I really enjoyed this 3 week workshop – it was fun to experiment more in mediums I’m not used to working in and get to play around with using some of my sketchbook drawings as inspiration for 3D work. I think my favourite piece from the three weeks is the metal mobile I made using wire, aluminium and string. The spiral shapes were inspired by a drawing my sister did based off an instruction I had written which I think translated really well into 3D. I was initially unsure what I wanted to do with the spirals – I knew I wanted to hang them but I wasn’t sure how. I made the aluminium frame based off some of the angular plaster casts I had created in skills 2 and I think the contrast between the sharp lines of the frame with the softer shape of the spirals is really effective.
I also enjoyed the other two sections – fabric and wood – and I think I produced some interesting work however, I don’t think it is as strong as the metal piece. I didn’t have as much of a clear idea of what I wanted from these two mediums so the work I produced, although I do think it is exciting, is less effective.
I think Tomma Abts’ work is really visually exciting. She uses dynamic colours that either compliment or contrast each other really vividly. Her use of pattern is interestingly and energetic. In particular I think ‘Heeso’ is very effective; the bright red against the black is vibrant and the shapes she creates with the squiggly line interact with each other succinctly. I want to try and play around with some of these shapes in my own work, experimenting more with using line rather than block colour.
I find Agnes Martin’s work interesting in her use of pattern however, it is more some of the ideas she discusses in her writing that drew me to her. She talks about an artist following the process of inspiration rather than envisioning the final outcome which I find really interesting. Something else that intrigues me is the idea she has that whatever happens to a piece once it’s ‘finished’ becomes part of the work – if a painting gets ruined she insists on leaving it as is and not fixing it. I find this philosophy really interesting as it removes emphasis from the outcome and instead places it on the process.
I think Sonnier’s work is visually very dynamic and exciting. His use of neon makes for vibrant pieces of art that really draw the viewer in. They are captivating and energetic partly due to the bright colours but also the fact that he doesn’t shy away from the making process, leaving wires, plug sockets and tubing clearly visible to the audience. It was this aspect of Sonnier’s work that drew me to him and he explores this idea through other types of work, in particular his video piece ‘Animation II’ which is a computer programmed clip featuring a recording of the artist and the technician discussing the process of making the work. I find this idea of the piece documenting its own creation really exciting and I have been playing around with this somewhat myself by filming the making of my own work.
N.B If you are accepted for ‘Wall to Wall’, you will need to fill out a Health and Safety form; therefore, please give this consideration before outlining your idea.
What do you intend to do on you section of Wall?
Give brief detail of your idea, what material you might use, how long you think installation and/or you would like to work in the space for. (Max 300 Words)
I would like to use acrylic paints and inks to explore mark making on a large scale. Taking inspiration from action painters I would like to work in an abstract way on my section of the wall, experimenting with dripping, splattering and using body parts (such as hands or feet) in combination with using a brush to create an explosion of marks and colour. I would use a range of colours, giving each mark a different colour – for example using blue when working with a paint brush and red when dripping.
I would like to try and complete my section in a day, being spontatneous and quick in decision making as I want this piece to be energetic and exciting. I have been working in a similar way within my practice for a while and this would be a great opportunity to work on a larger scale.
As this piece focuses on the process rather than the outcome I cannot create a ‘mock up’ so to speak but I have included some images of my past work which should give an indication of what I want to do.
Are there any events, performances, activities or so on … which complement to your ‘Wall’ that you would like to initiate?
No
Visual mock-up:
Along with the written description above it would be beneficial for both yourself (to consolidate your ideas) and the Painting Staff to understand your proposal if a small, simple yet descriptive visual sketch or diagram was included.
Then E.mail this to s.longworth-west@nua.ac.uk or drop it into SG46 Fine Art Staff Office F.A.O : Sarah Longworth-West Deadline – Tuesday 8 January 1pm
Site-Specific Project Spaces 4 and 5 proposal form 2019
DEADLINE FOR COMPLETED FORMS THURSDAY 7th MARCH: 4.00PM
Email to Sarah on s.horton@nua.ac.uk
Your name: Darcey McAlister-Wober
Please provide a brief rationale for why you would like to participate in this event. What do you hope it will allow you to explore?
