David Rickard- Test Flights A Short Review

David Rickard's work satisfies as being unpredictable both to himself and the viewer, although his experiments are explained by the laws of physics; but does science have a place in the art world? On their 100th year the Contemporary Art Society saw a place for artists that would represent their success and ideals, confirming in 2008 that New Zealand born David Rickard should display his work at the Economist Plaza in central London starting 2010 off with a splat. In his usual manner Rickard lay to sleep the expected routines for creating sculpture and installation art, Test Flights consciously shows the viewer the process and performance involved in creating this site- specific work. The remnants of three 400kg spheres of clay dropped from the subsequent heights of the Economist Buildings in St James' Street show Rickard's intentions for the viewer to perceive the materials and structures that surround them, as well as to induce a feeling of vertigo and unease.

Rickard has both destroyed and constructed within one piece, Test Flights undergoes three stages of development; the making of these perfect clay spheres, the raising of them to 4, 8 and 16 stories where potential energy is stored within them, and finally the release of the spheres when they become subject to a surface and space predetermined by its construction. Of course these spheres look considerably different in the aftermath, one sits flattened at the base, another has noticeable cracks and has begun to lose its shape, while the last is almost completely shattered. Test Flights is site specific both artistically and historically; which is inarguably why Rickard was chosen to produce thus work. Alison and Peter Smithson dedicated their careers to developing a new approach to modern architecture which would exploit the low cost of mass man-made products, and produce buildings specific to their site and purpose. In the early 60s the Smithsons would mimic the narrow streets of old London and the elegance of the Piccadilly area to design the Economist Plaza where Rickard's work resides in keeping with its creators' intentions. 1

Rickard chooses to demonstrate how gravity has a large influence on our relationship to space and our inhabitation of it is a defining factor. By using it as a tool for producing the work Rickard can play with the laws of science he is familiar with and which are fundamental to our experience of space and construction. The product of which 'looks at (the) location, an identity composed of a unique combination of elements: length, depth, height, texture, scale and proportion of (the) plaza buildings using existing conditions of lighting' ( Kwon, M. 2004 p.11) which are specific to this area. His work does not seem to examine speed or the effect of weight, instead it seems to capture 'the relationship between sculpture and performance' (Robecchi, 2009, p.7) as the final aesthetics are the consequence of movement due to gravitational pull therefore 'reducing the nature of (his) artistic activities down to their elemental physical actions' (Buchloch, 2007 p.51). Rickard successfully draws our attention to elements which 'are seldom given a second thought' (Rickard to Hunt 2010) like his performance Exhaust 19-06-09 which consisted of Rickard's exhaled air slowly filling a number of foil balloons over 24 hours. This grew through a four story stairway and led the viewers attention not only to the performance and diligence of the artist but also to the physical space and scale of the arena.

Some may be mistaken in thinking that Rickard's work in Test Flights purposefully represents the fall of the economy; the unstable symbols of wealth shattering under the weight of political instability in both the UK and parts of the western world; similarly to Giulio Romano's fresco Collapse of the Giants Hall 1534 which shows the structure of the government building which could no longer stand the political and social super ego's of the giants. Due to his background in architecture Rickard was able to transform his taught conventions and create a piece of installation that makes us acknowledge our surrounding structures and use them for an arena of thought; one that dismisses politics and wealth and focuses purely on aesthetics and experience. Test Flights was agreed by the Contemporary Arts Society in June 2008 and proposed previously to that. 2

There seems to be an ambiguity in the interpretation of the work as the connection between the economic crash and the installation was coincidental, but surely the contemplation of the viewer is a triumph for Rickard and the artist is usually suspicious of rational analysis of his work and often with good reason, yet art invites analysis by its ambiguity. The authorship is unclear to the passerby as there is only one small plaque which acknowledges Rickard as the artist. Although characteristic of Rickard's work the uninformed could easily be forgiven for fearing the stability of the surrounding architecture. The theists among us may analyse the work as an act of God; a punishment for the wicked and of those who concern themselves with wealth instead of good. This is similar to Maurizio Cattelan's work The Ninth Hour 1999 an installation which shows the pope hit by a meteorite, it represents the fear that God will smite us. Interpreting the work in a religious or scientific manner is irrelevant as neither are intrinsic or compulsory as it seems to be the act of scrutiny which is desired by Rickard and a 'demand for the physical presence of the viewer for the work's completion' ( Kwon, M 2004, p.12), and without it 'the specificity of the site is not the subject of the work, but- in its articulation of the movement of the viewer's body in destination' (Krauss, 2007 p.121).

