In his work Hammersley focuses on dialogue and conversation. He argues the importance of this to the generation of meaning in art, especially in relation to conceptual and process-based pieces. He also stresses the importance of dialogue to a socially focused and reflective art practice and investigates what contemporary artists understand of this mode of working.
For River, Hammersley stood on the Blackweir Bridge for one whole day, engaging in conversation about the space with other people who were passing-by or using the bridge. For the previous week an 'Invitation to Dialogue' was displayed on an a-board in the area, inviting people to arrive at any time in the day to have a conversation, although Hammersley also spoke with people who were not there specifically for the event.
Some amazing insights into the space and individuals lives were gained during this 9-hour piece which was documented by the artist through notes. This project will soon be written up and posted in this space.
Hammersley's project took place between 9.00 and 18.00 on Friday 19th June 2009. Please click on Artists' Profiles for more information about Hammersley and his practice and for a link to his website.