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FINAL

@annaengesser @parmarriya

@sshaysstrachan

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Planning for Assessment #3

After visiting the museum, my group and I discussed on which weekly topic we should pick. We decided to go with the idea of ‘desire’ since we had just seen artworks related to this theme. At first, we thought of creating an interactive piece where the audience could not interact. We thought of this idea by thinking about the big fluffy piece in the museum. We decided to abandon this idea because we would only have a week to construct a big sculpture. Instead, I suggested the idea of smell. After visiting the museum, I really liked the work with all the spices. 

Image of the work: 

This artwork is created by Ernesto Neto and he wants “people to see [his] sculpture through their pores, as well as their eyes, to feel it with all their senses”.

The paragraph explaining his work:

Based on that, I realized that we could make our own ‘desirable’ perfume. We could create this as a group and it would smell desirable. The event, in this case, would be a farmers market. 

At first, this seemed like it was an easy topic. However, we tackled many problems. We did some research to find out what some desirable scents were. We found that the common scents described in all of the sources were Vanilla, Lavender, and lemongrass. Although these are desirable scents, you can already purchase them from outside. We wanted to do something that was a little different. 

We then moved onto the idea of using essential oils. As a group, we visited a store and smelt different essential oils. 

It wasn’t hard finding cheap essential oil, but it had a very artificial smell. We wanted to create something that was more natural. 

We then came back as a group to discuss what we could change or do next. We figured that we could pervade a scent into a classroom using natural materials. Since this is a 9 AM class, we decided that we could have a breakfast event in the class. We would blend fresh oranges to make juice. We were keen on this idea on multiple levels, because orange and citrus is also a desirable scent. We would present this idea by laying out our breakfast on a table. We would bring in many oranges and cups to suggest that it is for everyone. However, only we will be able to consume the juice. This will add onto their desire because although it smells good, they will not be able to consume it. Another idea we are playing with is the senses. When multiple senses are involved, things become more desirable. 

Although we seemed to be settled on this idea, we thought of something even better (two days before the assessment). Although the ideas are similar, we expanded on our first idea. Instead of blending orange juice, we will set up a table beautifully with plates and cutlery. In the center of the table, we will place breakfast food with a sign that says “do not touch”. We will then place air-fresheners in front of fans to make the scent of breakfast pervade the room. Therefore, we will be able to smell ‘breakfast’, but we won’t actually be able to eat it. This creates a desire for breakfast because human beings have the tendency to desire what they can’t have. We also decided to buy our air fresheners from Woolies because they have bakery and citrus scents. This is perfect because bakery products and orange juice are commonly consumed during breakfast. 

Therefore, the event, in this case, is people coming into a restaurant/cafe to eat breakfast. The event is revolved around the idea of breakfast because this is a 9 AM class. We will bring plates and cutlery for 6 people only. The rest of the class will be the audience observing what is going on. Once the 6 people sit in their seats, we will present them with menus that we made. 

Here is an image of the menu we are going to hand them:

As you can see, there is no price for the dishes listed. We purposely made them free because things are more desirable when you can have them for free (this only applies to things that are essential for survival). 

After some time, one person in the group will take the people’s orders. However, as soon as all the orders are taken, we will start to clear the table, indicating that it is time for them to leave. Therefore, although they will be able to see and smell ‘breakfast’, they won’t be able to consume it. This will then make it more desirable because they can’t get what they want. 

To add another element, we will add the sound of sizzling food as the background. Therefore, we will be playing with 3 senses in total. As said, adding multiple sources will make the event more desirable. 

After meeting with the group, we also decided that it would be best to place the air freshener under the table. This way, the participants and audience won’t be able to see it. We will set this up before class so when people enter, it is like a restaurant (when you walk into a restaurant, you can smell food).

Since we have a lot of setting up to do, we will meet in class at 8:30 instead of 9:00. This way, we have plenty of time to set up.

Overall, we had to change our ideas several times. It seems like an easy concept, but it was actually reallky hard to plan and lay out. It was also hard to stage it into the event. Although it is a complicated task, hopefully everything works out fine!

Bibliography:

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, B, “Playing to the senses: food as a performance medium. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett.”. in Nyu.edu, , 2018, <http://www.nyu.edu/classes/bkg/issues/food-pr6.htm?fbclid=IwAR19KlUhWZfSExScuauHWpMzfGh2YJnqfhB7LlynlKGHPSNampcuSBNs460> [accessed 25 October 2018].

Schumacker, L, “7 Scents That Make You More Attractive, According To Science.”. in Romper, , 2018, <https://www.romper.com/p/7-scents-that-make-you-more-attractive-according-to-science-7921541> [accessed 18 October 2018].

