You Make Me Feel Mighty Real

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Bus Projects is an independent arts organisation dedicated to supporting the critical, conceptual and interdisciplinary practices of Australian artists. In 2013, an integral part of BUS Projects' artistic program was the "Not Only But Also" artistic program, which supported the creation and presentation of new and innovative work by 24 Australian artists and writers. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: This submission relates to a catalogue text commissioned as part of the "Not Only But Also" program to accompany the exhibition "Mendota Stoppages" by James L. Marshall. Marshall is an artist and curator who has exhibited throughout Australia, Los Angeles and Sweden, as well as presenting his research at the Fourth Global Conference of Fear, Horror and Terror at Oxford University. Marshall is Co-Director of FELTspace (Adelaide) and Assistant Director at RAID projects (Los Angeles). The catalogue essay "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" was a critical and creative reflection on Marshall's practice, in particular exploring Marshall's interest in American conceptual artist James Turrell and his 1970's series "Mendota Stoppages", after which the exhibition was titled. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: This project is part of Murray's independent practice as artist, curator and writer in Australian contemporary visual arts. Following the committee selection process, the project was commissioned by Channon Goodwin, Gallery Manager, BUS Projects, who also curated the exhibition. It was part of the "Not Only But Also" series of commissioned texts and exhibitions, supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, the federal government's principal arts funding advisory body. The text was available online and in a printed 8-page catalogue. Over 2-weeks, 450 people visited. The significance of the exhibition was demonstrated by media coverage including a feature on 4ZZZ's No Brow art show (http://www.4zzzfm.org.au/podcasts/culture/no-brow-art-show-speaks-james-l-marshall