For several weeks now, I've been working on what can be called a collection on many levels. It is, in fact, a collection of collections. The best way to describe it is to simply quote here an excerpt from my personal statement:
"I have also been engaged in a project to communicate with people when the desire strikes, regardless of location. I do this by recording that which I want to say to whomever I want to say it and doing a drawing with any available materials of what it is that I am seeing or imagining. Then, I burn a CD and put it all in the mail. My interest is in capturing these fleeting moments which contemporize the present, my memory of and nostalgia for a person, as well as the future moment when the recipient will open and experience the contents of the envelope. I have thought to call these little collections of aspects of a memory/moment “momentos.” The containers for these bits, as I call them, are in the tradition of letter writing, but all translated to my purpose. As marks of the place, I use a pattern created from rubbings of the acquedotto covers that polka dot the city of Florence. In addition, I design a personal seal to stamp on the back in wax. Here resurfaces my love of the tactile and spontaneous: in the frottage, the envelope making, but also in the act of receiving and opening this parcel. I wish my recipients to feel the difference between the interior and the exterior, to understand that as much as a particular place and moment has been delivered to them, they have also been carried, with me as their vehicle, to these places. We comprise the places we inhabit and travel to, even if briefly, and bring to them everything that we are.
Further, the structure of the experience of opening one of my mementos reflects the progression of a relationship between a person and a place, specifically in the context of belonging. An initial impression of a place is like a first impression of a person, which is superficial and begs for more information, and so the envelope’s exterior resists betraying its contents. However, the more time one spends with a place, the better one can to appreciate it and feel even a sense of belonging. So, my recipients might initially feel as though something has arrived for them from somewhere else, but will conceivably come to feel as though they, themselves, are a part of the space and experience contained therein. I enjoy this project immensely and have a great deal of personal investment in it. It remains to be seen how my friends and family react to the momentos, but that will become part of the art."
This process has been very satisfying because, finally, my art and my life are no longer two separate things.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
christy's videos
So both my videos are on youtube now. They are titled "Cramped Spaces" and "Collections". One is linked to the title and the other is linked below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwM133lQCCw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwM133lQCCw
Jessica Wetterer- collections
The final run before midterms has gotten to be a bit hectic, especially because I have decided to put my initial project idea on the back burner and take my collection project to a different place. This past week, for Reagan's class and the master's project, I have been drawing in the academia. Instead of the David, however, I have been drawing the classical, marble nude statues by artist Lorenzo Bartolini (of the typical "venus, nymphs, idealized woman" variety.)
Anyhow, in complete contrast to the idea of last week, I have decided to focus on women as my collection, particularily the underapprecited nude statues in the academida. Each time I've gone into the academia to draw, I have found that there has been a huge crowd (surprisingly) around the David and then a small just a small trickle of people who manage to filter through the statue room. Though I didn't really mind not having to deal with the crowd, I still felt that the girls were being overworked and underappreciated
So I decided to give them some freedom and take them out into the world.
Enter: my project
I have decided to take three of the drawings I have made of the figures and blow them out to be life size. After mounting them on carboard I am going to take the trio out and about around town and let them have some fun-- and a drink.
In the end, it's kind of a full 360 from my first project, where I took a 3 dimensional space (the giardino) and presented it in my own 2 dimensional, objective view (postcard... see first project is desired.)
Here, I have taken my 2 dimensional obective view (of the ladies as lifesize paper dolls) and created a 3 dimensional space (the installation) for them to be in.
Though I haven't decided on the final installation destination, I have a few cool, chic places in mind...
Anyhow, in complete contrast to the idea of last week, I have decided to focus on women as my collection, particularily the underapprecited nude statues in the academida. Each time I've gone into the academia to draw, I have found that there has been a huge crowd (surprisingly) around the David and then a small just a small trickle of people who manage to filter through the statue room. Though I didn't really mind not having to deal with the crowd, I still felt that the girls were being overworked and underappreciated
So I decided to give them some freedom and take them out into the world.
Enter: my project
I have decided to take three of the drawings I have made of the figures and blow them out to be life size. After mounting them on carboard I am going to take the trio out and about around town and let them have some fun-- and a drink.
In the end, it's kind of a full 360 from my first project, where I took a 3 dimensional space (the giardino) and presented it in my own 2 dimensional, objective view (postcard... see first project is desired.)
