Katrina’s work is cutting edge
AT the centre of Katrina Palmer’s new exhibition at Warwick Arts Centre is a large corridor structure that may feel familiar to anyone who’s wandered around a UK college or university.
“It’s influenced by a corridor that I found at University of Warwick, in the Philosophy Department – it’s not an exact reproduction, but it’s certainly influenced by that, and the corridors from my previous teaching job,” says the artist, who previously lectured at The Ruskin School Of Art, in Oxford. Describing the exhibition’s layout, and how the corridor has transformed the usually open gallery space, Katrina says: “It leads any visitors in, through the exhibition, and into the gallery – the edges of the gallery spaces – and then past some more of my works, some line drawings, and this leads to eight videos on a wall, and some clay objects, which are kept at a distance from the viewer.”
Entitled What’s Already Going On, the new exhibition, which was nominated for the annual Freelands Award, sees Katrina embracing new directions, new mediums and new skills, to explore themes which have been present in much of her previous work.
“I thought of that [title] because I’m interested in found objects and existing structures that are found, and I was looking at everyday things that were already there, and will continue after I’ve already gone.”
The concept of coincidence, and predictability, was another influence on the exhibition.
“On my first visit to the gallery, by chance I was lead along the Philosophy Department corridor [at the University Of Warwick, where the arts centre is based], and we stopped outside an office and the sign on the door was for the philosopher Nadine Elzein, a former colleague from Oxford, where the [video] footage was shot. She also happened to have taught my son at yet another university. “While we were both teaching in Oxford we lived near each other in London. Also, I did a philosophy degree when I was younger and Nadine studied art.
“To cap it all, one of her specialisms is the study of coincidences and whether things happen by chance or not. I’m fascinated by how our paths keep crossing because we’re predictable and likely to act in certain ways. We’ve been in touch since and she’s going to lead a tour of the show, which is brilliant – I guess I’ll bump into her again.”
Both the videos and clay objects within What’s Already Going On record Katrina’s attempts at knife throwing – something she’d never tried before. Eager to pursue her own artistic endeavours while in Oxford, but struggling to find the time while teaching during the day, she began working on what would become pieces in the exhibition during evenings, and into the night. And it was in her office space, behind locked doors, that she began throwing specialist knives into wet clay targets.
It’s an act the artist discusses in relation to acquiring new skills, to performance art, and the sweeping gestures she makes in creating the abstract drawings that also feature in the exhibition. It’s also an act that both challenges Katrina and will no doubt surprisegallery visitors.
“A lot of my current interest concerns the capacity to change your path, to act in a way that is new to you, to confound stereotypes,” she states.
Though Katrina admits she got “quite good” at knife throwing, it’s not something she’s continued since swapping Oxford for a teaching post in London, nearer to her home.
“I haven’t actually had a chance to carry on. It does require a safe space to do that, and that was a relatively safe space, in Oxford,” says the artist. “I couldn’t throw the knife at home. I don’t have the space, but I wouldn’t mind doing it again; I did quite enjoy it.”