Thursday, 15 December 2011
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
‘A Matter of Process’
Jessica Singer - Abstract
Project proposal; area of investigation, including the context for your work:
My body of work is an exploration of how young middle-class adults act in a private setting. Privacy is a basic human desire. The interior of a home is where many tend to feel safe. Interiors hold many secrets, as well as reveal them. It is within domestic settings, for instance, where we experience heightened erotic moments.
Contemporary artists such as Eric Fischl, Sidney Goodman, Bob Newman, and Francis Bacon, concentrate on ambiguous eroticism.
My intent is to project ambiguities for the viewer to question the erotic scene they are witnessing, and their own role as spectator/voyeur. Further research into the role of spectator and the male gaze will be taken (looking at such literary works as Laura Mulvey).
Explore the ideas of environmental psychology (how humans behave in a particular setting) through photography, drawing, sculpture and painting; Examine how humans interact within an interior domestic space (approach or avoidance through the idea of Scopophilia); Investigate the idea of the male or female gaze and examining how this is influential/contributes to my work; Also, investigate contemporary dance and how the fluidity/contortions of the dancers can be used as a dialogue to my work.
Catriona Taylor: Coastal Waters
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Rongze Dai
I spend most of my time to stay in my private space, maybe thinking, watching movies or staring the landscape outside the window. Maybe you will think that I spent this time doing nothing, but for me, the moment of being alone provide me an opportunity to abserve myself, abserve this world and something I concerned. I just abserved, see how everthing happened as the way they should be.
During the postgraduate study, I am intending to engage myself in the researching of relation between picture processing and internal sentiment.
At the present time, I am paying my attention to illustrate some objects or landscape, I aim to express my ways of life through them. I did not choose to use minimalism and surrealism as my artistic style deliberately, but concerning my own background, as a Chinese, I am relative conservative and restrained. Since I am not very good at expressing my inner thoughts though language and action, I signed for the ability which minimal art and surrealist art has, to see through the appearance and perceive the essence with objective point of view. I think I can show what I am unable to show by language and action through painting. Such as my subconscious, or certain viewpoint. It is not only what I am interested in currently, but also my way to let the outside world to understand my real thoughts.
In addition to this , the reason why I choose black , white and grey because I thought these color are the color in-between which is neither cold nor warm, neither negative nor possitive. I try to use these color to illustrate a "paralle world", a world which is isolated from the "real world, and it is what I feel constantly, even when I was at home.
Wahj Jamjoom
Exploring Psychological Dimensions of Own Personality
The purpose of this project is to explore psychological dimensions of own personality using images taken on the web cam. Meanwhile, research is taking a large part of the study to identify relationships between facial expressions and inner feelings. Ekman (1997) and Fridlund (1994) for instance, disagree that facial expression could hold inner feelings. Things may differ from one person to another. Further studies by Skinner and Benton using basic emotion descriptor can classify face’s expression (2011), and the results prove that facial expressions of emotion are coded with reference. The medium used in the practical work starts with a media source, which is web cam; then it develops into sketches, drawings, and finally paintings. The techniques used in each piece may differ, as the approaches and effects may be taken differently each time on the web cam. In addition, each expression can be presented differently in the work. Within the process, approaches may vary from one stage to another, as expectations are not clear yet.
References:
Ekman, P., & Rosenberg, E. (1997). What the Face Reveals. New York: Oxford University Press.
Fridlund, A. (1994). Human Facial Expression: An Evolutionary View. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Skinner, AL., & Benton, CP. (2011). Anti-Expression Aftereffects Reveal Prototype-Referenced Coding of Facial Expressions. Psychological Science, 21(9), pp.1248-1253.
James Mitchell
The background to my practice relates to work previously undertaken in my Grandfathers suffering of the disease Alzheimer’s. Interested in the subject of memory and the discrepancies that are produced over the course of age,
I was aware of the extreme contrasts that were being created; absence and presence of body and mind, loss and gain of independence, placement in a type of limbo where neither past nor present belong
‘Why should this absolutely god-given faculty retain so much better the events of yesterday than those of last year, and, best of all, those of an hour ago? Why, again, in old age should its grasp of childhood’s events seem firmest?’[1]
I feel that you are your memories; the past supporting your present and can help predict the future, decisions based on experience. In the Theatetus (191cd) Plato raises the idea that memory might be analogous to a wax tablet into which our perceptions and thoughts stamp images of themselves, as a signet ring stamps impressions in wax. Experiences sculpting ones identity, but how can true identity be formed if there inconsistency of the mind?
