Charles Hummel of the Winterthur Museum, perhaps unknowingly, predicted the emphasis of ITE 2000. As he guided us through the massive Winterthur collection in the first week of our eight weeks together, he commented that this was the first ITE group who showed interest in the decorative arts collection. This was indeed a strength of this group of woodturners.
The emphasis was on texture—from the intricate carvings of Rolly Munro to the bold strokes of the chainsaw and chisel which characterize George Peterson’s work. There were experiments with sculpture compounds, instant rust and ebonizing finishes, gouging patterns and scorching among Mike Scott and Graeme Priddle’s work. Texture was key.
My role as photojournalist stretched beyond the traditional role of chronicler and photographer. I set as my goal the creation of an interactive web site with ITE as an active player on the worldwide web. The technical challenges were met relatively easily even with the occasional frustrations, but the technological demands detracted from the role of observer and synthesizer of information. I was physically removed from the shop by necessity; the computer equipment was elsewhere. And so I felt somewhat separate from the action.
Nevertheless, the web site has attracted some interest and is in its infancy as an ITE presence. I hope that the groundwork laid for the architecture and format of the site will make this job easier in the future and allow more time for the photojournalist to interact with the artists in the shop. I believe this year’s ITE photojournalist effort set a new direction. Its effect is still in the intitial phases. ITE will no longer necessarily be limited to eight weeks in the summer. It can be a year-round cyberevent!
You’ll be able to read more about my impressions of ITE in the next issue of Turning Points, coming out in August.
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