Here, I have taken my 2 dimensional obective view (of the ladies as lifesize paper dolls) and created a 3 dimensional space (the installation) for them to be in.
Though I haven't decided on the final installation destination, I have a few cool, chic places in mind...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
video
In case you missed it, my kitchen movie is now on you tube.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d_hyDaH-Xeo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d_hyDaH-Xeo
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Tyler Crain
I am working on a song in garageband with which I will choreograph drawn marks to form a sort of video/light show. I don't have a song I am happy with yet, so I don't have the marks ready yet, therefore, I don't really have much to show you right now. I have done a lot of work for Regan's class because for her projects, it is crucial that I did them at certain times (the photo shoot, alternative photo processes, on-site drawings etc.). The marks will be photographed and matched with corresponding notes, sounds or instruments. For example, every time I play a C note on a synthesizer, I might have some sort of swish mark that plays on a screen at the same time. My only concern is that iMovie won't be a very good program for this type of quick image flashing. The entire collection of marks will add up to form a sketch of my location from the first project at Piazzale Michelangelo. So my collection is essentially a compilation of sounds and marks to create a sort of language between them. My goal for the song is to gradually layer a lot of repetition of melodies.
Professoressa Julia
It is unbelievable that last week of class has arrived. Like all of the studenti, I am also feeling the "burn" of midterm stress, and racing to get everything done. During moments of high anxiety, I normally I try to calm myself by visualizing how lovely "being done" will feel. This is not working so well for me now, because being "done" means that I am on a plane going back to NYC, and that I won't be back post-spring break.
This has been a supremely marvelous experience, teaching this course with this group. I am almost absurdly proud of you all for the risks, connections and commitment evidenced in our studio. I realize that working in a theme-based, concept-driven class is very new, and a real departure from skills-based Core classes. We are also not equipped with fancy facilities, and on-call staff here. I want to give a loud and sincere shout-out to you all for such fine work, even in the face of challenges posed by uncertainty, doubt, and technical difficulties. Bravi, really. My greatest hope for this half-semester was to facilitate a transition from an assignment-based working process, to a mode of working that is self-navigated and directed. I believe that the latter closely resembles what it is actually like being an artist (in ANY media or major!). I predict that everyone in this class will be prepared to enter their major area of study, and will hit the ground running.
Please know how sincere I am when I say that I will miss our class terribly. Also, please continue to blog and post images regularly, so I may follow your progress. I would be happy to meet every single one of you, if you are in the NY area:
Julia in the USA:
(212) 675-4456
(860) 248-3067
julia_randall@yahoo.com
Keep up the stamina for this week--I know everyone is really feeling overwhelmed/anxious, but a break is in sight.
Buon lavoro e tanti baci,
Julia
This has been a supremely marvelous experience, teaching this course with this group. I am almost absurdly proud of you all for the risks, connections and commitment evidenced in our studio. I realize that working in a theme-based, concept-driven class is very new, and a real departure from skills-based Core classes. We are also not equipped with fancy facilities, and on-call staff here. I want to give a loud and sincere shout-out to you all for such fine work, even in the face of challenges posed by uncertainty, doubt, and technical difficulties. Bravi, really. My greatest hope for this half-semester was to facilitate a transition from an assignment-based working process, to a mode of working that is self-navigated and directed. I believe that the latter closely resembles what it is actually like being an artist (in ANY media or major!). I predict that everyone in this class will be prepared to enter their major area of study, and will hit the ground running.
Please know how sincere I am when I say that I will miss our class terribly. Also, please continue to blog and post images regularly, so I may follow your progress. I would be happy to meet every single one of you, if you are in the NY area:
Julia in the USA:
(212) 675-4456
(860) 248-3067
julia_randall@yahoo.com
Keep up the stamina for this week--I know everyone is really feeling overwhelmed/anxious, but a break is in sight.
Buon lavoro e tanti baci,
Julia
Emily
I will here attempt to explain the leap that my brain took from my last project to this one: From my kitchen-becomes-alive movie I decided to go with the "objects taking on a personality" concept for my next project. From there my brain went through many obviously forgettable ideas of different ways that objects can start to have identity. Mostly in the beginning I was thinking of 3-dimensional objects, but then I realized that my personality is actually a part of my handwriting, which can be considered a "thing." At this point, I'm settled on using a collection of my handwriting. Now...what to write on? How to house the collection? Write all over a wall, write on objects, write in a book? What would I write? Thinking about what to write I realize that I want it to be about the mark-making--not about the words that the marks form. From this is born my random-lettering system. Also at this point I have decided to write in a book, although the format is still to be decided (perhaps the pages might come out of the book...we will see).
