Fiona Gray
MA Fine Art 2017 - 2022
MAFA is a group of artists who specialise in a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, performance and video. The group is unique in both its variety of artistic practices and international background.
The MA Fine Art programme is a hybrid of students studying History of Art and Studio Art at the University of Edinburgh.
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After finding themselves without a studio, as Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) shut its doors due to COVID-19, MAFA has rallied to fufill the potential of digital platforms to construct their own online exhibition.
MAFA is proud to present the exhibition: ERROR 404. The title of the exhibition refers to the lack of support and digital skills that art students have received and the disappointing shift to online teaching - for an art degree cannot be delivered without a studio
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For updates follow us on Insta: @mafa.2022
Creating in Covid
Online Exhibition
Adapting to an online format for the exhibition has expanded our conventional perception of the ‘gallery space’ and the ‘exhibition.’ It provides new curatorial possibilities, including experimenting with scale, altering the viewer’s experience of the artworks, and enabling digital media (such as gifs, 3D models and video). Where a physical exhibition is usually temporary and site-specific, our online exhibition has the potential for being internationally accessible and immortalised in its online form.
In a locked-down world where studios are closed, artists are isolated and physical exhibitions have been cancelled, the online exhibition allows us to exhibit and connect.
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Moz://a has developed a programme called Spoke that we have been using to create the 3D social space that Error 404 is hosted on. It is a surprisingly versatile and easy to use online programme that offers a multitude of different environments and has the added bonus of being able to host a live, interactive opening. Our visitors to the exhibition will be able to choose an avatar that they would like to explore the artworks with and will even be able to communicate with other visitors. There is also an option to also engage with the work on display using a VR headset.
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Home Studio
Without access to studios and workshops, producing artwork to the same level is impossible for most students. Even if you have understanding flatmates who will let you cover the living room with a plastic tarp so you can safely make a mess, it’s still a struggle to make work in your home 'studio'.
As a ‘painting’ student, back in September I asked and asked to borrow an easel to use at home and it took months to get help and then I finally got one outside of any formal booking just because a lovely technician knows me and trusts that I’ll bring it back. I was barely able to get basic tools and I’m one of the most pushy people on campus (Miss Student Rep 2020). Even if you have space to make at home, many professional materials are too smelly or messy to attempt using at home, without your kitchen reeking of paint thinner. I shouldn't have to convert my bathtub into a darkroom to complete my course work!
Along with technical difficulties, as for many working from home, any previous boundary between work and life has dissolved. In a space of 3 meters, I try to sleep, write, and create art - often disappointed. With all these limitations, many of us have shifted to a primarily digital practice. While some might see this as gaining new CV-worthy skills, it is in no way ideal and often discouraging.
In this exhibition, we have done our best to work with what we have and stay connected as most of our days are lived digitally. Some are exhibiting work made before the pandemic that has been hidden, unable to be exhibited, while others are sharing new work in virtual forms including digital rendering, video, and 3D modelling. Despite everything, we hope that this can be an opportunity to share, connect, and commiserate.
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