts and they had searched two houses retrieving the seven sins and arresting two others. All boys and the seven sins are now down at the police station, i may be called for a statement.

This is the last time I do a site specific work in a disused building. Still kind of ironic and rather funny really. As long as they don't come back? I wonder what Dave thinks of the bats being returned and what this means for my absolution?

Photos on their way.

30th May

Spoke to her this morning to arrange things for the holiday. I need to get a load of football stickers for her friend’s son in India, apparently the grandson of the head of the secret service. You never know when you might need some assistance getting yourself out of a jail in Mumbai or some such place.

Went to the church last night and arranged the bullets around the font. I think they may well crush themselves under their own weight, still that would be interesting in itself. maybe they will fall in the middle or at the end of Julius performance?

Will spend the rest of the day working on the show and printing off a couple of things for the tutor’s info point.

PS: Rob if you’re reading this I spell checked the entire blog this morning and there weren’t that many glaring errors, so fuck you!

Spent yesterday helping out different students with the show preparations. Must admit I'm at a bit of loss after dedicating all my time to my own show which is now all but over. I have now found myself with far to much time on my hands. I have been drunk on several occasions due to all of the situation Leeds events. if nothing else this entire project has enabled me to learn more about the Leeds art scene.

Had a few to many with Alex in the Imperial last night followed by an Ipod session back at mine until 1. Felt like shit this morning but managed to get into school at 10 because Pete was kind enough to open up for the students on a Saturday.
Had coffee with Hammam spoke with Pete and then disappeared to Artist house in Holbeck. Andy and the Black Dogs were in attendance and so were the usual faces from the Leeds art scene. I went on a tour of Holbeck stopping at one of the shows in the old conservative club just down from my house. I have to question the artist’s involvement in the neighbourhood and weather it actually benefits any one except the artist?

Funny being with all these gallereaners walking through Holbeck like it was a trip to the safari park where they were trying to save the distressed creatures through art. I made the mistake of telling the artist I lived around the corner. I should have kept my big mouth shut and just let him dig his own hole before jumping all over him. That would not have been very nice though would it. But it may have entertained me for 5 minutes and taken my mind of my blazing hangover.

Walked back to Andy's show in the company of A lady from the council and who was responsible in some capacity for the regeneration of Holbeck. I exchanged details and she said she would be in touch. I think this is what they call networking.

Oh yes there was an open forum yesterday afternoon, I said my piece albeit toned down somewhat, I have to build some bridges before I have any to burn. After the debate had a quick drink with the Black Dogs and then went to the Art market. Became engaged in conversation with the Guys from Static in Liverpool and some of the other artists who had been at the forum earlier. Interesting times. Static liked my work and said it was not that of a student. There are some benefits to being old fat n crap I thought. Had to leave when the phone wouldn't stop ringing. Alex was waiting in the imperial and was not amused. Some guy had just put 10 Meatloaf tracks onto the juke box and he didn't have anyone to talk to, to distract him from the noise.

we still don't know what the Meat wouldn't do for love.

Thursday 24th May

I have decided to carry on with the Blog. After feedback from my course tutor and other teaching staff I feel as though the continuation of the diary would both help inform and support my practice. After all, I do need to keep better notes. The blog line will now be more broken as I will soon have other things in my life to contend with other than those already discussed. The Situation Leeds show went well, although at the end of the week Rona encountered some problems with local kids who smashed up the bell tower and threw everything down on to the floor below. Luckily I had already moved my work. I have since welded the door to the bell tower shut. Now I just need to get rid of the pigeons once more. What was all that stuff I wrote about history repeating itself?

I received my marks back yesterday for the practice in context. One examiner gave me 72 and the other 30. Of course I am not meant to know this. I was quite shocked at first and then later once I had assimilated this information I realized that I was quite proud to have caused such a difference in opinion. Written work has never been my strong point as I have noted in this, and by this blog. at least the work was controversial in its own small way. Hammam likened the work to Marmite. I responded by saying "at least you can taste something". He laughed. Hammam had proof red the draft copy and we both agreed it was not a high academic paper, but then that was the point. I just tried to be honest. I could have been a lot more honest but that may well have been a little too much for even the most broad-minded tutor. I suppose my mistake was trying to be creative within the Fine Art degree. (joking) I may well add this (joking) caveat every time I am having fun from now on as some people don't seem to understand my humour.

