Judith Stewart
Place In Time
2016-2020
Output: Edited Book
The research ‘Place in Time’ originated in a commission from landscape artist Tim Simmons to develop a publication that would introduce his work to new and wider audiences. The research focus was to produce a book that would avoid becoming a monograph based on a chronological selection of Simmons’s work and instead to use his work as a vehicle from which common issues relating to contemporary approaches to landscape could be discussed.
To achieve this output Stewart began with the question: ‘how do artists using lens-based media work with landscape?’ before identifying particular aspects of Simmons’s work as essay topics. These were: the relationship between time and place; environment and climate change; individual relationships to place; and process and research in art practice. Four essays were commissioned from artists, writers and curators with expertise in their field: Camilla Brown, Veronica Sekules, Polly Gould, and Tim Holt- Wilson.
In addition to editing the book, Stewart has provided an Introduction and a chapter, ‘The Importance of the Extra Mile’, in which she discusses the importance of rigour and attention to detail in art practice while simultaneously ensuring artists remain open to the unforeseen. A key part of the chapter is the distinction that is made between research inside and outside of the academy.
This output launched in 2020 (ISBN 978-1-911306-68-9) and was jointly funded by Dewi Lewis Publishing and Tim Simmons. The book accompanied the 2020 group exhibition ‘A Fine Balance’ at Houghton Hall, in which Simmons’s work was included. An on-line public event featuring a discussion between the artist and writers, hosted by GroundWork marked International Landscape Day, 20 October 2020. The publication has been further promoted by Dewi Lewis at international book fairs.
Research Output
This collection of images displays the outputs from this project. Find out more details in the full case study below.
Research Method
Stewart wanted the format and visual aesthetic to reflect the content of the book and to make a clear distinction between the texts and the images of Simmons’s work. The co-constructive, experimental approach taken resulted in the decision to achieve this through the creation of an informal visual aesthetic for the essay section using a combination of sketches and black and white location photographs.
Key Methodologies:
