Artist Blog

IMAGES-DISPLAY-EXHIBITION

Currently planning how I am going to display my images, I originally wanted to nail the images straight to the wall but I don’t know whether this would be seen as unprofessional, I don’t know whether mounting preferred.

Monday 13th I plan to send all my images to print, I will be having them all semi-gloss as I personal think this gives the best finish. I am still unsure of the amount of pictures to display and the size of which to display them. I could have them smaller and a large amount or larger and a smaller amount. The benefits being a show of mass, but the smaller the images the more detail is lost. As I wanted to name the piece pareidolia, which is the psychological phenomenon of humans picking out common shapes in objects there view, therefore it is a necessity that the images are larger and clear, otherwise this effect won’t be trigger amongst the audience, but obviously I want this to occur.

So I am plan to print out a selection of larger and smaller images, to make sure I come to the most effective finish. Although I think the images should be around 40cm by 70cm. Which means there would be space for around three horizontal images down the wall and around 7 minimum images vertically across.    

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DRAWING AND MOVEMENT

My final talk with a tutor made me reflect upon mark making. Recently I’ve thought about my practice, generally drawing or some form of psychical mark making is what I see as my expertise. I will often conclude a project with a piece which I’ve physically drawn. I do feel I have drawn but not in a conventional sense of mark making, but in a different ways, movements; the way in which you can place an object. Working with collage, the composition of the image was my individual reasoning; the photographs I’ve taken have been compositions of my mind.  Drawing is about the choice of movement; an individual can draw as they walk the choice of where each step, creating a path that would fit no other.

My original plan was to make a painting and for this to be part of my final exhibition. The painting was going to be of foliage in a juxtaposition arrangement, similar to my digital photo edits in terms of what they are. A painting would have shown my strengths in my craft but conceptually would have concluded the same as the other pieces I plan to exhibit in my final show. As I think about this more I feel a sense of my project being realised and in a state of accomplishment.  

REFLECTING UPON PRACTICE, SEPTEMBER-MAY

Edit and Amends: I chose to view this project as temporary with no intention of carrying it on beyond the four week period. I concentrated on shapes, specifically geometric. Working with origami, I used the symmetrical shapes to highlight how from one shape you can construct many, mapping out as far or as near as you wish with just the simple shape being central and vital.

Reflecting on my work during these three years I have referred often to infinity, on-going and growth. My work often highlights the idea of no capacity, unresolved questions, and the unknown.

My edit and amends project lacked conceptually, the bulk of the work were drawings and paper sculptures, the project had no real durability as a major project. I put this project aside having no great interest in the concepts of geometric shapes and struggling with a project and dissertation topic which didn’t communicate on any level. 

Although as my practice’s intentions strengthened I did find a place for my geometric drawings when In January I started working with combination and collage. Finding the shapes worked astoundingly visually when used to represent the contrast between man-made and the natural. Placing them in the skies of landscapes I had photographed created a powerful surreal language.

In November and December I attempted to topic my project with my dissertation. I started to look at symbolism, implied meanings, touching upon a person’s perception and how through combination of images you can communicate, even toying with the idea of addiction and obsession. In February I drew combinations with symbolism found in political superpowers, again though I felt a lacking of concept, work was a struggle! My only idea which I felt a connection to as a person was the idea perception and pragmatics.

Late January, early February I concentrated on bulking up my practice, I made several collages, I didn’t think about what I was trying to perceive sick of working yet getting great no progression. The act of making collages with momentum and enjoyment was crucial point in my practice this year in terms of thinking about myself and what my art is. I realise now struggling in September conceptually triggered my thinking to become centered upon providing conceptually. Looking back now it’s seems so obvious where there needed to be a balance between practice and concept, an articulation between making and thinking. A concept which exhilarates inquisitiveness in the maker is of unquestionably importance.

ILLUSION-SYMMETRY-VIEWER

One of the most noticeably thing I found when combining symmetry and tree branches was the way in which common shapes  like faces, figures etc allude themselves to the viewer . This lead to me looking into pareidolia and the block ink test; in particular the black and white tree branch collages have a distinct visual illusion on the audience, a person cannot look at the images without different shapes presenting themselves. Interestingly this identifies the difference between individuals but also the similarity of the masses, all see shapes but no one person identifies the same shapes.   

