In the morning, Clare asked us to document objects that are sticky or troubling to ourselves.
I checked out the object that interested me yesterday on Isabel’s slide:
And I also found Thomas Ruff’s photographs. I wasn’t a big fan of his work actually but I did read a book about him. That’s why I paid attention to his work:
I also found Cindy Sherman’s photograph. I read a book about her as well.
I didn’t find anything troubling to be honest. I’m not really able to relate myself to histories of countries or become emotional with the artefacts contextualized in those histories.
In the afternoon, we were asked to document overlooked objects, reflections (reflective surfaces wrapping around the objects) and shadows.
Olivia and I were the first group to do the presentation just as I wished. It went as we planned. The questions I got were quite friendly actually. I’m happy that at least they got what I said about my work.
I was most amazed by Nico’s work. It seemed really complicated to translate sound to vibration and then marks. And his thought of extending his private territory to public was very deep and interesting.
I was also impressed by Elo’s video as usual. Her approach to a project was always personal and very expressive.
The tutorial with Aleya was really helpful. Here’re the updates of my last reflection and the investigation for this project:
REFLECTION
Surrounded with all kinds of advertisements in every aspect of daily life, unconfident consumers are unconsciously manipulated to form values conveyed by hidden ideas of advertisements. The theme of our manifesto is manipulating advertising. Our practical work falls into three categories: the messages, the effects and the questions. My response focuses on consumers’ conscious struggle due to the effects of manipulating advertising. When the values conveyed by advertisements become major within society, social pressures increase for consumers whose original beliefs and desires conflict with the demands of the society, following struggle in the conscious self.[1]
I created two slides (Figure 1-8). It is a process of being exposed to increasing manipulating information and more confused to determine opinions of existence.
Figure 1. Photo by Author.
Figure 2. Photo by Author.
Figure 3. Photo by Author.
Figure 4. Photo by Author.
Figure 5. Photo by Author.
Figure 6. Photo by Author.
Figure 7. Photo by Author.
Figure 8. Photo by Author.
Texts projection was inspired by Fiona Banner’s 1066and Shirin Neshat’s Unveiling, showing the forces advertisements bring to consumers. To further suggest its power of shaping cultural norms, I set the color of background same as figures’ clothes initially, creating an effect of figures absorbed into the background, inspired by Anthea Hamilton’s Brick Suit.[2]
Using blur to capture disorientation was originally inspired by Amrou Al-Kadhi and Holly Falconer’s Glamrou (Figure 9). A triple exposure is used to describe the experience that can fracture your sense of self as well as hold it together.[3]Multiple positions of the model in drag indicate multiple identities. The combination of separation and overlay creating blur and shadow suggests the disorientation. I felt the confusion and struggle with identifying self, very related to my idea. Therefore, I decided to create layered clear figures with blurry movements as the hesitation of determining a way of existence. However, after looking through my photos and thinking over the emphasis to make, I realized my real intention was only to show the conscious of being unsettled, unclear and messy. Blur is unclear itself and makes figures unable to sit in the image while clear captures are too solid. That is why I only kept blur as the key element in my final work.
I also did an installation, producing a visual mess and uncertainty (Figure 10-17). However, photography work is better displayed in a zine.
Figure 10. Photo by Author.
Figure 11. Photo by Author.
Figure 12. Photo by Author.
Figure 13. Photo by Author.
Figure 14. Photo by Author.
Figure 15. Photo by Author.
Figure 16. Photo by Author.
Figure 17. Photo by Author.
I also had a plan for overlaid texts printed on reflective material where readers could see their distorted faces, encouraging self-reflection on psychological activities while making a choice.
From this project, I have learnt to express the conscious struggle through blur, distorted surfaces, color-changing lighting, disorganized texts and reflective materials. Technically, I have experimented with multiple or long exposure and projection. I am satisfied with the elements shown in my work. I think I have showed the conscious struggle on mind to people suffering from being unable to achieve authenticity, the way of existing fully controlled by one self, regardless of external pressure.[4] And I believe my work helps them realize what is happening on their mind while making a choice, think about the reasons and consequences.
However, with more time, I would experiment with advertisements projection instead of texts to relate to the theme more closely, sound for the slides to strengthen the effect of struggle, plastic sheet in portrait photography to create another way of showing conscious struggle and projection mapping to create a better visual effect. Also, I might develop my idea to more specific reasons of this conscious struggle due to manipulating advertising.