Random-lettering system explained: For each page of my book, there are 4 variables--the number of characters on the page, what those characters will be, with what I will write the characters, and whether or not I will be wearing one of my wrist braces, since it slightly alters my handwriting. These variables are decided my drawing slips of paper out of a bag (very technologically advanced, these things). The number bag contains two zeros, two ones, two twos, two threes, two fours, two fives, two sixes, two sevens, two eights, and two nines. For each page I choose two numbers out of the bag to get a number anywhere between 00 and 99. Then, depending on that number, I choose the characters out of another bad, which is filled according to the Scrabble letter distribution (you know, like 12 As, 9 Es, etc.) in order to be based on an English-language system, since that's my native language. I also put ;:.-- and some spaces in there. Then I choose from the material bag which ranges from highlighter to gold ink. Then I choose from the brace bag which has mostly no brace (since I'm usually not wearing it), a small brace, and 2 large braces (since I wear it more often than the small brace). Capish? Example: on the third page, I have 14 characters, which are as follows-- Ora ixalo yen. (the spaces and period count) which will be written in a 2B pencil while wearing my big brace. Other small rules I gave myself--no pages can begin with a symbol; all pages end in a symbol; all pages begin capitalized; after a symbol there must be a space; after a period the next letter must be capitalized. By the way, I know this is neurotic and obsessive--go with it.
So the first step...finding the appropriate book to gesso. I want to write in a gessoed book so you can see the contrasting printed word against my handwriting. I wanted an English book since my system is based off the English language. I wanted a relatively large-sized book, but not with so many pages that I couldn't fill them all. The fewer pictures, the better, since I don't want them to have too much influence on the piece. Preferably the topic of the book would have something to do with the kitchen/domestic sphere since that's been sort of a theme for me in this class. I found the perfect book.
Since then I've been gessoing like mad. I covered each page with one layer of gesso, drying before flipping the page so they don't stick together. After that round, I went back with white acrylic and further covered some of the images, while letting parts of them show through. This is where I am now, but my next step will be staining the pages with tea and/or coffee, so they're not so starkly white. Then I will begin the process of writing/drawing the letters according to my system. I already spent pretty much a whole day sitting with my random bags and recording what I will be writing on the pages, so I am fully ready to write-draw and actually really can't wait to start that process.
pictures of some of the gessoed pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23219926@N02/
Random-lettering system explained: For each page of my book, there are 4 variables--the number of characters on the page, what those characters will be, with what I will write the characters, and whether or not I will be wearing one of my wrist braces, since it slightly alters my handwriting. These variables are decided my drawing slips of paper out of a bag (very technologically advanced, these things). The number bag contains two zeros, two ones, two twos, two threes, two fours, two fives, two sixes, two sevens, two eights, and two nines. For each page I choose two numbers out of the bag to get a number anywhere between 00 and 99. Then, depending on that number, I choose the characters out of another bad, which is filled according to the Scrabble letter distribution (you know, like 12 As, 9 Es, etc.) in order to be based on an English-language system, since that's my native language. I also put ;:.-- and some spaces in there. Then I choose from the material bag which ranges from highlighter to gold ink. Then I choose from the brace bag which has mostly no brace (since I'm usually not wearing it), a small brace, and 2 large braces (since I wear it more often than the small brace). Capish? Example: on the third page, I have 14 characters, which are as follows-- Ora ixalo yen. (the spaces and period count) which will be written in a 2B pencil while wearing my big brace. Other small rules I gave myself--no pages can begin with a symbol; all pages end in a symbol; all pages begin capitalized; after a symbol there must be a space; after a period the next letter must be capitalized. By the way, I know this is neurotic and obsessive--go with it.
So the first step...finding the appropriate book to gesso. I want to write in a gessoed book so you can see the contrasting printed word against my handwriting. I wanted an English book since my system is based off the English language. I wanted a relatively large-sized book, but not with so many pages that I couldn't fill them all. The fewer pictures, the better, since I don't want them to have too much influence on the piece. Preferably the topic of the book would have something to do with the kitchen/domestic sphere since that's been sort of a theme for me in this class. I found the perfect book.
