Friday 24 June 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Updatin'
Been attempting to finish off work for the ear photographs in my earlier blog post, what to really use them for!
I've been thinking about the intimacy of them, that ever old public and private debate. I thought it would be interesting to find out common secrets that people share. Possibly record each person 'admitting' these secrets and have this playing on a loop which would be played at a soft volume on a speaker concealed behind each ear, so that the viewer would have to get as close as possible to make out each individual voice. The collective sound would most likely be a soft murmur of a distant crowd. This is a reference to confession at the church, where many of the confessions are mundane and generally meaningless, however some may be more significant than others. I want to keep quite a generic, almost factory produced feel to the series, and I think this (although this idea is very basic right now..) use of repetition might do the trick. I must do some experiments.
Also, as of yesterday I'm now finally on Central Station! You can view my page here. There isn't much on it as yet, but hopefully willed be filled with some new stuff quite soon!
I've also just finished my application for a 4-week residency at the Market Gallery in Glasgow, it sounds like a fantastic and fun opportunity. Here's hoping I'm lucky enough to get it, although I can't say I'm filled with optimism. You don't get if you don't ask I suppose.
Also been reading this book...
I've been thinking about the intimacy of them, that ever old public and private debate. I thought it would be interesting to find out common secrets that people share. Possibly record each person 'admitting' these secrets and have this playing on a loop which would be played at a soft volume on a speaker concealed behind each ear, so that the viewer would have to get as close as possible to make out each individual voice. The collective sound would most likely be a soft murmur of a distant crowd. This is a reference to confession at the church, where many of the confessions are mundane and generally meaningless, however some may be more significant than others. I want to keep quite a generic, almost factory produced feel to the series, and I think this (although this idea is very basic right now..) use of repetition might do the trick. I must do some experiments.
Also, as of yesterday I'm now finally on Central Station! You can view my page here. There isn't much on it as yet, but hopefully willed be filled with some new stuff quite soon!
I've also just finished my application for a 4-week residency at the Market Gallery in Glasgow, it sounds like a fantastic and fun opportunity. Here's hoping I'm lucky enough to get it, although I can't say I'm filled with optimism. You don't get if you don't ask I suppose.
Also been reading this book...
Wednesday 11 May 2011
Ears 'n' Holes
Friday 6 May 2011
"Anyone can take a photo, it takes skill to draw"
Tonight I was shocked by a conversation turned nasty argument with a former Grays School of Art Painting Graduate ' Jonathan Shearer' (graduated in 1993).
www.jonathanshearer.co.uk
As I'm sure all artists do, I constantly have to fight my corner for choosing to study Art at University. The term 'Micky Mouse Course' has been thrown my way a few times and has stuck in my mind. To be undermined by another artist and told what I am devoting the rest of my life to is not art, is quite frankly unacceptable. I'm ashamed that this way of thinking is a product of the University that I love to be a part of.
It is not a requirement of my degree to be a skilled painter or drawer although, when appropriate, these skills can be exercised. I do occasionally use drawing as a tool to better convey my ideas/resolutions and due to the nature of my chosen course, if I felt it was right to do so, I could submit paintings, sculptures, written works etc. This is not to say by any means that myself, or anyone else that chooses to pursue a career in photography, film or audio does not have a talent for these things.
The requirement of drawing to be awarded the title of a 'real artist' is an archaic and utterly ridiculous and narrow-minded way of thinking. So you're a landscape painter, yes this requires technical ability, which I grant that you have, but the content of the work is documentary at best. If you can learn to write, you can most definitely learn to draw or paint. One of the turning points for me considering myself an actual 'artist' was when I was taught how to convey an idea through visual language (the content of the work and it's connotations). This to me is probably the most important stage of art-making (within my field). This is complex and very difficult to perfect. On top of that of course there is technical ability, just with painting and drawing it takes a lot of time to get these skills under your belt. I don't want to make art for arts sake and become commercial, I don't really care if I make money or not and certainly don't feel I need financial gratification to be deemed 'successful' in the art world.
I have always considered Grays School of Art to be an unpretentious and open learning environment that nurtures not only technical ability but also the minds of the students, teaching us how to see the world in different ways and to penetrate a deeper level of meaning and perception. So to hear from a former student (especially so close to the looming hand-in) that what I do, what I love to do, is not considered 'art', I'll be honest got me quite angry indeed! Although I may have to thank you Jonathan, you pissed me off so much with your condescending bullshit that I now have the energy to get everything done and to prove you wrong.
www.jonathanshearer.co.uk
As I'm sure all artists do, I constantly have to fight my corner for choosing to study Art at University. The term 'Micky Mouse Course' has been thrown my way a few times and has stuck in my mind. To be undermined by another artist and told what I am devoting the rest of my life to is not art, is quite frankly unacceptable. I'm ashamed that this way of thinking is a product of the University that I love to be a part of.
