Art Practice - Use of Materials, equipment and Studios

ARt PRACtiCe

We are bound by the occupational health and safety regulations of the University. On a very immediate level, this means being aware of how you use equipment, tools and material, how you install artworks

or occupy studios and spaces, avoiding any harm or risk to yourself, others or the environment.

The Department of Fine Arts encourages resourcefulness, recycling, conservation (water, electricity, resources), awareness and proper handling of hazardous and toxic materials, and the preference for nontoxic ‘green’ material as an integral part of creative practice, and research. You are asked to participate in the recycling of paper, discard toxic material such as turpentine and acids in appropriate containers, and to use hazardous material, tools, and machines with the necessary precaution.

Importantly, you need to inform yourselves about the material you work with - be that paint, varnishes, solvents, sculpture materials or image processing chemicals. Ensure the necessary safety precautions for working, including use of protective gloves, goggles, dust masks, working in open air and a well-ventilated studio, switching on extractor fans and having fire extinguishers at hand.

turpentine, solvents, Plaster-of-Paris, paint and clay must not be discarded via the drains and plumbing system. Resin and similarly toxic material should be used carefully and only in open areas (sculpture studio exterior).

• Familiarise yourself with the location of fire extinguishers in the building, first aid kits andl emergency fire exits

(please ensure that during the course of the year all passages and exits remain free for movement in the event of an emergency)

• Read the instructions for usage of materials and chemicals and familiarise yourselves with storage requirements, and waste management • Should you come across anything during the day or after hours that may be of Health and Safety concern, please report it immediately to the security guard on duty and to a member of staff. • Do the research to find alternative, less toxic material • Be smart and know what you are working with and how to work with material and tools • Be mindful not to endanger yourself or others when working • Take responsibility for the appropriate and safe use of tools and material as part of your research and practice • Discuss and plan with your supervisor if any of the material you have been using can be re-used/recycled by other students once you leave • Inform your supervisors or course coordinators of safety risks that you may encounter while working in the studios • No students are allowed to sleep overnight in WSOA, particularly in the Fine Art workshop and lab spaces as this presents a great health and safety risk. • Fine Arts students are not permitted to allow non-Fine Art students or visitors into workshop, studios and lab spaces without prior permission by the course coordinator and workshop manager

In case of emergency, immediately contact the OHS Officers, Daniel Gray or Godfrey Mahlangu, campus health or security.

Please note that due to health and safety concerns, some material and tools may not be available for use after hours or outside the supervision hours of workshop technicians.

FACiLitieS AnD StUDioS

The Department of Fine Arts is housed in various buildings across the Wits School of Arts and off main campus. Administration and staff offices are located in the main WSOA building on East Campus. You will also find the First, Second, and Third Year studios and various facilities including the Photography and Print sections here. Art House houses the Wood and Steel Workshop on the ground floor, and senior studios on two levels upstairs. Masters and PhD students have their studios on the 7th floor of University Corner and at 9 Wolmarans Street in Braamfontein. the Point of order (tPo) is the Fine Arts public exhibition space, directly opposite WSOA on Bertha and Stiemens Streets. WSOA seminar rooms and the Appolonia Lecture Hall are shared with other departments. Please check specific venues of your courses - these may change subject to availability.

Studio spaces, equipment, facilities, studios, and materials provided by the Department of Fine Arts and Wits School of Arts for the use of students registered for the BA(FA), MA(FA) and Creative PhD degrees. These are partially funded through the Redirected/Laboratory Fees that every student pays as part of their University fees. Please note that the equipment, facilities and studio spaces managed by the Fine Arts Department and the Wits School of Arts may only be used by registered Fine Art students and for work that is made exclusively towards the degree - it may not be used for private, external or commercial work. If you wish to use any equipment or facilities in collaboration with non-Fine Art students or visitors, you first need to get permission from relevant lecturers/technicians and the Undergraduate Coordinator.

Studios, facilities and all other spaces on and off campus are managed by different staff and used by different student groups. As part of our general work ethic and attitude, these spaces are to be respected and maintained in an appropriate manner by everyone throughout the year.

In this you are equally responsible for ensuring that the studio, facilities and workshop spaces remain in good condition for teaching and learning, for exhibiting work during assessments, crits and exams. This also applies to using furniture and other equipment in studios, the computer lab and workshops. Students who do not adhere to these conditions will be liable for replacement or repair of lost or damaged property and in cases of abuse or theft, will face disciplinary action by the University.

Please do not remove desks, chairs, stools, easels, palettes and other furniture, equipment, or materials from the First and Second Year studios, Fine Arts Computer Laboratories, or Sculpture and Printmaking studios as this severely compromises the teaching program. Rather approach the Departmental Technician or your year coordinator should you be short on such basics.

Communal studios allocated to you in the WSoA and Art House buildings are aimed to be flexible, shared spaces that can adapt to different courses, activities and work during the year. Studios are available during working hours (8.00 - 17.00).

