Jim Lambie

Written 28/10/10

Posted today on 04/11/10

Written by Emilie Gordon

Research on Materiality/ Material artists.

Whitechapel Gallery. (2002) Early One Morning. British Art Now. London: Whitechapel Gallery.

p. 110, Jim Lambie

"The emphasis was on the idea rather than on the medium or material, and how that worked conceptually. I could use anything, from a cigarette lighter to a 400-foot piece of plastic.'’

In an interview with Andrea Tarsia for the catalogue of the 2002 exhibition 'Early one morning' at Whitechapel Gallery Lambie explains why he works with a vast amount of materials and mediums, and doesn't limit the types of materials he uses to produce works. The idea is far more important to him.

With my own practice I want to begin to bring in a collection of materials to work with and experiment with the interaction of different materials. I want to look at exhibition displays and public art as ways of presenting the work. I need to find materials that are waterproof and will work in an outdoor environment, so I am currently looking into that. For my elective in Documentary I am taking my own studio work out into secret Garden’s in South East/ East London. With the current financial climate being unstable and being a student with very little funds I am finding that found materials are very helpful when making work, Lambie is right when he goes on to say

“Sculpturally you can really free yourself up if you’re not stuck on a specific material’’ as soon as you open yourself up to the possibility of different materials more ideas are allowed to breathe and come to life.

Jim Lambie

 Bed-head 2002, Mattress, buttons, thread.