Since then I've been gessoing like mad. I covered each page with one layer of gesso, drying before flipping the page so they don't stick together. After that round, I went back with white acrylic and further covered some of the images, while letting parts of them show through. This is where I am now, but my next step will be staining the pages with tea and/or coffee, so they're not so starkly white. Then I will begin the process of writing/drawing the letters according to my system. I already spent pretty much a whole day sitting with my random bags and recording what I will be writing on the pages, so I am fully ready to write-draw and actually really can't wait to start that process.
pictures of some of the gessoed pages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23219926@N02/
kaityli
So I'm pretty excited about my Julia project. I've been collecting all of my receipts up to this point because they're like pieces of memories, and so they're precious to me, which is why I shove them in my pockets and purse and forget about them until I clean out. If you have receipts, hand them over, unless you're actually keeping track of your finances, like I should be. Anyway, I'm making a book out of these receipts, and then I'm going to draw in this book. The drawings will probably relate to the receipts somehow, like something I associate with the transactions. I'm pretty obsessed with the idea of memory and the passage of time now. It probably has something to do with turning 20. No photos yet, because they're just pages now. Also, I need to study for art history.
Also, like everybody else, I want to say, thank you, Julia, for all your help. It was something I really needed.
Also, like everybody else, I want to say, thank you, Julia, for all your help. It was something I really needed.
laura mart week 6
These past few days have been crazy for me, as I'm sure they've been for everyone. I've been crocheting like mad, on my BodArch project (i just invented a new term!) and on my Regan project. The overall scheme for both of them is that I am a collection of historical personae, like a Minoan snake dancer and Queen Elizabeth the First and Frida Kahlo. But when I was creating my mind map I only thought about female personae, and it didn't really cross my mind that I might have been male in a past life (except for Michelangelo, who made it onto my list). So the structure I decided to create to house my collections is a structural skirt garment called a crinoline (or farthingale or hoop skirt, depending). I'm crocheting it. So far it's taken about 20 hours and I'm about halfway done. I'm loving it though. I love to just put it on and stand and move my hips a little - the whole thing swishes and bounces like a slinky. It's pretty great. Other people also like to put it on, especially Alison and Allegra. But I'm definitely gaining a new appreciation for how much life must have sucked if you had to wear one of these things around all the time - it gets caught on things, especially doorknobs, and it's nearly impossible to fit through a doorway without bending the hoops. I would post pictures but my camera cable is at home... and I did something to my ankle running down the stairs in the dark so walking isn't the nicest thing right now. ALWAYS TURN THE LIGHTS ON BEFORE YOU RUN DOWN THE STAIRS.
lesson learned.
Good luck everyone!
lesson learned.
Good luck everyone!
taryn
mahhhhhhhnot sure what to say. for julia's class i am working on a video - with myself as the only subject. and it is proving quite taxing to be both the filmer and "actress" but im having a fine time, i guess. I have approximately half of the footage i want/need. im going to shoot the rest and then finish editing - which i already started in spite of myself. I have been working on my immaculate conception drawing alllllll weekend for regan. its getting really detailed - the picture is a little older so its further along even now as i update. i just have a lot to do.
thats it.
turn
thats it.
turn
Christy - week 6
This week has been a bit crazy, although I think everyone is feeling the push to get everything done. There is nothing quite so helpful for working as the flutter of thousands of minute details in the back of my brain! All in all things have been going all right. My movie is a bit slow going, but I was expecting that. It is a much larger undertaking than the last one that I accomplished and has all the hassles that come from larger volume.
Conceptually I am enjoying the switch from the illusion of moving through space to moving through ideas. The wider option of visual languages is rather freeing, although at the same time mildly scary in its vastness. All in all the major challenge I have dealt with so far in the movie has been with the figures. I knew they were going to be a challenge to begin with, but I feel light the statue went fairly smoothly. (Although it was most definitely a challenge to draw a figure piece by piece, and have it be proportionally correct in the end.) The challenge of drawing my friend and having her look like herself was tough. Also, then making the picture move is tough to say the least. The drawing style I chose might not have been the most conducive to that, but I am going to see how I can make things mesh better in the editing process, but first I need to finish the drawing stage. So, back to work....