547 without footnotes + captions + Bibliography
Bibliography
Al-Kadhi, Amrou, and Holly Falconer, Glamrou (London: Hayward Gallery, 2019)
Baliousis, Michael, and Stephen Joseph, and P Linley, and John Maltby, and Alex Wood, ‘The Authentic Personality: A Theoretical and Empirical Conceptualization and the Development of the Authenticity Scale’, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55:3 (2008), 385-399
Heidegger, Martin, Being and Time (New York: Harper Perennial Modern Thought, 2008)
Kierkegaard, Søren, The Present Age (New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1962)
Marx, Karl, Capital, Volume I (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2019)Sartre, Jean-Paul, Being and Nothingness: A Phenomenological Essay on Ontology (New York: Washington Square Press, 1992)
[1]My view on this has been inspired by my reading of Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: A Phenomenological Essay on Ontology (New York: Washington Square Press, 1992). Alex, Wood & P, Linley & John, Maltby & Michael, Baliousis & Stephen, Joseph, ‘The Authentic Personality: A Theoretical and Empirical Conceptualization and the Development of the Authenticity Scale’, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55:3 (2008), 385-399. And Martin Heidegger, Being and Time (New York: Harper Perennial Modern Thought, 2008).
[2]Karl Marx, Capital, Volume I (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2019).
[3]Amrou Al-Kadhi and Holly Falconer, Glamrou(London: Hayward Gallery, 2019).
[4]Søren Kierkegaard, The Present Age (New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1962).
INVESTIGATION
Wandering along the District tube line in London with my partner Olivia, I became interested in the range of direction signs on the roads and how citizens seemed to be efficiently directed on autopilot while Olivia was attracted to the ‘flawed beauty’ of marks of time on architecture.[1]
At the beginning, I wanted to create a space to bring consciousness back to citizens and demonstrate that autopilot mode leaves no trace in memories or life (Figure 1).[2]It was going to be a double layered square space with one entry to each layer and a very narrow corridor in between to force people to move forward, suggesting the effect of direction signs, influenced by Bruce Nauman’s installation, Changing Light Corridor with Rooms.[3] In the inner square, each wall would be projected a video to create a sense of moving while viewers would actually only turn around in the center watching the videos (Figure 2-4), indicating the state of autopilot not creating any actual trace. The shaky videos would bring uncomfortable and dizzy feelings and bring back consciousness, similar to the situation of getting lost or off track. Finally, viewers would escape consciously.
Figure 1. Photo by Author.
Figure 2. Photo by Author.
Figure 3. Photo by Author.
Figure 4. Photo by Author.
However, after chatting with people, I started to realize citizens had their own choices and stories hidden behind all the directions they followed. There are more invisible traces than what we think we see. How the city and citizens look depends on how we observe them from different perspectives, which is connected to Olivia’s idea of appreciating muted beauty.[4] Olivia encourages a different perspective of the aspect of the passage of time while I focus on the aspect of the general view on the city and citizens. In the end, I created a different installation (Figures 5-8), which divided the floor to variable units of squares consisting of four arrows each, representing how the city is divided by crossings all over the roads. No matter how people move in the squares, they always seem directed to go straight, turn left or right, the typical patterns of citizens navigating the city.
Figure 5. Photo by Author.
Figure 6. Photo by Author.
Figure 7. Photo by Author.
Figure 8. Photo by Author.
Three additive primary colors and a clear color were used to reproduce a broad array of colors. Observing people walking into and out of the cuboids, as you move around, multiple combinations of colors can be seen while from one spot, only single combination is seen (Figure 9-12). This also applies to our way of perceiving the city and citizens. Different perspectives bring surprises and new discoveries while a single perspective may only generate the same feeling or vision each day.
Figure 9. Photo by Author.
Figure 10. Photo by Author.
Figure 11. Photo by Author.
Figure 12. Photo by Author.
This work was inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s installations, Seu corpo da obra (Your body of work) (Figure 13), Colour activity house(Figure 14) and Your rainbow panorama (Figure 15). Compositions of colors continually change in response to viewers’ movement through the space.[5] Viewers are co-producers of color as well as their image of reality.[6] We are viewers or producers of history itself, seen as we contribute, or give, more than we receive.[7] I was impressed by the setting of having viewers as a dynamic part of creators of the artwork. I found it very relevant to my idea of observers as a vital role in creating the view of the city and citizens. Therefore, I decided to build a space for viewers to be able to change the view of colors while moving, representing the initiative of forming their own experience in the city and with other citizens.
From this project, I have learnt to use viewers as an active part of artwork and to relate the phenomenon of color to the formation of our views towards our surroundings. The intention of my installation is to encourage citizens to see the city and each other from refreshing perspectives, to find different aspects and stories of them over instant assumptions, and help them realize they act as an active and essential role in getting an impression from their living environment. I think I have partially succeeded in realizing my intention especially in terms of the connection between the changing perception of colors through moving and multi-dimensional understandings of the city and citizens. However, I do not think I have achieved my goal to interpret the relationship between citizens, and between citizens and the city through a more personal or radical approach because my installation lacks innovation compared to Eliasson’s installations. And my idea can be too generalized for some citizens because they may have their own preferences for the way of seeing the city and others, or they may behave as they are directly.
