Describe the work that has been made:
The subject matter represented within my work questions our relationship with perception. Themes of vulnerability and fragility, contort within my assemblage of work. Each composition portrays the characteristics inhabited by the lens of a visually impaired individual. Examples of this can be seen through the vast majority of my prints, exhibiting the nature of binocular diplopia - doubled vision and the cataracts, alongside the agile nature of macular degeneration. I create juxtapositions using surreal and somewhat ambiguous imagery to conjure a metaphysical response toward my secondary collated research. Over the duration of this module I had employed an automatism manner of working, allowing my work to be genuine within its lucidity and palette. My work provokes the viewer to establish their own narrative through the use of equivocal compositional elements, I find this to be particularly important for my work to generate a discussion and intrigue the audience. The ambiguity of the works orchestrated encourage for discourse to wander. Ultimately warranting a response, within the moment based off of the viewers perceptions.
The processes in which I embarked upon, allowed me to improve my use of relief printing methods. I was able to develop my skills in carving the linoleum and the application of the medium. During the printmaking process I had experimented with backgrounds and materials to print over following quite a graphic route, mildly influenced by Jan Tschichold and Josef Müller-Brockermann. I had also created an abstract work using acrylic, inks and expanding foam which enabled me in generating more tactile work. I do not have a final piece so to speak, I have a collection of prints which have been digitally manipulated in a variety of ways. Rather than always working in a traditional manner, I had decided to digitally contort and expand the prints. My interest lies heavily in printmaking, prior to this project intaglio processes were favoured; however over the course of my recent works I have grown to prefer relief processes. Being able to command the carving tools to encapsulate my design through the use of lines has resulted in works that portray my subject matter in a bold stagnant manner.
Analytically comment upon your works progress by identifying successful outcomes and elements in your work which require further attention:
My works progress was measured and undeviating due to the restrictions we all faced last year and this year; seeing as I wanted to explore lino printing, purchasing materials and printing from home came with its mishaps. However to identify some successful outcomes I would refer to the majority of my prints, especially ‘Disparity Cat.’ And ‘Calimorphosis.’ I used what I had learnt throughout my project to create a piece that I am content with. The exploration of photo manipulation and optic appearances aided me in the composition and contemporary elements of which could be used throughout the design. I have began to look at larger scales to print from, without a feeling of unease from such a scale.
I believe the work I am producing needs to be reflected on and analysed further before the next projects of which will commence during my time at university. I need to create more works that experiment with mixed media and application methods. Fortunately I have ordered some items which will exhibit new techniques, such as pyrography and dissimilar intaglio methods I have yet to try. I want to continue to compose work that narrates an air of automatism and create for myself… It is difficult to not allow the idea of criteria and marks to affect me in my process, but I hope that in the continuation of James’ module I can enjoy the process rather than dread its completion. Elements within my work that require further attention are time management and medium selection. Though I have became adapt in managing my time, this is something I am constantly wanting to improve. I think I have a wide selection of mediums and processes, but I am lacking in quicker experimental drawings and concepts, though I did conduct a number of participatory activities involving drawing and painting blindfolded, given the nature of these experiments I included them in James’ module as something I would put forward in an exhibitory format. Deciding to conjure quicker paced works will help me identify and act on what requires further attention such as, my motivation, what drives me, hypothetical responses and further endeavours.
Describe what the final outcome of the project is:
A series of prints, currently ‘Untitled.’ - Materials used - Linoleum, water based ink alongside image editorial processes, including: Distortion filters, motion blur, mirroring and caricature.
The print portrays a female figure, nude floating earnestly within a body of water, her nudity portrays a state of vulnerability and fragility, connoting toward the hardships those who are visually impaired face within society. Work which is often phallic, yonic or vulgar tends to evoke a larger response; I had noticed such themes to be apparent within the digitally misconstrued compositions… Something of which I found beneficial given the commerciality and vulgarity proposed. I want my work to be seen as a vessel for the voices of the blind and visually impaired. The squid head stands erect, tearing through the threshold of water, a metaphysical portrayal of the suffocating sense of being ignored and treat with patronising flourishes society deems 'helpful.' A cohesive sense of ambiguity nourishes the makings of the composition and narrates a cohesively oxymoronic message to society.
