image from ffffound.com
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
in honour of my dissertation
and it's imminent marking, that will at some point reveal a mere simpleton's understanding of the greatness of Stewart, Jon.
image from ffffound.com
image from ffffound.com
cootie catchers
Some of the shots from the photo sesh with Niall this morning. It's all terribly a bit more professional than my gekken or diana could manage and I'm really quite pleased with them.
This is the starting point for this term's work, the fortune tellers, cootie catchers, flexagons that you make out of paper in the playground at school with stupid things written inside; things like 'you're going have seventeen billion children and be really really fat yeah,' or 'u eat poo and you like it'. I wanted to change the qualities of them. When you make them out of paper they are always imperfect, disposable toys, meant for a moment's fun and nothing else. I wanted to make them become visible, tangible, definate objects; objects that display the geometry and become an aesthetic sculpture.
The latter images are of the 2nd and 3rd attempt at a cootie catcher in aluminum, the larger being 800mmx800mmx400mm using 0.8mm aluminium sheet. The next one will be approx double that.
When the smaller one was actually made the overall feature became not the surface or aesthetic qualities, but the sound that it made when the faces banged together. Being only part adult and still mostly child, continual loud banging noises and being just generally irritating are still a phenomenally fantastic way to spend time. (I think Alessandro and Ish can testify this after showing them my skill with a microphone and portable amp, otherwise known as 'The Feedback Sessions 2009') The bigger one makes an amazing clang sound, especially if you clang it in the lift at people who ask what it is. It takes up most of the lift space as it is, so when it bangs people tend to shut up, or go 'argf'.
Anyway, this is where I am going now, exploring the qualities of sound against a sculpture. I would like the sound to be heard or noticed before the work is seen. And for the work to be placed within a context where it can be mistaken for something else. I will be looking at sound within cause and effect, small actions that make big noises, big actions that make small noises. The destruction of sound also, what happens when you take away something's natural sound? The vinyl massacre of last year is something that I am still very interested in, even if it doesn't fully develop within this work.
Alongside this, creating a mechanism for the larger cootie catchers to create noise and sound without need for the deliberate human interaction of picking it up and smashing it around. This will be done by harnessing the power of Maplin to make a swinging arm for one of the sections. I'd ideally like it to still have some element of interaction but an interaction that is unavoidable and unintentional on the part of the viewer, so far this has indictaed somekind of motion sensor. All ready to change though.
Ann says it's too dominating and aggressive to work within a shared space, which I guess is true. But I at least want to see it chase and scare someone before I tame it.
so, in summary, purely for my own benefit:
paper = no
aluminum = yes
still = no
moving = yes
noise = yes yes yes
to try:
sound cause and effect
bigger one
context/space
amplified small sounds
hushed loud sounds
destruction of sound
This is the starting point for this term's work, the fortune tellers, cootie catchers, flexagons that you make out of paper in the playground at school with stupid things written inside; things like 'you're going have seventeen billion children and be really really fat yeah,' or 'u eat poo and you like it'. I wanted to change the qualities of them. When you make them out of paper they are always imperfect, disposable toys, meant for a moment's fun and nothing else. I wanted to make them become visible, tangible, definate objects; objects that display the geometry and become an aesthetic sculpture.
The latter images are of the 2nd and 3rd attempt at a cootie catcher in aluminum, the larger being 800mmx800mmx400mm using 0.8mm aluminium sheet. The next one will be approx double that.
When the smaller one was actually made the overall feature became not the surface or aesthetic qualities, but the sound that it made when the faces banged together. Being only part adult and still mostly child, continual loud banging noises and being just generally irritating are still a phenomenally fantastic way to spend time. (I think Alessandro and Ish can testify this after showing them my skill with a microphone and portable amp, otherwise known as 'The Feedback Sessions 2009') The bigger one makes an amazing clang sound, especially if you clang it in the lift at people who ask what it is. It takes up most of the lift space as it is, so when it bangs people tend to shut up, or go 'argf'.
Anyway, this is where I am going now, exploring the qualities of sound against a sculpture. I would like the sound to be heard or noticed before the work is seen. And for the work to be placed within a context where it can be mistaken for something else. I will be looking at sound within cause and effect, small actions that make big noises, big actions that make small noises. The destruction of sound also, what happens when you take away something's natural sound? The vinyl massacre of last year is something that I am still very interested in, even if it doesn't fully develop within this work.
Alongside this, creating a mechanism for the larger cootie catchers to create noise and sound without need for the deliberate human interaction of picking it up and smashing it around. This will be done by harnessing the power of Maplin to make a swinging arm for one of the sections. I'd ideally like it to still have some element of interaction but an interaction that is unavoidable and unintentional on the part of the viewer, so far this has indictaed somekind of motion sensor. All ready to change though.
