VAAus video interview

This is an interview for Acme's Time & Vision Online, showcasing a 20 year retrospective of Australian Artists who have gone through Acme's International Residency Programme in London. I was awarded this residency through Australia Council for the Arts.

Videography by Liam Benson.

Visual Arts Australia, VAAus is an online curatorial platform supporting international and online engagement with Australian art and artists. Link to the VAAus interview: http://vaaus.co.uk/hayley-west

Masters by Research

Life swings around about, we seem to be enjoying ourselves in the mountains now, thank you to everyone who said it would take two years to get the hang of life here, i now believe you. 

I am now a Masters by Research candidate, with an Australian Postgraduate Award, at Charles Darwin University. 

My proposed research project 'The Vestigial' focuses on the process of grief, mourning and what remains. A particular focus lies where images of the deceased have been removed, or embellished for personal and/or cultural reasons. I will also be continuing my work with de/reconstructed personal clothing and hope to create a number of performative works.

Next visit to Darwin: 2nd-13th May, 2013
 

Uncle Peter

So Far + Owl

A few people have been asking about this work, so thought i'd elaborate.

'So Far' is made from the t-shirt i was wearing when i gave birth to Ramona (albeit cleaned up).
The owl is a powerful owl that Tobias taxidermied himself, and Ramona loves it. She was carrying it around for quite some time, until finally, the head lolled so awkwardly that it nearly fell off and was making me dry retch, so i hid it.

Get Us Out Of Here

Hayley West & Tobias Richardson
c3 contemporary art space: Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Australia
21st November – 9th December 2012

Hayley West & Tobias Richardson work apart for this project; from the Blue Mountains and Ethiopia respectively. A collaboration processed from two different everyday realities; being homebound and travelling freely. What results is an everyday account of living and working a month apart. Having recently moved from Darwin Northern Territory, West & Richardson now find their feet in an awkward terrain, living momentarily in NSW.

6 weeks in Ethiopia

Not me, but Tobias is away in Ethiopia for 6 weeks. Today is my first day without him here, and Ramona is in childcare...

I've set up my studio in the kitchen, ready to roll. Having Liam Benson here interviewing me recently (for 'Time & Vision', the OzCo Residency/ACME UK project) has got me keen to pick up the pieces again.

We have an exhibition at c3 Contemporary Artspace in Melbourne in November, the exhibition title is: Get Us Out Of Here

I have 6 weeks to put something together...  

Art of the Nomad

The Chan Contemporary Art Space, Darwin

April 18 – May 18 2012 opening Wednesday April 18, 6pm

Image: Hayley West, 'So Far' 2012
(wedding dress from Yogyakarta/tablecloth from Paris)

Artists: Rod Moss, Sia Cox, Rupert Betheras, J9, Ben Ward, Suzi Lyon, Hayley West, Simon Cooper, Siying Zhou, Leanne Waterhouse, Henry Smith, Ian Hance, Bronwyn Wright, Bill Davies, Chips MacKinolty, Franck Gohier and Colin Holt.

Curators: Sarah Pirrie, Siying Zhou, Suzi Lyons, Leanne Waterhouse, Anna Reynolds, Chips MacKinolty and Chris Raja. 

“artists who have deliberately left a mark on the Territory as an explicit part of their practice” Chips MacKinolty

the bump in my road

The transition from Darwin to the Blue Mountains has been quite difficult. Aside from trying to keep creativity up since Ramona was born, this relocation has proven to be a huge bump in my life. Thankfully we have a house with a good roof, and the magpies keep singing. If only this southern summer could rest for more than two days before all the leaves start turning.

I'm working at the moment on a sculpture for a show called 'Art of the Nomad' in Darwin in April, but really all I want to do is spend hours drawing, which is not really achievable at this point in time. Tobias's show is approaching at RAFT in Alice Springs, I can't wait to be touching the desert.

Immemorial: reaching back beyond memory

The Manila/Jogja/Darwin version
Opening 26 October, Chan Contemporary Art Space, Darwin

Territory Time

 

The Landlord (found photos, late mother-in-law's pillow slips)

Chan Contemporary Art Space

State Square (opp Parliament House) Darwin, Northern Territory

29 June - 24 July 2011

Artist talk: Saturday 2 July 11:30am (hear all the talks here: Territory Time Blog )

 

Artists: Rebecca Arbon, Simon Cooper, Talitha Kennedy, Adrienne Kneebone, Catherine McAvoy, Amina McConvell, Sarah Pirrie, Tobias Richardson, Suzette Wearn, Hayley West, Carole Wilson, Siying Zhou. Curated by Siying Zhou.