With more time, I would experiment with the color schemes for direction signs in United Kingdom, blue with white, green with white and yellow, white with black and black on yellow, instead of RGB to relate to the theme more closely.[8] Installing my work outdoors in the busy area of the city could capture citizens’ authentic reaction or interaction with it. Also, I would develop my idea in a more personal perspective of seeing the city instead of generating opinions on majority of citizens because it is very easy to fall into my own assumptions rather than facts.
[8]Great Britain: Department of Transport, Know Your Traffic Signs (London: TSO, 2010)
Then we had a pair tutorial with Kyung Hwa. She suggested us to add our names in each slide. She didn’t understand how I talked about my installation… She thought my work didn’t show what I expected. Anyways, she suggested me to demonstrate the arrows and squares of the installation in the slides with a floor plan as well as size and title. She recommended neutral video documentation of installation instead of still images with set lighting and only showing essential photos in the slides. Here’re my slides:
In the morning, we had a tutorial with Aleya. She suggested us to have a strong intro for our presentation to connect our work.
Later, we had a tutorial with Ian. He suggested me to talk about the connection between my idea and my practical work. For example, why did I use colorful plastic? And he suggested us to write down key words about our ideas and work individual and find more connections, such as color and surface, etc.
On Tuesday, I had an individual tutorial with Ian. He suggested me to have people holding the installation outdoors and take photos of passerby’s reaction to the installation. However, it’s almost impossible for me to find four people to help me with that…
Later, we had Introduction to Premiere. And I found KEYFRAMING and SPLIT SCREEN especially interesting.
Then I did the shooting at capture studio:
On Thursday morning, we had a session with Clare about texts in portfolio.
For processes, we can also include experimentation, how you started the project (wandering in London), study, model, prototype, digital rendering, explore, test, evaluation of, studio research, sketch, site test, plan and elevation section drawing.
For materials, we can also include recycle (paper as an example) and history (how/where did you get it).
While writing the size of the work of fine art, it’s usually h x w x d. These’re examples of captions:
For each project, we shall have 150-200 words.
For action verbs, we can also use observe, measure, navigate, categories, constructed, sketch, articulated, to be interested, contemplated, thought, make, create, cast, walk, submerged, tested, calibrated, regarded, built, researched, manipulated, analyzed, rusted and transformed (materials/things).
In the afternoon, we had a portfolio session with Isabel.
We may have 2-3 pages for old work.
Today, we had a lecture with photographer Manal Massalha. Her work is mostly documentary photography with strong context. She’s really engaged with the people, environment or objects she photographs and the content is based on lots of history, background and her own experiences.
In the afternoon, we had a writing workshop about the investigation. I actually think it similar to last reflection. Only got 40 for the draft… I didn’t really introduce the manifesto group project. I should use photos instead of too much description of my work. And I should label the reference photo. There’s more feedback for me to edit my reflection.
The shape of square consists of four arrows, showing that citizens are always directed in the city either by the signages or themselves. When I’m outside of the square as an observer, as I move around, I can see different combinations of the color, red, green, blue and transparent. There’re five combinations for each color as foreground:
As I just stay at one spot, I could only see one kind of color no matter how people are moving inside. When we see people from different perspectives, we may find different aspects and stories of people. If we just see people from one perspective, people may just seem same to us. Sometimes, how the city or citizens look like really depends on how we see them.
I’ll need a model to walk in and out the square as I photograph or film the model. I’m worried about how it would look like as the plastic is not flat and it gets reflection of light. I’ll try how it looks like tonight. Luckily I managed to book capture studio tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Hope it would work!
Today we had a writing workshop. We were asked to write words to describe “heat” and “pain”. Here’s what I got:
Heat: hot, burning, unbreathable, melting.
Pain: painful, suffer, scream, swallow.
Then we went out to navigate. I wrote some notes:
I’m unpacking a pack of panini.
The wind is blowing.
I hear the sound of my crispy chewing and people talking fading in and out.
Listening further, cars’ engines are humming all the way through.
A cleaner is pushing a big trash bin by.
The tree leaves are dancing to the wind.
Some beeping and showering noises are behind.
As I walk, I can hear the wind talk.
Oh, I found the noise breaking the balance.
It’s the cleaning car, winding left and right through the paths.
I’m biting the second half of my panini, already cold, crispy still.
