Lecture – Friday 21st March 2014

This lecture focused on words and images where we discussed poetry. The poem, “I’ve seen a dying eye” by Emily Dickinson was discussed, which symbolizes the eyesight of a dying person. The poem portrays the searching for shreds of memories, the remains of life in the moment when the only thing close to us is the inevitable end. Dickinson compares the last seconds of life to a fog, which is gently covering the body blurring the vision. The author shows us her imaginary vision of death from a dying person’s point of view, whose would in vanishing with every breath.

The poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost was also discussed which portrays the narrator stopping by some woods on a snowy evening on the “darkest evening of the year” to watch them “fill up with snow”. He lingers so long that his “little house” shakes his harness bells “to ask if there is some mistake”. The horse knows something is wrong . Have they stopped at the wrong place? The last line of the poem is repeated “And miles to go before I sleep” which emphasises that there is still a long way to go. The poet and the house have not moved on. The almost hypnotic state induced by the woods and falling snow in what adds interest to the poem.

Lecture – Thursday 20th March 2014, How do we think about globalization?

During this lecture we discussed globalization which is the process of international intergration arising from the inter- change of world views, products, ideas and other aspects of culture.

The 20th century was a time of rapid globalization for advanced artists. Artists from a large number of countries made important contributions than in earlier periods and they did so in a larger number of places. The dominance for much of the century of conceptual forms of art from Cubism and Dada to Pop and Conceptual art was largely responsible for the greater speed with which innovations spread. Conceptual techniques are communicated more readily and are generally more versatile in their uses than experimental methods. There is no longer a single dominant place in the art world. 

During the lecture we discussed AES + F, a group of 4 Russian artists; Lev Evzovich, Tatiana Arzamasova, Evgeny Svyatsky and Vladimir Fridkes. ‘The Feast of Trimalchio’, 2009 by AES + F consitutes a veritable feast for the senses which was shown at the 2010 Biennale of Sydney as part of ‘Unconditional Love’. The delights of ‘The Feast of Trimalchio’ are spoiled by catastrophes which encroach on the Global Paradise. 

Lecture – Tuesday 18th March 2014

During this lecture we were advised of student’s work which has been chosen for the 3M commission.

We then went on to discuss our personal projects whereby we have to consolodate our interests for our self- directed projects. With my 3M project almost complete, I am now looking forward to making a positive start to my personal project. I have a great interest in animals, both domesticated animals and also wildlife. Throughout history artists have created drawings and paintings of animals and I’m looking forward to researching the work of artists associated with this topic. I also intend to include alot of photography and illustrations within this project. 

During the lecture we were also advised of the forthcoming trip to the AV Festival in Newcastle. The festival presents the work of artists who are re- imagining the geologic by responding to the natural landscape of North East England and beyond,  from Neolithic rock art and glacial arosion to the remnants of the coal mining and minerals industries, and modern concerns with the global explotation of material resources. Through contemporary art, sound, music and film, the event explores the raw materials that create our experience of the world, from their origins deep inside the earth, to their extraction and transformation through artistic, industrial and manufacturing processes. The programme features 11 exhibitions, 36 screenings, 10 concerts including 11 new commissions and 25 UK premiers by internationally and nationally renound artists. 

Lecture – Thursday 13th March 2014 – How do we feel about cultural diversity?

During this lecture we discussed cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is the quality of different cultures; a range of different societies or people with different origins, religions and traditions all living and interacting together.

Tracey Moffatt, born in 1960 is an Australian film maker, video artist and photographer who’s stylistic experiments draws upon both popular culture and her own background, examining subjects such as Aboriginal subjugation, maternal domination, gender stereotypes and class division. During the lecture we discussed films associated with cultural diversity, including; ‘Night Cries; A Rural Tragedy’ (1989) directed by Tracey Moffatt. ‘Night Cries’ is a short no dialogue experimental film in which a middle aged Aboriginal woman nurses her old white mother while at the same time portrays her frustrations of duty, suppressed anger, her own need for warmth and love, and her personal lonlieness. The film which is shot entirely in a studio lies in the artificially treated vibrantly coloured landscape and portrays the policy that forced Aboriginal children to be raised in white families. Marcia Langton, an actress known for ‘Night Cries’ is one of Australia’s Aboriginal scholars. She holds the Foundation Chair in Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne. Jimmy Little was an Australian Aboriginal musician, actor and teacher who also appeared in the film ‘Night Cries’.