Initially working with shapes at the start of the year I did a lot of research into tessellation and optical & visual illusions.  The idea of viewing something beyond its purpose, questioning the capacity of the something, renewing & manipulating perception; these ideas are relevance through the whole of my practice and the purpose of my work. 

MATHILDE ROUSSEL-NATURAL MATERIALS-ARTIST

When I started working with natural materials and sculpture, I found a few artists in particular who interested me; Artist Mathilde Roussel’s Installation called ‘Lifes of Grass’. The sculptures are formed using a metal frame, soil and wheat grass.

The artist explains that she aims to show viewers, through the sculptures, that the food we eat and the way that it is grown and transported has an impact on us all. “The natural world, ingested as food becomes a component of human being. Through these anthropomorphic and organic sculptures made of soil and wheat grass seeds, I strive to show that food, its origin, its transport, has an impact on us beyond its taste.”

This artist uses her work to express the way humans ingest nature and absorb and in essence what a human eats becomes human. There is a great similarity in humans to nature in the way in which it grows and changes and using manipulating natural materials in to alien shapes is often very visually effected.  Seeing a human figure entirely composed of earth and grass is a reminder of human’s utter dependence on nature and also the human life cycle, to grow, live and die; energy continuously recycled, it makes me think about energy as a whole, the amount of energy upon the earth may never be any greater or smaller amount in amount as time becomes, but it’s purpose may be the only thing that changes.

This piece particularly hits personal with me, as it reminds me of a recurring dream I had for years in which I would have parts of my body growing small plants, I wold pull this out and it would take a chunk of my arm or leg off with it, I would feel and hear the roots breaking off as I pulled and It’s something that although it was a dream is someone I distinctly remember.

The human form being presents is very literal in comparison to my sculptures; I am expressing a human element. Visually her elevating figures are visually provoking, I hope to have this effect upon my audience, I am currently enlarging my sculptures as I thing the mass will help amplify the effectiveness of the pieces visually and conceptually. 

REFLECTING UPON PRACTICE

Summary of practice

My current practice is based on reality and perception. The unknown, humanity and existence are also of great relevance; the indefinites of reality. I’ve always found interest in the unusual in general.  Surrealism experiments with reality and I really enjoy the odd dreamlike quality often found in forms of expression hitting upon alternative or imaginary aspects. My work particularly this final term has approached the idea of creating an object anew, working with natural objects, like trees. Combining the man made and the natural also approached issues surrounding human cultivation, use of natural resources, environmental problems.  But my concept is more specific towards the surreal, mythical and escapism, this dynamic between myth and reality I find greatly compelling.  

Style of practice

As an artist my ‘style’ has remained much the same throughout my entire life. I have always homed in on small details and intricacy. I think working in terms of surrealism I can heighten the skewing of perception and combining this with extremely detailed visuals creates powerful pieces with great aesthetic s qualities.

Formulating project proposal and statements

Formulating proposals and statements has been a lot easier in the final 10 weeks of my practice. As I really started to bulk up my practice at this stage onwards, building sculptures and physically making spark great enthusiasm especially centring  upon concepts of great interest to me. Once I starting working with reality and myth it seemed obvious that I should’ve concentrated my practice on this from the start the start of the year. Concept and work need to communicate but also animate the practitioner!

Project and research

Research is an important area of practices. Work is always strengthened and developed through research. Reading about myth and reality, the compelling gap in understanding of the brain and cognition, the suppressed and the unasked questions; the anxiety of the unknown can drive a person, humanity thrives to understand everything. All for the possession of power, knowledge Is power, understanding and intelligent, respected qualities; is god is the only genuine all-knowing?  Faith; is belief view primitive in the age of science? Is having faith a weakness, a way to escape the concept of death being the end, or is to have faith the greatest feat in trust and the bravest acceptance.

Gathering information

When things crop up that I find relevance or interest in, I broaden my understanding of it and build links and connection, often all my research, theories artists etc relate and are linked to another. Having a great interest in the topic of my practice is beneficial for the work being produced, but also for the individual in learning about yourself and expressing your individuality.