Individual Tutorial

The discussion with Miguel began with a briefing over the 'Personal Planning Development questionnaire' which I completed prior to my tutorial.  I believe I answered each of the questions confidently and with no particular problems with the development of my work at this point, we went straight on to  talking through my progress and plans towards the upcoming exhibition.  

I explained my intentions for how I want the piece to be seen by the viewer in the exhibition; making it clear that it is important for the work to be viewed 'one at a time' , as I want to avoid the distraction of another person sharing opinions from the viewers own individual thoughts. I suppose it will give them more of a chance to listen to the sound piece playing around the room, reading the information and taking in a sense of intimacy and emotion which I hope to achieve from the piece; without the temptation of talking to another person or witnessing their reaction. Miguel agreed with my points and stated that he was very happy that I have thought about this aspect of my work as I have made it clear that I am very aware of what I want and how the work is intended to be seen; adding that it relates to the overall context of the work...the control of the subject matter and the control of the communication of the piece it self.  

As the discussion continued we went on to questioning how I would ensure that it is made clear to the viewers that it is intended for one to enter at a time. I do believe it will take something away from the piece if this doesn't happen and I don't particularly think signs stating this would take any action and so throughout the two day exhibition I will make sure I myself or another member of the group is situated near the room at all times to certify this to the viewer.  

Miguel related my work and intentions to two major artist exhibitions at the Tate Modern whos works I found fascinating, including 'Miroslaw Balka, with the Unilever Series' and 'Ai WeiWei, with Sunflower Seeds'. These were both exhibited in the Turbine Hall and an example of signs not taking note.

The latest commission in The Unilever Series How It Is by Polish artist Miroslaw Balka is a giant grey steel structure with a vast dark chamber, which in construction reflects the surrounding architecture - almost as if the interior space of the Turbine Hall has been turned inside out. Hovering somewhere between sculpture and architecture, on 2 metre stilts, it stands 13 metres high and 30 metres long. Visitors can walk underneath it, listening to the echoing sound of footsteps on steel, or enter via a ramp into a pitch black interior, creating a sense of unease.

Underlying this chamber is a number of allusions to recent Polish history – the ramp at the entrance to the Ghetto in Warsaw, or the trucks which took Jews away to the camps of Treblinka or Auschwitz, for example. By entering the dark space, visitors place considerable trust in the organisation, something that could also be seen in relation to the recent risks often taken by immigrants travelling. Balka intends to provide an experience for visitors which is both personal and collective, creating a range of sensory and emotional experiences through sound, contrasting light and shade, individual experience and awareness of others, perhaps provoking feelings of apprehension, excitement or intrigue.

Miguel mentioned that on witnessing this piece for himself, his experience was ruined by other viewers not taking note of the sign which was purposley situated near the entrance of the piece; reading that no photographs were to be taken and to remain as quiet as possible. With people taking photographs and communicating throughout, the intamacy and unknown aspects of the piece where instantly taken away due to the flash of the camera lighting up the 'dark room' and the discussions effecting individual thoughts and opinions.

            

Sunflower Seeds is made up of millions of small works, each apparently identical, but actually unique. However realistic they may seem, these life-sized sunflower seed husks are in fact intricately hand-crafted in porcelain.
Each seed has been individually sculpted and painted by specialists working in small-scale workshops in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen. Far from being industrially produced, they are the effort of hundreds of skilled hands. Poured into the interior of the Turbine Hall’s vast industrial space, the 100 million seeds form a seemingly infinite landscape.
Porcelain is almost synonymous with China and, to make this work, Ai Weiwei has manipulated traditional methods of crafting what has historically been one of China’s most prized exports. Sunflower Seeds invites us to look more closely at the ‘Made in China’ phenomenon and the geo-politics of cultural and economic exchange today.

The landscape of sunflower seeds can be looked upon from the Turbine Hall bridge, or viewed at close-range in the east end of the Turbine Hall on Level 1. It is no longer possible to walk on the surface of the work, but visitors can walk close to the edges of the sunflower seed landscape on the west and north sides.

Although porcelain is very robust, we have been advised that the interaction of visitors with the sculpture can cause dust which could be damaging to health following repeated inhalation over a long period of time. In consequence, Tate, in consultation with the artist, has decided not to allow members of the public to walk across the sculpture.

Sunflower Seeds is a total work made up of millions of individual pieces which together from a single unique surface. In order to maintain and preserve the landscape as a whole, Tate asks visitors not to touch or remove the sunflower seeds.