It is not often that an artist has the opportunity to retreat from the demands of the “real world” and spend an extended period of time realizing his or her ideas without the constraints of family responsibilities, exhibition committments and the demands of making a living. The value of a residency such as the Basel Exchange is that by experiencing another culture it is possible to see one’s approach to art work from a different position and within a new context.

My intention whilst in Basel was to commence a project which enabled me to apply my pre-existing ideas to a new and different situation. I wanted to use a limited group of four specific colours- Blue, Green, Orange,Yellow to paint on material found near the studio. Nearly all materials were collected from the street and manipulated with this colour system. These works were presented as installations or arrangements, exploring relationships between colour, surface, shape and functionality, using the history of abstraction as a resource. This set of conditions allowed for a more “playful” period of work, where I was able to extend my work in ways not previously conceived.

I was provided with a variety of opportunities to participate in exhibitions and projects, which offered valuable feedback. In the time that I was there I displayed works in the Frontstore Gallery (a gallery for multiples and small scale art), The Kaskokondensator (an alternative art space in a converted brewery), and in several informal studio installations.

I also presented some video works as part of the “View Assistance” city project; screening “Walking, Basel Fremantle” and “The 1999 AFL Grand Final”, (complete with rules in German!). These videos were a new thing for me and were shown in a small bar in central Basel.
The “Open Doors” studio weekend in December enabled about 120 visitors come into my studio to see the results of my residency.
Equally valuable was the opportunity to meet many artists from diverse cultural backgrounds such as Finland, Scotland, Georgia, Lithuania, Belarus, Quebec, Switzerland and Germany. I enjoyed very much sharing experiences, ideas and approaches with them in an informal situation- I felt we were all on common ground (including the locals). I hope to continue some of these connections on my return to Fremantle.
I spent some of my time travelling to the following places to see artworks in galleries and museums- Basel (the city of a hundred museums), Zurich (the most powerful centre for commercial galleries), St Galen, Biele, Winterthur, Berne (with the wonderful Klee collection of 6,000 works), Schauffhausen, Liestal, Venice (for the Bienale), Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Dusseldorf. These visits enabled to examine contemporary and historical works, confirming and expanding my view of European culture.

The St Alban-Tal studio apartments where I stayed are ideal in many ways. Located in quiet scenic surroundings just next to the river Rhine, they provide comfortable, spacious, clean and well- maintained (more about that later) for living and working. The proximity to the centre of the city makes it very convenient for shopping, visiting and doing business.The IAAB, which administers the studio program, provided good support throughout the residency. In particular Ruth Walther, Lilian Pfaff and Adrea Bickle kept in regular contact through there differing roles within the organisation. They are to be commended for their professionalism and efficiency( a Swiss national characteristic!).

The only disappointing feature of my residency was the amount of renovation work carried out on the studio building whilst I was there. Approximately 25 days were spent contending with a variety of tradesmen working on the exterior and interor of my space. Quite often without any notice, architects, supervisors, designers, builders, electricians, carpenters and painters would descend on the studio, interrupting my work and forcing me to leave, or sit around waiting for them to finish. I realise that these works needed to be done to maintain the building but a more coordinated approach( ie all at once rather than spread out over 3 months) would have minimised the frequency of interruptions, allowing the artists to better use the space. I know that the next artists to move in will have a fully equipped and attractive space to use!

In conclusion I would like to express my gratitude to those people enabled me to have such an enjoyable time in Basel. In the 5 months I was able to develop ideas in a relatively focussed manner, allowing me to move in unforeseen directions. I saw some great art and visited some fantastic cities. I made strong friendships and contacts in a wonderful place a long way from home, which I am sure will continue long after I return to Fremantle.

Trevor Richards 17 December 1999