Territory Time brings together twelve visual artists who have resided in the Northern Territory presenting their own personal and psychic territory.

featured artist

i'm the featured artist this fortnight on the NAVA site
NAVA National Association for the Visual Arts

goodbye tropics hello mountains

gingers for daphne
bougainvillea for roses
palms for maples
torres strait pigeons for kookaburras
pheasant coucals for lyrebirds
geckos for blue tongues
crocodiles for black snakes
cane toads for foxes
cyclones for bush fires
humidity for mist
papaya for apricots
iced coffee for hot chocolate

something i'm working on

Resonance104.4fm

i'll be talking on a live radio show today (Friday 12 November 4pm London time) with 'Enemies of Good Art'

Resonance104.4fm
Enemies of Good Art
BROODWORK

The podcast is now available: 'Kids in Residence' discussion 12/11/2010

Australia Council Residency - UK

Ramona and i will be staying here in Bow, London until 29 January 2011
The residency is managed by ACME Studios who are wonderful hosts. Can't wait to push that pram around London galleries!

Diversion

PLATFORM 2009-2012 is an ongoing series of changing public artworks designed to engage, inform and entertain. The Museum of Brisbane has commissioned artworks that are installed into photographic lightboxes located on the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Busway Station, Brisbane QLD.

Friday 10 September – Friday 10 December 2010


link : PLATFORM: Public art installations

Ramona Billie Lola Richardson

Created by Tobias Richardson and Hayley West
DOB: 18 March 2010, 3.31pm, weight 3.035kg
Our beautiful Tiger Pisces girl x



photo by my wonderful friend and photographer Fiona Morrison x

'After the Gold Rush' at GRANTPIRRIE

opening 11 March, 2010
if in Sydney go have a drink for me!
i can't make it as i'm expected to lay the golden egg that weekend...

website links:
GRANTPIRRIE Gallery Sydney
ART MONTH Sydney website
ART MONTH Sydney blog

the so far news for 2010

*After the Gold Rush:
GRANTPIRRIE, Sydney - 11 March to 17 April
*give birth:
expected date - 13 March
*Asialink Residency:
Green Papaya Art Projects, Manila Philippines - June & July CANCELLED
*Diversion:
Platform RBWH, Museum of Brisbane public art commission, Brisbane
10 September to 10 December
*Australia Council Residency:
ACME Studios, London UK - November, December, January

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

immemorial - reaching back beyond memory

...is a unique collaboration and dialogue between Northern Territory artists and Indonesian artists. The curatorial rationale of immemorial seeks to investigate commonalities of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, as they consider their ancestral histories and their present notions of cultural identity.

Exhibition and public forums at Roommate and iCAN, Yogyakarta, opening 14 November, running to 23 December.


My immigrant parents longed to be part of post-colonial Australian history, ignoring London and our sketchy Yenish heritage. Creating a new life in Australia involved constantly acquiring new possessions and attempting to eliminate accents. This work refers to my research into the vestigial, the remnants left behind from the death of loved ones.

Darwin Artists: Tobias Richardson, Hayley West, Min Wong, Jenny Fraser, and Catriona Stanton. Yogyakarta Artists: Wimo Ambala Bayang, Maryanto, Carolina Rika, Lashita Situmorang, and Sigit Bapak. Curators: Sudjud Dartanto (Yogyakarta) & Steve Eland (Darwin). A project initiated by 24hr Art - Northern Territory Centre for Contemporary Art. immemorial blog

immemorial, Yogyakarta

After the Gold Rush
installation shot at the opening

le 1er festival de video performance de Marseille, France

My work CAN has been selected for the 1st Video Performance Video Festival, Marseille. 16 to 23 November 2009


Selected Artists:
Alex van Jaber, Andreas Pashias, Anna Biskov, Chris Dupuis, Eleonora Giglione, Esther Achaernando, Francisko Orallo, Francisko Gonzales Castro, Fumiko Matsuyama, Giuseppe di Bella, Hayley West, Ignacio Martin, Juan Ji, Kate Tessa Lee, Marta Moreno Munoz, Mauro Romito, Nina Lassila, Pauline Payen, Roland Wegerer, Sabrina Harri, Sergio Cruz, Sinani Gunes, Suzanne Caines, Steef van Lent, Tooraj Khamenehzadeh, Zoe Gruni, Kai-Oi Jay Yung

1st Video Performance Video Festival, Marseille France 2009

Mediamatic Travel Launch

LAUNCH: Friday 16 October, 8pm - Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Mediamatic Travel, a new DIY network to travel to the contemporary art worldwide. It consists of a Travel website, the exhibition at Amsterdam Biennale 2009 and the Mediamatic Travel catalogue Bestemmingen 2010. Mediamatic Travel website

Meet your Darwin Tour Guide: Hayley West!
Guide: Hayley West, Trip: Darwin=Hot

Working in the arts? Planning a trip? 45 euros will get you a consultation session of an expert guide at your destination. This is not your average travel network. Here we work together to help each other to find our way in the contemporary arts scenes in our respective cities. Mediamatic Travel is a collaboration between Mediamatic and Partizan Publik.