Ann says it's too dominating and aggressive to work within a shared space, which I guess is true. But I at least want to see it chase and scare someone before I tame it.
so, in summary, purely for my own benefit:
paper = no
aluminum = yes
still = no
moving = yes
noise = yes yes yes
to try:
sound cause and effect
bigger one
context/space
amplified small sounds
hushed loud sounds
destruction of sound
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Pancake of despair
If I am in Bristol on this weekend, it is imperative that I go to this. LOVE the pancakes, if they're anything like how I remember them. It's organised by Blake of Third Ear which just guarantees a good gig and at least one good conversation. go go go go go!
http://www.myspace.com/thepancakessuffolk
http://www.myspace.com/thepancakessuffolk
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Clunk Clunk Whizz
The greatest fear I have this year other than not doing very well, is making boring work. Therefore as soon as I start to become disinterested in what I'm doing I know I have to revert to what is essential and integral within the work. For me I know that I have to maintain a sense of playfulness and motion in order to keep myself interested. I fear that I am being swayed by various inputs, be them all of valid and authoritative origin, into making something I'm really not that interested in. Have a tutorial tomorrow so will hopefully be a bit more coherent of the possibilities of where I am heading soon. I know what I want to do, which is nice for a change. But if it's a crap idea then I'd like to know, just in a nice way.
I've been thinking about what actually makes me enjoy work that I do and see.
Roughly, and susceptible to change, it is:
- movement, preferably repetitive or circular motion
- involves some kind of low-tech medium, such as cardboard or sheet metals
- being allowed to touch the work or interact with it in someway
- noise, the clankier and repetitive the better, something someone in a Berlin minimalist rave might be able to dance to.
there are always artists and work that I go back to when I have a brain melt:
Jean Tinguely
Gary Hill
G&G
Bas Jan Ader
if it's not funny, i think i've failed.
I've been thinking about what actually makes me enjoy work that I do and see.
Roughly, and susceptible to change, it is:
- movement, preferably repetitive or circular motion
- involves some kind of low-tech medium, such as cardboard or sheet metals
- being allowed to touch the work or interact with it in someway
- noise, the clankier and repetitive the better, something someone in a Berlin minimalist rave might be able to dance to.
there are always artists and work that I go back to when I have a brain melt:
Jean Tinguely
Gary Hill
G&G
Bas Jan Ader
if it's not funny, i think i've failed.
yes, more snow pictures
Because you don't realise how many other students live on your road until the snow arrives.
Favourite snow creations seen/heard of so far include the snowman bar party on Prince's Ave, Tolworth and the snow dalek in Kingston. Kudos to the dads bringing out homemade sledges, Boos to the people of Blockbuster and Subway for destroying my plans of a trashy horror film and meatball sandwich for lunch. And yes, I hate myself for wanting one too.
Teeny Football Goalkeeper Brother Update : 1-13,
getting better!
Favourite snow creations seen/heard of so far include the snowman bar party on Prince's Ave, Tolworth and the snow dalek in Kingston. Kudos to the dads bringing out homemade sledges, Boos to the people of Blockbuster and Subway for destroying my plans of a trashy horror film and meatball sandwich for lunch. And yes, I hate myself for wanting one too.
Our front garden!
Attempt at snowball fight
Laura and Hannah
Hannah
Teeny Football Goalkeeper Brother Update : 1-13,
getting better!
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Still not quite comfortable with this blogging thing, it's all a bit self indulgent but I spend so much time on the computer for research I might as well put some of it to use I guess.
Recently went to New York and Hampton Lakes, Fl. Tried to see as much as I could, particularly in Chelsea, NY. Cannot get one particular show out of my head,
Clark's fascination with the tension between animal and human is obvious and even though you expect it to be unsettling, seeing the work in person in installation is very much a psychologically intimidating experience. She works with previously living animals, stitching human faces onto the bodies, transforming bears and coyotes into menacing mythical creatures. The stitches and bolts are too visible to make the creatures seem anything but a disasterous Dr Frankensteinesque experiment.
The effect on the viewer when being confronted by such unnatural beings is quite massive. I couldn't stay in the gallery space longer than a few minutes as I felt that I was being watched, surrounded, sized up by the things. The expressions on the faces are distinctly human, but even the smiling ones are not friendly. Animals usually make me want to touch them, even taxidermied animals in museums have an air about them that I'd want to stroke their head just to check if they're real. But here, I wasn't going anywhere near them. They were too animated, too ready to pounce.
Recently went to New York and Hampton Lakes, Fl. Tried to see as much as I could, particularly in Chelsea, NY. Cannot get one particular show out of my head,
Clark's fascination with the tension between animal and human is obvious and even though you expect it to be unsettling, seeing the work in person in installation is very much a psychologically intimidating experience. She works with previously living animals, stitching human faces onto the bodies, transforming bears and coyotes into menacing mythical creatures. The stitches and bolts are too visible to make the creatures seem anything but a disasterous Dr Frankensteinesque experiment.
The effect on the viewer when being confronted by such unnatural beings is quite massive. I couldn't stay in the gallery space longer than a few minutes as I felt that I was being watched, surrounded, sized up by the things. The expressions on the faces are distinctly human, but even the smiling ones are not friendly. Animals usually make me want to touch them, even taxidermied animals in museums have an air about them that I'd want to stroke their head just to check if they're real. But here, I wasn't going anywhere near them. They were too animated, too ready to pounce.
does crossing your fingers ever actually work?
New Rhodes - The Joys Of Finding And Losing That Girl
I'd give up liquorice for a good long time for this to do well. And I dayam loves me liquorice.
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