Conceptually I am enjoying the switch from the illusion of moving through space to moving through ideas. The wider option of visual languages is rather freeing, although at the same time mildly scary in its vastness. All in all the major challenge I have dealt with so far in the movie has been with the figures. I knew they were going to be a challenge to begin with, but I feel light the statue went fairly smoothly. (Although it was most definitely a challenge to draw a figure piece by piece, and have it be proportionally correct in the end.) The challenge of drawing my friend and having her look like herself was tough. Also, then making the picture move is tough to say the least. The drawing style I chose might not have been the most conducive to that, but I am going to see how I can make things mesh better in the editing process, but first I need to finish the drawing stage. So, back to work....
Michelle Israel 3.2.08
Okay!! Last post before midterm crits...oy. I struggled a lot this week with coming up with an idea for our collection/structure project because I was, once again, putting too much pressure on myself to make "good art." At first, I thought I was going to do a crazy installation of my thick, curly, insanely destructive hair, but my paper sculptures were too representative. Then I thought I was going to make myself crazy long hair extensions and pose as Rapunzel, but there were several problems with the materials I needed to use. After changing my ideas about 6 or 7 more times, I realized that with each new idea I had, I made more and more plans for how to organize my work schedule. Whenever I get stressed, I tend to make plans to give my work a structure, and that is where my art suffers (because I "must" get the project done by certain deadlines, and the stress and tension builds up way too much). So I ultimately decided to make my collection my plans. My plans are currently taking over my work space: my desk, my overturned chair, my wall, and my floor area. To "rebel" against the control and structure of my plans, I am layering them with "uncontrolled" art, so-to-speak: spray paint, gesso, ink, etc. That's all I really have for now, but hopefully this art project will not only be successful, but also will help me move past my obsessive compulsive need to plan out my work schedule so I can be a better artist.
Ciao!!
M
Ciao!!
M
Andrea N
Okay, so tomorrow I'm borrowing the projector to project my thoughts from my box (hopefully in a public space). I'm going to ask now about projecting so that I know ahead of time but I keep putting it off because I'm shy. Anyway, I don't have much to say and I don't have any pictures but I'm excited to see how my project turns out because I'm definitely pushing the extreme of the internal which is much different from my last project. Also, this project definitely moves away from my others in that the train station is no longer necessary as the setting.
Also, lately I've been working on my essay and it's cool to write about my own work but I've also found that its hard to write about my own work formally. As of right now its also stream-of-consciousness style and I'm not sure that its supposed to be. But anyway, I'll keep working on it. Sorry I don't have much to say-- I'll have more after tomorrow.
PS: Julia, please don't leave!
Also, lately I've been working on my essay and it's cool to write about my own work but I've also found that its hard to write about my own work formally. As of right now its also stream-of-consciousness style and I'm not sure that its supposed to be. But anyway, I'll keep working on it. Sorry I don't have much to say-- I'll have more after tomorrow.
PS: Julia, please don't leave!
Alexandra Nason
WhazzzaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaa.
ok, so long week huh? but not so much, cause its going by too quickly and ima-leel-scared.
no, not scared. totally excited to see what everyone's doing for the final, i feel like there are alot of videos, which is interested because the number of people doing videos seems to be going up, and they are a total blast to watch, technical glitches aside. anyways, i am also one of the people doing videos (get scared folks), and im having a great time with it, to the dismay of my suitemates due to the smells of rotting meat and octopus...sorry guys!
although the octopus deal is actually for Regan's drawing project, both relate to the idea of animation using stills. ive got to say that Imovie can be intensely frustrating---but there are some pretty sweet aspects to it if you play around. apparently you can add "rain" effects and like, lightening bolts and stuff. it was hard for me to resist...but i did. or maybe i didnt. guess you guys will all have to find out on THURSDAY you lucky monkeys.
hmm--i really dont want to speak too much about the project i did for body and architecture coming up, though i will say that i feel like the departures i found myself taking from the last project are crazy, and also crazily connected to my last project. what i mean by that is that there are connecting elements---the themes were born from the ideas in my last project relating to color and movement---but i am really interested in the way our ideas lead to such new and different solutions each time. this one is definitely different than the last, and i feel like a lot of people are experiencing the same freedom of creativity and process which is really cool.
this afternoon found a sleepy, dehydrated Alex wandering the banks of the Arno, octopus in hand. yellow kitchen gloves, CHECK...tripod...CHECK...absolutely nauseating octopus STANK? absolutely CHECK.
