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Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal Revised in light of your marking…. Will I do better?!
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Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

Jul 09, 2020

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Page 1: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

ProcessPortfolio/VisualArtsJournal

Revisedinlightofyourmarking….WillIdobetter?!

Page 2: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

Photographytrip– to’make’not‘take’photographs.SofarIhaveestablishedthat:• Artworksoftenhave‘layers’ofmeaning,andthroughanalysiswecan

‘unpack’thosemeanings– IhaveexaminedtheworkofRichardDiebenkorn andthecontextofhispaintings.

• Iwantmyworktobegroundedinfirsthand experienceoftheworld.• Photographyisacomplexfieldinanagewhereeverybodyhasthe

abilitytotakephotographsandmanipulatethemsoeasily(wearenolongerinanagewherephotographsonly‘memorialise’amomentintime).Iwillbeeditingthephotographsandtheyareastartnotanendinthemselves.

• PhotographerCartier- Bresson said“Inordertogivea“meaning”totheworld,onehastofeelinvolvedinwhatoneframesthroughtheviewfinder.Thisattituderequiresconcentration,disciplineofmind,sensitivity,andasenseofgeometry.Itisbyeconomyofmeansthatonearrivesatsimplicityofexpression.”http://www.henricartierbresson.org/en/ Iwillaimtobesensitivetochangesinlight,movement,angleofshot,framing,spaceandcomposition.

• AvisittotheSoukwillprovideopportunitiesformakingphotographsthathavethepotentialtobeusedinartworksthatusemetaphor,allegoryandsymbolismtocommunicateideas.Thereisadifferencebetweena‘happysnap’andanartisticallycomposedphotograph(makingaphotographopposedtotakingaphotograph)

InitialthoughtsaboutmyIntentiontousethisphotographThissignsaying‘artist’– apassagewithalightattheend– thebestphotographItookduringthetrip.Thearrangementofshape,lightandspace,andtherhythmofrepeatedformswaswhatcaughtmyeyefirstandledmetotakethephotograph– itwasonlyafterlookingmorecloselyIsawthesign.ThisisapromisingimagethatIwouldliketodevelopinto,possibly,apainting.Theinter-lockinggeometryoftheformsandhighcontrastmakeavisuallycompellingcomposition– paintingwouldallowmetodevelopthecompositionandmakedecisonsaboutwhattokeep,whattoleaveoutandhowtocommunicatemyidea– whichatpresentistotryandmakeanartworkaboutwhatcreativeinquiryislike.Thedarkpassageway,a’roadlesstravelled’asametaphorforindependentthought,withthebrightlightattheend,andthetowerassymbolofknowledgeorfurtherheightstoclimb.

Someoftheotherphotographsfromthetrip,allcontainspacestobeabletomoveinto,somethingtopullthevieweronwardsintothespace.

Other shots from the same location – I haven’t edited the images as the colour and contrast are super, but ‘I did choose to frame them as square photographs with the ipad I was using as opposed to the rectangular frame I use earlier.

HenriCartier-Bresson(1908–2004)isoneofthemostoriginal,accomplished,influential,andbelovedfiguresinthehistoryofphotography.Hisinventiveworkoftheearly1930shelpeddefinethecreativepotentialofmodernphotography,andhisuncannyabilitytocapturelifeontherunmadehisworksynonymouswith“thedecisivemoment”—thetitleofhisfirstmajorbook.https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/967

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/08/22/10-things-henri-cartier-bresson-can-teach-you-about-street-photography/

Page 3: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

WhyRichardDiebenkorn ?(b.1922,Portland,ORd.1993,Berkeley,CA)Hisworkevolvedandchangedindifferentphasesofhislife,influencedbywhathelearntthroughhisartistpracticeandhislocation.Itwasthisresponsetolocationandhiswillingnessanddesiretodevelopthatinterestme.Idon’twanttobearepetitiveartist,Iwantmyworktonotbereliantona‘style’thatIhavemastered,butforittobeameansbywhichImightknowmyselfandtheworldaroundmebetter.Diebenkorn wassuccessfulandcouldhavestuckwithmakingworkslikethosethathadsoldpreviously,buthewasatruelifelonglearnerandhisworkisunlikeanyotherthatIhaveseen.Somearthistoriescitehimasa‘BayAreaFigurativePainter’,otherasan‘AbstractExpressionist’,buthisworkwasnotfollowingapathaspartofagroupphilosophy,thewayhisworkchangesinuseofcolour,applicationofpaint,useofspace,geometryandswitchesbetweentheobjectiveandnon-objectivewasindependent.ThisfitswiththeintendedmeaningoftheworkIhopetomake– somaybemyworkwillnotonlybeabouttheimportanceofbeinganindependentcreativethinkerasanartist,butalsoiscriticalofartthatfollowstrends?

