Si-So by MASH

MASH - 18.1.21 - 7.2.21

MASH is a collaborative practice between emerging artists Gwenllian Davenport and Abi Charlesworth. Established as an outlet to experiment and support each other after graduating from their BA Fine Art course at Bath School of art and Design in 2019, their ethos as a duo is to make playfully, accept mistakes and to ultimately have fun.

As a collaborative, MASH uses an innovative approach to rethink materials to hand. This explorative way of making allows them to work directly with materials curiously in the moment, producing unknown outcomes. They describe their collaborative making process, simply, as a mashing of ideas, approaches and methods. MASH aims to engage tangibly with materials, making use of the gripping, squelching, patting, smoothing and the spreading of surfaces.

https://arcadecampfa.cargo.site/Online-Residency

In January of 2021, MASH was awarded and online residency with ArcadeCampfa, usually an artist-run gallery and project space located in the Queens Arcade shopping centre in Cardiff. 

Through adaptation to the current status of residencies in the art world, MASH demonstrate the extend of engagement achievable through remote collaboration: an exciting new platform and alternative outlet to continue their practice. Through 'exercising the sensibilities of a see-saw (hence the residency project title), both parties will take turns adding, editing and adapting to form a new body of work.

As part of the Si-So Project, Davenport and Charlesworth combine multidisciplinary practice into digital format, presenting work produced using sculpture, photography, video and text to name a few. For example, the image above is a written exhange between the two documenting their process of making. 

What is engaging about the format of Si-So is that it isn't just a polished exhibition or a set of paintings. It's a little bit of everything documented, from discussions and planning right the way to exploratory online installations. Notably, the project appears rather unfinished, but in a satisfactory way that champions the experimental and playful side to making and collaborating ideas, rather than an aim to produce something 'final'.

https://arcadecampfa.cargo.site/Si-So-by-MASH

https://www.instagram.com/mashhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh/