Individual Practice Module Papers
Please read in conjunction with sketch book to follow ideas and presentation file of prints.
Research
In preparation for this brief we have undertaken a study of the various genres and learned that the scope of each is not limited to the typical image on might imagine. It is also not prohibitive to other genres as there is much cross over within each topic and also a practitioners portfolio.
David Loftus - food
Michael Kenna Landscape Commercial
Julia Boggio Weddings
Paul Gallagher Landscape Workshops
Brian Griffin Corporate and Industry
Garment Images from Paul Smith
Michael Crouser Editorial
Morgan Silk Travel
We have also taken a closer look at works produced that relate to our own study.
As I have chosen Fine Art & Gallery photography, this is a work stream which encompasses all genres, the image is more aesthetically composed or captured to evoke a particular feeling or emotion within the viewer, or even to relay a particular message; whether that be political, social or conceptual.
As such the work I have come across is very varied but some of my favourites are shown below. These works span a wide time scale but I feel are as contemporary now as the day they were captured. The images I tend to favour are highly emotional and evocative pieces, all of which have been displayed in either a commercial or a public gallery; most are available in print form also.
 |
| Ahh by James Wiggner |
 |
2 by Anna Shakina 
Kristin Giordano
 |
Leonard Nimoy
Gregory Brown
Garry Pumfrey
Erwin Blumenfeld
Ralph Gibson
Rob Carter
Nadav Kander
Peter Marlow
Essay
A copy of my essay can be found here
And supporting reports used for research;
Research 1
Research 2
Other research is listed in the Bibliography
Initial Ideas and Concepts
A copy of my essay can be found here
And supporting reports used for research;
Research 1
Research 2
Other research is listed in the Bibliography
Initial Ideas and Concepts
In order to direct my work, and the 10 images produced for this module, it has been suggested I should work on 4 or 5 concepts and work through them - put some meat on the bones and try and bring togethor some of my image ideas.
I do this through notes as I'm reading and viewing things, so I have pulled together the following;
The Psychology of Pain
Sufferers of chronic pain encounter many understandable physical issues brought about by their ongoing condition, but there are psychological and emotional responses to pain that can be harder to deal with or explain to those around us.
These images would attempt to communicate the psychology of pain, which through automatic negative thoughts processes influence the behaviour of the sufferer.
Black and White
Gritty
Not literal translations
Subjective
Black and White
Gritty
Not literal translations
Subjective
24/7
Driven by corporate giants and a 'must-have' society much of Britain's architectural landscape is littered by purpose built temples of 24 hour service - but what value do these places add to society when in small towns and most cities the traditional family model still rotates around a 9-5 lifestyle.
These images would picture the structures and the people within them.
Night time
Long exposure
Diptychs location & individual person
Large scale A2 on aluminium or dia-bond
Night time
Long exposure
Diptychs location & individual person
Large scale A2 on aluminium or dia-bond
Sub-Cultures
“England is the paradise of individuality, eccentricity, heresy, anomalies, hobbies, and humors” | |
George Santayana quotes (Spanish born American Philosopher, Poet and Humanist who made important contributions to aesthetics, speculative philosophy and literary criticism. 1863-1952)
|
Within every interest or hobby is the need to share with like minded individuals or those that could be swayed that way. Wether it be a common interest in a period of time, a particular activity/fashion, or the love of the open road on a motorbike; these interests seem to bridge the 'natural' divide provided by socio-economic factors and bring together the most un-likliest of people.
These images would explore a number of sub-cultures and their interactions.
Reportage/Candid
Colourful
Obscure in angle and view point
Multiple apertures in a frame combining groups
Capture the randomness of the environment
Examples done to date to explore possible concepts -
Book on WW2 re-enactors view here
Book on County fetes & fairs view here
Reportage/Candid
Colourful
Obscure in angle and view point
Multiple apertures in a frame combining groups
Capture the randomness of the environment
Examples done to date to explore possible concepts -
Book on WW2 re-enactors view here
Book on County fetes & fairs view here
Real relationships
With an ageing population living healthier for longer, marriage rates at record lows and promiscuity now a virtually accepted part of western culture, an active & intimate relationship is not an exclusive club for the perfectly formed young & beautiful of society, however this is how the media portrays beauty any kind of intimacy.
The images would illustrate unlikely pairings and challenge norms.
Soft
Black and white
Close & intimate
Not explicit
Age
Wrinkles
+ Plus size
Ethnic mixes
Age differences
Timeless beauty
Abstracts
Inspired by Rob Carter and 'in camera movement' and to develop alternative post processing methods, create colourful aesthetic abstracts to print as wall decor.
Colour
Neon
Linear
ICM
Post processed
Contrast
Pattern
Examples done to date -
My set on Flickr
Neon lights
Stone patterns
In order to decide which concept to take forward, I have to consider which I can feasibly complete within the allotted time which would hang together as a cohesive set, and which would demonstrate the creative and technical knowledge required to progress.
I am very keen to pursue the images relating to sub cultures, however, the predominant season for gatherings, fairs, shows and competitions that attract the people I want to capture is summer. I have therefore decided to keep this as a personal project to add to my collection of WW2 re-enactors and period costume wearers.
Real relationships, whilst a worthy subject matter, again depends on me finding the people I want to capture, and their willingness to be portrayed as non mainstream.
I also enjoy taking and playing with the abstract images, there is no set season, weather does not preclude shoots and I can find subject matter virtually anywhere - so I will focus on these.
Ongoing Inspiration
Because I am more drawn to fine art, it is important for me to stay in touch with the work that is available through galleries.
Here are some exhibitions I am currently interested in and that I regularly receive updates from.
Elina Brotherus at The Wapping Project
Annie Leibovitz at Hamiltons
Action Plan
What will make me better
Soft
Black and white
Close & intimate
Not explicit
Age
Wrinkles
+ Plus size
Ethnic mixes
Age differences
Timeless beauty
Abstracts
Inspired by Rob Carter and 'in camera movement' and to develop alternative post processing methods, create colourful aesthetic abstracts to print as wall decor.
Colour
Neon
Linear
ICM
Post processed
Contrast
Pattern
Examples done to date -
My set on Flickr
Neon lights
Stone patterns
In order to decide which concept to take forward, I have to consider which I can feasibly complete within the allotted time which would hang together as a cohesive set, and which would demonstrate the creative and technical knowledge required to progress.
I am very keen to pursue the images relating to sub cultures, however, the predominant season for gatherings, fairs, shows and competitions that attract the people I want to capture is summer. I have therefore decided to keep this as a personal project to add to my collection of WW2 re-enactors and period costume wearers.
Real relationships, whilst a worthy subject matter, again depends on me finding the people I want to capture, and their willingness to be portrayed as non mainstream.
I also enjoy taking and playing with the abstract images, there is no set season, weather does not preclude shoots and I can find subject matter virtually anywhere - so I will focus on these.