The Gleaners

a lost glove project (Paris/Darwin)


61 lost gloves found in Paris have been distributed to 61 artists, writers, psychologists and musicians to create their glove’s missing half, completing the pair.

Gleaned by Hayley West, Tobias Richardson & Asha Richardson
Inspired by Jean-François Millet.

Dates: 25 September to 17 October 2009
Opening: Friday 25 September, 6pm
DEAF Space, DVAA, 56 Woods Street, Darwin NT 0801

SAINTS vs CATS AFL GRAND FINAL!!!

Footy hotshots a Territory artform
Picture: NICK WELSH (NT News)
IN MELBOURNE football is a religion but in Darwin it could be argued it is closer to art... SAINTS vs CATS AFL GRAND FINAL!!! September 26th, 2009.

unfortunately not the result we hoped for: Cats 12.8 (80) d Saints 9.14 (68)

Clothes Drying, India (Paris 2008)

Togart (NT) Contemporary Art Award 2009
2 to 18 September, opening Thursday 3 September, 6pm
Parliament House, State Square, Darwin NT

Clothes Drying, India (Paris 2008) is part of an ongoing watercolour series derived from photographs taken of clothes drying on riverbanks from around the world. Sometimes in the hundreds, newly washed clothes lay side by side in an unknown order, a public presentation of private duties. Interest lies in the traces of presence, and what is left behind.

image is a detail

The Black Show

The Black Show
Darren Sylvester, Rob McHaffie, Tara Gilbee, Nevada Duffy, Rob McLeish, Brigid Healy, Angela Thirlwell, Lisa Benson, Hayley West, Roslisham Ismail aka Ise, Greg Spiller, Tim Sterling, Riki Metisse Marlow, Jon Butt, Eleanor Butt, Pip Davey, Kent Wilson, The White Trash of Asia, Rozalind Drummond, Gabriel Carazo, Mila Faranov

What is this Black?
For the artists participating we asked them to look at black from the centre of their own practice. The possibility exists to explore black as an emotive language or in its literal tome or perhaps re-configuring it in a philosophical sense. All of these possibilities are encouraged.

c3 contemporary art space
Abbotsford Convent St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria
22 July (opening 6pm) to 09 August 2009

Vestigial Loss

In his publication On the Origin of Species (1859) Charles Darwin referred to the vestigial organs of our anatomy and their role in the theory of evolution. Like wisdom teeth and the appendix, what was once necessary for survival, now merely exists as a reminder of what has been lost. With the death of loved ones, the traces left behind are persistent. Vestigial Loss explores how death can influence the understanding and sanity of what remains.

This is a exhibition of thoughts from a recent residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris.

Showing at DEAF Space, 56 Woods Street, Darwin, NT

5-27 June, 2009 (opening Friday 5 June, 6pm)

Michael Kimball Writes Your Life Story (on a postcard)

Michael has written my life story and posted it today on his blog. I was very detailed with my answers to his questions, so it's curious what parts of my life he chose to use for his project.

See what you think --------------------------------------------->
#171 Hayley West: The Build Up

welcome home

more verlan - the art of parisian slang

métro = tromé/trom
truc = keutru = stuff
cigarette = garetci/garo
gentil = tigen = friendly
enervé = vénèr = angry
moche = cheum = ugly
mater = téma = to check out someone
vas-y = zyva = come on!
carrot = rotca = being deceived by someone

Tidy Town (Paris)

verlan - the art of parisian slang

verlan is l'envers (opposite) cut up and reversed
words learnt so far:
l'herbe = beuh = pot
mec = keum = guy
femme = meuf = chick
chien = niche = stupid looking dog (i made that one up)
actually, it's ienche

wave pool anticipation

Anula, NT
October 2008

exist in 08

exist in 08 is a set of Live Art explorations, collaborations, installations, performances and forums held at five sites across Queensland. Go to the website for details - i'm in the performance dvd program -
exist in 08

Me and my Gold Nugget (after Holterman)

Jean Belette's cottage
Hill End, NSW
Artist in-Residence program through the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
April-May 2008

CAN - the book

This book is a collection of images from an artist in-residence experience at 'Lost Generation Space' Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2008. The images are from the performance/installation for 'Bangun – Abandon Project' (Feb. 1-2-3) and around the abandoned buildings site. CAN transforms the forgotten into the precious. Years of fallen, dirty debris are carefully wrapped for the audience to take away as a souvenir of an abandoned piece of KL history. The souvenirs and myself are protected from further deterioration by plastic, fruity tablecloths.

you can buy it from lulu.com

CAN - the performance

it's a bit fuzzy, but here's a video link:

CAN - a research project


I'll try and upload a better quality one....

Bangun - Abandon Project

the space before i moved in: