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Final Work. 

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Group Statement

Our work lay balanced somewhat between movement, form and chaos. Through the investigation of body politics and failure, our group devised a work consisting of the spreading of colour upon a canvas through the chaotic yet logical movement guide that we created. The guide was comprised of two spinning wheels which provided each member of the group with a body limitation and challenge such as walking on knees, balancing on one limb, touching other people’s earlobes and leapfrogging over another person. This performance had an underlying structure but was intended to appear without to an ignorant eye. From research into Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen’s extreme paintings which incorporated hair as well as other body parts as tools and Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga using his feet to smear paint across a sheet, we devised a game that harnessed element of these works in twister-esque performance. There were many challenges to creating this work, including the material that we used to put as a canvas. Whilst doing a practice with a textured plastic, the final work was performed on a slippery plastic. Although somewhat terrifying, this material merely added to the chaotic effect of the work, heightening its comical appeal similar to Melati Suryodarmo’s butter dance. This work, whilst based on failure and chaos, was an overall success. There was a sense of disjointed harmony within our movement, combining with the paint to create a comical and engaging event.

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Our event is art 

Our event produces art

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Experiment Three

We experimented with classical/symphony music to see how it alters the atmosphere 

Adding paint really elevated the event to become more chaotic and ‘failure’ focused. 

Feedback:

- Reconfirmed the need for a larger space

- Was entertaining 

- After a certain point or even just the initial wheel spin, audience should be able to choose actions assigned 

- Potential to allow people to join 

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Having finalised our method of choice we practiced with Anna acting as our audience and command giver. 

Main feedback for improvement: - Work on a bigger space - Having to continuously decide our new commands was distracting as an audience member but was fun at first - Need to stick down mat so it doesn’t lift, move, seperate and distract - Need to consider what room we will do real event - Should project the wheel

Our changes: - Will double the size of our mat - We will try and do it in the black box or similar room - Will stick down mat - Will project the wheel - Will leave the audience to nominate themselves to spin the wheel

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Experiment One: 

We tested to see how the actions played out when actually practiced. 

We were intending to trial the different methods but it became quickly apparent it was obvious we didn’t need to not know each others command and that a continuous game with no pauses was most effective. 

Music is ‘techno’ rhythmic and upbeat and informed the energy. 

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Making the game

‘Actions’

We discussed different types of actions we could be instructed to do:

- We initially thought of imitations that are, to differing degrees, impossible to truly achieve e.g. behaving like a dog, swim, make a sandwich etc. 

- We then thought to have it be phrased as an objective e.g. hug everyone, hop etc. 

- To ensure interaction, an eventful chaotic game (inspired by the atmosphere of twister) and promoting that idea of ‘failure’ or ‘the game of impossibilities’ we decided to categorise the objectives: personal and interactive 

- Different energies and level of achievability are created with different pairings 

Presentation of actions: 

- Initially was going to be a hand held cardboard twist circle. With personal actions on the outer and interactive on the inner, the twisting of the outer and inner circle would randomly match different actions 

- We then thought to remove choice more effectively and have it randomly selected by an automated generator 

- Originally the spinner was not a visual feature 

- We have chosen, for the final event, for the wheel to be projected on the wall, adding to the atmosphere and sensationalising the event 

Rules of Game

- Start in four corners - Each person is given a personal and interactive command - No verbal communication - Each participant is a different colour - Each participant places paint on their hands and feet before the beginning of the game - Participants may add paint to their hands and feet at any point in the game

Chosen method: - Each participant is given a personal and interactive action chosen randomly by the digital wheel - Music signifies the start, participants strive to simultaneously achieve their personal and interactive actions - Throughout the game audience members nominate themselves to spin the wheel again and change participants actions - The game ends when the music stops

Considered ruled that were altered or eradicated after experimentation: - Method option 1: Game is comprised of 5 1-minute intervals with different actions each round - Method option 2: continuous game, freeze frame and everyone shuts eye and one-person receives new commands - Method option 3: continuous game, freeze frame and everyone shuts eye and every person receives new commands - Each participant is unaware of each other’s command

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Kaarina 1 

Glorification of the undesirable 

In fashion the idea of boxy, hard lined, cheap clothing is the opposite of what is considered desirable fashion. We bring to the forefront the idea of high and low fashion, we also want to experiment with form and shape and how it can alter the way we see an image

We also wanted to be playful with colour just like we are with form so we experimented with hue and saturation which gave the image more life. We also added the white boarders to imitate a magazine spread specifically vogue.

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Classwork

Re-conceptualising the notion of desire. Taking typically undesirable characteristics of the human body, straight lines, box form and presenting them in a glorified and desirable manner reminiscent of a fashion article. 

Whilst also incorporating phallic symbolism, challenging gender ideologies 

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Marina Abramovic

Sleeping Exercise, 2014

in this performance work, Marina created a space for people to escape the commotion of life for a while with noise cancelling headphones and eyemasks, while reclining. this work is really interesting as it plays on many of her other works that test the human endurance such as the work below.

The Artist is Present , 2010. Performance, 736 hours

this work tested the limits of human endurance, as she sat there for 7 hours a day for the duration of the exhibition. she did not eat, drink or use the bathroom during this time.

Marina explores the body and its capabilities in these works as well as the many others she has produced throughout her career. i think this simplistic approach that has such a deep impact on audiences is a really interesting idea.

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IMAGE 1:

Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen’s extreme paintings take on a performance quality: great sweeping actions as hair is dipped in ink; her whole body a painting tool. This work is an interpretation of Janine Antoni’s ‘Loving Care’, in which Antoni soaked her hair with dye and mopped the floor with it.

IMAGE 2:

Swinging from a rope suspended from his studio roof, Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga used his feet to smear oil paint dramatically across a canvas.

Painting with the body:

Our group wishes to embrace the physical act of painting (removing the boundary between the maker and the artwork) allowing us to become a part of the artwork itself. This way our bodies become the instruments of our mind and we no longer are contained to what paint pushing tools limit us to. Instead we can create huge works that are dictated by our individual body movements making the art piece more individual to our group. 

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Artist: Jackson Pollock

Paul Jackson Pollock was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was well known for his unique style of drip painting.

His technique is explored in the video below. 

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/abstract-exp-nyschool/abstract-expressionism/v/moma-painting-technique-pollock 

In relation to our group idea of a more participatory and collaborative event, one based on a game of Twister, Pollock serves an artist of inspiration. We want to explore the different ways in which we can engage with the ‘canvas’ or game board, including the class or audience in the process. One way this could be completed 

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Twister

Released in 1966, Twister is a board game that has become synonymous with pop culture. Played on a large plastic mat that is spread on the floor or group, the mat has six rows of large coloured circles in it with a different colour in each row: red, yellow, green and blue. A spinner is attached to a square board and is used to determine where the player has to put their hand or foot. After spinning, a combination of colour and movement is called, and players must move their matching hand or foot to a circle of the correct colour. Players are eliminated when they fall. 

Called an “industry phenomenon” that “briefly captures the public’s imagination, and sells in the millions” (Microsoft Encarta), Twister was and still is considered popular. In addition, Twister has also been referenced in a number of TV shows, song lyrics and music videos - such as Friends and Lady Gaga’s song Just Dance, highlighting its popularity among people of all ages. 

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Week 10 Classwork Studio Activity