Ongoing Inspiration
Because I am more drawn to fine art, it is important for me to stay in touch with the work that is available through galleries.
Here are some exhibitions I am currently interested in and that I regularly receive updates from.
Michael Wolf at Flowers Gallery
Margarita Gluzberg at paradise Row
Action Plan
What will make me better
- Follow 5-10 galleries, worldwide to identify trends (I do this through Twitter/facebook and email newsletters)
- Find out about competitions and see what styles win, are these in line with the trends? Again I have email newsletters re competitions, although there are more, you could spend your whole career competition chasing - the key is to choose the right competitions
- Compile concepts, thoughts & ideas. Note book & this blog
- Take more pictures
- Techniques to explore -
- Long shutter speed
- Motion blur
- Drop focus
- Curtain flash
Exploring different Mediums
As part of my study is exploring how the abstract images will look on various mediums, I have been in contact with the following companies, to find out more about print processes and substrates.
The most extensive range of substrates is below, however, the paper print is mounted onto the substrate and not printed onto it directly - so there would be no metallic finish on the aluminium piece. I'm not sure if this is the effect I wanted.
Inspiration and research
Gerhard Richter
Images taken from http://www.gerhard-richter.com/
I have also been looking at printing at home, on;
- Textured card
- Coloured papers
- High gloss papers
- Glass - via transfer
- Acetate
- Fabric
Through this research I have also been very keen to look at constructing a light box, and have been collaborating with a local sign maker who can print digital images onto a clear adhesive PVC. This can then be mounted onto a translucent acrylic to form a light box.
I have some samples currently in production, and acrylic is very durable.
The only thing I have to test it the adhesive properties when warm/hot - it maybe a requirement to use an energy saving bulb to minimise the temperature.
Also colour matching is not precise in this print process.
Please see sketch book (and portfolio) for examples of different output mediums
High Gloss
The high gloss finish looks very polished. Images with a strong sense of 'light' appear to shine and glow. The colour intensity is almost neon in appearance.
Textured
This adds to the images that have a 'dream like' quality to them, the haze hinted to by the image is further emphasised in the print - almost like a water colour paining
Aluminium
A metallic shine and added depth
Acrylic
It's translucent properties allow light to shine through, and images which are not solid in appearance suit this 'light behind' presentation
Glass/Back bonded Acrylic
because the image is behind the medium it gives an added sense of being removed from the subject.
At Focus on Imaging their were a number of different companies specialising in presentation and print solutions - these are just a few which I am considering and/or mindful off.
Large Format Printers (available through manufacturers or resale)
The main players in this field at Focus were Canon & Epson. The image quality on show was astonishing. Images can be as much as 6ft on the shortest length.
Paper quality, printer and paper profiles as well as colour calibrated monitor are all considerations on print quality, as is the technical specification of the image itself.
It seemed that the larger the professional printer, the lower the print costs became, because the ink tanks were higher in capacity.
Costs start at £1990 and go all the way up to £10k +
Distributors included Velmex & Jacobs
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Work/Products/large_format_printers/products/Photography_Fine_Art/index.aspx
http://www.epson.co.uk/Printers-and-All-In-Ones/Large-Format
Paper types
There were multiple retailers and manufacturers of fine art and photographic paper mediums, but most were selling sample packs rather than having examples of each on display - which I found disappointing as home printers do not compare with that results those papers would get from a professional print outlet.
Papers included;
Hahnemule Fine Art
Pearl, Satin, Photo Rag, canvasBamboo & Sugar Cane.
Hahnemule was one of the only manufacturers to have a sample book which showed examples of each paper that you could feel.
Obviously you want to see the texture and weight of the paper, but also how print 'sits' on the medium and how it reacts to light.
Other papers included;
Fuji Film Satin, Kodak endura Satin, Kodak metallic,
Canson Infinity Papers
Harman Inkjet and darkroom papers
Fotospeed papers
Tetanal Papers
Tecco Photo Papers
I bought several sample packs to have a look at the various print options, and whilst some of these papers are available from printing companies as an option, many do not state what paper is being used (some give matt/satin/textured options for example)
To gain complete control over the end printed output, it will be a requirement to either a) self fulfil my print needs or b) find a small local firm who will print on specific paper and if needed, source and supply it.
Ink
Ink is the most expensive part of the printing process and at Focus there were several companies offering 'well' systems - basically complex self refilling ink tanks. The process appears messy and cumbersome to me and more research is needed to see if this is what it is advertised to be - no loss in quality, but reduction in ink costs.
Presentation
Images from retailers websites
Books
The bulk of the stands present were trading in presentation of image in one form or another, the most prevalent were album and book presentation.
Quality and price varied vastly amongst the retailers as did the 'individual' nature of the product.
Most were run from software by the client (me) so I could feel like I had control over the look and feel of the end output, but some only offered a small amount of different layouts, whilst others were offering choices in layouts, covers, materials, paper types etc.
Here are some of the companies I spoke to;
GraphiStudio
Loxley Colour
SIM 200 Imaging
Tony Sarlo
The Print Foundry
RedWood
One Vision
Photostorie
The main market from the samples on show is the wedding album, but increasing numbers were displaying 'family events' & 'holidays' as bound presentation books - keepsakes.
Other display solutions did seem to be in the minority compared to 'coffee table books' & albums, and the various companies offered some or all of the range, again prices and quality varied.
Nothing seemed 'new' although the end colour management and ease of ordering of these products has developed with file transfer technology
MDF & Canvas Wraps
Acrylic or Ice Blocks
Impact for me - When considering how to present my work, I am keen to use some of these more unusual display methods as it gives the images something else which stands them apart from others in a display or exhibit, but cost could factor - as would size. (Discussed later in blog)
For some of my images, which are digitally made, and digitally enhanced and processed, it seems right to have a very polished, digital/manufactured end product.
For others were the over riding sentiment is much more organic, it would feel right to use more organic and labour intensive production methods.
One company showed a 'signing mount' designed for wedding guests to sign the mount and give a highly personalised display of the wedding when mounted& framed.
I am interested in this idea, to see if viewers would write about their emotional response to my work on a mount, which could then be displayed and continually added to.
Do I have the right audience to do this in FMP?
Seals & laminates
Other options for presentation included choices of protective seals and laminates from high gloss, matt & pearl.
Traditional Framers
There were a couple of stands dedicated to 'the craft' of frame making, and organisations who teach people how to make bespoke frames.
All the display solutions stands also included a relatively good variety of frames and mounting solutions, but less of a priority seemed to be placed on these as other parts of their product lines.
Whilst people strive for a contemporary way of presenting - is traditional framing 'out of date'?
Gallery exhibits still frame work with non reflective archival glass, not only for protection but to provide some kind of uniform setting to the work on display.
Web display
There was also a large number of online gallery suppliers and data storage solutions. These included website builder, image hosting companies to online album sharing sites.
The increase in computer usage and literacy within the last decade, online viewing is becoming increasingly more popular as it's easy to access & share, and negates the cost of prints.