What was it Mchlulen said "the medium is the message" or some such thing. I did make a critical error. I assumed that all of the markers would be aware at least of my practice and would therefore be able to take the written work for what it was, an expression and example of the same thing, hence the opening quote from Lawrence stern. Read "The life and opinions of Tristrim Shandy, gentleman" and you will see what I was driving at about the way I had decided to contextualise my practice. Despite the title of the book our hero is not born until somewhere near the end and even then his life is not directly discussed in any great detail but rather the emphasis of he book is placed on conception, chaotic delivery, pregnancy, parsons, midwives local characters and connecting stories and points of interest. Stern uses the very style of writing to convey all you need to know about the character of which we are told little direct information. Circles within circles.

I should have written the piece like a child instead. (not joking)

Here is a history of the church, written by my friend and Vicar of Rangthorne. David Calder

St Marks is a “Waterloo” Church, a “Commissioners” Church, a “Million Pound” Church. To celebrate the victory at Waterloo parliament appointed Commissioners to oversee the spending of a million pounds on new urban churches. Initially around 100 churches were built and more money was subsequently voted through. Three of the initial 100 churches were built in Leeds, now only St Marks survives.

Waterloo Churches tended to be of a similar design, using a square tower to support the West end of the church. The churches were all built in new urban areas that lacked their own Parish Churches. Parliament wanted value for money, as many seats as possible, and as you look at the South wall you can see where the south galleries used to be – this crowding led one vicar to liken the church to “darkened pig pens”.

The church was originally designed for hearing the preacher, as the main part of the service was the sermon. The original pulpit, where the preacher would have stood was on the North side of the church. Later, in the 1880s, the church was re-ordered to provide a clear view of the service that now centred around the Holy Communion and was a visual feast, with brightly robed clergy, a robed choir, candles and ritual.

In the early days of the church Woodhouse had a number of large houses with armies of servants. These would have been the original congregations. Towards the end of the nineteenth century the wealthy factory owners moved out and their houses were pulled down to make room for terraced houses which survived until the sixties, some still remain. There was a huge social shift as the wealthy patrons were replaced by humbler craftsmen, the church wardens were no longer mill owners but local business men such as butchers. There are two churchwardens’ seats just below the pulpit, this is unusual as the church wardens would usually sit near the back, help latecomers and organise bell ringing. My assumption is that wealthy men were elected as church wardens and paid other men to do the actual work. The Churchwardens seats are extra wide, were they men of girth?

The windows were originally clear glass and have been replaced with pictures, most of which are in memory of someone. The Whall window in the North West corner is a pre-Raphaelite depiction of the death of St Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. The three pictures (known as lights) at the bottom of the window show him speaking to the Sanhedrin, the council of elders, who close there ears to what he says, he is then dragged out, and lastly stoned to death. On the right hand light there is a man looking directly at your, he has a coat over his arm, this is St Paul before his conversion. Above is Christ (face damaged) surrounded by angels, he is wearing a chasuble, which the priest would have worn while taking a service of Holy Communion. Stephen is pictured wearing a dalmatic, the appropriate dress for a Victorian deacon. This window is best seen on a cold clear January afternoon just before sunset, the light changes quickly and the colours change with it. The windows on the South Wall are from St Michaels Church, Buslingthorpe, demolished in the 1960s. The windows are a set and one is a copy of the famous Holman Hunt “Light of the World”.

The great organ was built by bins of Leeds and was said to be Jimmy Binns masterpiece, it was electrified in 1917. The March sisters paid both for its installation and electrification in memory of their father. The acoustics in the building are almost perfect. The Buslingthorpe war memorial was brought to St Marks when St Michaels,

Buslingthorpe was demolished in the 60s. It is unusually large, 270 names are recorded on it from the First World War. The Rangthorne memorial is big but only has a third of the number of names. Because men were recruited into local battalions which were then sent into action together, and because in some areas casualties were extremely high, it is possible that many, even most of them, died on the same day. I am intrigued by the man whose rank is Sgt Farr (Sergeant Farrier)was he perhaps an older man who was drafted in purely to work as a Farrieir? Were the high casualties a reflection of the fact that Buslingthorpe was a working class area? We hear a great deal about the “Leeds Pals” and their heavy losses in July 1916 and March 1918, yet very few of the men on this memorial were in the Pals which recruited from the middle classes.

Work on St Marks was started in 1823, it was finished in 1826 and finally closed in 2001. The congregation at 9.30am on the 15th July 2001 was 25, at the evening service there were in excess of 400 people. At that service the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds preached the sermon, there was a choir of over 50. In its heyday St Marks had a church hall, a school, a soup kitchen, a daughter church (St Gabriel Woodhouse), an institute (rather like a club), church lads brigade, scouts and various other off shoots. In the 1960s the mass destruction of Woodhouse started and the church was at one point almost the only building left in the area.

