Kate Smith’s work is about boredom and the control that a higher authority does, or does not have over their audience in a meeting or lecture situation. There are many aspects to consider when thinking about doodling such as why we do it, what it can tell us and when or where we do it. This work focuses on where we do it. It is done when someone is bored, hence why this work was completed during a lecture. The lecture notes are on essay writing, which is a common lecture in any university course and not specific to the artist’s own subject.

The definition of boredom is “The state of being weary and restless through lack of interest.” There are also three kinds of boredom that are; being prevented from being engaged in something, being forced to engage in an unwanted activity, and finally when we don’t engage in something for no apparent reason. Doodling in a lecture comes under the second two definitions as even though there is a choice whether to go to lectures, we feel as if we need to go, whatever the subject is, and if the subject is boring, some people will doodle to keep their hands busy and make it look as though they are still writing.

The work produced here is a narrative piece, which shows the content of a lecture with the artist’s doodles. The statements in the images are personal to the photographer as it is what was going through her head in a lecture situation, as not everyone thinks the same. However the statements are common things said or thought in similar situations, so it can apply to anyone who is viewing the work.