Please see sketch book (and portfolio) for examples of different output mediums
High Gloss
The high gloss finish looks very polished. Images with a strong sense of 'light' appear to shine and glow. The colour intensity is almost neon in appearance.
Textured
This adds to the images that have a 'dream like' quality to them, the haze hinted to by the image is further emphasised in the print - almost like a water colour paining
Aluminium
A metallic shine and added depth
Acrylic
It's translucent properties allow light to shine through, and images which are not solid in appearance suit this 'light behind' presentation
Glass/Back bonded Acrylic
because the image is behind the medium it gives an added sense of being removed from the subject.
At Focus on Imaging their were a number of different companies specialising in presentation and print solutions - these are just a few which I am considering and/or mindful off.
Large Format Printers (available through manufacturers or resale)
The main players in this field at Focus were Canon & Epson. The image quality on show was astonishing. Images can be as much as 6ft on the shortest length.
Paper quality, printer and paper profiles as well as colour calibrated monitor are all considerations on print quality, as is the technical specification of the image itself.
It seemed that the larger the professional printer, the lower the print costs became, because the ink tanks were higher in capacity.
Costs start at £1990 and go all the way up to £10k +
Distributors included Velmex & Jacobs
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Work/Products/large_format_printers/products/Photography_Fine_Art/index.aspx
http://www.epson.co.uk/Printers-and-All-In-Ones/Large-Format
Paper types
There were multiple retailers and manufacturers of fine art and photographic paper mediums, but most were selling sample packs rather than having examples of each on display - which I found disappointing as home printers do not compare with that results those papers would get from a professional print outlet.
Papers included;
Hahnemule Fine Art
Pearl, Satin, Photo Rag, canvasBamboo & Sugar Cane.
Hahnemule was one of the only manufacturers to have a sample book which showed examples of each paper that you could feel.
Obviously you want to see the texture and weight of the paper, but also how print 'sits' on the medium and how it reacts to light.
Other papers included;
Fuji Film Satin, Kodak endura Satin, Kodak metallic,
Canson Infinity Papers
Harman Inkjet and darkroom papers
Fotospeed papers
Tetanal Papers
Tecco Photo Papers
I bought several sample packs to have a look at the various print options, and whilst some of these papers are available from printing companies as an option, many do not state what paper is being used (some give matt/satin/textured options for example)
To gain complete control over the end printed output, it will be a requirement to either a) self fulfil my print needs or b) find a small local firm who will print on specific paper and if needed, source and supply it.
Ink
Ink is the most expensive part of the printing process and at Focus there were several companies offering 'well' systems - basically complex self refilling ink tanks. The process appears messy and cumbersome to me and more research is needed to see if this is what it is advertised to be - no loss in quality, but reduction in ink costs.
Presentation
Images from retailers websites
Books
The bulk of the stands present were trading in presentation of image in one form or another, the most prevalent were album and book presentation.
Quality and price varied vastly amongst the retailers as did the 'individual' nature of the product.
Most were run from software by the client (me) so I could feel like I had control over the look and feel of the end output, but some only offered a small amount of different layouts, whilst others were offering choices in layouts, covers, materials, paper types etc.
Here are some of the companies I spoke to;
GraphiStudio
Loxley Colour
SIM 200 Imaging
Tony Sarlo
The Print Foundry
RedWood
One Vision
Photostorie
Some books and albums also include a different media on the front cover incorporating a piece of acrylic or aluminium
The main market from the samples on show is the wedding album, but increasing numbers were displaying 'family events' & 'holidays' as bound presentation books - keepsakes.
Other display solutions did seem to be in the minority compared to 'coffee table books' & albums, and the various companies offered some or all of the range, again prices and quality varied.
Nothing seemed 'new' although the end colour management and ease of ordering of these products has developed with file transfer technology
MDF & Canvas Wraps
Floating Frames
Aluminium Prints
(These vary - some can print directly to the substrate, others bond the paper to aluminium so overall effect varies widely)
Print wraps (Padded)
Box frames
Impact for me - When considering how to present my work, I am keen to use some of these more unusual display methods as it gives the images something else which stands them apart from others in a display or exhibit, but cost could factor - as would size. (Discussed later in blog)
For some of my images, which are digitally made, and digitally enhanced and processed, it seems right to have a very polished, digital/manufactured end product.
For others were the over riding sentiment is much more organic, it would feel right to use more organic and labour intensive production methods.
One company showed a 'signing mount' designed for wedding guests to sign the mount and give a highly personalised display of the wedding when mounted& framed.
I am interested in this idea, to see if viewers would write about their emotional response to my work on a mount, which could then be displayed and continually added to.
Do I have the right audience to do this in FMP?
Seals & laminates
Other options for presentation included choices of protective seals and laminates from high gloss, matt & pearl.
Traditional Framers
There were a couple of stands dedicated to 'the craft' of frame making, and organisations who teach people how to make bespoke frames.
All the display solutions stands also included a relatively good variety of frames and mounting solutions, but less of a priority seemed to be placed on these as other parts of their product lines.
Whilst people strive for a contemporary way of presenting - is traditional framing 'out of date'?
Gallery exhibits still frame work with non reflective archival glass, not only for protection but to provide some kind of uniform setting to the work on display.
Web display
There was also a large number of online gallery suppliers and data storage solutions. These included website builder, image hosting companies to online album sharing sites.
The increase in computer usage and literacy within the last decade, online viewing is becoming increasingly more popular as it's easy to access & share, and negates the cost of prints.
Inspiration and research
Lowry & Seascapes
(Images from http://www.thelowry.com/ls-lowry/his-life-and-work/)
(Images from http://www.thelowry.com/ls-lowry/his-life-and-work/)
Creative Tourist Article
Images and text taken from
http://www.creativetourist.com/features/an-unlikely-pairing-maggi-hambling-ls-lowry
Images and text taken from
http://www.creativetourist.com/features/an-unlikely-pairing-maggi-hambling-ls-lowry
On the eve of an exhibition that pairs Maggi Hambling with LS Lowry, Hambling talks to Jessica Lack about the influence of the sea in her abstract paintings – and the parallels between hers and Lowry’s work
When was the first time you saw a seascape by LS Lowry?
It was a painting hanging in the drawing room of a friend of mine in Oxfordshire. I always found myself looking at it because I found it so hypnotic. This sense of time having stood still, it was quite ominous really and he painted these waves built up in ridges, it was a threatening thing, but I found my eyes constantly going back and forth between the horizon line and the foreground. It was by far the best thing I had ever seen by him. I was amazed by it.
He is best known for his industrial paintings but I agree, his seascapes are much more compelling.
I have no interest in his cityscapes. His seascapes are more serious, they are much more challenging and because there are no people in them, they speak directly to us without these little figures hopping about and getting in the way. They are much more direct, economical and powerful.
They are very still and not how I imagine the sea to be at all, and certainly not like your own paintings of the sea.