Since the churches closure in 2001 it was opened up the following year, cleaned and polished for the funeral of Mel Davidson, a popular local man, one year after this a wedding blessing took place, it has also been used by a local band and featured in the TV drama “The Beaderbeck Affair” which also depicts the destruction of this area of Leeds in the 1970s. The graveyard was closed several decades ago and contains some interesting gravestones. One of them, in the form of a pillar, describes the diseased as “useful but inconspicuous”. By the time of the First World War the graveyard was almost full and the church suffered as a result of falling income from the graves.

This Post is dedicated to all of the infrmation captured after the final BLOG entry.

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video from the installation

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close up of bolt action dureing construction

16th April
Welcome back after Easter, not that I went away. I have, since the last post landed an interview for a technician’s job (hopefully) for one week, just before the show. The job is across the road at the art college, (if I get it) hopefully leading to more.
I have also decided to meet her in Thailand and spend a couple of weeks (after the degree is over) relaxing on Krabi Island while I evaluate the future in the company of the woman I love.(smug bastard)

I have spent most of Easter in the Church and whilst the weather has been hot and the sky has been a pristine azure blue outside, I have been inside the cold dank church. I am now ready to finish this. It was not until last night however that I came to some kind of resolution about the casts and how they will stand in the Church.

School was followed by work and work was followed by home. I ate quickly and then left for the library. I picked up a copy of Goethe’s "Faust" and read from start to finish. I said my goodbyes to Hammam who lives in the library of a night and returned home.

I was lying in bed wide eyed and deep in though until 2am but I do believe I had a breakthrough as to how I will display the work. Research and development, production and then destruction should be the three parts to the circle. Situating the casts amongst the pews does not work visually or physically. People need to encounter large groups and walk amongst them, become part of the congregation but not be able to penetrate entirely. I will record them in the pews and capture the early morning light (between 6 and 8am) where the sun comes through the alter window and lights the bullets up in a rainbow of colour.


I finally see some light in the distance, there is now a possibility of a "New Beginning". I am ready to remove myself,

"From the dull rooms of mean houses, from the bondage of mechanical drudgery, from the confinement of gables and roofs and from the venerable gloom of churches." (41)

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The last bullet in a series of 91

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Setting up the bullets ready for the show

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(41) Goethe’s “Faust" pp29

10th April
The blog has now become sporadic in its upkeep. This less faithful note keeping is due to my work load and the Easter break.

Last week I managed to do a few more casts on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in the computer room doing work on my practice in context but mostly spent building a map for the degree show. Met Stephanie Woo when she came to give me her location details for the show. We had a good chat.

Thursday I picked up Jamie and brought him up to Leeds where we worked on making a cast. I wanted him to see what I was doing and be involved. Jamie loved it and was really interested in exploring the church. We went home got changed and then went for Chinese before making the trip across to my parents.
Went to Beaston Castle on the Friday with Jamie and my parents, picked up the new bond film to watch after we all dropped in on my grandparents and then home followed by films and Lego.

Saturday we went down the park played football and then started the journey back to Jamies. We stopped at Birmingham’s Star City to watch the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film before completing the rest of the journey. Kissed him and said goodbye.

Home, beers, footy, bed.

Sunday made it into the Church at 9.30 and managed to knock out four casts. As interrupted in the afternoon by some guy trying to kick the door in, accompanied by his little children. Great example to set. I shouted for him to stop and by the time I made it to the door to investigate he had already fled up the street.

Monday I managed to do four more casts before being visited by Stephanie. I showed her around and we chatted. I hadn’t eaten all day so I asked if she fancied going for Dim Sum. I got cleaned up at her halls over the road and we went to eat. I dropped her home afterwards.

Tuesday I managed to do five casts and was again visited by Stephanie. This time Steph had brought a home baked chocolate cake (WOW, top draw) her parents are bakers back in Toronto so she knows what she is doing. We had another chat and I spent the final part of the day arranging some of the bullets around the church with the help of Steph.


Food shop, home, Steak and a nice bottle of red to accompany the Amazing Man U, Roma game. 7-1, sweat revenge for the stabbings.

31st March
Spent the day in the computer room working on editing and formatting this blog. Spent the afternoon helping Dave make casts of Simons Lewandowskis head. Good fun.