We persistently gather ornamental souvenirs displaying adventure, family photography providing evidence of our nurture, in effect a constant reminder of past, an archive. Inanimate forms hold visual memories for the beholder, but when the function of subject (memory) is lost the object unfortunately lives in vain, the background already removed by the unexplained unforgiving forgotten.
‘The souvenir is destined to be forgotten; the tragedy of all autobiography and the simultaneous erasure of the autograph’ [2]
My investigation will result in work based upon these theories. My aim is to create pieces that provoke memories and raise questions in order to elevate our understanding of the human condition.
James Mitchell
Mona Khatibshahidi- Abstract
The unknown nature:
The idea of how human beings face different types of challenge led me to this idea that different people each has a special way of approaching to their challenges. I would argue that the way of approaching or problem solving quality in mankind stems from the unconscious mind. This way of problem solving is accompanied by natural expressions and reactions toward the issue, which he/she is facing. As the personalities differ from one person to another so do the expressions and reactions, each would be an indication of personality. What I will focus on in the third period of my paintings is a comprehensive study through these reactions and natural expressions, which I hope assists to have a better understanding of unknown aspects of human characteristics. In fact the indication of such aspects of one’s personality is better revealed by natural reactions, that he makes toward a situation, rather than facial expressions. The two main methods of documentation for such concepts are photography. In order to capture those natural expressions, the subject has to be involved in an activity or a challenge making him to reveal feelings in a natural way. Therefore the unawareness of model the model is more effective and necessary than if aware of the camera; otherwise there would be an interruption in what nature is offering. This stage of painting is more abstract than previous stages as the simplicity of colours, shapes and composition in abstract painting will convey the meaning more effectively and the viewer will not be distracted by realistic elements in painting. The blank background at this stage is not any more a presentation of supportive atmosphere accompanying the personage; conversely it will be a challenging atmosphere causing tension for the figure as there will be a conveyance of action and reaction between the figure and space around it.
Joanne MacFadyen - 'A Matter of Process' Abstract
Julie Reilly: Artist Statement
Artist Statement: Sinead Bligh.
Sinead Bligh is the recipient of The Arts Council of Ireland Travel and Training Award 2011.
Thoughts Concerning the Epistemology of Space and Visual Culture.
Mirna Sarajlic Abstract
liz H Abstract
Marios Fournaris Abstract
Marios Fournaris approaches contradictory meanings which while they seem to approximate each other in conflict, finally end up being the resultant that completes the harmony of the total. His objective is to search, use and emergence visual data that have an intense symbolic character and simultaneously are friendly in each conceptual interpretation.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Jean Floyed - statement for 'A Matter of Process'
active tool for discussion on (curatorial) issues
During the install for 'A Matter of Process' have a look at the Manifesta 9 Coffee Break (this Friday and Saturday in Genk) and on the WWWeb via
http://www.livestream.com/manifesta9coffeebreak
Manifesta Coffee Break is a recurring public meeting which functions as an active tool to discuss the concepts and working methods of the Manifesta biennial editions. The Coffee Break involves a meeting between artists, curators and theoreticians who together explore significant questions raised during the curatorial process of Manifesta 9. This takes the form of presentations of their works, lectures and round table discussions. On December 9 and 10 speakers and participants from Belgium and abroad including Jeremy Deller and Phil Collins will meet with Manifesta's curators in Genk. The main topic of discussion in these two days is "The Contemporary at the service of the Past".
David Aitken Abstract
Monday, 5 December 2011
Friday, 2 December 2011
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Opening up and daring to fail
Day of student sessions in The Museum of Loss and Renewal, considering ‘ephemeral practices’ and ‘art, science & visual thinking’. Discussing the merging of art, research and education – the need for a radical shift in the function of learning towards a central position for art within collaborative approaches, the fostering of networks, partnerships and play – opening up and daring to fail.
All closely related to our MFA discussion this afternoon in the site of your proposed collaborative exhibition 'A Matter of Process'.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Conversation raging
The temporary public studio for the fusion of exhibition, production, education and research is up and running.
Conversation is raging on the interrelationships between death, memory, material culture and recycling. Sessions with students are well under way, prodding and provoking issues including the value of stuff and curatorial positions. Blue-skies thrash with GSA's Dr Ken Neil on the impact on art education, by situating it at the heart of our practice.
All welcome to hold discussions on related issues in the site of 'The Museum of Loss and Renewal' at Centrespace.