He must have always hit a calm day. Yes, you are right they are in complete contrast to mine, which is why I imagine The Lowry invited me to do this show. I suppose you would say I am interested in the action of the waves.
Is that what you hope will come across in the show, this contrast?
Yes, although the subject is the same, the way in which we work with the sea is in total contrast. In terms of scale, Lowry’s paintings are quite small while some of mine are 8ft by 9ft and I am showing sculptures of waves for the first time and etchings that have not been seen before. There are one or two early paintings from the late 1970s then there is a long gap when I didn’t paint the sea at all. Then I began again in 2002. I was commissioned to make a sculpture for Aldeburgh beach [Scallop, dedicated to Benjamin Britten] and it was out of making the maquettes for that, that I began painting the sea again. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.
I often think Lowry brought something of that industrial grime and heaviness to his paintings of the sea.
Perhaps they are in need of a clean! No, I see what you are saying, they are very heavy aren’t they? In my paintings I try to get the speed with which the approaching wave becomes solid and then shatters, and it’s all very sexy as far as I am concerned, but I hope I get across the lightness of the waves breaking. But Lowry is about the weight, everything feels like it’s a hundredweight, even the sky feels like a hundredweight, no, make that several tons. A ton of sky, a ton of sea. I suppose if you wanted to give it an old fashioned term you would say he paints the middle distance, whereas I’m out front.
Sometimes I think his seas look like a large pond…
Or a brown field.
I find your paintings can be quite frightening, while Lowry’s look more prosaic. They are more like a paddle.
Yes, I like that, mine are a swim and Lowry’s are a paddle. But not all my paintings are frightening, at least I don’t think so. When you see all that sexy oil paint in the flesh, I don’t think you will find them frightening. Of course the sea is frightening, I think I’ve said it before that I see the sea as a great mouth that is ripping up and changing the shore and there is nothing we can do about it. The sea is like the time, and the erosion is all part of it, particularly in East Anglia where it is changing the whole contour of the land.
Is there a particular place that you always go to paint?
I am a Suffolk person, I grew up there and the Suffolk Sea (which is what I call it) is the sea I love, and I go down to the beach very early in the morning with my sketchbook before everyone else is around, and then return to my studio to paint. You get used to the shingle being in one place and the next day it has changed drastically. I’m not an expert on global warming, although recently I have been making paintings about the icecap melting, but when I was a child in Suffolk the sea seemed to always be in the same place, now it is in a state of constant flux.
The Sea: LS Lowry & Maggi Hambling opens on 17 October at The Lowry (until 31 January 2010). Free entry. Jessica Lack is an arts writer for The Guardian; she also writes for various magazines including Dazed and Confused and ID Magazine. Her book Tate Guide to Modern Art Terms, written in collaboration with Simon Wilson, was recently published by Tate Publishing and she is currently working on a book about a composer for Fourth Estate.
Images (top to bottom): Sunrise, December (2008), Maggi Hambling, courtesy the artist. Wave Crashing, March (2009), Maggi Hambling, courtesy the artist.
Gerhard Richter
Images taken from http://www.gerhard-richter.com/
Research article about Gerhard Richter can be found here from City Review
http://www.thecityreview.com/richter.html
Rob Carter
Mark Rothko
Kenneth Noland
Noland became celebrated in the 1950s for his series of concentric circles in a dazzling array of colours; not, like the paintings of Jasper Johns, targets, but circles as a simple geometric form that could demonstrate an infinite number of colour combinations. Next came circles with blurred edges, like blazing catherine wheels, diamond shapes, diamonds within circles, chevrons and stripes. The message was colour, usually pure and always simple.
"Travelling Still is an ongoing series of photographs I've been working on over the last 5 years. As the name suggests, Travelling Still is all about creating the feeling of movement within a still image and tries to represent the experience of travelling itself. They stretch the 'moment' both literally - in that the camera shutter is held open - and visually, as the details of the subject blur out horizontally.
All the photographs contained within this website have been shot using a revolving-lens camera. The movement is created 'in camera' on to film, with no digital intervention - and are subsequently printed directly from the original transparency onto Cibachrome paper. "
All the photographs contained within this website have been shot using a revolving-lens camera. The movement is created 'in camera' on to film, with no digital intervention - and are subsequently printed directly from the original transparency onto Cibachrome paper. "
http://www.travellingstill.com/about.htm
Review published on Art2VU
Rob Carter's Travelling Still at the Forster Gallery 10 - 19 Apr
Exhibition Title: Travelling Still
Artist Name: Rob Carter
Dates: 10 -19 April 2008, Private view, Thursday 10 April, 6-8pm
Medium: Photography
Website: http://www.forstergallery.com
Dates: 10 -19 April 2008, Private view, Thursday 10 April, 6-8pm
Medium: Photography
Website: http://www.forstergallery.com
Exhibition Description:
This solo exhibition and launch of Rob Carter's Travelling Stills book, features a dazzling collection of images and is the culmination of five years' experimental photography. These works are part of an ongoing series and convey the feeling of movement, intending to represent the experience of travelling itself. The movements of his camera stretching the subject into striations of seductively beautiful abstaction, whilst retaining the spacial relationship between the artist and his subject. The artist has travelled around the world in search of his subject, from downtown Tokyo to the shores of Sardinia, from the tulip fields of Holland to the beaches of Barbados.
Carter's Travelling Stills have won bronze medal (2003) and silver medal (2005) in The Royal Photographic Society's International Print Exhibition, a 2nd place Merit of Excellence at the International Colour Awards, and a Highly Commended in the Creative Review Photography Awards in 2006.
Rob Carter is part of the highly acclaimed husband-and-wife duo Rob and Nick Carter, who's works has been described as "painting with light", a peculiar hybrid of photography and painting that creates unique studies of light in motion. They have exhibited widely in the US and Europe. Their work is collected by Elton John, Simon Fuller, Matthew Williamson, Kevin Spacey and Jude Law among others, as well as being held in many public and private collections.
Description:
ROB CARTER, Traveling Still. Tulip Fields XXIX, 2007, hand printed cibachrome print
Full Contact Details:
The Gallery in Cork Street, 28 Cork Street, London, W1,
FORSTER,
1 Chapel Place,
Rivington Street,
London,
EC2A 3DQ,
T +44 (0)20 7739 7572,
E info(at)forstergallery.com
___________________________________
Text from National Gallery of Art - Washington
One of the preeminent artists of his generation, Mark Rothko is closely identified with the New York School, a circle of painters that emerged during the 1940s as a new collective voice in American art. During a career that spanned five decades, he created a new and impassioned form of abstract painting.
Rothko's work is characterized by rigorous attention to formal elements such as color, shape, balance, depth, composition, and scale; yet, he refused to consider his paintings solely in these terms.He explained: It is a widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing.
