"A4"
Attic – a studio apartment painted red, grey and white.
Archive – a collection of books, magazines, catalogues, artists’ books, original artworks; artists’ audio cassettes, cds, records and dvds; photographs, 35mm slides, super 8 films and vhs video; postcards, xeroxes, documentation and ephemera relating to the art practice of 3 artists - Pete Horobin, Marshall Anderson and Peter Haining - which began in 1976 and still persists.
Accessibility – the free distribution of an art product and the availability of the archive to those who have an interest in its contents.
Artist – a person who has to struggle with the inner conflict between idealism and reality and who has to overcome the apparent indifference of the majority to his/her ego-driven notions/whims/projects.
Anticipation – a positive outlook or expectation that is often based upon naiveté and hope.
Anecdote - a subjective story. Its purpose to inform without bias or prejudice, as objectively as possible.
In September 2009 The Attic Archive submitted a proposal to Cupar Arts and Heritage Project to install several publications in Bell Baxter school library. Although CAHP accepted this proposal it was not endorsed by BB. Instead a larger installation was discussed to be located in the meeting room of the YMCA. By now the project was being driven by idealism and naiveté – 2 essential forces with out which few, if any, art projects would occur. Idealism imagined that the environment would be conducive to the reading of published material and unique handmade bookworks and that there would be such a depth and variety of these as to provoke an engaging and stimulating participation by the public. Naiveté presumed that art students, festival goers and artists alike would enter this installation and spend time satisfying curiosity, absorbing knowledge and doing personal research. Over 400 pieces were selected covering a period from the 1940s to the present highlighting CoBrA, Fluxus, Mail Art and Neoism with obvious and subtle strands linking publications and personalities across spans of time and geography. Much of the material was unavailable anywhere else in Scotland underscoring the rarity of the occasion. In order to make the library more domestic and textural clothing was hung on one wall and the back of the door and packaging from the 1980s was also displayed along with audio cassettes, cds and postcards. A framed drawing of a piano by John Bourke, an Irish naïve artist, and a lightbox by Karen Strang from Stirling were hung on opposing walls. The sound of a radio alternating with music from audio cassettes and cds on display contributed to the relaxing ambience and two comfortable chairs, a low table and the invigilator’s table and chair completed the overall effect.
Actuality – although Open Access opened at 10.30 each day except Monday people did not drift in until after 12.00. They could be divided into 3 distinct categories – those who were completely perplexed and too intimidated or timid to flip a page or ask questions – the art lovelies who came in, ooohed and aaahed, flicked through some publications, asked obvious questions then left after rarely staying for more than 10 minutes – the informed who connected with the material and the concept and who stayed to digest and talk for longer than 10 minutes. Only one person, a Fife-based artist, returned to devote time to reading books and magazines, his presence on that occasion contributing to a 4-way discourse that achieved the kind of rare moment of shared energy that one can only hope for when staging such a situation.
Anti-climax – a negative response to a situation that may well have been a positive experience for others. Or, a psychological summation that has more to do with anticipation than actuality.
Awareness – a knowing that light has been cast upon an area of dark – that the unknown has been revealed. More people are now aware of The Attic Archive. Appointment – a protocol that establishes a situation in which parties can meet to discuss further mutually beneficial transactions and/or agreements. To make one phone 01382 220081 or 07910315337.