Spoke to my grandfather as it was his birthday and I had sent some photos of my work in progress rather than a card. I knew my Grandfather would be less interested than my Grandmother so I sent them more for her than him.

Saturday spent the entire day in the church, had Duncan and Helen visit and take away a number of bits of furniture from the church in exchange for delivering the Alter to Rangthorne for David Calder. David had cycled across to help but we were already out of the gate when he arrived. Raced him back to Rangthorne where we unloaded and then had a chat. Shook hands and then back to the church where I worked until 8, finally getting 5 casts out of the day, not bad.

Home, broccoli and bacon pie followed by a couple of beers. Bed.

Sunday started slowly, clearing up bits from the church and slowly approaching a situation of readiness. Still got the balcony area to do and most of the Pigeon poo will have to go I have now decided. Toxic osmosis would not look good on the health and safety chart.

Did one cast which failed badly before having my parents arrive on their way down from family in Morpeth. Showed them around the church and then the university, introduced them to Hammam and then showed them the Library. Received a parcel of home made pickled beetroot, some pees pudding and home raised eggs(courtesy of the Geordies allotments) before we said our goodbye.

Managed another two casts before heading home at 6. Beer, tele, Chinese bed.

Friday 30th march
Grandfather’s birthday today. I sent him some images of my work in progress, I’m sure he would have preferred a bottle of bells.

Not submitted a post for this blog all week due to being massively busy, all the girls at work have decided to take their holiday at the same time or more selfishly be off sick, so I have to actually do something to earn my corn for a change.

Bullets and church coming along nicely hit 50 yesterday and had a visit from Dave of Gateway Church on Wednesday.

Went to the show in the Merion on Tuesday night. Too didactic I thought. OK so I thought this but not using the word didactic, that was given to me the following day when Dave and John visited me in the church and brought me coffee and cake, like some poor homeless person. The technicians went through the building like a pack of dogs pawing over furniture and material to take. Dave left with a rather beautiful drape from the alter, John with a set of draws and a side table.

We discussed my work and they seemed impressed, impressed enough not to mock at least. They asked why I hadn’t filled the last place around the alter and also used the pulpit.
I explained I would not try and put bullets in the places recognised as where the vicar would stand. I wanted to leave a vacuum or space where the position of authority would usually stand or occupy. I was not trying to point a finger at the church; this would be like shooting fish in a barrel. I was pointing a finger at the congregation however. Asking about individual responsibility, there should be no leader’s only individuals within a group.

Spent the entire day yesterday in the church managed to knock out four casts before going outside and finding my car smashed in. Someone had crashed into it in the morning. Thank god the police had been on the scene and left theirs and the driver’s details. Bent my bodywork from off my back wheel and drove up the street in a car that looks now like something out of a demolition derby. 3 crashes in 18 months and I was only in the car on one of those occasions.

Had a few too many drinks last night with Vicky the Burlesque performer. Let’s be brief. Of Sicilian extraction, married to a crack addict DJ from Sheffield, performs burlesque, into hardcore bondage and other things to weird to discuss here, knows some people I know (worryingly) DJs herself and does the festival circuit. As a semi confirmed misanthrope I’m not sure I’m ready for this level of human contact.

Got home sometime around 3. Severe cramp all night waking me up in some terrible pain. Must have been all the walking.

March 22nd
Got up a little later than normal and hit the church at 8, spent the first half hour on the phone to Hong Kong. She dangled the possibility that she may visit in the next two weeks once more, she would finalise plans tomorrow. Off to India on Saturday to visit friends. Their is not a country in the world that does not contain some friend of hers. She said she would do some travelling and that her friends were going to give her "One of their drivers" to help her. "Which was nice".
Made a couple of bullets before moving the stock pile out of the chapel and around the church. Surprisingly busy looking space already, even though the building is rather large. Still have another 57 to make and still haven’t moved the 14 from the studio.
David Calder popped by with a friend for a tour of the building. We had a brief chat about the alters. They should be burned and not used again, theologically speaking, but David said, that in itself would be a small crime as they are hard wood. If I move one across to Rangthorne, I can have the other. A plan I later put to my chippy mate in the Adelphi. But first home then work.

The Adelphi was busy with business and creative types, I was at the bar ordering some food when a woman started chatting with me. Vicky is a Burlesque performer and she suggested I come to her show next month at the Adelphi (The Wet Spot). We swapped numbers and then she said I should call her before then for a drink. OK that doesn’t happen very often and they are not usually burlesque performers. We shall see. Not really my type but interesting none the less.

