METTE works at the junction between print and audio, her work documents progressive thought, intersectionality, and the liminal.
METTE presents LETTERS 2, a conceptual investigation into Braille “book-cards” that comments on accessibility, anonymity, and repetition.
She sent 100 book-cards worldwide on 7 April, and is launching her self-built interactive website archiving past and present projects, whilst looking to the future of collaborative art.
On the 7th May 2020, 100 Braille embossed book-cards were sent worldwide to old friends and new creatives through the alias of METTE (@mettttte). The series is accompanied by a fragmented piece about:
ACCESSIBILITY / ANONYMITY / REPETITION
found on mette.org.uk. What follows is a brief behind- the-scenes, an insight into the planning, scanning, influences and resources behind LETTERS 2.
LETTERS 2 was a vague chaotic idea in early 2020, after months of thinking about how I choose to communicate with other people and how they respond to me. I had been making lists over and over, using the space and time of Viral to concentrate my thoughts into something physical. Wednesdays became a day to check-in during an erratic 6 months, a space dedicated to conversation and tea, collaboration and lofty visions.
Viral gave me an opportunity to recognise the different facets of my work and the time to evolve my practice into some kind of conceptual experimentation. I used the resources at hand (masterclasses, open sessions, and most importantly; mentors) to form an alliance. I felt myself progressing, branching out, and growing through to new platforms. I was moving forward.
Both Bex and Sarah were instrumental in LETTERS 2. In terms of physical assets, Sarah (through her partner Mark) gave me access to a beautiful Perkins Brailler, a mechanical marvel that generates a third, physical language. Bex facilitated a space for me to air my ideas and grievances on the front sofas in the Bottega Rooms; from my initial static/moving triptych thoughts through to how I could subvert the “Royal” in Royal Mail. I feel that my artistic identity, agency, and autonomy have found solid ground.
I remain close to my DIY roots. I hand-cut the book-cards and punched the Braille manually, I used a flat-bed scanner and an iPhone camera to translate my ideas onto a website that I designed and animated myself. It’s been both a collaboration and a negotiation, and I’m deeply thankful to those kind enough to lend me their time, company, and guidance.
In terms of the future, I have grand plans and projects in the works. My website is a brief and indefinite digital archive. If you can, take a moment to visit mette.org.uk, read about this project and those ongoing. Write to me and I’ll write back.
Warmly,
METTE
