Still Experimenting

Still experimenting with my strips of photography and text; I am thinking of other ways in which the work can be presented whilst still playing with past ideas.

In this particular piece, I hand wrote every word and thought that came to mind at this point in my development, on white paper and simply cut into strips using the same process of the previous strips. Tieing these strips together,I decided to hang this piece from a fixture in the ceiling, simply using thread. I like the idea of a single piece taking over a larger space with nothing else to distract the viewer from that image. I found the idea of hanging the strips interesting alone as just like past Ideas; the listed words incorporated are mixed and wrapped and so all still cant be read and understood. But the hanging of the text shows me letting go almost, just like other ideas....its not tightly wrapped like the 'balls of photography' which represented my control of this situation.
I am deffinitely moving on which I am sure my work and Ideas will begin to show this change.

If I decide to take this idea further, the text may be changed and applied in a different way and imagery may be incorporated. Alongside the size of the idea will be much larger...taking over a larger space and creating more of an environment for myself and the viewer.

Ika Ude and Ghada Amer

In the lecture given on Monday 22nd November by Jagjit Chuhan, I instantly became inspired by the works of 'Ghada Amer and 'Ika Ude'. Who's works represent 'The Body' in a similar context, and link in nicely with the 'touched' theme of the previous works seen.
Its not what these works represent that caught my attention, its these two pieces themselves and how the artists have expressed there ideas using similar ways of working in which I have in my own.

Ghada Amer is a multimedia artist whose entire body of work is infused with the same ideological and aesthetic concerns. Her work deals with issues of gender and sexuality, particularly the representation of female nudes in art history as ideal objects rather than human beings with a sexuality and eroticism of their own.

In this particular piece 'Barbie Loves Ken, Ken Loves Barbie' (1995/2002)
Ghada Amer questions the role of steriotypes, which she refers to as "the idea of the model" and the various ways they can be interperated.
Embroidered across the cotton jumpsuits are the words 'Barbie Loves Ken, Ken Loves Barbie'. This famous couple may evoke childhood memories of a powerful role playing game.
Despite the title of the work, the absense of a female in Barbie's suit or a male in Kens leaves open the possibilities that either gender could choose which one to wear. Amer characteristically resists the rigid gender fixity that these childhood toys rely on.

"The idea of the model to followed is what interests me in steriotypes, and we are controled by this in our lives". Ghada Amer.

I found this piece exceptionally interesting alone before even reading up on the artist and the reasoning behind the work, which inspired me further. I love the incorporation of the repetition of the text on the objects themselves and especially how the piece has been presented; and I immediately saw a comparison between this and one of my own works 'Body Manakin and text' (shown previously in this blog) which shows a similar outcome with text covering a female form.

Ika Uda began using photography to explore and deconstruct issues of representation and identity. His work reflects a range of issues that include identity, fashion, communication, celebrity, humour and performance.

This particular piece 'Untitled #16' (2003) Is a photograph mounted on alluminium. In this work he creates compelling, lyrical images that capture the ellagance of high fashion and the anonymity of the inscribed and disembodied self. The works acknowledge the artists Igbo heriage by recalling the body and wall motifs of Uli, a womans art form in Nigeria. While the designs he uses are reminisent of home.

Again, this piece reminded me of my own work. But made me think more so about the media that could be used further in my development and how I could maybe present my ideas later on in the project. I really like the simplicity of this study; the shape and monocrome colour usage and how the simple markings create a strong contrast with the bodies in the photograph.

Presentation

Continuing to experiment with  the presentation of my works; I began to think more so about my balls of photography and the space in which they would stand if taken further. Weather standing alone or as a group, I like the idea of them been presented as a singular piece, so that attention isn't taken away from the information that I have decided to share alongside the delicate form of the images.

 The wrapping of my photographs became a majour part of these works...almost a way of hiding/ covering up the reality.
In this particular piece I decided to leave a few of the strips lose; giving the look of a ball of wool which has been left to roll. I like this resemblance and think it works well as a study and to represent the whole meaning of the idea...letting go almost....admitting.

This piece would be presented alone, in a large space on the floor. Creating more of an involvment with the viewer as they would have to lean down and walk around the piece to focus on the images and the selection of words which I have applied on the lose strips using lettered stamps and black ink.

I definitely think that the text works well with the images, just like past development studies; giving more of a suggestion as to what the works represent; but still giving them the chance to make there own interpretation.

Further Development

Thinking more so into the presentation aspects of my ideas, I am trying out ways in which the work could be exhibited whilst still developing.

Here is a much larger version of the 'pile of photography' I created previously which if I took further would be presented in the corner of a room, taking up that whole space.
Again it would be made a whole lot larger, creeping up the wall alongside across, and would remain black and white representing the negativity of my experiences.

On the strips of imagery which will be creeping up and across the walls will be a selection of the words I have used throughout my development.
I will apply the text using lettered stamps and black ink.

Wrapped Thoughts

Alongside wrapping my strips of imagery into large spheres, I decided to do the same but with strips of text, using the selection of words I have used previously in my development.
Clustering the words underneith the ball represents the continuous thoughts running through the mind.

I don't particularly like the outcome of this piece and much prefer the balls of imagery and so if this idea was to be taken further, I would apply the text in a different way.

Wednesday 10th November

Liverpool Biennial Touched
Public Realm

 The mixed media outdoor installation by Do Ho Suh 'Bridging Home' was a piece I was really excited to see although on arrival I was a little disappointed; I expected it to have a more appealing outcome, giving me a stronger reaction, which I can't say it did. However I love how bringing the art outside of a gallery space and into a public space gives the community an opportunity to see art by just simply passing by; and I don't think the work would have the same effect or give the same statement if it was presented indoors either.
I love the reasoning behind the work; being split between two realms, Korea being his home country and America his adoptive one and bridging these two parts of his life together. And now knowing the reasoning behind the work, I’m definitely inspired by the installation and his ideas; it has made me think further into how my work can be presented and exhibited in the future.

                                      http://beat-city-images.co.uk/wordpress/?p=32

 Tala Madani's commission 'Sunny Side Up', looks politically and personally on the issues of sexual and cultural identity in which men in particular are her recurrent subjects; raising a lively public debate around the fine line that conventionally separates decorum from vulgarity when it comes to the representation of men and the instrumental use of their body in the public arena. Depicted in a cartoon like, almost surreal exaggeration, the images appear more abstract to me due to the sheer size of the mural; which definitely grabs your attention when passing by. I love the simplicity of this piece and how the longer you stare at it, things begin to look different and almost change, whether this is purposely the case or if it was my eyes deceiving me. I personally saw what looked to be two rows of women laid on their backs with legs in the air, showing their black knickers...others around me saw different.
Again, exhibiting the piece outside of a gallery space, almost like an advertisement, the work gave a stronger statement as a whole....grabbing much more ‘accidental’ attention.

Working Larger Again

Still continuing with stripping my photographs and wrapping them into a ball shape; I made one seperate piece, which is much larger to stand alone.
Onto one of the weaved strips I applied the word 'CONTROL' using white transfer stickers...Giving the viewer a better insight as to what the work represents.