(Group or individual proposals will be welcomed)
(maximum 200 words)
I’d like to participate because I feel this will give me the chance to explore with my practice in a way I wouldn’t otherwise and perhaps be a starting point for further experimentation. I want to explore the idea of repetition and pattern on a large scale using the site as inspiration and highlighting pre-existing features in the space through my work. I think the moulding that runs across the walls and skirting board is an interesting feature that I want to draw attention to by using the three lines to create a grid either painted or created using tape directly onto the wall.
I want to experiment with shape whilst highlighting this feature; potentially using zig zags or curvy lines to play around with the dynamic of the space, and break up the straight lines and sharp angles that dominate, in a way similar to Susumu Koshimizu’s ‘From Surface to Surface’; the zigzag wooden panels lined up next to rectangular panels is very effective and I think something similar could be interesting in PS4 or 5.
Please include a visual proposal in support of your application.
You must provide a risk assessment – see over page
Site-Specific Project Spaces Risk Assessment
Student guidance note for the displaying of work
It is important that you plan for the installation of your work early in your planning phase.
It is necessary for the Estates/Health & Safety team to understand what you wish to do so that we can advise how this can be done safely and to assist you in this part of your work; in order to avoid disappointment or delay.
Please work through the following questions, discuss this with your tutor and consult with the Estates team if necessary.
Questions
Is the work?
√
What will you need?
Estates/Health & Safety
recommendations
Heavy.
Approx weight?
NO
Large and bulky.
Size?
NO
Suspended.
How? Length? Fixings?
NO
Require fixing to walls/ceiling.
YES
I plan on working directly into the wall using tape or acrylic paint
Electrically powered. (Read Procedure
HS019 Electrical Safety)
NO
Involve water or fluids.
NO
In low light
conditions.
NO
Involve items from outside the University.
Living items?
Possibility of pests/vermin/decay?
YES
Acrylic paint or tape
Likely to obstruct
passageways.
NO
Is the work?
√
What will you need?
Estates/Health & Safety
recommendations
Require display site
construction.
NO
Delicate and/or
breakable.
NO
Possibility of hazardous material
eg sharps, broken glass
NO
Stable and safe to leave unattended.
YES
Hot or cold.
NO
Using expensive
items.
NO
Required to be disassembled and
retained.
NO
Combustible.
NO
Other.
Please specify
N/A
Susumu Koshimizu
Susumu Koshimizu – ‘From Surface to Surface’
The repeated imagery in this piece by Koshimizu was a large influence on my proposal for this project. the way her uses similar lines next to each other but incorporates different shapes and textures makes the work that much more dynamic than if it were simple straight lines. I obviously can’t include different textures in my work as I want to use tape but I want to try and incorporate this effect by using different numbers of lines to create my grid, ie using sets of one, two and three lines.
Mondrian has also been particularly influential in his use of grids and the colours he choses. I think the way he uses irregular grids, grouping lines together as well as spacing them out, is really dynamic. his use of bright colours also provides energy and I want to use similar colours in my work to imitate this vibrancy.
Visual Proposal
Final Outcome
For the most part I’m pleased with how this turned out, I managed to execute it exactly as I had envisioned it when writing my proposal and I think the pattern I ended up choosing and the colours I used work well within the space. However, I sprained my ankle the day before install and couldn’t get up the ladder which meant I has to rely on my friend to put up the tape for me and, as a result, I don’t think I pushed it as far as I wanted. Ideally, I would have liked to try out a few designs on the wall itself before deciding on what I wanted to keep on the wall but I was unable to do this so had to stick with the first pattern. I think it came out well but I would have liked to experiment a bit more.
Darcey McAlister-Wober 