I started this week’s visual research by looking at ways people can physically conceal something. I made mixed media drawings of door handles and I really liked the energy of layering dry and wet media.
I then decided to expand on my ‘A Whole Picture’ task from last week, based on the work of Mathilde Tinturier. I made prints of a key and then drew back into them to create hiding places. These were just sketched to generate ideas so I could develop them further if I decide to use the imagery. I drew different dens and a fence, which made me think of interventions I could do- perhaps build my own hiding place.
Next, I explored the ‘Not a Square’ task, inspired by Elizabeth LeCourt, who makes works onto dress shapes. I decided to make a tent using origami, so I practiced with two different designs. I thought the flatter version had a more recognisable shape, so I chose to work on that one.
The tent itself is meant to conceal the people inside it, but I thought I could make it even more hidden by placing in an empty landscape. I drew the scene with chalk and charcoal onto the paper, which I then folded. You can only see parts of the image in the final shape, but I like the distortion and the incorporation of the surroundings into the object. If I tried this again, I could draw two scenes onto each side of the paper to make the piece bolder.
^ ‘Les Robes II’, Elizabeth LeCourt
I then found some more primary imagery from my garden, where I looked for places that animals might hide. I wanted to work on my use of media, so I layered oil/soft pastels, charcoal and gouache. This allowed me to get greater intensity in my mark-making. I did these drawings quickly to get more energy, but I feel like this technique would work well for more detailed images.
Following on from that visual research, I decided to try the ‘Observe and Abstract’ task, inspired by Heather Day’s work, which I admire for its ambiguity. I started by making a 5-minute observation of a bush in my garden, again using mixed media.
I then zoomed in to where the birds and animals would hide in the bush and drew out the different shapes I could see. Finally, I added unexpected colours to further abstract the image and I really like how it turned out. You can still make out some of the leaf shapes, but it they are strange and other-worldly, which goes with my concept of remote places.
^ ‘Blue Étude’ (2020), Heather Day
After thinking about remote places, I decided to research the city of Atlantis, which is supposedly concealed underwater. I found a BBC article (Palmer, 2016) which explained that Plato’s story of the city could be partly true. Most myths are based on a true event of some sort, so the story of Atlantis could be about an area that got lost under the sea after a volcano or tsunami. I decided to make mixed media collages about these two theories, using secondary-sourced imagery. I really like how they turned out, because they are strange scenes, but still recognisable as real-life.
^ Photo from the BBC article
I also created a collage of the city itself, based on the imagery I had found. I preferred using photos, because they looked more eclectic. I would like to make more collages in future but might make they more abstract and bolder. I could look at Robert Rauschenberg’s work and incorporate different textures.
^ ‘Collection’ (1954-5), Robert Rauschenberg
Finally, I completed the ‘Protect and Thrive’ task, inspired by Dieter Roth. Throughout the week, I collected mess and spills from my drawings on a piece of cardboard. This left me with a series of marks that subconsciously linked to my theme, with the same colour palette I have been working with.
I used my imagination to turn these marks into images relating to my project. I included a woman in a mask, plants, a key, a stop sign, covered windows and sea creatures. I like the strangeness of this piece, but again I would like to try and make it more abstract and unexpected in future.
^ ‘Self-Portrait as a Drowning Man’ (1974), Dieter Roth
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