‘Something More 1’, 1989 is the first of Moffatt’s photographic series which demonstrates all of the elements that have made her work so acclaimed such as it’s reference to film, art and photographic history and issues of race and gender.

During the lecture we also discussed the film ‘Jedda’ , 1955 directed by Charles Chauvrel which was the first Australian feature film to employ Aboriginal actors in leading roles and also the first to be invited to the Cannes Film Festival. It is been deemed a classic by Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive who claim the film ‘is arguably the first Australian film to take the emotional lives of Aboriginal people seriously’.

Towards the end of the lecture we discussed artists who are associated with cultural diversity including Arthur Boyd (1920- 1999) who was a leading Australian painter of the late 20th century, Sydney Nolan (1917- 1992), one of Australia’s best known painters and print – makers, and Albert Namatjira (1902- 1959) who was one of the most prominant Aboriginal artists of the time. 

Recent Lectures

Friday 7th March 2014;-

During this lecture, we discussed our achievements and aspirations for the future and were asked to write a 30 second elevator pitch regarding this.

Tuesday 11th March 2014;-

This lecture focused on next year’s work placements where we were given several website addresses and information as to how to go about applying. We were told we can do as many placements during the year as we like. However, I have already been offered a couple of placements and I have decided to do my placement solely at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. I have also been asked to do a week works experience there before hand, which I have arranged to do over the Easter Break. There are several volunteering opportunities at the sculpture park including; gallery work, tour guides both inside the gallery and outside and teaching. I am hoping to be given the opportunity to engage in a variety of work during my year there. I have visited the park on several occasions and I am really looking forward to doing my placement there next year.

Completed Canvas – Blue Arrow Poison Frog. External Project

This is a large oil on canvas painting, again taken from my photographs during my visit to The Deep. The Blue Arrow Poison Frog’s bright saffire blue skin serves as a warning to predators. The black spots are unique to each frog, which serves as an identification too. The Blue Arrow Poison Frog has become endangered due to loss of habitat. Scientists believe that these frogs gain their poison from insects that they eat in the wild which aquire their poison from their plant diet. Arrow Frogs are not poisonous in captivity.

Completed Canvas – Coral Reef Scene. External Project

This is an oil on canvas painting of coral reefs, also taken from one of the photographs during my visit to The Deep. Here I have used a combination of complimentary colours and in an attempt to create an eye catching painting, I have placed dramatic red tones next to vivid deep blue tones in order for the image to become brighter and to add balance.

The future of Coral Reefs is in jeopardy as they have become threatened by human and natural disturbances. Due to this there have been a loss of approximately 19% of Coral Reef areas since the 1950s.

My first four completed Oil on Canvas Paintings – 3M Commission

 

Above is a large oil on canvas painting taken from my collection of photographs during my visit to The Deep. The Deep have fostered over 100 Fen Raft spiders in an effort to establish new populations of the species. The Fen Raft is one of the UK’s rarest and largest spiders and only 3 natural populations exist. The project which was led by Natural England, involved caring for spiderlings in captivity to ensure their survival. The spiderlings were released at Lopham Fence Nature Reserve with an incredible 85% + survival rate.

To create this painting, I have applied several layers of paint to add texture to the piece.

Here is an oil on canvas painting taken from my photoshopped images whereby I have taken a very close up photograph of an eye on to which I have super- imposed images of a rare breed of jellyfish, taken from my photography during my visit to The Deep.

The painting portrays a vision of protecting endangered species of jellyfish.

I have created this painting by using the pointallism technique. 

 

This is an oil on canvas painting taken from one of my photoshopped images where I have super- imposed a photograph of an eye onto a photograph taken during my visit to The Deep. The painting portrays an eye looking to the future of protecting an endangered species of tropical fish. The coral reef is also at threat.