“The 10 essential oils everyone should stock up on”. in, 2018, <https://www.wellandgood.com/good-looks/10-best-essential-oils/> [accessed 18 October 2018].

“The Smell Report - Sexual Attraction.”. in, 2018, <http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_attract.html> [accessed 18 October 2018].

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For ‘glitch’

April hates the diagram on the whiteboard. It’s been there for weeks.

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Final Work - Bye bye Handmade!

Bottom left and right, images as seen on top of Stacks 1 & 2

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Final Work - Bye bye Handmade

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Serial numbers

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Images chosen for Final Work (including the previous post)

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Concept Statement - Bye bye Handmade

In much of contemporary life and culture, there is a definite yearning for the now, a desire to know and understand without inhibition or consequence. Immersed in an all-consuming digital, largely capitalist sphere, the artist or craftsman is forced to legitimise the originality of their work, to carve a place for these to transcend time and place, in the same way as the peddle vouches for wellbeing of the consumer. This means the artist is in a constant collaboration with the landscapes around them, whether we define these as cultural and political, or natural, whether it entail the passing down of knowledge or challenging what we may already know and attest to understanding. Yet, my final work attempts to invite insight into a narrative where traditional methods of craft are replaced in favour of the ‘fast’ and the easily ‘familiar.’

Traditionally, the depiction of hands in the creative domains has come to symbolise knowledge, richness and longevity of life, and work or labour. Yet again in collaboration with my mother, I experimented with photography, a medium I am relatively unfamiliar with; unconventionally executed using a photocopier. Recruiting both her hands and mine as the subjects of my works, I captured the limbs in different poses with reference to the anatomical etchings of the Italian Renaissance. In combination with our hands, either showcased alone or together, we also experimented with photocopying different types of fabric, from silk to chiffon, both which produced somewhat haunting results when captured on their own, or, when intertwined with the hands, works as a definite reference to skilled, textile-focused labour.  My mother’s hands, to me, represent love and labour as cliche as it may seem - as it is. Her hands are always working, possess the blueprint for every skill at machine or needlepoint - are hands fit crafting. With reference Man Ray’s surrealist Rayographs of hands, my work here replaces tradition with convenience, as I made close to 100 copies and scans of the same subject with little thought to the number of resources employed. In this same way, I printed close to 300 copies of these photocopies, choosing a ‘select’ 15, I best thought showcased the hands as a commodity, the possessor of skills, as cheapy and as efficiently as possible within the time constraints. By repeating each image 30 times, and branding each with a unique Serial Number generated using an online source, the unique skills of man and machine here quite legitimately merge. The results were eerie, acting as a memorial rather than a celebration skills offered by the hands. I chose to present the prints in a stack, reminiscent of postcards or advertisements showcased in stands at galleries or cafes. They offer, or rather advertise, the hands as a mere commodity, memorialised rather cheaply, in ink. To reinforce the idea of the handmade, I rested the prints on old pattern paper, and tie one bundle with thread taken from my mother's collection. Essentially, my work explores a narrative within an inch of reality, where the handmade, those traditional skills and tasks, are made redundant no longer crafting to our humanity, our genealogy seeped into culture.

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The next big challenge for this piece is the presentation. While I originally toyed with the idea of presenting the prints in either one or multiple stacks, I feel like this will not serve to enhance my concept in any way. 

I brainstormed a few ideas with my parents by first establishing what my final work will attempt to communicate. Below are some comments and observations: 

- exploring the loss or redundancy of the handmade in a capitalist context. 

- repetition

- an interaction between the body and the machine  

Ideas for the presentation of the postcards:

1. In a stack with a branding or serial number on the back, in the manner of Ai Weiwei’s, Ai Weiwei: An Archive, which saw the artist print thousands of his tweets on rice paper and exhibits them in the manner of a traditional archive (www.itsnicethat.com/articles/ai-wei-wei-twitter) 

- what is then the audience’s role? Do I invite them to take a card? Does presenting the work in a stack mean the audience will only be able to see a select number of prints? 

- ended up putting a serial number on the back of the photos

2. Wrap up the stack in brown paper packages emblazoned with the words Made in China or otherwise.

3. Labelled and sorted in a Rolodex (ala Mad Men) or alphabetised document holder

4. Vacuum packed? Could prove quite difficult, and I don't think it would do much to enhance the work. 

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Printed around 200 copies of the scanned photocopies in the style of a traditional postcard, 10x15c with a consistent border framing the image. Quite pleased with the result considering the cheap price. 