A fallen leaf rolled to me, and away.
The wind is getting through every single hole of my sweater to my skin, to my blood, to my bone.
I bit off a small bit of the cheese sticky on the paper.
It had lost its temperature.
I saw a group of men wearing sporty shorts and t-shirts.
Oh I’m very cold.
After the last bite, I’m heading back to the warm room. See you, wind.
In the first session, the lecturer talked about disability. We watched a ted talk, “inspiration porn”. It’s surprising to realize that many people with disabilities feel their real disability involves problems with the society rather than problems with their bodies. They want to be seen equally and independent.
We did a quiz and there’re some statements I didn’t have the correct belief for:
Only people who can’t walk use wheelchairs. (F): There’re people who can walk for a short time and who find it difficult to walk.
When you meet someone who is blind or visually impaired, you should introduce yourself to that person. (T): It’s considered polite.
When communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, it is necessary to speak through an interpreter. (F): We can use sign language or writing or lipreading.
It’s safe to assume that people with disabilities usually need help. (F): Many are independent.
People with cerebral palsy usually have a cognitive disability, too. (F)
We were also introduced to ableist language and spoon theory, which were completely new to me.
Then a group of us made an artwork accessible for as many kinds of people as possible. A classmate put forward the object, wind. As almost everyone could feel it. And he suggested we build several doors with curtains for people to pass and feel while wind is blowing the curtains. It’s amazing he came up with an idea and realized it in only 30min.
In the second session, we learnt about gender, sex, charmed circle, etc. Again, it’s surprising to see how the society is educating us about the “norm” of gender and sex since we’re born. I’ve never really looked into this topic but I’ve always respected each identity.
It’s such a long way to go to consider all kinds of people while doing artwork. But it’s true that something artists should think about.
On Monday, we were introduced to create animation in dragonframe, which I had never tried. It’s especially cool to create a “video” that couldn’t be realized by real videos. But it also takes ages to tell a story by stop frame animation.
On Tuesday, we had two sessions about performance. The first session was held by Lee and another tutor whose name I forgot… It was surprising. We did some exercise in a dark room. The first one was like meditation. It helped us feel the body in the space, feel the gravity on the body and separate the body in a sense. Then we tried to form a circle while walking and started to use our body as a shape in the circle. It’s like interaction with the space by body. Later, we used anything we could find in the room, chairs, tables, clothes and a stand to interact with the space as well as each other. People started to use their body and sound to interact. As the sound and movements got intense, I started to sweat and a bit stressed. I put my jacket on my head and put my hands on my ears to try to block the energy and tension but I sweated more. I wanted to break the energy. I kicked the stand, a part of the objects we built, to fall. It surprised me how this random performance affected me. I wasn’t even trying to get involved. At last, we were introduced to some simple exercise about art practice. Cards of random tasks sounded fun. They could maybe generate ideas when we had no inspiration of what to do. In the second session, we did some performance with Clare. First, we did the performance of The Artist is Sitting. It’s a bit scary for me to make long eye contact with a person I’m not familiar with. For me it’s a decision of being open to the person myself and being ready to go into the person’s world. Then, I made the performance of dripping water to a bottle. I didn’t stop till I dripped all the water. It took quite long… Yash even made a drawing of me… I thought of when to stop. Then I thought performance always took forever and performers didn’t care what viewers thought. So I decided to keep doing it unless Clare stopped me. It wasn’t easy because it’s hard to try to get drips and aim at the bottle at the same time. At last, Jess and I did the performance of drawing a line and following it. Jess came up with an idea of drawing between mirrors so that it would look infinite. I suggested to appear in the mirror with body. When you just looked at one mirror, it would be like I went into the mirror as I turned around to draw away from the mirror.
On Wednesday, I tried to build the installation but didn’t finish it.
Today, we had an introduction to InDesign. Besides what I knew, these’re what I found very useful:
Master pages
Character styles
Paragraph styles
Check spelling
In the afternoon, Olivia and I had a group tutorial with Nathan. Nathan had some disagreements on my idea:
Not all people are on auto-pilot.
Even though people are on auto-pilot, there’re many stories.
People know it when they’re on auto-pilot and they choose it.
Repeating is valuable in some ways.
Nathan also shared “Freedom and Necessity” in the book “An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis” By John Hospers with Olivia.
Then I had an individual tutorial with Kyung Hwa. She thought black paper was too solid and suggested using vinyl, multiple layers or transparent materials. And a small space would tell my idea better. Instead of 4 projectors, I could have one projector spinning. She also shared Samuel Beckett and her performance work with me.
I’m feeling really stressed and frustrated as there’re only two weeks left and I still have nothing.
Eva Wang 