Some may see this invitation for subjective interpretation as a hindrance to Rickard as it may cause a lack of strong identity in a world where the character of the artist is arguably as important as the art itself. Granted many thrive off a strong self of self; producing successful works that are a reflection of personal experience, however the audience can easily be left feeling somewhat excluded psychologically. David Rickard's Test Flights however, seems to encompass all the right components. Rickard seems to embrace the thinking of French phenomenological philosopher Maurice Merleau- Ponty by demonstrating that consciousness, and the human body as a perceiving entity are intricately and mutually engaged and that our physical and emotional selves are in a constant state of experience. We cannot suppose that the interpretation of Test Flights would be universal as it is subjective to our knowledge of architecture and conceptual intention, we can 3

however state that it does not fail to entertain and that the prior movement of the spherical forms unwillingly compels our interaction and acknowledgement of the Economist Plaza. David Rickard has shown his suitability not only specifically for this site, but has established a fresh approach to public art which can stand only in his favour. In keeping with his practise Rickard has used the ruins of Test Flights as a platform on which to build a sterling reputation.

Bibliography Exhibition Visit Rickard, D (2010) Test Flights. London: The Economist Plaza. 27th November 2009 to 12th March 2010 4

Books Bishop, C (2005) Installation Art. London: Tate Publishing Bois, Y., Buchloch, B., Foster, H & Krauss, R (2007) ART SINCE 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 2nd ed. London: Thames and Hudson Buck, L & Dodd, P (1991) Relative Values: or what's art worth? (page 25-52) London: BBC Books Bumpus, B & Packer, W (1985) The Contemporary Arts Society:1920- 1985. London: C. A. S. Kwon, M (2004) One Place After Another: Site Specific Art and Locational Identity. Massachusetts: Institute of Technology Owens, C (1997) Beyond Recognition: Representation, Power and Culture 2nd ed (by Stewart Bryson, S) London: University of California Press Parker Pearson, M & Richards, C (1994) Architecture and Order: Approaches to Social Space. London: Routledge Restany, P& Zevi, B (1980) SITE: Architecture as art. London: Academy Editions

Magazines/ Catalogues Lee, S (2010) Bernard Frize: Red, Yellow and Blue. Artmonthly 334, page 29 Schultz, D (2005) Joseph Beuys: Tate Modern. Artmonthly 285, page 21-22 Withers, R (2009) Nancy Spero: Museu D'art Contemporani de Barcelona. ArtForum (1st January 2009) page 202-203 Nicholas, F & Robecchi, Michele (2009) David Rickard: Test Flights. The Economist Plaza. London: Plank Publishing Websites Artnet (2000) Maurizio Cattelan [Internet] Available from:< http://www.orbit.zkm.de/?q=node/44> [Accessed 17th March 2010] Bawden, L (2009) Dead Nouns: Caroline Rothwell [Internet] Available from:<http://www.nzartmonthly.co.nz/carolinerothwell_001.html> [Accessed: 7th March 2010] Morrow, C.(2008) Architecture of Shadows: the sculptures of Caroline Rothwell [Internet] Available from: <http://www.carolinerothwell.net/writing/architecture-of-shadows-the-sculpturesof-caroline-rothwell> [Accessed 4th March 2010] Nichloas, F & Robecchi, M (2009) Test Flights: The Economist Plaza [Internet] Available from :<http://www.newexhibitions.com/uploads/upload.000/id17571/press_release.pdf> [Accessed:18th 5

February 2010] Rickard, D (2009) Text [Internet] Available from: <http://www.david-rickard.net/text.html> [Accessed 2nd February 2010] Schultz, D (2005) Joseph Beuys. [Internet] Available from:<http://www.artmonthly.co.uk/beuys.html> [Accessed: 25th February 2010] Author Unknown (2010) Background Information: Art Guide [Internet] Available from:<http://www.artguide.org/museums.php?id=4194513M> [Accessed 2nd February 2010] Author Unknown (2008) The Plaza [Internet] Available from: <http://www.economistplaza.com/theplaza.php> [Accessed 3rd March 2010]

Video Test Flights (2009) David Rickard. Youtube source. Available from:<www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhJ4-Je5pB1> [Accessed 10th February 2010] Anthony Gormley: Making Space (2009)Beeban Kidron. London: More4, 21st November 2009 [video:DVD]

Email Correspondents Rickard, D (2010) Subject: Test Flights [11th February 2010] Personal E-mail to Hunt, V (vixattrix@hotmail.com) from Rickard, D (david@david-rickard.net). Rickard, D (2010) Subject: Architecture in test flights [19th February 2010] Personal E-mail to Hunt, V (vixattrix@hotmail.com) from Rickard, D (david@david-rickard.net). Rickard, D (2010) Subject: Latitudin, Longitudini- GalleriaMichelaRizzo- Venice [20th February 2010] Personal E-mail to Hunt, V (vixattrix@hotmail.com) from Rickard, D (david@davidrickard.net. Rickard, D (2010) Subject: RE: Test Flights [7th March 2010] Personal E-mail to Hunt, V (vixattrix@hotmail.com) from Rickard, D (david@david-rickard.net). Rickard, D (2010) Subject: RE [13th March 2010] Personal E-mail to Hunt, V (vixattrix@hotmail.com) from Rickard, D (david@david-rickard.net)