You are asked to take care of the studios you occupy and make your own, which includes the following:

• keeping the studios clean and in good working condition. While cleaners are employed to regularly clean the studios, you are asked to collectively organise and clean your studios and generally assist in maintaining a constructive and inspiring working environment. • display your names in your studio (or on the doors - applicable to 3rd and 4th years) • keep the furniture, easels, lockers clean and in good working order, even if they have been used by many students over several years. • Use drop-sheets when painting. • store your material and artworks in your lockers or in allocated, shared areas. • work process and ethic: respect each other with how you work in the space, e.g. use of power tools, paint, music etc. • Take care of your work, tools and material. • avoid blocking the drains with paint or oil and dispose of material such as paint, plaster-of-Paris, cement, clay, oil etc. appropriately. Use appropriate bins to collect and recycle solvents such as turpentine – NEVER pour these solvents into the drains. • Chemical drums are available in the Darkroom, the Painting and Printmaking studios for the disposal of chemicals, turpentine, thinners and various oils. • for any needs or repairs in the studios (furniture, lighting, plugs, window covers, partitions etc.), paint or any permanent fixtures you want to change or add, speak to the relevant studio assistants, technical and academic staff. • you are in charge of the studio - ventilate, ensure you’re Covid-19 safe • 3rd and 4th years are asked to organise keys for their studios (R 50 deposit)

WSoA Art Studios Manager: Bongumusa Shezi, bongumusa.shezi@wits.ac.za, 078 617 2636, office in B7, WSoA basement

Art House Studios Manager: Daniel Gray, daniel.gray@wits.ac.za, 079 434 7080

You will need to vacate and clear your studios at the end of the year (November) to make way for the next student group. You are responsible for leaving the studio space as you found it: clean, the walls restored (holes etc. neatly fixed) and appropriately painted white, the floors cleaned (paint and oil stains removed) and the furniture left in good order and in place.

Remove any of your material or artworks, including unwanted items (this also applies to other facilities such as the print studio or dark room). Clear out all lockers, claim your locks and remove all data from the shared computers in the labs by the due date. In special cases you may make arrangements with the Heads of Department for communal storage over the vacation period. Artworks left in studio spaces after the notified date will otherwise be disposed of as the Department does not have unlimited storage capacity.

All work produced during the year, and all waste material generated in the process, is to be removed from studios and lockers by the dates specified by the Department towards the end of each year.

the Department reserves the right to dispose of work found in studios and lockers after the due date allocated at the end of the year.

installations & de-installation

The technical and spatial installation of your artwork for crits and exams forms an integral part of your studies, practice and production. As part of thinking and working curatorially, you are asked to familiarise yourself with the architectural specifics of available spaces; hanging and installation systems; measuring; the use of the appropriate hardware and tools for the installation and de-installation of your work (i.e. the use of specific types of wall plugs/screws for brick wall, wood or dry walling; appropriate use of nails; handling power tools, use of spirit level etc.). As a principle do not use double sided tape to hang your

work on any surface as it is very difficult to remove and damages the work and the walls.

Some spaces require that you need to book out the space in advance and sign a studio use form with the relevant manager of the space (your year coordinator can give you more info on who manages particular spaces).

Restore the walls, floors, ceiling and lighting to the required standards immediately after crits, exhibitions and exams. This includes fixing, patching and painting holes in walls, removing nails, staples, adhesives or tape from walls and partitioning boards.

Short workshops will be arranged on basic practical and technical know-how. You are encouraged to

support each other and get input from staff where needed.

FACiLitieS

the Workshop

The Workshop is located on the Ground Floor of the Art House Building next to The Nunnery. it is managed

by the Workshop Senior technician, Daniel Gray, and the Workshop Assistant, Godfrey Mahlangu

who will introduce you to the working hours, the use of machines and tools, health and safety rules in the workshop, tool and gear take-out, group and individual appointment system, etc.

the use of the workshop is strictly for undergraduate and post-graduate Fine Arts students and staff.

Access to these facilities is further monitored in terms of Occupational Health and Safety requirements. Daniel and Godfrey are available to consult and assist you with the use of tools, finding design solutions and the realisation of your ideas/art work production and installation.

Every year specific material is purchased from Redirected/Lab budget and made available for your use (e.g. wood, paint). This material is allocated to particular courses and years and needs to be shared. The allocation is overseen by the workshop and course coordinators. Tools and equipment are available for loan or use in the workshop. When taking out tools, you are responsible for returning them in working condition, on the due date. Penalties will apply to late returns. Lost, stolen, or damaged tools / equipment must be replaced by the person who signed them out.

Safety standards must be observed at all times. You are responsible for learning and adhering to the safe and appropriate use of power tools and machines available in the workshop, and to respect the standard safety precautions.

Safety protective gear (goggles, particle masks, respirator masks, safety shoes) must be worn while

working with machinery in the workshop.

Please adhere to the booking and access times specified by the workshop staff.

Senior Technician, Workshop Manager: Daniel Gray, daniel.gray@wits.ac.za | 0794347080 Workshop Assistant: Godfrey Mahlangu, godfrey.mahlangu@wits.ac.za | 0609662278