completely marvelous, ill make octopus snacks for everyone with the remaining carcus. its marinating in Arno juice in the fridge, so save up your appetites. or maybe not...im kind of attached to Japetto.
ok, so long week huh? but not so much, cause its going by too quickly and ima-leel-scared.
no, not scared. totally excited to see what everyone's doing for the final, i feel like there are alot of videos, which is interested because the number of people doing videos seems to be going up, and they are a total blast to watch, technical glitches aside. anyways, i am also one of the people doing videos (get scared folks), and im having a great time with it, to the dismay of my suitemates due to the smells of rotting meat and octopus...sorry guys!
although the octopus deal is actually for Regan's drawing project, both relate to the idea of animation using stills. ive got to say that Imovie can be intensely frustrating---but there are some pretty sweet aspects to it if you play around. apparently you can add "rain" effects and like, lightening bolts and stuff. it was hard for me to resist...but i did. or maybe i didnt. guess you guys will all have to find out on THURSDAY you lucky monkeys.
hmm--i really dont want to speak too much about the project i did for body and architecture coming up, though i will say that i feel like the departures i found myself taking from the last project are crazy, and also crazily connected to my last project. what i mean by that is that there are connecting elements---the themes were born from the ideas in my last project relating to color and movement---but i am really interested in the way our ideas lead to such new and different solutions each time. this one is definitely different than the last, and i feel like a lot of people are experiencing the same freedom of creativity and process which is really cool.
this afternoon found a sleepy, dehydrated Alex wandering the banks of the Arno, octopus in hand. yellow kitchen gloves, CHECK...tripod...CHECK...absolutely nauseating octopus STANK? absolutely CHECK.
completely marvelous, ill make octopus snacks for everyone with the remaining carcus. its marinating in Arno juice in the fridge, so save up your appetites. or maybe not...im kind of attached to Japetto.
Alison 3.2.08
Hey everyone! So my project has changed entirely since last week when I was thinking of making my collection shadows that illustrated my emotions and making it into a film... After talking to Regan on Tuesday about my project for her class and tell her about what I was thinking about for Julia's, she sent me off to San Marco to see a fresco in one of the monk's rooms that had Jesus on a throne blind-folded with floating hands around him head, which when just described sounds sort of odd. But anyways, seeing the fresco inspired me to head along a similar line as Regan's where I'm altering famous works in Photoshop... so for Julia's new project I'm going to create a slideshow of sorts that shows famous paintings where I've changed the hand gestures to make them more modern. It will be set up slightly as art history slides with titles on the bottom. I haven't figured out if it would be best to change the titles or not, so I'm going to be experimenting with that. Also I talked to Julia today and she was thinking it might be interesting to create images that go the opposite way (modern day images with famous painting gestures) so I'm going to play with that idea. I'm not going to set a limit to the types of images I create, so some will probably be quite humorous while others much more subtle. Right now everything is just crazy with the amount of work to do and everything happening this week, so I'm going to leave you with these thoughts and get back to working on my projects. :-)
vassallo
greetings from a chair in the studio on which i have been sitting for the past several hours......... so as the blessed event we like to call midterms waits to grace us with her presence, i will thrill you with my thinking behind the alleged "pasta landscape" that i have been spending my time on.
my "back pocket" idea that im working with is basically the wild shapes and figures that i created using fabric in order to make my gelato... as julia put it, i did something with that material that it usually does not do. with that in mind, im working now with pasta (because clearly i have somekind of sick obsession with foods of all kinds...). but rather than stick with pasta, im going to make the landscape grow into somethings else. iv been searching for objects that have the same qualities that i find so interesting in the pasta. so iv come up with some cardboard tubes... hair curlers... hair scrunchies... you name it. and rather than make the pasta grow into these things, im thinking maybe these things will grow into said pasta! yeh, im going wild. because none of these objects have all of the qualities im searching for, but perhaps combined they do... so as these objects combine, they grow into pasta? ok... and to top it all off... im gunna SPRAY PAINT IT... i think. the reason being... im interested in the shapes going on, im trying to make the most intriguing composition possible out of rediculous materials, so why be confused with the color? i want everything to be MONOCROMATIC... then the viewer is forced to focus on the shapes and composition, rather than be distracted by ugly pasta and colorful haircurlers. but what color? silver? black? white? hot pink?... clearly i have some thinking to do. but im on top of it.
and i am proud to say that the amount of times that my new and beautiful hotgluegun has burnt me is minimal. and im trying to keep it that way.
