University Campus Suffolk   2009/2010

Sally Webster

I would like to make work inspired by the text of "The Skin Ego" by Didier Anzieu, a French psychoanalyst who thought psychoanalytic work needed people who can work with images. I would like to demonstrate some of his ideas in a practical and visually interesting way for others to respond and relate to – perhaps using textiles. plastics and rubber, interactive work and video.

Such work might result in images showing how some people seem to stretch and expand in response to challenge or stress and how others "crack" under pressure, are seen by some as overly dependent on others or even sometimes seem to be a subset or an extension of someone else.

I have an interest in exploring expressions of internal distress which are demonstrated bodily - for example skin problems or body dysmorphia or eating disorders. However, I think my skin may not be able to stretch quite this far in 100 hours!

Although I have some space to work at home I do not have access to the facilities I need. For instance I have an SLR camera, a cheap digital camera and a laptop, but I don't have a video camera, dark room or video editing facilities. I only have a sporadic broadband connection. I would very much appreciate having access to a university library. It would be very enjoyable and stimulating to work alongside students and staff and exchange ideas and information and hopefully inspire others. I would like to put together a body of work that could be exhibited or at least explored usefully by the students using the college.

I feel this opportunity would give me the scope to explore an area of work I am fascinated by and perhaps lead to future teaching work or possibly an MA.