Programme 5: Nathan Coley – Project based artwork

Programme Outline

The Artist
Born in 1967, Nathan Coley grew up in Glasgow and wanted to become a professional footballer. When he was 14, he had to make the decision on which direction to focus on. He was also very good at art; this informed his decision to attend Glasgow School of Art. He graduated from Fine Art in 1989, but it wasn’t until six years after graduating that he felt comfortable calling himself an artist.

Nathan describes his work as a process; he does not have a technique. His work is dependent upon his attitude towards a particular location – this means you can’t ever predict what a Nathan Coley piece will look like. He applies a way of thinking to a project and then creates a single piece of work in public for all to experience. Scaled models appear regularly in his work, which reveal a passion for architecture, monuments and places.

A key element to Nathan’s work is that the object is not the centre of the artwork. Whatever he creates deals with the journey – both literally to the site and nearby surroundings, but more importantly for the viewer, the creative journey – the conversations, the thinking behind the work and its route to manifestation.

Over the years, Nathan’s artwork has expanded from photography to include sculpture, digital animation and video. Commissions such as his sculpture, ‘Italian Tower’, at Kielder Reservoir have become integral to his practice. He now works internationally and spends roughly half the year traveling; the rest of the time he makes work. The notion of an artist’s studio doesn’t apply to Nathan as he does a lot of work on trains and planes. This important aspect of Nathan’s work undoubtedly affects what he produces.

Nathan makes a living from selling his work, commissions, grants and awards. The reason he makes art is not primarily to make money but he does it because he is interested in the possibilities that art presents.

Project
Nathan undertakes a project with Newcastleton Primary School. They visit Kielder Reservoir to experience Nathan’s work and create their own models. The children are asked to think about the village under the reservoir that was flooded in 1972 in order to create the reservoir. They are taken on different journeys around and on the reservoir to fire their imaginations.During a ferry trip, the children take photographs of Nathan’s Italian Tower in Kielder Reservoir. Nathan accompanies the children to answer their questions. He explains that the tower is only temporary, thus introducing them to the concept of ‘temporary’ art, ie art that it is not necessarily precious.

Nathan works with the children in groups to build cardboard models of their impressions of the flooded village, which they then float on the water. The models are temporary and will be removed at the end of the project. This symbolises the village’s journey in 1972 while provoking thoughts about the communities who were moved to new houses.