Ideas for end of term exhibition...

After talking about what I am doing at the minute for this experimentation with light and shadows, the influence of art I saw in London last week, and thinking about what I have done and said in this blog in the past, I think I have come up with what I want to make to go into the end of term exhibition. When speaking about that shadow drawings, and more especially the way that I was framing and choosing particular parts of the shadows to fill the sheet of paper to make the most pleasing composition, I thought that it was very much like the pages of a book. So, I intend to make a book of shadows. Think there are various ways of going about the actual creation of the structure of the book, and also what materials, what size, how long etc. When considering this, I was reminded of what I said at the end of last term about ‘cutting out’ the space and ‘releasing it’ - perhaps I could use the same method of cutting (after all this would make for very clean cut obvious shapes and would show off the beautiful forms that the shadows make), but then strangely instead of releasing it I suppose I would be containing it, in the form of a book...however I suppose I am still releasing it from its original context. This idea also draws together the interesting relationship between making something so transitory into a permanent record.

Studio space, 08.03.12...

Just to show the space I am working in, and to draw attention to the fact that even though everything is basically black and white, the shapes, the silhouettes or imprints of the captured shadow moments are I think in fact rather striking from a distance.

Mirror/Shadows...

Looking back through the folder of photographs I have capturing the shadows, on the evening of getting back from London I was drawn to these three photos which I had taken and not really considered - light and shadows, reflected off a mirrored surface somewhere in the room. Really like these glowing wispy shapes, remind me of clouds in the sky when the sun is going down on a summers evening. In response to Yayoi Kusama's work, could try setting up some photos looking further into the use of mirrors, but link it more into space as she does?

Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern...

Although maybe a typical section of the exhibition to say had an impact on me, Kusama’s ‘Infinity Mirrored Room- Filled with the Brilliance of Life’, I thought was fantastic. Out of everything in that particular exhibition I found myself thinking about my own work the most in this room. Her interest in infinite space made by using reflective surfaces, light and general trickery leads to you being utterly engaged with experiencing the space. Personally I think the room moves the viewer to feel as though they are in a complete different environment/space to what they are actually in – I certainly wasn’t thinking about the fact that this was a piece of art, in the Tate; all I was thinking was about the enjoyment of the experience, at the expense of suspending me own sense of self. This creation of an environment with light, is similar to what I was saying about the difference between being in a space quite literally and looking at is as a photograph – it is the actual experience that matters.

Shadow drawings...

As well as the photographs capturing the moments of the shadows existence, I have been doing shadow drawings, as shown above – literally drawing round the outline of the shadow. When on paper, the negative and positive space and area of blackness and shadow become worthy of note. I like the somewhat sketchy nature of these drawings, done on the spot and in seconds, however, they become something completely different when you block in the area of shadow...the tension of the black and white edges, the edges are what the drawing becomes about. I tried to fill in the area with first charcoal, but the laborious sense of the task was evident in the final outcome, so I then tried ink – the washy quality, the fact that there are some areas darker than others, like pools of darkness, is pleasing. Another contributing factor is the fact that they are all life scale; they are the size of the shadows in real life – or at least a section of the shadow that I choose. Playing with scale, sizing them up or down may have interesting effects. Also, the cropping and framing of an area of shadow to fill the paper is almost like considering the design and layout of a page – something that could be perhaps looked into.

Shadows in the studio...

Since catching the shadow on our hall wall, I have become increasingly aware that at every given time of day, everywhere you look, you will be able to find interesting shadows. These photos are a selection from about 20 or so which I have taken around the studio on several days. I really love the idea of ‘catching’ shadows, of capturing the precise moment that they exist in that given state – their shape and the intensity of the darkness of the shadow is constantly changing every second, which I think opens a whole wealth of possibilities for development.

Perhaps the thing about the shadows which I have become most fond of and attracted too is their transitory, changeable nature – indeed all is fleeting in the world of shadows. This could lead to tracking shadows across a set amount of time, through drawing, photographs or perhaps film (many time lapse films could look into as instruction) or trying to build structure which would cast my own shadows by whatever means and seeing the shadows which are made throughout an hour, day or week. Could possibly experiment with the overhead projector, layering shapes and shadows with that? Also one area which I am quite interested in would be the juxtaposition of ideas if I was to somehow create a 3D realisation of a shadow – this could be using the shapes that the shadows cast and then making them into some kind of 3D sculpture, that you could walk around, touch and would be (unlike actual shadows) permanent. The confliction between the transitory nature and then fixing it in time is something I find very appealing.

Tracing paper windows...

This is going back to the post with the shadows and light on the glass. Again, instead of trying to show anything remotely natural, like the branches on the photos on the originals, I used the same straight lines as throughout I have been using pretty simple forms (which exaggerate the architecture and window frames of the gallery space). Opted for that again, if for nothing but ease when trying out the new addition of tracing paper on the window. I do quite like the effect, the window of bright light against the muffled - and this is an even further step towards the ideas of interference and control. Think the overall effect if I filled the whole set with this would be very different to last term, and quite interesting, but on the whole to develop this project I really think that it would be beneficial to move away from the limitations of the window frame...

Cut –out Lampshades...

After the previous post, I decided (once and for all) to do a few experiments with artificial light and the effects of the light and shadows cast on the surrounding walls. With a plain paper lampshade I decided to stick with the straight lines that I have been looking at since I used them on the windows last term. The overall effect I thought was rather nice – the star-like sunburst pattern on the ceiling directly above, and the lines of light almost draping or dripping down the walls around, the light getting less intense as it goes down and eventually fading out.