Each print had been overlaid with the mask of another, I then rendered said mask overlays to be less opaque and later mirrored, in order to conjure a sense of warped vision, the mild cloudiness embellished throughout these prints mimic the nature of a cataracts, alongside corneal dystrophy both of which result in blurred and clouded vision. The second series of prints exhibit the original Lino print laminated with a negative surface, I then adjusted the brightness of the negative lines as to further elevate the composition. I also experimented with noise reduction to further pultrude the lines of the design from the black of the negative; in addition to being a reciprocated image the second triad refer to the vision of those with a glaucoma and retinitis pigments, two ailments of which exhibit a dark vignette surrounding the peripheral vision. The series offer a more contemporary approach to surrealism and illustration. To draw connections about my work being a somewhat tedious but rewarding process that can correspond with the navigation of the visually impaired, an orientation I have attempted to circumnavigate though my carving process. Having reviewed lino prints I had made in college seeing as this was the last I had used relief methods, I have noticed a phenomenal change in quality.
I am content with the outcome achieved, but I feel I could improve by transferring the prints over to different surfaces to print on. I may create a pyrography engraving over the continuation in Art 280, as to explore the compositional values further. I could explore scale further and create an even larger print in an attempt to further encapsulate the textures of the tentacles and the squids head and such. As an additional improvement I would continue to work on my consistency in the carving process, as I have found consistency has enables me to have a quicker pace during the carving. Of course if I am to increase the scale of the design, the longer the print takes to carve and print, not to mention I will have to check if there are any linoleum blocks manufactured of an a2 and over scale.
Give details of relevant artists research:
Throughout the duration of this project I have came across a number of artists and even had the opportunity to interview one. Here are the three artists I found to influence my work the most.
Kavan the kid -
Kids work appealed to me in that it explores perspective and surrealism; he works from a variety of angles and causes the audience to question the meaning behind each art work, his work is nonprofit and dedicated to helping people with depression, addiction, self injury and suicide given his own personal experiences. I find for him to display his work and allow it to become a platform for those who suffer from similar illnesses to be truly honourable, his influence was more so on my mindset, creating work which benefits the viewer and provides a place of relation is imperative to my work.
Rachel Gadsden -
Gadsden is a unique visual and performance artist with over 20 years experience of creating dynamic work as both solo artist, and collaborator as well as leading a range of national and international participative programmes. Gadsdens work is quite expressive and gestural in her approach to application of the medium, as the making of the work can be considered a performance of her automatism state. At the core of her practice are concerns as to how humankind comes to terms with mortality: by unearthing the unseen, making the invisible visible. Part of that process is about being vulnerable, about impairment, and working to empower others to find a voice with which to challenge stigma. Ultimately Gadsden’s work is underpinned by themes of fragility and resilience, a shared and positive sense of survival in the face of chronic health conditions, and the politics and mythologies surrounding disability; exploring how these themes are oxymoronic as a pair but harmonious in her working its delineation.Gadsden exhibits cross-cultural dialogues which consider the most profound notions of what it is to be human. I am particularly fond of Rachels work due to the application and the making of the composition. I have explored ways to incorporate team work and participatory based events in order to allow everyone to be represented, I find Gadsdens approach to be beautiful in that essentially she is saying 'fuck off' to those who deliberately undermine others for their disability etc.
John bramblitt -
After talking to Bramblitt and enquiring his methods and workshops, he inspired me to orchestrate an array of sensory platforms for my audience to derive from; rather than producing tactile images and tiles, I have collected scents, texture based items, impressions and audio clips of environments which connote toward the artwork. Having interviewed John, I have established my first contact through my art career and I am eager to continue producing work which eradicates the blatant democracy of art.
On a separate note, I had been mildly influenced by the obscure imagery of Junji Ito, in a sense each series of my works follow a macabre-esc narrative, not following death but the allegorical dance of losing ones sight and dependency, to then shun this with a trans figurative state of being.
Give an update on NLP: Added to Art 281 NLP blog post
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