J A N - M A R C H
In chronological order, photos and notes on my process of making this term.
0
(written 28/02/17)
I found in the notes of my phone that I had written this text, so I thought i'd put it in here at the beginning. It was an unconscious steam of thought that I had to write down while I was on the bus:
Ive struggled for a long time to be able to put into words what my artwork means. Constantly battling with a lack of context, but knowing it meant something more than pure 'industrial materials' and 'lack of colour'. It IS all about the materials and the aesthetic, but not in a superficial sense, in a way that affects the viewer; not through powerful contextual background, but through tactile materiality. We are heavily influenced by our environments and the places around us, a room is not simply something you belong in- it is something you feel, touch, experience. It effects how we think, it affects our mood and it effects how we live. I want my work to reach a more gripping, provoking level where it manages to influence these emotions, where it no longer becomes something you view, but something you are completely immersed in and experience.
The spaces around us are integral to our well being. And arguably, are one of the most overlooked and under appreciated aspects of daily life.
-especially in the U.K.??
To be able to influence someone's mood, senses, emotions, atmosphere - through the space that you create
An unconscious manipulation of emotions
A sensual process
Something that moulds around you, and you weave through it.
I found in the notes of my phone that I had written this text, so I thought i'd put it in here at the beginning. It was an unconscious steam of thought that I had to write down while I was on the bus:
Ive struggled for a long time to be able to put into words what my artwork means. Constantly battling with a lack of context, but knowing it meant something more than pure 'industrial materials' and 'lack of colour'. It IS all about the materials and the aesthetic, but not in a superficial sense, in a way that affects the viewer; not through powerful contextual background, but through tactile materiality. We are heavily influenced by our environments and the places around us, a room is not simply something you belong in- it is something you feel, touch, experience. It effects how we think, it affects our mood and it effects how we live. I want my work to reach a more gripping, provoking level where it manages to influence these emotions, where it no longer becomes something you view, but something you are completely immersed in and experience.
The spaces around us are integral to our well being. And arguably, are one of the most overlooked and under appreciated aspects of daily life.
-especially in the U.K.??
To be able to influence someone's mood, senses, emotions, atmosphere - through the space that you create
An unconscious manipulation of emotions
A sensual process
Something that moulds around you, and you weave through it.
1
Beginning to size up.
At the start of this term I knew I wanted to increase the scale of my work, so I began attempting to make a larger piece. Using the same technique I used for my smaller pieces, I created the backing with a hanging mechanism, created a cast and continued as so. This proved far more painstaking than I originally thought - everything was heavier; I had to think up a new method of mixing the concrete (making 3 separate ones because it was impossible for me to mix it all at once without some sort of machine), and the logistics of creating the box to cast into was tricky because the cardboard had to be able to withstand the weight of the increased volume of concrete.
At the start of this term I knew I wanted to increase the scale of my work, so I began attempting to make a larger piece. Using the same technique I used for my smaller pieces, I created the backing with a hanging mechanism, created a cast and continued as so. This proved far more painstaking than I originally thought - everything was heavier; I had to think up a new method of mixing the concrete (making 3 separate ones because it was impossible for me to mix it all at once without some sort of machine), and the logistics of creating the box to cast into was tricky because the cardboard had to be able to withstand the weight of the increased volume of concrete.
2
It was immediately obvious to me that this hadn't worked. I could see on one side that the cast had moved away from the board.
3
Second large scale cast attempt, this time laying the concrete on top of the board. This was actually far more efficient but, as a piece, it didn't had the same effect.
4
Glueing the cracked shards onto a new board. This worked incredibly well but does not help with my overall aim of scaling up my work. On a small scale, it is effective, but will be almost impossible to transfer this method to a larger scale.
5
Playing with photography to see how textures work together. This wasn't anything planned, just a simple experiment with materials already in my studio space.