Had a few drinks with the lads. All was good, jumped in a cab went home and crashed.

Wednesday 21 March

Got up early had a big breakfast and then went into the studio/church. Managed to produce 4 bullets and then went off to work via home. It’s been the same routine now for the past 10 days or so. This has not lead to the most exciting of life styles and my hands are falling apart from a combination of the cold the water and the plaster.

So far I have managed to construct 35 bullets, 14 of which are in the old mining building. Once I work out how to move them they will be shifted onto the church site.

At work I was regaled by the days happenings in the life of Jim. Jim is a 55 year old man who cleans at South Leeds. Never taken a day off sick in 8 years and never taken a day’s holiday. When I asked why he didn’t take a day’s holiday he said.

"I wouldn’t know where to go"

Sat, sun and Mon 19th March
I spent the entire weekend save some hours of sleep in the church making bullets. Very much alone,
very cold and at times, past 8 at night, a little frightened. Listened to the radio and all of the sport as I worked. Only managed to get 8 bullets done though Not quite sure where the time went. Started each morning at 8 and worked through the day.

Had a couple of beers with Alex on Sunday night at the Adelphi and then took him to see the project in the church. He was very impressed by the building and a little flummoxed by the work. .
Still this is to be expected and I’m sure when the show is on most people will see the building as more interesting than the work. We will see if this changes at all when there are many more bullets and Ronas work is also covering the floor space.

Spent Monday doing the same thing, slept in a little and did not start until after 8 so only got three bullets done before going up to the studio for a bit of human contact and a coffee. Not missing anything so I went home cleaned, ate, showered and went off to work. Same old same old.

Dug out a copy of "The Road to Wigan Pier” and started to re- read. It’s a toss up between home and note making, with Chelsea playing Tottenham or the library and Context in Practice. No prizes for guessing which I chose.

16th March
OK so the blog goes on, and that’s the point really. Had a one on one tutorial with Richard today and he asked "What’s a blog” , rightly so. I must admit the blog is being used merely as a vehicle and I detest the whole second life culture and idea that anyone gives a damn what I write on the net. It is very self centred, but then Nietzsche says that

"In the final analyses all one experiences is ones self"(40)

I have been re-re-reading Zarathustra recently.

Got up and went into the church for 6.30am and started casting,
was joined by Hammam at 7 and we talked while I worked until 8.45. Went for a coffee and the paper and then into the studio, a quick chat with a number of students and staff and then into the seminar. Nice to hear the lecturers tell us that we are to do what we see fit, in the practice in context, and while some complained about not having any rules to follow I was over the moon at the scope of the field of play. As I said to Richard later, “as creative people we should relish such an opportunity to be creative and think outside of the normal dissertation parameters.” Just enough rope with which to hang myself.

Had a good strong talk with Richard, I think he realises my enthusiasm, now I just need to make it come across in my “Practice in Context”.

Went back to the church and cast another bullet before leaving for work.

Tracey arrived and declared her "Hood was not swollen or infected" she had just had her nipple and clitoris pierced. To much information I thought.

Home, beer, food, coma.

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(40) Fredrich Nietzsche “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” Penguin Books 1969

Wednesday 14th March
She informs me she is not coming back in April, do you know I'm not really bothered I am surely to busy right now to accommodate visitors. She will still be going on to see her friends no doubt and she is still off to India.

Managed to construct one bullet in the morning before meeting Tony Smith from Gateway church with Rona. Tony was very positive and also keen to help. David Calder wandered in during the meeting said nothing and then left. I do hope I have not upset him.


Closed up the church returned to the studio, cleaned up all my equipment and then loaded it on to a trolley. With help from John and Dave we went off to the church (they just wanted to be nosey really) showed them around unloaded and said my goodbyes, they went back to school and I to work.
Stopped and spoke to the community support officers outside let them know what I was doing gave them mine and Rona’s name and explained they should look out for us.

Work, home, bed.

I pondered all day, how I am going to display and present the finished bullets. I am still unsure. In rows along the pews, huddled in a corner, filling the chapel and war memorial, I just don’t know yet. Need to see them in the space to know. The vestry will definitely work and I rooted out and started to assemble all manner of artefacts and bric-a-brac from the church that will go very nicely in the display cases with, my found shrapnel and possibly the baseball bats (possibly). This style of presentation s something that I enjoy in Mark Dions work. “Thames Dig” especially.