I have created this painting by applying thin layers of oil paint and white spirit to the eye and the fish and thick layers to the coral reef to add texture and to advance the coral to the foreground.

Here I have created an oil on canvas painting taken from one of my photoshopped images where I have super- imposed a rare species of jellyfish taken from my photographs at The Deep onto a photograph which I have taken of my own eye.

The painting portrays an eye looking to the future of protecting this endangered breed. I have contrasted dark colours next to light to add contrast to the painting.

 

Lecture – How do we think about subjectivity – Thursday 27th Feburary 2014

This lecture focused on subjectivity via gender. Sarah Lucas was mentioned whose works involves gender, fabrics and semiotics. Lucas often uses objects to portray male and female genitals.”Beyond the Pleasure Principle” as detailed in one of my earlier posts is an example of these works. “Prier De Toucher” (Please Touch), 2000 which we were shown during this lecture is another example of her works. It is a 76cm x 50.5 cm colour coupler print which is exhibited in the Freud Museum in London. This piece strongly portrays the feminist movement.

The original version of ” Priere De Toucher” 1947 by Marcel Duchamp was a foam – rubber breast and black velvet on board (25.4 x 22.9 cm)

The works of Sigmund Frued were also included in the lecture, who states that culture has a heavy influence on who we are, a more open culture will create more open minded people; whereas if a person is brought up believing only one way of living is right they will naturally become stubborn and unhappy. 

Semiotics involves the study of signification but signification cannot be isolated from the human subject who uses it and is defined by means of it, or from the cultural system which generates it.

“The Interpretation of Dreams” is a book by Sigmund Frued which introduces Frued’s theory of the unconscious with respect to dream interpretation which links with surrealism. Without Frued, we would not have any theory of  the unconsious. His first theory states that we are only partly conscious about what we do.

Frued’s written work is easy to read, particularly his early work and short stories.

During the lecture, French Philosopher, Michel Foucault’s (1926- 1984) works ‘The History of Sexuality’ (Volume 1) was discussed, whereby Foucault explores the idea that Western Society suppressed sexuality from the 17th to mid 20th century. In ‘The History of Sexuality’ he argues that in the Western world during the 18th and 19th centuries, people’s identities became increasingly tied to their sexuality. 

‘The Subject of Semiotics’, 1984 by Kaja Silverman is a book which negotiates between theories of signification and subjectivity. Silverman’s subject of semiotics is an introductionary work to post- structuralist approaching to semiotics whereby she displays extensive knowledge of Fruedian psychoanalysis.

‘The Song of Love’, 1914 by Georgio De Chirico, one of his most famous work was mentionned, being an early example of the surrealist style, yet it was painted ten years before the movement was founded. I particularly like the works of Chirico of which I became familiar with during a college residential in Paris during my foundation year.

I found this lecture very informative and enjoyed looking at some of the artist’s works.

Lecture – Friday 21st Feburary 2014

This lecture focused on ourselves as practitioners and also our individual personalities, our characteristics and how we deal with situations. We were asked when dealing with situations and events do we tread carefully or just dive in without thinking things out first.

Either way we were told we should try and get out of our comfort zones, in order to develop as people and learn by our mistakes, We were also advised that we should try to understand our own personalities and not to dwell on failure. When reacting to events which may appear daunting to ourselves as individuals we were advised to practice the situation to overcome the fear, but to avoid suffering, and not to feel ashamed as fear is a natural feeling. Working in a team may help overcome fear as one colleague’ may be able to approach events which another’s may find difficult.

The code of practice for the visual arts draws from the experiences practising artists along with those of commissioners which was mentioned during the lecture stating that providing you have fundamentals of good practice you can work well. The code is based around principles as opposed to laws or rules. A good sense of practice occurs better when artists contribute confidently and increases in quality when facing weaknesses and anxieties.

Also discussed during this lecture was gender where we were advised to challenge stereotypes.

The lecture closed by reflecting upon ourselves as individuals and gave advice on how to increase our abilities yet not to feel failure if we feel we are not reaching our goals, especially around confidence issues.