Rothko Chapel
Four darks in red
Red, orage, tan and purple
____________________
Tony Howell
http://www.tonyhowell.co.uk/abstractphotography.htm
Ryan Bush
http://ryanbushphotography.com/
Dominic Kerridge
http://www.abstractphotography.co.uk/about.asp
__________________________
Obituary by Guardian Newspaper
He became a close friend of Morris Louis, and the pair of them met Helen Frankenthaler and were deeply impressed by her canvases stained in almost transparent veils of colour like gorgeous, very big watercolours. Noland began experimenting with this technique – one of his paintings at this time was called, with unusual explicitness, In a Mist. It was included in 1956 in a travelling exhibition called Young American Painters, organised by the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Frankenthaler, Louis and Noland formed the core of a group known as the colour field painters, though the critic Clement Greenberg preferred one of his own clunking coinages, "post-painterly abstractionists", meaning that after the "painterly" surfaces of the abstract expressionists, the purely colour-based paintings of Noland and the others marked out a different and more advanced stage of art's march to absolute abstraction.
No writer can approach the group without stumbling over the corpus of Greenberg. Important as the critic had been in establishing the reputation of the abstract expressionists, their materiality never quite fitted tidily into his prescriptions. The colour field painters did. Greenberg had written, with insight but over-simplification, that "Manet's paintings became the first modernist ones by virtue of the frankness with which they declared the surfaces on which they were painted." In this view, Noland and Morris became exemplary, carrying no weight of subject matter, expressing the purest of emotions simply through the medium of colour, filmy as watercolour, flat to the surface.
As it happens, Noland's first vision of art was not of Manet, but of Monet. His father, a pathologist and an amateur painter in Asheville, North Carolina, where Kenneth was born, had taken the teenage boy to the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and after the revelation of the Monets, lent him his painting materials. But in 1941 Noland was called up for war service as a glider pilot and cipher operator.
He was demobilised in 1946, and after a couple of years at the short-lived but famous avant-garde Black Mountain college – with visits to the Phillips Collection in Washington to study the exquisite little watercolours of Paul Klee, another former Bauhaus teacher – Noland visited Paris under the GI bill of rights. Here, in the Montparnasse studio of the Russian cubist sculptor Ossip Zadkine, he studied for a year and also had his first solo show, heavily influenced by Klee, at the Galerie Raymond Creuze.
On his return to the US in 1949, he taught and met the great painters of the day, principally Pollock. By the mid-1950s, Noland had established the approach that made him famous. The critic Robert Hughes has pointed out that David Hockney's The First Marriage (A Marriage of Styles I), in Tate Britain, cheekily adapts Noland's concentric circles to serve as the bride's breasts, her earrings, and the sun in the Egyptian sky under which she is being married (as it happens, Hockney knew Noland and also borrowed the technique of staining acrylic into raw cotton duck).
This period marked the apotheosis of the colour field painters and of Greenberg. Their eclipse followed in the 1960s with the wholesale rejection by younger painters, particularly the pop artists, of modernist abstraction. But Noland continued to work without a sideways glance and produced sculpture under the influence of his friends David Smith and Anthony Caro, as well as a huge corpus of abstraction.
In 1977 the Guggenheim Museum in New York held a much-acclaimed Noland retrospective, with a neat correspondence between the circle paintings and the spiral ramp. Other exhibitions held worldwide since included a solo show of his stripe paintings at Tate Liverpool in 2006.
Kenneth Noland, who has died of cancer aged 85, was one of the young artists tasked with seizing the star-spangled standard from the preceding warrior generation of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko and bearing it aloft into battle. Even more than this, Noland enjoyed having Americans claiming him as the successor to the mantle of Matisse, but in truth he had more in common with the Bauhaus abstractionist Josef Albers, who moved to the US and taught Noland at Black Mountain college, North Carolina. Noland disliked what he regarded as Albers's doctrinaire approach, but his own practice of geometric abstraction remained indelibly marked by the old German's influence.
Noland is survived by his fourth wife, Paige Rense, editor-in-chief of the Architectural Digest, and two sons and two daughters from previous marriages. One of his daughters, Cady Noland, is a sculptor and installation artist working in a pop idiom far from her father's preoccupations.
• Kenneth Clifton Noland, artist, born 10 April 1924; died 5 January 2010
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Seascapes
(as recomended by course leader)
Ori Gersht
Infornation from V&A website
Gallery visits
Over the course of this module I have tried to visit gallery and museum exhibits, to see some work in real life (all to much is viewed through a computer screen). Not only to see it displayed as it was intended (scale and medium) but also to get an idea of how curators group work together using a theme, or how they go about mixing different mediums and pieces from different cultural era's.
The following are some observations, notes & thoughts.
National Portrait Museum - Glamour of the Gods
The vintage images where displayed in a single linear format creating a time line of Hollywood portraiture. Size was fairly uniform and the strong teal walls accentuated the highly polished black and gilded frames and acted as a good canvas for the sepia and black and white tones of the images.
The whole setting added to the opulence of the images.
The standard size prints (approx 10 x 8) were well viewed from a standing position, but the modular cube seating painted in the same teal as the walls were too low and near to view from - so there was no opportunity to let the images 'soak' in.
The timeline display made it obvious the changes in portraiture over the decades and the side displays of negatives and cutting room post production sketches illustrated the attention to detail which turned hollywood stars into modern day icons - perfection on the screen.
Press article
National Portrait Gallery - General
I was unable to speak to anyone about how the gallery chooses to display the work. And there seemed to be no theme or purposeful grouping on my visit other than in the 'named exhibits' (Glamour of the Gods & BP National Portrait Competition) - but I am sure there must have been?
Works from different era's, different movements and in different mediums where mixed together, and as such I found it very difficult to take in so many pieces in one sitting - there was too much distraction and noise. The gallery is housed in a building which had lots of different 'rooms' and that did help to focus the viewer in some areas.
The two things I noted for consideration where;
Large scale pieces did not have enough room to breathe. There was not enough space for the viewer to stand back and get all the piece in frame without someone walking in-front of you and interrupting your gaze.
Wether this is intentional so one feels wholly consumed by the piece is something to consider, but I found the process unsettling; I would have liked to sit at a distance where I could consider the work as a whole, for a time, rather then a fleeting glance as other walked by.
There was a collection of celebrity portraits by different photographers. And whilst these were from different decades and varied in style and purpose, they were displayed in a uniform linear way and all housed in the same black frames with the window mounts varying in size so that the size was the same throughout.
This made a much 'quieter' viewing environment compared to other rooms in the gallery.
Coloured walls were used a lot, and sometimes this seemed to work, bringing out a common colour in different portraits for example, but in other rooms it seemed to distract and 'close the walls in'.
(walls were orange, teal, purple as well as ivory)
V&A
This is one of my favourite museums to visit, however when ever I do visit, I find myself feeling exhausted and saturated.
it is a huge collection housed over many floors and I try now to visit a small number of pre chosen collection or exhibitions so I can enjoy them over time, rather than feeling rushed. But because it is in London, I still find myself trying to 'squeeze in' as much as possible, which then explains the feeling of complete saturation of visual stimulation - and why I find it hard to remember small details.