6
The most obvious move now is to try and move my work off the wall. I've wanted to create something that is immersive and sensory, and feel the best way to achieve this goal is to push my pieces away from the traditional wall hanging setting. This is quite a jump from my usual practice, as it's something i've never done before. I've been so focused on making something that would truly express the materials in their purest form, expressing their materiality and allure - That I believe the best was to completely submerge the viewer is with the material itself.
7
Using architecture to inspire my work is something i've always done. Here I am blocking off material use in simplistic drawings from buildings, to transfer my interest in architecture into the basic material makeup. I was inspired by the talk by Rebecca Chesney and the work of Carl Andre, and how they use grid squares to draw data. See workbook in studio space for more drawings.
8
PLANS
There's something about LED lights that fascinates everyone, we cannot help but get close to them, it fills us with a sense of happiness and joy - like magpies. We are hardwired as humans to notice materials more notably when they're contrasted with something different. Smooth feels smoother when compared to rough. We can highlight the textures more accurately when they're sat next to their opposite. This means that, ultimately, for me to succeed in showing my industrial materials, I need to sit them next to something more natural, organic, and flowing.
I want to create two sensory pieces. The first being a simple sample box of textures, hard metal, plaster, concrete etc. And on the wall next to them a paired fabric. Linens, cottons, wools. Fabrics that make you want to touch them and enjoy there softness, hopefully this will make the industrial materials stand out more by themselves. Much like you would if you were building a modern house. If you have polished concrete floors, and exposed steel beams - you might furnish your home with a large grey wool sofa, and a fur throw.
My second idea is to create a sensory walkway. Inspired by the work of Serra and Do Ho Suh - I want to create a maze that you walk through. The first half, linen canvases with LED lights behind, creating a warm, fun, calming aesthetic. The second half concrete walls you have to walk through. The contrast should compliment each other, and the journey through would hopefully be one of sensory excitement. The artificial LED lights, the natural, homely canvas, and the cold, hard, industrial concrete. A tactile immersive environment.
There's something about LED lights that fascinates everyone, we cannot help but get close to them, it fills us with a sense of happiness and joy - like magpies. We are hardwired as humans to notice materials more notably when they're contrasted with something different. Smooth feels smoother when compared to rough. We can highlight the textures more accurately when they're sat next to their opposite. This means that, ultimately, for me to succeed in showing my industrial materials, I need to sit them next to something more natural, organic, and flowing.
I want to create two sensory pieces. The first being a simple sample box of textures, hard metal, plaster, concrete etc. And on the wall next to them a paired fabric. Linens, cottons, wools. Fabrics that make you want to touch them and enjoy there softness, hopefully this will make the industrial materials stand out more by themselves. Much like you would if you were building a modern house. If you have polished concrete floors, and exposed steel beams - you might furnish your home with a large grey wool sofa, and a fur throw.
My second idea is to create a sensory walkway. Inspired by the work of Serra and Do Ho Suh - I want to create a maze that you walk through. The first half, linen canvases with LED lights behind, creating a warm, fun, calming aesthetic. The second half concrete walls you have to walk through. The contrast should compliment each other, and the journey through would hopefully be one of sensory excitement. The artificial LED lights, the natural, homely canvas, and the cold, hard, industrial concrete. A tactile immersive environment.
9
Practice run of LED/Concrete work, really small scale.
This was a really useful exercise to test how materials and light can work together. Even on a small scale the textures work together well and manage to create a sense of new space. This has made me excited for how this can develop and what environment it would create if I size up.
This was a really useful exercise to test how materials and light can work together. Even on a small scale the textures work together well and manage to create a sense of new space. This has made me excited for how this can develop and what environment it would create if I size up.
10
Large scale practice run for concrete wall.
I was half way through when I had a conversation with a builder, who told me that there was no way that this would work (at least not without lots of swearing, as he put it). So I've put this on pause for now before I find a better way to tackle this.
I was half way through when I had a conversation with a builder, who told me that there was no way that this would work (at least not without lots of swearing, as he put it). So I've put this on pause for now before I find a better way to tackle this.
