00:00Hello, my name is Christian Noel-Charles. I'm an artist based here in Glasgow, Scotland, originally from Syracuse, New York.
00:06We are here at the Glasgow Print Studio for my new exhibition, Wait a Minute,
00:12which is a reflection piece about solitude.
00:15So Wait a Minute is a response from a question that was approached by a friend within the Glasgow arts scene.
00:23They asked me, when did you find your place of solitude?
00:26And I was taken aback by that question because I didn't know
00:31where I was at my happiest at the time. A lot of
00:35elements of the show became like a motif that was in relation to like, pause, sit, reflect,
00:42and certain motifs around this show is a reminder of that, but also
00:48really a reflection of me growing up at the same time.
00:53So I think I was turning 30 when I was approached with the show. So it was just like, whoa.
01:00I realized the biggest thing when building this show was I realized my entire
01:0620s, like all my memories, all the photos that I took in were on my iPhone.
01:11And I was just like, and there's about like 80,000 photos in there.
01:16And I was just like, you got to be kidding me. And I was livid. And I realized how many, and I,
01:21selfies I took, and then I used selfies as a way as like to really analyze myself.
01:26I think it was, it builds a habit of journey of self-acceptance.
01:31So one, some of the collection of prints is Snap, which is basically the handheld phone and you're, and you're taking a photo.
01:40And it was mostly a reflection of those selfies,
01:43but realizing how much now the phone has so much power when you're documenting elements around the world and
01:50and moments in time and moments in culture. And it's got, it's kind of, it developed like an overwhelming presence.
01:57As well as I think there is an integration of the Polaroid,
02:00which is a reminder of how we should document and archive our work and like our memories as well.
02:06Because I, I just bought a Polaroid camera like a few weeks ago and realized I can't stop taking photos with the Polaroid because I
02:13realized those, they're becoming very significant memories that stay. And it has such a different attitude and energy as well.
02:21And then there's also the three ellipses that we see on our phones, which represent a form of patience. For me,
02:27it's like in my day, it just is like, oh, waiting for that guy or like that partner to text you back.
02:32And it's just like, oh, there's some, this, I want to know a reply, I need a reply kind of energy.
02:37But like, but it's also, it kind of turned into this form of headlights, these three dots.
02:42Like you're always being watched and you're like surveillance and it's like a mix.
02:47So it's like all, it's very layered within them. And that, and
02:51it's interesting how printmaking, my practice is, it's such a layered journey as well. Screen printing because you're always
02:59using layers to build up an image. And that, that's developed
03:04like this almost intertwined of how they almost relate to each other as like a form of patience and
03:11reflection as well.
03:12So there's like three rooms that are like kind of representing and it's kind of like my journey of maturing. As this entire exhibition is
03:19like a big self-portrait. I usually use myself as a vessel and
03:25like, and taking photos to understand myself. The room that we're in now is a
03:30recreation of my childhood bedroom, almost. The images within this room is like kind of a reflection of like
03:36today of the millennial with the phone and patience and call me and the Polaroid within that.
03:42So they're like, it's a familiarity of how people like install stuff in a room with the curtains in the front.
03:49This is a homage to
03:51Breonna Taylor who was
03:54unfortunately killed five years ago in her own bedroom in the States and
03:59realizing that we were the same, we're the same age. And
04:03in that kind of trauma, those like those feelings always come back because
04:08the black women are not really protected or supported at times.
04:12It's kind of a mix of all of those emotions intertwined but
04:16reminding yourself that this is supposed to be a place of solitude and a place of relaxation. And
04:22even though you may feel lonely at times like, you know, you have your foundation or space that can protect you. The red room
04:29it's kind of like that form of transformation in the in-between. Those are prints I made like
04:35early and they're called the Caress Series, which was like a sense of intimacy and embrace. It was like my
04:42understanding of what intimacy should feel like and how being held is a very,
04:48it's a luxury and also
04:51like in also a need sometimes. I'm doing a performance piece and it's basically
04:58how we
04:59like how we are in our rooms sometimes. So that's with the opening tomorrow.
05:04That's there's going to be a special one for the opening tomorrow. But then there's like pockets throughout the show.
05:09There's like I think two dates that I will be in and you'll probably see me live in action performing in a way like
05:17just how I am in my bedroom.
05:20So it's it's it's that it's that window of intimacy that borderline of intimacy, privacy,
05:27versus not. It's and also I think it's also it's
05:32just showing the various talents that I have as an artist that I think sometimes
05:37you don't, there's there's something beyond
05:41being a printmaker and like a performer because they're all layered and intertwined together.
05:50I'm very giddy. I'm very giddy about it. I squeal every time I walk in. I'm like, oh god
05:56this is happening. The best thing about it is it's
05:59it's my message and it's my space at this time and
06:03and
06:04to have that luxury to really give space to what you really want to say, that's a
06:10I'm very grateful for the Glasgow Print Studio to give me that opportunity.
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