As a popular tourist attraction is is always very busy as well, with lots of physical noise from movement and conversation, and you get a sense of being 'ushered' along by the moving line of visitors.
That said, it is still my favourite because of the wealth of disciplines on display from world wide cultures.
Their educational information and website are also amongst the best I use.
Wayne Hemmingway curates!
Silent Disco, Tate Liverpool
This has to be one of the best exhibitions I have ever visited, because of its fresh and unusual approach.
A collection of varying artists and movements sculpture and image was brought together in a discotheque themed enviroment. The walls were deep purple, the lighting was scarce and featured disco moving lights and spot lights, as well as 'Saturday night fever' inspired lit dance floor.
Visitors were encouraged to wear headphones which played dance tunes from some well known contemporary DJ's.
The music and the setting created a mood not often found in a gallery.
The people who I visited with had a mixed response - some 'older' people did not like the music and didn't understand why some one would show the works in such an opposite context to their natural environment, others found it exciting and interesting.
But it did get us discussing the show as a whole and it stuck in their minds, if nothing else, but for its originality.
Tate Press release
Other displays at the Tate have had on ongoing impact on me, particularly a collection of work from Contemporary artists (perhaps because I was studying them at the time)
To see Du Champs 'Urinal' along side originals from Mann Ray, Picasso, Bridget Riley & Mondrian as well as work by Damien Hurst & Wolfgang Tillmans in what I described at the time as a 'mashed up' visual over load!
The walls were vibrant, something I hadn't enjoyed at the NPG, but here it seemed more fitting, there was no seating to relax and take in the work but a hectic, non geometrical layout;with no logical direction or path.
Large scale and minute were mixed side by side and lighting was harsh and seemed to be 'extra artificial'?
All the things I thought I didn't like at the NPG seemed to work in this environment with this particular collection of work.
Some installations featured neon lighting with crude slogans, but they were positioned on the same wall as more serene nautical oil paintings.
The gallery does however have a much more relaxed feel to it than some galleries, set in a converted warehouse on the docks rather than a grand 18th century building and maybe that goes someway in allowing the curators much more freedom in how they display work?
The Lowry
Nadav Kander Exhibit
Large scale works on a side corridor, well lit with natural light. The celebrity portraiture needed nothing else in it's display other than the large white walls on which it hung.
No frames, no glass, the quality of the work spoke for itself and the images were not the main attraction at the time (there was a Pop art/Warhol exhibition on at the same time) and corridor was peaceful and serene.
Some of the work I had seen at the NPG, and much preferred this smaller more intimate setting.
Guardian review
Art in Prague
In summary when displaying work, not only do I have to consider the substrate on which to present it and the various presentation methods currently available, i also have to consider the scale of the work, the space in which it is to be shown, the context of the collective show and also the physical space in which people will view.
I have more research to complete before making these decisions in view of the FMP module and the end of year exhibition - and whether there are any restrictions on size (i.e. the boards on which they hang can only house a frame X big) and on wether there is any personal input into where the work will go (under a light, on the wall, in a corridor etc)
These will all impact on my final presentation method as too will cost implications as some of the sizes I wish to consider are not within my current budget!
-------------------------------------------------
Final Images
Water and air. So very commonplace are these substances, they hardly attract
attention―and yet they vouchsafe our very existence.
The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth: Let there water and air. Living phenomena
spontaneously generated from water and air in the presence of light, though that could
just as easily suggest random coincidence as a Deity. Let's just say that there happened
to be a planet with water and air in our solar system, and moreover at precisely the right
distance from the sun for the temperatures required to coax forth life. While hardly
inconceivable that at least one such planet should exist in the vast reaches of universe,
we search in vain for another similar example.
Mystery of mysteries, water and air are right there before us in the sea. Every time I view
the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a
voyage of seeing.
attention―and yet they vouchsafe our very existence.
The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth: Let there water and air. Living phenomena
spontaneously generated from water and air in the presence of light, though that could
just as easily suggest random coincidence as a Deity. Let's just say that there happened
to be a planet with water and air in our solar system, and moreover at precisely the right
distance from the sun for the temperatures required to coax forth life. While hardly
inconceivable that at least one such planet should exist in the vast reaches of universe,
we search in vain for another similar example.
Mystery of mysteries, water and air are right there before us in the sea. Every time I view
the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a
voyage of seeing.
- Hiroshi Sugimoto
Baltic Sea
Andreas Gursky
Details taken from MOMA website
Details taken from MOMA website
About this artist
SOURCE: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
German photographer. Gursky’s work is characterized by the tension between the clarity and formal nature of his photographs and the ambiguous intent and meaning they present, occasioned by their insertion into a ‘high-art’ environment. It is comparable to that of contemporaries such as Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff and Candida Höfer, all of whom were influenced by the documentary approach of Bernd and Hilla Becher. During the 1980s and 1990s Gursky’s work took on an increasingly global range of subjects, and he presented his images on an ever larger scale. Through all his work runs a sense of impersonality, a depiction of the structures and patterns of collective existence, often represented by the unitary behaviour of large crowds. His images of the stock exchanges of North America and East Asia are exemplary in the way that he uses crowds to create a type of picture comparable in formal terms to the ‘all-over’ compositions of the Abstract Expressionist painters. In the early 1990s Gursky used this format to represent grand urban landscape vistas in the Far East, juxtaposing different urban zones and suggesting an interplay between the zones of leisure and commerce. This theme was also taken up in his photographs depicting Prada shop displays, for instance in o.T.V. (186×443 mm, 1996; see 1999 exh. cat., p. 20), in which assorted training shoes are lined up in an austere Minimalist display. Gursky’s distance from Cartier-Bresson’s dictum of the ‘decisive moment’ and his concomitant rejection of the truth of the candid image is underlined by his use of digital manipulation. Bundestag (284×207 cm, colour print, 1998; see 1999 exh. cat., p. 59), a highly complicated view into the newly built German government building, relies to a high degree on digital manipulation for its dazzling effect. Gursky lives and works in Düsseldorf.
John-Paul Stonard
From Grove Art Online
From Grove Art Online
© 2009 Oxford University Press
Infornation from V&A website
'The series calls into question our familiarity with our own natural habitat, pointing out the gulf between the sky that we believe we know, and that of the photographs: a gap between the mechanical, attentive and unassumptive vision of the camera, and the presumptive and subjective vision of the human eye.' Ori Gersht
Ori Gersht, born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1967, works in photography and film. He took the photographs for the Rear Window series over a period of two years from the same window in his flat.
Shot without filters or other manipulation, they record dramatic skies above London and explore the optical effects that the light and atmospheric pollution of the city have on the sky above. Gersht uses the sky as a canvas for his experiments with the physical properties of photography. Through colour saturation, these almost abstract images assert both the primacy of natural light (the raw material of photography) and the ability of colour photography to interpret it.