Whilst the process of Gleaning the original shrapnel from the fields of Verdun was very much like the process performed by Dion in his work, that is where the similarity ends. To help me describe where I believe my own work fits best, contemporary sculptor Beth Galston writes:

"An environmental sculptor plans a piece from the very beginning in relationship to its surroundings. The site is a catalyst, becoming part of the creative process." (38)

Artists who have influenced me both directly and indirectly in this area are Edward Kienholz, Robert Smithson, Richard Serra, Andy Goldsworthy and Anthony Gormley but to name a few. I am not working with nature as with land art/ earth works like Smithson or even Goldsworthy but placing something in an environment where it becomes part of and reacts with, its surroundings. Perhaps not in the entirely physical way of Smithson or Goldsworthy but maybe in a philosophical, theoretical even theological way.
Image taken during my visit to Goldsworthy show at the Yorkshire Sculpture park 2007

I had not chosen the exact location from the very start, once I had made a trip to Verdun and collected the shrapnel I knew that I wanted to work in a Church or abandoned building. The fact that both of these elements met in St Marks church was a combination of hard work and great luck. I wanted my work to deal with the formal, political, historical, and social context of both the church (as building and institution) and of man (as individual and constituent. One should speak of the other and serve as both positive and negative examples of the attributes of man and the man made. The relationship between the work and the church will allow the viewer to question human nature and then by default the wider construct of the world.

"The finished sculpture and site become one integrated unit, working together to create a unified mood or atmosphere," (39)



Christian Boltanski "Children of Dijon"


Conrad Atkinson, "Land Mine"



Richar Serra Bilbao, Guggenheim


Robert Smithson, "Spiral Jetty"

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(38)(39) Beth Galston http://www.bethgalston.com/env_sculpt.html
Started the day with the new routine of going to the church at 7am and getting stuck into the clearing up. Filled a few bin liners to the sounds of Talvin Singh as the sun rose through the Alter window. Then went off to school via coffee a paper and a quick call to her.

12th and 13th March
I am falling behind the task now. Each day is a slog just to get the bullets complete, I now have the process nailed down to three a day in office hours but need more time outside this schedule. Will move the process down to the church tomorrow morning and will meet Tony smith from Gateway Church at 1, I think.

Met some of his mate’s yesterday evening when leaving for work I noticed them walk into the church so I went back to make sure Rona was safe. She was and they were cool, but we shall find out more tomorrow.

Getting lots of good vibes about the project now people can see the bullets being made. Need to move them out however or they will loose all impact. I need to create a spectacle as part of the critique into the human condition and the human need to create a spectacle/ show off and to grasp attention and wealth.

Even Hammam is slowly warming to the casts as they start to build in number. The cleaning of the church is coming on nicely and I have been in early every morning doing a little extra here and there. Need to replace some bulbs and clean out the toilet and the balcony but apart from this and some pigeon poo we will be almost there as far as the final condition minus the art.

Need to crack on with this Context work now as deadlines approach. the difficulty with a blog however is that there is no particular end, well not one that will meet the word count and the deadline. I must their fore resolve myself to start rapping things up from here on in.

Friday the 9th March
Woke with a banging head ache, saw throat and runny nose. Out of bed at 7am as could not sleep for some time. Lots of breakfast followed by drive into school. Police everywhere around St Marks, some one must have been “stabbed up” or killed.

Library blog, emails and sun dream team, fucking disaster, still rooted to the bottom of the league just like my Hammers.

Into the studio and straight into cast number one. Managed to do three casts today and received many congratulatory and supportive comments.
Questions of how why and when, how many what material and how much. Sam Bellifante was in for the book fair and made a number of positive noises.

Went to the book fair at lunch time and saw some very interesting ideas for the presentation of my Practice in context. Still so much work left to do on that front. I need to ratchet the productivity up now. 3 casts a day to reach 90 by the end of the month and I also need to do all supporting work and written work, plan the filming of the construction process with close ups of winding turning flipping and rolling to emphasise the cyclical nature of the project. I will visit the church on Sunday afternoon and start to move furniture and clean where necessary. Lighting power and other such things to be tested as well as working out the lay out and placement of the bullets.

91 years since Marc Died 91 years since the battle 91 the average number of dead each day in Iraq. 91 bullets arranged into groups some with tops missing some intact. (Maybe) in threes or sevens or tens? Decisions, decisions.

“Oh heaven! Art is long and life is short.” (37)

Finished the last cast of the day and went home followed by work. Not a bad day.

Tomorrow I will see my son.

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(37) Goethe’s “Faust” pp 14, Wagner to Faust.