11
LED light canvas wall scale up. I had lots of spare wood in my space so i'm building a frame directly onto the wall to stretch my canvas onto.
12
I decided to ignore the advice of the builder and just continue trying to make my wall. I thought that in hindsight, a builder would probably turn their nose up at every process i've used so far to make my work because I basically have no clue what i'm doing. He was right there was lots of swearing, but surprisingly it did stick to the mesh?!
13
This came out of the pot I use to mix my concrete with - I don't know what I'll do with it but I think it's an interesting sculpture by itself - its still something I would be interesting in pursuing further.
14
Beginning of my sensory/sample box:
I was going to make a box in the workshop, but decided I would put my knowledge of the laser cutter and CAD to some use. This is FAR quicker, easier, and creates a better finish than I could produce myself.
I was going to make a box in the workshop, but decided I would put my knowledge of the laser cutter and CAD to some use. This is FAR quicker, easier, and creates a better finish than I could produce myself.
15
Beginning to creating my samples.
These are:
Concrete mixed with acrylic paint
Concrete with parts of the cardboard cast left on for added texture
These are:
Concrete mixed with acrylic paint
Concrete with parts of the cardboard cast left on for added texture
16
Adding more to my concrete wall. I'm really enjoying the process of building this up, theres a strange satisfaction that comes with it.
17
Placing the LED lights in my frame and nailing the canvas around it. I can see some immediate issues with it, but generally it has been pretty effective. Its not very bright, but there are a number of factors that are effecting this:
- The studios are naturally very light, hopefully if I go on to make a corridor with this idea, the wall on both sides will create more of an enclosed dark space. I could also add some blackout fabric over the top.
- The wood frame is pretty thick, so theres about a 2inch gap between the LED lights and the canvas - a shorter gap will give more light.
-The canvas it relatively thick. I could really use any fabric, an experiment into what works best next term would be useful.
- The studios are naturally very light, hopefully if I go on to make a corridor with this idea, the wall on both sides will create more of an enclosed dark space. I could also add some blackout fabric over the top.
- The wood frame is pretty thick, so theres about a 2inch gap between the LED lights and the canvas - a shorter gap will give more light.
-The canvas it relatively thick. I could really use any fabric, an experiment into what works best next term would be useful.
18
Adding another top section to my concrete wall to balance it out - photos taken later on at night with studio lights off show the full potential of the LED lights. I actually really like the sections of the concrete wall, It gives a more disheveled look - which is what initially inspired me to start using concrete. I also rather like the dark contrast in colour at the top with the section of concrete that is still wet. In my samples box you'll see a block that is concrete/black acrylic mix - there could be an interesting development in the gradiation of concrete used to create the wall. I shoved some cardboard on a part of the section as it dried - out of curiosity for how this would come across. Although not a massive effect, it's rather interesting.
19
Finalised samples in box:
Concrete 50/50 mix (50 cement, 50 sand, & water)
Concrete 70/30 (mostly cement)
Varnished concrete
Concrete mixed with white acrylic (failed)
Concrete mixed with black acrylic [this one worked? could be because the paints were from different companies? Or the amount needed to alter the colour of the cast?]
Concrete with cardboard
Concrete painted with white acrylic
concrete painting with white wall paint
concrete spray painted black
Concrete 50/50 mix (50 cement, 50 sand, & water)
Concrete 70/30 (mostly cement)
Varnished concrete
Concrete mixed with white acrylic (failed)
Concrete mixed with black acrylic [this one worked? could be because the paints were from different companies? Or the amount needed to alter the colour of the cast?]
Concrete with cardboard
Concrete painted with white acrylic
concrete painting with white wall paint
concrete spray painted black
20
Interactive samples box.
(I did order some fabric samples, but they haven't arrived. I still think however that the box shows what I wanted it to without them)
(I did order some fabric samples, but they haven't arrived. I still think however that the box shows what I wanted it to without them)