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To recall the first assessment, I asked my mum to lend me her hands to photocopy alone and with my own. To enhance the family link between these hands, she offered a set of beautifully embroidered sheer and silk gloves which once belonged to her godmother, to whom she was very close. I was quite excited to experiment with these gloves but the results weren’t close to what I had hoped. The results were quilt eerie and almost like the hands were groping or searching in the darkness. I really enjoyed this process of photographing in an unconventional way with a photocopier. 

The aim is to perhaps create a stack of photographs, like the free postcards or flyers offered at storefronts, cafes, museums, which essentially act as free advertising, and maybe accompany them with a taller stack of cards with the printed words, Made In China (?) Through my work, I want to advertise these hands which belong to a certain history and possess skills and stories, as disposable, as free to the audience to possess. Not too sure how to properly articulate this yet, but will get to it! To enhance this idea, I want to print the postcards as cheaply and efficiently as possible.

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Hands Montage 1965, Rayographs composed by Peter Grassman, 1965 (left) Hands painted by Picasso 1935, Man Ray (right) 

Decided to revisit the idea of hands as a commodity and the exploitation of such in factory and labour environments, especially in the conversation about fast fashion. For this experiment, I began with capturing my hands in different positions in the manner of my favourite photographer Man Ray’s Rayographs of hands. His images to me, especially of the montage of hands (top left), are quite lyrical, and the images depict them almost dancing against the deep black background. 

Experimenting with the photocopier and collage -

I experimented with different types of fabric (above) such as silk and a soft pink chiffon and cling wrap, adjusting the properties of the copier (density, contrast, quality) to enhance the image accordingly.

 I also painted ‘gloves’ on my own hands using black and white acrylic the style of Man Ray, in the hope, it would enhance the contrast between hand and background. This was unsuccessful due to my choice to paint the majority of my hand black rather than white, meaning my hand was completely lost in the scanning process. 

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What would a manifesto written exploring the artmaking between mother and daughter entail? 

Rosefeldt, Julian. “MANIFESTO - Official Trailer (2017) Cate Blanchett Drama Movie HD.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 Jan. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk1HosLWM0o.

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In light of losing the machine, I decided to take a completely different approach and explore text-based works, inspired by Nicole Wong (below left) and Tom Nicholson (below right) as seen at the Bienalle showcase at the MCA. 

After researching the role self-directed manifestos had on the art making of the 20th Century, I decided to brainstorm an outline with my mother, for OUR OWN MANIFESTO under the premise, Mothers and Daughters In Art: A Manifesto, or something like that. Doing some research, I was particularly taken by the hand-drawn quality of Grayson Perrys Red Allans Manifesto of 2014, investigate the disparity between form and subject in the chronicles of contemporary art making. 

I love the personal, colloquial and even benevolent nature of his guidelines, which I think would be perfect for representing the relationship between my mother and I, and would provide a nice link to my previous quilted work. Among other historical manifestos, I came across the work of Julian Rosefeldt, who short film in collaboration with Cate Blancett, acted, “as a love letter of sorts to the artist themselves, the film does to explicitly romanticise them.”

This gave me much to think about as I do think I romanticise the world and my relationships with the people around me, and this was obviously manifested in my poster. But - at the same time, I do owe everything to what skills have been taught to my mother and then to me. 

I also love this excerpt from Manifesto’s trailer, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the project, “I could die of boredom or holster up my guns.” 

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I had the intention of getting my mum to sew the two sides of the hands together to make the gloves, but this was soon made IMPOSSIBLE mums sewing machine had tone put into urgent service. Basically, it seems like I can’t continue with the ‘sewing’ aspect of my project for the meantime. This led me to reevaluate the huge dependency I had on my mum's resources and skills, and how collaborations more often than not are faced with huge obstacles and failures. 

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Historically, images of hands in art are used as a symbol of knowledge, the passage of time, and an interconnectedness between a people. Scrolling through Pinterest, after watching one too many episodes of Mad Men, I came across a number of beautiful advertisements for ladies gloves in the 1950’s and 60’s, each claiming their products legitimacy to protect the fragility of the female hand. I then began to explore the different styles of gloves of this era, as showcased on the website of The Met. Inspired by the sheer artistic with which they were made, I decided I wanted to make my own set of gloves to be worn by my mother and I, made with old pattern paper; a skill which I thought would be MUCH easier than it was in reality. As per the suggestion of my mum, I unpicked a pair of white cotton cleaning gloves to use as the basic pattern. 

This proved way too complicated even after consulting an array of Youtube videos and pattern making books at home, so I decided to simplify the process by just tracing my hand and sewing the two pieces together.

Images (top row) sourced from Pinterest:

1. Haramboure 1951 Christian Dior & Jacques Fath Gloves Umbrella

2. Ladies Gloves circa 1680, United Kingdom 

3. Ansell Rubber Gloves circa 1952, Australia