We invite you to visit the Public Studio to strike up a conversation 12 - 4.30pm Monday - Friday
http://www.mackenna-and-janssen.net/mackenna-and-janssen/The_Museum_of_Loss_and_Renewal.html
Sunday, 6 November 2011
events The Museum of Loss and Renewal
Hi MFA students, starting install tomorrow of second stage of 'The Museum of Loss and Renewal'. Will work with various undergrad student groups through modules 'ephemeral practices', 'art, science & visual thinking' and of course with you, focusing on research-practice interlinks. Will also make new text blanket, through conversation with visitors talking about project themes.
And good speakers contributing to the public events - Paul O'Neill and Arnd Schneider and David Reilly! You don't have to book a place through DJCAD Exhibitions - we've held places for you.
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=bec5c83c5721068bccd072abe&id=244771e25d&e=6ea50bf18e
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
"The New Museum"
Chris Dercon, new Director of Tate Modern describes the remit of Tate Modern Project -
"to redefine the museum for the twenty first century, integrating learning, display and social functions.
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/transformingtm/default.shtm
The ability of the museum to integrate presentation, production, collecting and research with learning has implications for the future of the art school - any thoughts about this?
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
The Exhibition-as-
In the meantime, and in relation to your proposed collective exhibition, have a look at this:
"The Exhibition-as-Medium, the Exhibition-as-form: Three Principal Categories of Organisation: the Background, the Middle-ground and the Foreground
The group exhibition-form has become the primary site for curatorial experimentation and, as such, represents a relatively new discursive space around artistic practice. Paul O'Neill will describe how cumulative and expanding exhibition-forms can constitute an investigation into how the curatorial role is made manifest, through cohesive and co-operative exhibition-making structures applied through close involvement with artists during all stages of the exhibition production. This lecture will look at how a series of exhibitions create spatial relations between different planes of interaction for the viewer, and how three spatial categories of organisation upon which the group exhibitions can represent this in the final exhibition-form."
http://www.monash.edu.au/news/events/show/dr-paul-oneill-the-exhibition-as-medium-the-exhibition-as-foSaturday, 29 October 2011
Durational fixity
Good to read of Holly's experience, as a participant in A CUT ... and as a recent graduate who has first-hand experience of a very different type, form and approach to the presentation of art and the art of exhibition-making: the Venice Biennale. I asked how her immersion in these two projects has impacted on her thoughts on the role and place of the artist, and curation? And what about the manipulation of time as medium – the ‘durational’ within performance versus the ‘fixity’ of the exhibition?
MFA students who participated in A CUT … and An Action …, you have subsequently proposed staging a collaborative exhibition as part of the MFA PGCert assessment – what thoughts on the questions here?
Thursday, 27 October 2011
invitation to participate
Edwin and I would value your participation in the events planned for 'The Museum of Loss and Renewal: Object becomes Subject' at Centrespace (in DJCAD's Visual Research Centre) on 22nd and 25th November.
In conversation with us on Tues 22nd November will be Paul O'Neill and Arnd Schneider, talking about our project through their expertise in durational approaches to curation, and art & anthropology.
And on Friday 25th November we'll be in conversation with Dr David Reilly of Glasgow's Homeopathic Hospital, discussing the relationship between art and wellbeing.
We'll be based in Centrespace between 14-27th November, developing the artwork from the first stage of the project 'The Museum of Loss and Renewal: Loss become Object' (HICA, Loch Ruthven till 30 Oct), making new work, working with groups of students and staff and hosting the public events on 22nd and 25th November.
http://www.mackenna-and-janssen.net/mackenna-and-janssen/The_Museum_of_Loss_and_Renewal.html
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
'Practice Research'
Stefanos gave his definition of research as -
a word with shifting meanings / a secondary activity: working through something (already existing) / creating - researching - collecting - producing
and highlighted Foucault's "an attempt to trace and make visible discontinuities"
Follow this link to download History Remix audio walk
www.historyremix.de
Monday, 24 October 2011
thank you MFA!
These first 6 weeks working with you have been an absolute pleasure. Watching you take up challenges and opportunities like the DJCAD/Wellcome Trust 'Shared Imagination' symposium, AHM's 'State of Play', Exhibitions' 'A CUT, A SCRATCH, A SCORE' and see you make them your own is energising and inspiring.
Looking forward to much more to come, and many new shared experiences.
My thoughts on a cut...
Sunday, 23 October 2011
My Turn
I wonder a much of the backstage stuff is true...
Which circles back to a question of documentation and accurate it can be considering the bias that can be placed in it.
So I pose the question, how would everyone like their own work documented?