In the third photograph, I like the relationship with the rays of light and the bars of the stair banister, almost bridging the gap/difference between the intangible light and the tangible banister, the lines and shapes echoing each other. This relates back to Lucy’s work, making something which isn’t actually 3 dimensional into something that you can touch; so in her work that was literal space and in this case it would be light. The nature of the light, the varying intensity, the rays of light all around you when you stand in this space, is of course a completely different experience to looking at the photo – this is something that I will have to think about when it comes to formulating something for the end of term exhibition.

23.01.12

Noticed this on the wall as I came in this evening – was first attracted by the strong triangular shapes which reminded me of the first Richard Tuttle pictured I looked at last term. Also thinking about the light and shadows that I saw at YSP, apart from this is coming from artificial light rather than natural light from outside.

Feedback...

Had a very (long!) but interesting morning discussing everyone’s work which had been influenced by another member of the year. Didn’t get the chance to talk to my influence, but had a wander into my normal studio space to find Lucy who had made a piece that was in response to what I did last term (shown here). We’d had a good chinwag about what I had been doing earlier on, so to see what she had come up was absolutely wonderful, and will be something that I will bear in mind when I go back to thinking about what I am going to do next. I loved what Lucy had done, taken what I had been thinking about incredibly literally, and creating an actual physical representation of the studio space, amongst others – so it was indeed and quite literally a ‘projection and definition of space outside of itself’...but then still in the space (because it was scaled down). The fact that it was the space outside of itself, but existing still in the space is a very intriguing line of thought, as is the notion of making the space three dimensional.

Starting the spring term...

Over the first few weeks of the Spring term, we have been asked to complete a piece of work which is influenced and inspired by the work produced by another member of our year group. My influence, Caroline Widdop, whose piece I had to look at, as well as everything else wonderful she is up to, can be seen here on her page found by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.

After always always avoiding projects in which the subject is myself, and avoiding at all costs painting self portraits (not one of my great talents!), I was initially rather daunted by the thought of both of these aspects of the work. However, there are individual parts of the work which I find very intriguing – most especially the fact that the piece is named ‘Mulitple Personality Order’, instead of ‘disorder’. I decided to take this word ‘order’ in relation to personality very literally, thought about the different sides of my personality, and ordered them, into matchboxes. After messing around with trying to do some small drawings and paintings, I thought it would reflect my character more if I was to use some kind of writing. In each box is an extract from a novel, a poem, a play or an article which all relate to some kind of aspect of my personality. The fact that the matchboxes are slightly open, but you still can’t tell what is written, is something that I quite like – there is an invitation for people to perhaps open and read, but I doubt that people would in a studio exhibition. Like my own (and everyone’s personality) there are light and dark qualities which we can’t show all at the same time – so the idea of control and order, revealing and hiding all had a great part in this work. Overall I was happy with the final outcome, and found the whole process useful and very thought provoking. Can’t wait to crack on with the work I begun last term now!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Berkshire-Artist/323181218038#!/photo.php?fbid=10150341817813039&set=a.330871713038.126276.323181218038&type=3&theater

Light, Shadows & Glass...

Whilst looking through the photographs I took at the YSP for the previous post, I came across these three which show wonderfully the effects light creates when forming shadows. I love that there are so many shapes made - from the art on the glass balcony edge, the art hanging from the ceiling and the shadows of the shutters on the windows opposite. I especially like the bold straight edges made by the shutters and how they echo the architecture - and in contrast to the twisting smoke like curls of the hanging art. Although all this is obviously unintentional (I think), it really does show the possibilities that there are for playing around with light and shadows. Rather like the shadow of the branch on the area of frosted glass, a layer on top of the glass window - could play around with this idea myself? ...

James Turrell at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park...

At the end of last term during feedback I received a list of artists to look at who could be useful in developing my own work. The work of James Turrell came up, an artist whose work I am in fact already familiar with. During the Christmas holidays when back at home in Sheffield, on a chilly winter afternoon I took a trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which as of 2006 is home to a permanent instillation of his within the parks grounds. The work is called ‘Deer Shelter’ and is a ‘calm space for relaxation’ – since 1974 Turrell has been building rooms open to the sky where visitors can sit and gaze. One of the most important aspects to these ‘skyspaces’ as they are known as, is the balance between interior and exterior light, and the effect that they have upon the space that as a viewer you enter and contemplate. The fact that he has coined the word ‘skyspace’ is something that I find very interesting in itself, is he questioning the relationship and reliability of one factor to the other, the sky to the space and vice versa? Or simply referring to the space that is cut out where the sky is visible?

Although I have been to see this work many times before, it was not until this most recent visit that I really considered this relationship between the light and the room – the incredibly stark and simple design of the room is really highlighted by the light coming in. However, after sitting in the room for a period of time I would question how many people entering and spending time in the space really look and consider the actual physicality room; most people appeared to just look up at the sky and take that in, rather than looking around at their surroundings...This relationship between the actuality of a space or room and light is directly linked to my own work, and has given me much to think about – one of the main things being how the changeability of the levels of light affects the space, something I haven’t really looked at up until now, but is something I am intrigued to experiment with. The first 6 photographs are taken when I first arrived at YSP, and the latter ones at the end just before leaving, the differences in colour of the sky, as well as the interior space hopefully visible.