Studio Brief 4 - Keri Smith

Wreck this Journal Series

Keri Smith is a conceptual artist who has written a number of books about creativity, such as Wreck This Journal. Her 'journals' provide prompts which encourage the user to work more freely / destructively e.g. defacing photos , painting with coffee etc to allow them to experience the creative process. The format and prompts introduce the user to a new way of working and help them overcome the blank page and learn new approaches to working creatively. For her, the main focus of her work is on creating what Umberto Eco called 'open works' which are works completed by the reader.

The work allows the reader to take control over their journal, providing a sense of ownership for the user and allows them to make their journal unique. The books get rid of what is considered right and wrong by encouraging destructive behaviour. It also tells the reader to use materials that they wouldn't usually consider to be 'art' materials which breaks down conventions of what 'art' is. The prompts within the book allow more lateral thinking and aim to engage the user with things around them, but uses the journal as a format. The books question 'what is a journal?' and how it should be approached, whilst helping with starting 'the blank page'. The prompts help the creative process and creates an expectation to experiment rather than make it look 'good'. The books physically engage the reader with the creative process, making you do the action rather than just read about different techniques. This allows the methods to be instilled in a fun and interesting way.