“Brighton’s Fine Art MAhas a very wide brief and it has been gratifying both for myself and other
students to witness the emergence of more nuanced and layered thinking realised in
new techniques and approaches to work.”
Hi Trisha – please tell us a bit about your work and your influences
“The main themes I have been investigating in my most recent work, the Ether Net
Series are those of communication, history, family, and the interior and exterior body.
“My endeavour is to encourage visitors to question how we understand our own
personal worlds via physical experiences of our bodies throughout our lives and how
these experiences are transposed into unique personal, family or cultural systems.
“Being a woman has informed much of my work. Using objects as metaphors, which
tell their stories and are often domestic references are an important part of pointing to
gendered roles and experiences. Artists such as Alina Sapocznikow, Berlinde de
Bruyckere, Mona Hatoum and Hannah Wilke have been important references. I am
also intrigued by such artists as Goya, Hans Bellmer, and Francis Bacon in the way
they used their work to question the status quo and challenged social norms and
acceptability.
“I have recently been drawn to recycled materials which I have used in diverse ways. I
have become aware that as I am reworking/remaking with these I am reordering my
own narrative. There is no fixed plan but a working system does emerge over time.
“The more I become relaxed with the materials and processes the more I can push
ideas and physical manipulation. There is certainly a point at which the possibilities
open out as if by themselves.
“I am trying to understand both myself, my experiences and the world! Somewhere
along the way I hope by showing my work and having conversations with people that
they might connect from their own place. Even if people do not like the work, if it
makes them ask questions that is good enough.”
How have you found your course and time at Brighton?
“Well of course I cannot not mention Covid 19. We have only had 1 of our 6 semesters
during our MA as a face to face tuition. Given that everyone’s expectations had to be
realigned as the situation emerged, changed, reformed and changed again is
something akin to the creative learning curve. Everyone, particularly our tutors,
worked hard to adapt to the changing situation, remaining calm, approachable and
reassuring through the course.
“As a mature student I was living at home but felt involved in our student life which was
the best, I believe it could have been during a pandemic. We all became adept at
online tutorials, critiques and lectures and I think has pushed university learning
forward in a way that would not have happened quite so quickly in ordinary
circumstances.”
How did you choose your course – why did you choose to study Fine Art?
“Other family members had taken BA degrees in the past and spoke highly of the
University. I did not wish to use my time and energy in commuting long distances.
The majority of my life I have been involved in textiles and many craft/domestic based
techniques. My aim, when I started the MA course, was not to use any textiles but to
challenge myself by taking on different ways of approaching my ideas. This has
proved to be a very rich experience and I believe has helped enormously to build a
better understanding of different ways to express myself and get my thoughts across to
others.
“MA Fine Art has a very wide brief and it has been gratifying both for myself and other
students to witness the emergence of more nuanced and layered thinking realised in
new techniques and approaches to work.”
What are your plans after graduation?
“My immediate plans are to take part in a Summer School with the Birth Rites
Collection, the first and only collection of contemporary artwork dedicated to the
subject of childbirth, housed within the Guy’s Campus, King’s College Medical School,
London. This interdisciplinary course will entail the “exploration of many different
facets within the historical, current and future maternity narrative”.
“On another level I am hoping to develop a deeper relationship with Teck-Takeback the
local recycling organisation who have been very generous in supplying me with much
of my materials for my final show. Hopefully they will be able to revive their pop-up
events in Brighton & Hove at which I might engage the public with the potential of
recycled materials.
“Additionally in the Autumn I will take the time to consider whether to take my studies
further at the University by applying for a PhD studentship.”
Website: www.trishastone.info
Final Exhibition: the Ether Net Series: www.trishastone.info/the-ether-net-series
Vimeo Video – the Ether Net Series
Instagram: @trishastoneart
Email: trisha@trishastone.info