CIAO CIAO FOR NOW
my "back pocket" idea that im working with is basically the wild shapes and figures that i created using fabric in order to make my gelato... as julia put it, i did something with that material that it usually does not do. with that in mind, im working now with pasta (because clearly i have somekind of sick obsession with foods of all kinds...). but rather than stick with pasta, im going to make the landscape grow into somethings else. iv been searching for objects that have the same qualities that i find so interesting in the pasta. so iv come up with some cardboard tubes... hair curlers... hair scrunchies... you name it. and rather than make the pasta grow into these things, im thinking maybe these things will grow into said pasta! yeh, im going wild. because none of these objects have all of the qualities im searching for, but perhaps combined they do... so as these objects combine, they grow into pasta? ok... and to top it all off... im gunna SPRAY PAINT IT... i think. the reason being... im interested in the shapes going on, im trying to make the most intriguing composition possible out of rediculous materials, so why be confused with the color? i want everything to be MONOCROMATIC... then the viewer is forced to focus on the shapes and composition, rather than be distracted by ugly pasta and colorful haircurlers. but what color? silver? black? white? hot pink?... clearly i have some thinking to do. but im on top of it.
and i am proud to say that the amount of times that my new and beautiful hotgluegun has burnt me is minimal. and im trying to keep it that way.
CIAO CIAO FOR NOW
amyt march second two thousand and eight
so i have a pretty big obsession with my collection... i cant stop making my hand weaving things that i call crotchet. you can thank my friend at home for that name. anyway, i have tons of them and its taken me hours and hours of work. i put them up to test out my space and it seems as though i wont get the opaque quality i wanted with them. no worries, though, there are still lots of them. i think it looks ok. i might make more. theres a little time. i am currently playing with soundsssss via the lovely little device that we just got. i cant seem to work on stuff thats due BEFORE thursday or wednesday. oh well.
i am thinking including some semi ambient noise to listen to while the viewers are in my nook i created in the library of 66. now i need to find a way to play it discreetly! it never ends. sorry no pictures. i have no camera. but i should have it back and working in the next couple days.
i am thinking including some semi ambient noise to listen to while the viewers are in my nook i created in the library of 66. now i need to find a way to play it discreetly! it never ends. sorry no pictures. i have no camera. but i should have it back and working in the next couple days.
Sarah Q. 3.2 (haha IT RHYMES!)
ciao ciao ciao!
alright.. here we go. i have been working and reworking and adding and subtracting and ripping and gluing and art-ing in my Vogue magazine. My collection is going great - i am documenting everyone i have met so far in siena that I've had real interactions and memorable experiences with and housing all of them in my magazine.
it's actually pretty hard to incorporate what is already in the magazine and also make it seem like it's not a vogue at the same time. i want the outside to look like a vogue magazine still, but when you pick it up, i want it to seem like something completely different... like a mind and body of its own. so im keeping the vogue on the front, and the back cover the same, but the inside will be a different world entirely. i think im doing well, but as julia says, even when i think im done im going to have to go back in it and add more and more and more! just completely TRANSFORM it!!! i think itll be a grand success in the end. its lookin pretty sick so far.
also, im going to keep like half of it untouched... because we're only half way through, im going to meet so many more people! already from starting it, i have to keep adding pages its ridiculous! im up to like... 64 people now.. not counting any washu students.. fantastic though. itll serve as a great memory too i wonder what it will be like to find it after a few years and try to remember who each person was and the relationship we had to make me create the pages the way i did.
ill put more pictures up later when its more finished... a piu' tardi! ciaoooo
alright.. here we go. i have been working and reworking and adding and subtracting and ripping and gluing and art-ing in my Vogue magazine. My collection is going great - i am documenting everyone i have met so far in siena that I've had real interactions and memorable experiences with and housing all of them in my magazine.
it's actually pretty hard to incorporate what is already in the magazine and also make it seem like it's not a vogue at the same time. i want the outside to look like a vogue magazine still, but when you pick it up, i want it to seem like something completely different... like a mind and body of its own. so im keeping the vogue on the front, and the back cover the same, but the inside will be a different world entirely. i think im doing well, but as julia says, even when i think im done im going to have to go back in it and add more and more and more! just completely TRANSFORM it!!! i think itll be a grand success in the end. its lookin pretty sick so far.