Diebenkorn’s workoccurredinseriesorphases,andsomeofthesearenamedaftertheplacehewaslivingatthetime– Urbana,Berkeley,OceanParketcHisearliestworksareveryfigurativeandareinfluencedbyartistslikeEdwardHopper,butwasintroducedtomoreabstractmodernistworksatUniversitywhilststillconscriptedinthearmy.Bythelate1940’shisworkfittedveryneatlyintothenascentAbstractExpressionistartbeingproducedintheUSartworld.RichardDiebenkorn,GeraldNordland,RizzoliInt Publicationsp.15-16

Berkeleyno.221954oiloncanvas59x57”RichardDiebenkorn,GeraldNordland,RizzoliInt Publicationsp71

InteriorwithBook195970x64”OiloncanvasRichardDiebenkorn,GeraldNordland,RizzoliInt Publicationsp105

RichardDiebenkornOceanPark#60 1973 oiloncanvas93x811/4in.

"Hepaintedandrepainted.Hewouldscrapeaway,paintsomemore.Hewouldfocusononeareaanddecidehewouldmoveontoanotheranddestroysomethinghehadworkedonforquiteawhilebecausehefeltlikehewastreatingittoopreciouslyandheidentifieditasjustwantingtogeteverythingright.Everythingright.Light,color,space,volume,thewholecomposition.Buthewasn'tafraidtoshowthemistakes.”SarahBancroft,CuratorOrangecountyMuseumofArthttp://www.npr.org/2012/03/02/147722483/in-ocean-park-gentle-portraits-of-california-light

LikeotherOceanParkpaintingsDiebnkorn usedlayersofcolour inno.60– evidenceofpaintingbeingaprocessaspertheBancroftquote(aboveright).Wecanseethepaintingunderneath– likeamapthathasbeenpaintedover– alsothecolours usedare‘maplike’.Thereareharmonioushuesofgreensandturquoiseswiththinlinesofcontrastingcadmiumyellow,ochresandredThereisagreatsenseofspaceandlight.Diebenkorn saidtheOceanParkpaintingsbecamemoreabstractbecause

“Theabstractpaintingspermitanalloverlightwhichwasn’tpossibleformeintherepresentationalworks,whichseemsomehowdingybycomparison.”RichardDiebenkorn,GeraldNordland,RizzoliInt PublicationsP.155

InOceanParkno.60thereisanunderlyinggridlikestructure– broadly4bandsorareas– thegeometryofthecompositionoriginallyreferredtoroads/buildings/realspacesbutmorethanthatthepaintinghasacompositional’rightness’ofitsown.Thesourceoflandscapeisthestartofajourneywherethe‘needs’ofthepaintingtakeover– itisabstractionwithitsrootsinobservation.Thereisbothaprecisiontothecompositionandafreedominthewaythepaintisappliedinscumbled layers.Ialsowantmyartworktodevelopinthisway– tohavethephotographasastartingpointbuttolearnfromDiebenkorn’s approachtoallowmypaintingtoevolveinandofitself.

Page 4: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

DevelopingmypieceusingwhatIhavelearntfromDiebenkorn’sprocess.

ExperimentationwithcompositionIntheseinitialpencil sketchesaboveIwastryingoutdifferentspatialarrangementsoftheelementsofthecomposition.Increasingtheconvergenceofperspectivelinesandemphasising therhythmictriangularstructures– Iwouldliketheviewertobeledtothesign,thelightattheendofthepassageandthenthetower

Thedevelopmentalstudyusingacryliconpaperontheleftisnearlyatthepointwherethepaintingcouldstarttofollowitsowninternallogicandreallyleavetheoriginalimagebehind– butIdon’twanttocreateaDiebenkornpastiche- thealleywaywiththesignsaying‘artist’,clearreferencetothatparticularplace,isimportant.Butlettingthegeometrydistortandusingharmoniouscolouration withvisiblylayeredpaintissomethingIwantthepaintingtohave.

Thestudyaboveisgettingcloser- thetowerisdarker,lessattainable– thered‘works’– withbrighterlightattheendofthepassagethiscouldbeok– theroofofthestructureontheleftpointingatthesignandthelighthittingitalsocouldwork– thedoorwayneedstobeangledaswell.Ialsoquiteliketheturquoisetrianglesonthecentralwallastheycreate‘steps’tothetowerwithpatternandrhythm.