Sizes of works
Rob Carter
Mark Rothko
Lowry
Nadav Kander
Richter
_____________________________________
Gallery visits
Over the course of this module I have tried to visit gallery and museum exhibits, to see some work in real life (all to much is viewed through a computer screen). Not only to see it displayed as it was intended (scale and medium) but also to get an idea of how curators group work together using a theme, or how they go about mixing different mediums and pieces from different cultural era's.
The following are some observations, notes & thoughts.
National Portrait Museum - Glamour of the Gods
The vintage images where displayed in a single linear format creating a time line of Hollywood portraiture. Size was fairly uniform and the strong teal walls accentuated the highly polished black and gilded frames and acted as a good canvas for the sepia and black and white tones of the images.
The whole setting added to the opulence of the images.
The standard size prints (approx 10 x 8) were well viewed from a standing position, but the modular cube seating painted in the same teal as the walls were too low and near to view from - so there was no opportunity to let the images 'soak' in.
The timeline display made it obvious the changes in portraiture over the decades and the side displays of negatives and cutting room post production sketches illustrated the attention to detail which turned hollywood stars into modern day icons - perfection on the screen.
Press article
National Portrait Gallery - General
I was unable to speak to anyone about how the gallery chooses to display the work. And there seemed to be no theme or purposeful grouping on my visit other than in the 'named exhibits' (Glamour of the Gods & BP National Portrait Competition) - but I am sure there must have been?
Works from different era's, different movements and in different mediums where mixed together, and as such I found it very difficult to take in so many pieces in one sitting - there was too much distraction and noise. The gallery is housed in a building which had lots of different 'rooms' and that did help to focus the viewer in some areas.
The two things I noted for consideration where;
Large scale pieces did not have enough room to breathe. There was not enough space for the viewer to stand back and get all the piece in frame without someone walking in-front of you and interrupting your gaze.
Wether this is intentional so one feels wholly consumed by the piece is something to consider, but I found the process unsettling; I would have liked to sit at a distance where I could consider the work as a whole, for a time, rather then a fleeting glance as other walked by.
There was a collection of celebrity portraits by different photographers. And whilst these were from different decades and varied in style and purpose, they were displayed in a uniform linear way and all housed in the same black frames with the window mounts varying in size so that the size was the same throughout.
This made a much 'quieter' viewing environment compared to other rooms in the gallery.
Coloured walls were used a lot, and sometimes this seemed to work, bringing out a common colour in different portraits for example, but in other rooms it seemed to distract and 'close the walls in'.
(walls were orange, teal, purple as well as ivory)
V&A
This is one of my favourite museums to visit, however when ever I do visit, I find myself feeling exhausted and saturated.
it is a huge collection housed over many floors and I try now to visit a small number of pre chosen collection or exhibitions so I can enjoy them over time, rather than feeling rushed. But because it is in London, I still find myself trying to 'squeeze in' as much as possible, which then explains the feeling of complete saturation of visual stimulation - and why I find it hard to remember small details.
As a popular tourist attraction is is always very busy as well, with lots of physical noise from movement and conversation, and you get a sense of being 'ushered' along by the moving line of visitors.
That said, it is still my favourite because of the wealth of disciplines on display from world wide cultures.
Their educational information and website are also amongst the best I use.
Wayne Hemmingway curates!
Silent Disco, Tate Liverpool
This has to be one of the best exhibitions I have ever visited, because of its fresh and unusual approach.
A collection of varying artists and movements sculpture and image was brought together in a discotheque themed enviroment. The walls were deep purple, the lighting was scarce and featured disco moving lights and spot lights, as well as 'Saturday night fever' inspired lit dance floor.
Visitors were encouraged to wear headphones which played dance tunes from some well known contemporary DJ's.
The music and the setting created a mood not often found in a gallery.
The people who I visited with had a mixed response - some 'older' people did not like the music and didn't understand why some one would show the works in such an opposite context to their natural environment, others found it exciting and interesting.
But it did get us discussing the show as a whole and it stuck in their minds, if nothing else, but for its originality.
Tate Press release
Other displays at the Tate have had on ongoing impact on me, particularly a collection of work from Contemporary artists (perhaps because I was studying them at the time)
To see Du Champs 'Urinal' along side originals from Mann Ray, Picasso, Bridget Riley & Mondrian as well as work by Damien Hurst & Wolfgang Tillmans in what I described at the time as a 'mashed up' visual over load!
The walls were vibrant, something I hadn't enjoyed at the NPG, but here it seemed more fitting, there was no seating to relax and take in the work but a hectic, non geometrical layout;with no logical direction or path.
Large scale and minute were mixed side by side and lighting was harsh and seemed to be 'extra artificial'?
All the things I thought I didn't like at the NPG seemed to work in this environment with this particular collection of work.
Some installations featured neon lighting with crude slogans, but they were positioned on the same wall as more serene nautical oil paintings.
The gallery does however have a much more relaxed feel to it than some galleries, set in a converted warehouse on the docks rather than a grand 18th century building and maybe that goes someway in allowing the curators much more freedom in how they display work?
The Lowry
Nadav Kander Exhibit
Large scale works on a side corridor, well lit with natural light. The celebrity portraiture needed nothing else in it's display other than the large white walls on which it hung.
No frames, no glass, the quality of the work spoke for itself and the images were not the main attraction at the time (there was a Pop art/Warhol exhibition on at the same time) and corridor was peaceful and serene.
Some of the work I had seen at the NPG, and much preferred this smaller more intimate setting.
Guardian review
Art in Prague
The Museum Kampa is the Museum of European modern Art.
My visit there highlighted display techniques including scale, grouping and space.
Some images are included but some areas of the museum prohibited photography.
Works varied in size and scale - large items were hung on clean magnolia walls and had lots or room around then in order for the viewer to see the work in isolation.
Smaller works were often grouped together and hung in a linear or grid format with matching mounts and frames - whilst the work varied, the display method added some cohesion.
Sculture was rarely placed in the middle of the room in a random pattern, but was aligned with the wall (there was room to manoeuvre around the pieces, but they followed a path around the room)
There was an abundance of light, both natural and spot, none of the work was overshadowed either by another piece of by a lack of light to view properly.
The building itself was contemporary and glass with an exposed staircase - a little scary actually - which added to the excitement of viewing unusual modern pieces.
In summary when displaying work, not only do I have to consider the substrate on which to present it and the various presentation methods currently available, i also have to consider the scale of the work, the space in which it is to be shown, the context of the collective show and also the physical space in which people will view.
I have more research to complete before making these decisions in view of the FMP module and the end of year exhibition - and whether there are any restrictions on size (i.e. the boards on which they hang can only house a frame X big) and on wether there is any personal input into where the work will go (under a light, on the wall, in a corridor etc)
These will all impact on my final presentation method as too will cost implications as some of the sizes I wish to consider are not within my current budget!
-------------------------------------------------
My work
Early experimentation using in camera movement and long exposures as well as recurring subject matter.