also, im going to keep like half of it untouched... because we're only half way through, im going to meet so many more people! already from starting it, i have to keep adding pages its ridiculous! im up to like... 64 people now.. not counting any washu students.. fantastic though. itll serve as a great memory too i wonder what it will be like to find it after a few years and try to remember who each person was and the relationship we had to make me create the pages the way i did.
ill put more pictures up later when its more finished... a piu' tardi! ciaoooo
C E S 3/29
In the midst of all this midterm craziness, my cocoon/hive/pod is emerging, but NOT without a fight. The structure took a while to figure out, and only ended up standing on its own after the addition of a piece of scrap metal that Regan found in the courtyard. The butcher paper that I bought needed to be treated in order to work the way I needed it to. In the end, I smeared wood oil/balm all over it, crinkled it, and then washed it over with sepia ink and coffee. The wood balm reeks of toxic chemicals. Now, after a few days, the odor has now changed to that of hamster....like the wood shavings that go in their cage. Never the less, everything is working together. However, I have already worked about 20 hours on it and it still does not resemble a "collection." I will be working up until the crit finalizing the overall concept and working with the place/way in which I will present it. I also need to continue to treat the paper for transparency. YEESH...not as simple as I thought. Word to the wise: consider your amount of time when wanting to build a personal cocoon.
pics to come this week when the hive is lookin' gooood
pics to come this week when the hive is lookin' gooood
Kate Owens
Soo I think I might literally be going crazy. Yesterday I spent 6 hours recreating the duomo out of paper and then going ahead and painting every little detail on it in watercolor. I got about 3/4 way done until I stood up and realized exactly what I was doing and exactly how long I'd been sitting there and that I probably need to be a little less obsessive. I think this has been the main issue going into my collection project.. I get so caught up in details that sometimes I forget aout the main picture. However... since I've combined all 3 of my projects due next week into this one project.. I think I have enough time to make my obsession with detail work.
Right now, my bookshelf is a mess of miniature tables, futons, builings, monuments, etc... I've told myself just to keep on making and making and then closer to critique I will play around with the arrangement of them. Its starting to get overwhelming because I have a lot of half done mini projects which need lots of time to finish aka the duomo. Bahh... I'm having fun though..kind of..
Right now, my bookshelf is a mess of miniature tables, futons, builings, monuments, etc... I've told myself just to keep on making and making and then closer to critique I will play around with the arrangement of them. Its starting to get overwhelming because I have a lot of half done mini projects which need lots of time to finish aka the duomo. Bahh... I'm having fun though..kind of..
Allegra
My collection is about storytelling and non-verbal communication. I started out filming hands and stomachs as people told me a story but I was not thrilled about what I gathered so I looked for a new body part to explore gesture with. This led to me to backs and shoulders. I started filming my own back as I told a story and was really pleased with the different movements and gestures that came out but it wasnt quite coming together as a project right away. After experimenting more with croping and filming conditions I started to film in the dark with a spotlight that accentuates the musculature. Then I was ready to really start filming and thanks to my lovely host brothers, Mike and Jonathan, I have recorded the gestures of our three backs as well all tell a story.
What the actual story told was not important to me because I am interested to see how our movements relate and play off each other taken out of their original context. Will they still communicate a narrative or emotion? As I work on the new narrative of our combined "story" I am working with similar gestures that we all made and the differences between the movement and shapes of our backs. Lastly, I had considered recording a new story--different than the original three--to play with the video. But now as I am bringing the video together I am more interested in the abstraction of the narrative. Backs, especially a naked back, is intimate and private and bringing out to be the main, or only, form of communication is arresting without any other audio. To get a better idea of my upcoming video project see some of the film stills I have linked.
What the actual story told was not important to me because I am interested to see how our movements relate and play off each other taken out of their original context. Will they still communicate a narrative or emotion? As I work on the new narrative of our combined "story" I am working with similar gestures that we all made and the differences between the movement and shapes of our backs. Lastly, I had considered recording a new story--different than the original three--to play with the video. But now as I am bringing the video together I am more interested in the abstraction of the narrative. Backs, especially a naked back, is intimate and private and bringing out to be the main, or only, form of communication is arresting without any other audio. To get a better idea of my upcoming video project see some of the film stills I have linked.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)