Eachvariationofnegativespace,colouration andplacementoftheelementsofthecompositionpresentsdifferentatmosphere–theoneaboveistheclosestsofartomyintention- Iusedittomakethelargerstudyontheright.

Page 5: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

ReflectiononstartofpaintingIbeganputtingthefirstbasecolour inacryliconacanvas1mx1m(right)–likeintheDiebenkorn Interiorwithachair1959IhaveusedthehuesthatareoppositetothoseIwilluse– seekingtogetthesame‘alloverlight”thathespokeof.IhavenotgotthetriangularupwardrecessionofperspectiveIwantedandwillhavetore-paintthepositionofthetowerandtheedgeofthebuildingontheleft.

Havingnotedthe‘maplike’colours insomeoftheOceanParkseriesIwentbacktoasketchImadepreviously(above)– Iwasthinkingabouthowharditistoactuallycomprehendalandscape.Whenyoutryanddepictandunderstanditsstructure- itislikewementallymapit– maybeallartislikeamap– itshowsthewaywehavethoughtatsomething.Diebenkorn’sworkareabstractionsbuthavetheirsourceinpaintiings/imagesofaspecificplace

OceanPark60RichardDiebenkorn,GeraldNordland,RizzoliInt Publication

Refining/developmentofideaIhaveexperimentedwithusingmapsaspartofthecomposition- IfoundamapofOmaninChinese.HavingmovedherefromDalianinNEChinaIthoughtperhapsIcouldshownotonlywhereIambutwhereIhavebeen.Doesthisgooffattoomuchofatangentfromtheoriginalideaofajourneytoknowledgeandindependentcreativeinquiry?Iquiteliketheideaofmappingasananalogyforartmaking– mapsareabstractobjectsthatshareinformationusingconventionscollectivelyunderstoodbyacultureandoftenrequirea‘key’tode-code.

Second‘pass’ofpaint– stillneedtogettheedgesofthebuildingstocreatesteeperangles– signneedstobeangledmore.

Decisionsaboutnextstep:• Adopt‘beyondrepresentation’

approach?• Usemapidea?• Sticktooriginalideaofjourneyto

knowledgeandrefinecompositiontothisend?

Third‘pass’ofpaint– Ineedtomakesomedecisionsaboutwhichwaytogo- Imightneedtomaketheangleoftheroofsteeperaswell.

Page 6: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

For decades, scientists believed the brain was incapable of growing new cells. We now know neurogenesis — the birth of new cells — occurs throughout life, but only in certain parts of the brain, including an area involved in learning and memory called the hippocampus. Specifically, cells are born in in a part of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus. The image above shows the dentate gyrus of an adult mouse with individual cells stained in green and pink. Scientists found that when neurons lacked a certain protein, newborn cells became misshapen and wandered into the wrong part of the dentate gyrus. As a result, the mice had problems with learning and memory, suggesting this protein helps new cells develop normally.http://www.brainfacts.org/brain-basics/neuroanatomy/articles/2016/image-of-the-week-neurogenesis-052016/

Havingreflected ontheissueofhowtodevelopthispieceIhaverealisedmypriorexperienceofmyworkisinsomewayspreventingmefrombeingasopentoexperimentandnewwaysofworkingasImightbe.In‘Creativity:Theories andThemes,Research,DevelopmentandPractice’byMarkRunco Ifoundatheorycalled‘functionalfixedness’or‘experienceblindness’.Theideaisthatour‘expertise’inanareamayinhibitouroptimalgenerationofnovelideas.Ithenwonderedifitwaspossibletofindimagesofbrainsfunctioning– andwasamazedbysomeoftheimagesonthebrainfacts website.Theimageontherightisofthedenate gyrusofamouse– andtheideathataswelearnourbrainscangrownewcells.Studyingbrainfunctionlikethisisoftenrefered toas‘mapping’thebrain,oreven‘braincartography’.EarlierinmyprocessIconsideredamapasbeingasuitablemetaphorforartandformyinitialideaofthepassagewaybeingpartofajourneytodeeperartisticknowledge.ConsequentlyIhavedecidedtogobeyondmy‘usual’approachtothispainting.Iwilltryandmakethepaintingincludereferencetomorethantheplace(takinginspirationfromDiebenkorn Iwilltryandincludemorecomplexideasaboutabouthowcreativityworks.

4th ‘pass’– incorporatedimageofsynapsesandnewbraincells,refinededges,triangularshadows/rooftopformsandremovedtower.Brainimagery- mapofthinkingandactualchange.

Page 7: Process Portfolio/Visual Arts Journal · 2018-04-02 · I will be editing the photographs and they are a start not an end ... allow me to develop the composition and make decisons

5th ‘pass’