My work for this module is Abstract, influenced by the above artists and also by my desire to explore more than just representational image making.
I wanted this work to be subjective, and have multiple meanings and different reading by the viewer. I also wanted to develop something that was an aesthetically pleasing piece of display work.
In my exploration I have drawn upon different strands of my original concepts and brought them together in something that is not literal or figurative.
I have used various techniques (as shown in sketch book) which include long exposures, intentional in-camera movement, lens zoom and post processing methods to create the end pieces.
None of the work form a complete series or set, but rather is the start of a journey on different themes, concepts and production methods.
Although the majority have been 'squared off' to give them a more uniform appearance for portfolio purposes.
Although the majority have been 'squared off' to give them a more uniform appearance for portfolio purposes.
The colour work is purely about mood, colour and aesthetic decor, whilst the neon work started out as an attempt to picture a fleeting memory as it flashed in ones mind.
Reflections - the reflection can sometimes seem disjointed to the item, it is not merely a mirror image.
I also realised, that I had been taking images of horizons (and it's individual components - water, sky) for some time, and whilst not strictly abstract, I was intrigued to examine my fascination with them.
Change in most circumstances, is a vessel which breeds unrest and apprehension within us, yet the horizon, which by it's very nature is calming and familiar, an unstable stable.
The horizon images have been treated in such a way that they represent the feeling of being there rather than a reproduction of the place itself, and as such I thought they would fit into this module.
In determining size and layout for final pieces my initial thoughts as explained above, where that the 'constructed' digitally manipulated images (Neon) would suit a larger display method, and it feels right that that display method be a manufactured 'industrial/mechanical' process.Reflections - the reflection can sometimes seem disjointed to the item, it is not merely a mirror image.
I also realised, that I had been taking images of horizons (and it's individual components - water, sky) for some time, and whilst not strictly abstract, I was intrigued to examine my fascination with them.
Change in most circumstances, is a vessel which breeds unrest and apprehension within us, yet the horizon, which by it's very nature is calming and familiar, an unstable stable.
The horizon images have been treated in such a way that they represent the feeling of being there rather than a reproduction of the place itself, and as such I thought they would fit into this module.
Because of this I am leaning towards the the large acrylic 'ice' blocks and directly printed pieces of aluminium.
I think that as an aesthetic piece of wall decor they have to be of some substantial size also - though this can get very expensive, very quickly.
Because the images are high in contrast, and have a dramatic immediate impact the viewer would need room to stand back and absorb, and due to the weight they would need to be wall mounted.
The colour work, being much more about mood and response would be ideal for a 'signing mount' in the right setting with open minded viewers who would relish giving critique and by doing so becoming part of the work.
This in itself would dictate a rather larger scale product as people would need room not only to view but then get up close and physically write on the mount, but it would need to be at such a height where all the mount was accessible.
The horizon work has a much softer feel about it, and I am conscious that in display it will be surrounded by lots of visual noise.
It feels much more organic and for that reason, at this moment in time (awaiting samples) I am keen to use a natural organic fibre.
Size here is still an issue, as my personal preference would be to display a fairly small image within a much larger frame with plenty of neutral mount to give space and air around the image.
In reality I'm not sure if this would work, nor am I sure if a busy multi discipline exhibit is the 'right' environment.
More to consider before FMP.
Only 10 selected images are required for submission,
however I wanted to show on the blog the range of images produced.
Colour works
Reflections
Neons
Reflections
Horizons
Evaluation
I feel this module has given me room to explore different techniques, and the sort of imagery I want to continue making ( and that needn't be all the same style).
I am very conscious that display methods are important in the fine art market and I have researched options extensively, and much is still under consideration looking towards FMP.
At Focus we were able to see new technology, and how printing on different substrates in no longer limited to large print suppliers, although size is limited with available retail units (printers capable of aluminium printing).
I feel I have demonstrated that I am not afraid to try new techniques or ideas, nor am I afraid of trying something which may not be liked or understood by all, I realise that I may have to look at a wider geographical demographic to get an audience which responds well.
Abstract art is far much subjective than literal translations, and my choice of apparatus, being a camera which is capable of recording true to life imagery, may be questioned, but I find it gives me options which I would have in other mediums.
The images put forward are not a complete set, but I think this further demonstrates my ability to offer a diverse range of imagery within a single genre.
My sketch book also shows further ideas and experimentation, and I have included some samples which I have made to show how I am exploring the various display possibilities.
Glass blocks - I like the idea of having something solid, an object, and this can interact with light much better than a flat 2d image.
Light frame - this had deviated from my original idea of a lit cuboid as it was structurally unsound, the mount was a late addition purley to cover up the light source, however this does now give a depth that I hand't anticipated - so in the next prototype I will look at having these professionally cut.
Wood block & perspex - again this was after the original cuboid was no longer a viable option - a single piece of perspex is mounted within a wood block and placed to interact with natural light and create a reflective pattern which then becomes part of the object.
On reflection, I have found this module to be a creative time to explore ideas and gain some insight into the world of fine art. I have also utilised techniques and software that i would not have considered previously. On the whole I have enjoyed the creative process but sometimes find the lack of output (as things change, move, grow) a bit frustrating, and it's hard to know which prototypes and ideas to include from the 'cutting room floor'
I am very conscious that display methods are important in the fine art market and I have researched options extensively, and much is still under consideration looking towards FMP.
At Focus we were able to see new technology, and how printing on different substrates in no longer limited to large print suppliers, although size is limited with available retail units (printers capable of aluminium printing).
I feel I have demonstrated that I am not afraid to try new techniques or ideas, nor am I afraid of trying something which may not be liked or understood by all, I realise that I may have to look at a wider geographical demographic to get an audience which responds well.
Abstract art is far much subjective than literal translations, and my choice of apparatus, being a camera which is capable of recording true to life imagery, may be questioned, but I find it gives me options which I would have in other mediums.
The images put forward are not a complete set, but I think this further demonstrates my ability to offer a diverse range of imagery within a single genre.
My sketch book also shows further ideas and experimentation, and I have included some samples which I have made to show how I am exploring the various display possibilities.
Glass blocks - I like the idea of having something solid, an object, and this can interact with light much better than a flat 2d image.
Light frame - this had deviated from my original idea of a lit cuboid as it was structurally unsound, the mount was a late addition purley to cover up the light source, however this does now give a depth that I hand't anticipated - so in the next prototype I will look at having these professionally cut.
Wood block & perspex - again this was after the original cuboid was no longer a viable option - a single piece of perspex is mounted within a wood block and placed to interact with natural light and create a reflective pattern which then becomes part of the object.
On reflection, I have found this module to be a creative time to explore ideas and gain some insight into the world of fine art. I have also utilised techniques and software that i would not have considered previously. On the whole I have enjoyed the creative process but sometimes find the lack of output (as things change, move, grow) a bit frustrating, and it's hard to know which prototypes and ideas to include from the 'cutting room floor'
___________________________________________