It is not a requirement of my degree to be a skilled painter or drawer although, when appropriate, these skills can be exercised. I do occasionally use drawing as a tool to better convey my ideas/resolutions and due to the nature of my chosen course, if I felt it was right to do so, I could submit paintings, sculptures, written works etc. This is not to say by any means that myself, or anyone else that chooses to pursue a career in photography, film or audio does not have a talent for these things.
The requirement of drawing to be awarded the title of a 'real artist' is an archaic and utterly ridiculous and narrow-minded way of thinking. So you're a landscape painter, yes this requires technical ability, which I grant that you have, but the content of the work is documentary at best. If you can learn to write, you can most definitely learn to draw or paint. One of the turning points for me considering myself an actual 'artist' was when I was taught how to convey an idea through visual language (the content of the work and it's connotations). This to me is probably the most important stage of art-making (within my field). This is complex and very difficult to perfect. On top of that of course there is technical ability, just with painting and drawing it takes a lot of time to get these skills under your belt. I don't want to make art for arts sake and become commercial, I don't really care if I make money or not and certainly don't feel I need financial gratification to be deemed 'successful' in the art world.
I have always considered Grays School of Art to be an unpretentious and open learning environment that nurtures not only technical ability but also the minds of the students, teaching us how to see the world in different ways and to penetrate a deeper level of meaning and perception. So to hear from a former student (especially so close to the looming hand-in) that what I do, what I love to do, is not considered 'art', I'll be honest got me quite angry indeed! Although I may have to thank you Jonathan, you pissed me off so much with your condescending bullshit that I now have the energy to get everything done and to prove you wrong.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
Two For the Road Blog
twofortheroadblog.com
"Two for the road is an editing experiment based on the visual similarities that can be found when photos are presented side by side."
This is great! You can put forward photos if you have a flickr account or you can email them straight to the man in charge. Brilliant idea.
You all might have noticed in my work that I've been working increasinly with both strong and subtle similarities with my photo collections. In pointing out the obvious similarity I feel this also makes the differences so much more evident on further inspection. On first glance (or second, depending on whether you're into my sort of thing...) you might think 'Oh okay.. similar photo, so what'... I think repetition (or volume of different photographs) is the key here and has also been a strong theme in my work this semester. It's kind of like that phrase/fact (can we call it a 'fact'?) that no two snowflakes are the same, I guess I'm trying to collect all those different snowflakes, or desks, or people or armpits or whatever.
Repetition also forces the viewer to make connections in their own mind. I've found this to be a great tool because I'll be honest sometimes I really struggle with my visual language and making it open enough for others to understand what the heck I'm trying to tell them. Probably another key here was to tone down the kind of autobiographical work I've done all the way through art school, which is hindsight is so unpenetratable by others that it's no wonder I got myself so confused when attempting to explain what it is I do and what my work is about.
So, simplicity is working for me at the moment.. and on that note, check out that website!
"Two for the road is an editing experiment based on the visual similarities that can be found when photos are presented side by side."
This is great! You can put forward photos if you have a flickr account or you can email them straight to the man in charge. Brilliant idea.
You all might have noticed in my work that I've been working increasinly with both strong and subtle similarities with my photo collections. In pointing out the obvious similarity I feel this also makes the differences so much more evident on further inspection. On first glance (or second, depending on whether you're into my sort of thing...) you might think 'Oh okay.. similar photo, so what'... I think repetition (or volume of different photographs) is the key here and has also been a strong theme in my work this semester. It's kind of like that phrase/fact (can we call it a 'fact'?) that no two snowflakes are the same, I guess I'm trying to collect all those different snowflakes, or desks, or people or armpits or whatever.
Repetition also forces the viewer to make connections in their own mind. I've found this to be a great tool because I'll be honest sometimes I really struggle with my visual language and making it open enough for others to understand what the heck I'm trying to tell them. Probably another key here was to tone down the kind of autobiographical work I've done all the way through art school, which is hindsight is so unpenetratable by others that it's no wonder I got myself so confused when attempting to explain what it is I do and what my work is about.
So, simplicity is working for me at the moment.. and on that note, check out that website!
Thursday 14 April 2011
Today I found some fish...
Found some fishies in my living room today! My flatmate saved them from her work, they belonged to all the people that worked there but the fishies had started to get depressed so needed a change of scenery.
They now stay in my living on the windowsill and are apparently looking pretty chuffed about it!
So, meet Wanda, Graham and Squishy 4th (apparently the 4th as this girl's fishies kept dying... some people shouldn't have pets I suppose..) Graham is a little camera shy, or maybe he was just too interested in looking out the window but couldn't get a decent photo of him which is a shame because he has really funny big round eyes on the side of his head. Wanda is the big gold fishy and Squishy is the speckly one. I like 'em.
They now stay in my living on the windowsill and are apparently looking pretty chuffed about it!
Wednesday 13 April 2011
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