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Final Work - Worn by Laura 

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Rationale

Continuing and building on research conducted in the previous task, my project also answers the same question: “Art and design often explore relationships between humans and non-humans, the environment and ecology”. “How can contemporary art and design propose new possibilities for imagining the ‘human’ and the environment?.  Through engaging with a number of class topics, through research and through a process of experimentation I was able to develop and create my final design and present my own possibility for imagining the human and the non-human and its environment. As explained in my last assignment, wastage statistics show that we as a society disregard longevity, deeming objects easily replaceable and of little importance to our own lives. These object however, have an alarming and significant impact on the environment, altering and harming the often fragile relationships and symbiotic nature of the environment and its ecology. Class discussion allowed me to understand how practice-led research can be extremely beneficial to my design process, allowing me to understand and decode what the question was asking and how I could research appropriately. This led me to break up my research into two different sections – the issue and the response. Fast fashion as a process and a mindset is something I find both interesting and alarming. Trends are designed and manufactured quickly and inexpensively to allow mainstream consumers to buy current clothing styles at a lower price. Thriving on constant change and the frequent availability of new products, more and more textiles are being discarded every year. Clothes are being disposed after only being worn a few times, and often are not considered as having the inherent quality to be considered vintage or worth keeping. Made from man-made synthetic and manufactured materials, these low-quality goods can only end up as waste, and are difficult to recycle. Another concept that I have drawn heavily on in my design process is value. In class, we examined its complexities, how we judge value, and different systems of value.  Defined as the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, and it’s worth or usefulness of something - value is placed on everything within our daily lives. The topic of value and its analysis is very relevant to both my research and my chosen concept and final design. As a society that disregards longevity, especially with our clothes (as seen in the development of fast-fashion) - we see how people perceive and acknowledge value. Inspired by Giorgio Armani's Autumn/Winter 2015 Ready-to-wear show, Margaux Roy’s photography, Altuzarra’s Fall/Winter ready-to-wear 2014 collection and Josh Blackwell, my bag design is made from recycled plastic bags.  As stated by Josh Blackwell, plastic bags have a “ubiquitous presence and degraded status”, they are quickly used then discarded, and in high abundance. Like Blackwell, I attempt to “redress their impoverished status” through recreating them into something people may perceive to be of value. My experiments draw on this idea. The first experiment, I looked at altering the value or perceived worth of a product by ‘adding value’ through the addition of embroidery. Through this simple act, the item could be seen as something unique and be appreciated. My second experiment built off this idea – by photoshopping plastic bags of varying sorts onto people and streetstyle images, the bags can be considered something desirable, something ‘on-trend’ and worth ‘buying into’ – a habit many of us do within our own lives. These experiments and my research both led me to my final design. Made from plastic bags, my project is a replica classic Chanel bag. As a luxury brand, Chanel are regarded globally as having a high value. Hand cut, hand-stitched and made to last, these bags are made with luxury, expensive materials. However my bag is also stitched by hand, carefully cut and sewn and made to last – with its only differentiating factor being that is made of recycled materials, materials disregarded and thrown away. Featuring the signature logo and a safety-pin chain handle, by bag serves as a statement as to how items that we disregard and consider trash or waste, can be re-used and serve another purpose, seen as something that could be considered valued. If we can change our mindsets in regard to value, as something that may not be the most expensive, but rather seeing value in an items practicality and its reduced harm on the environment and in addition, continue to explore and develop future possibilities for recycling, sustainable practice and technologies, we can limit the harmful relationship humans have on the environment and ecology. 

References: Research 

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_fashion BBC News, July 2018, ‘Fast Fashion: Inside the fight to end the silence on waste’, By Kelly-Leigh Cooper,  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44968561 ‘What is Fast Fashion?”, August 2018 ,The Big Picture, By Solene Rauturier, https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/

‘Fast fashion quick to cause environmental havoc”, Recycling Waste Minimisation, The University of Queensland, March, 2018, https://sustainability.uq.edu.au/projects/recycling-and-waste-minimisation/fast-fashion-quick-cause-environmental-havoc The Express Tribune, July 7 2018, “Fashion goes green with emerging designers using recyclable materials for garments,  https://tribune.com.pk/story/1752055/4-fashion-goes-green-emerging-designers-using-recyclable-materials-garments/

The Independent, May 27 2016, “How the Fashion Industry Is Helping The World’s Fashion Problem”, by Alexanda Sims, https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/how-the-fashion-industry-is-helping-the-worlds-rubbish-problem-a7052826.html

References: Images

http://www.joshblackwell.com/ https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2014-ready-to-wear/altuzarra https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/photography-margaux-roy   https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2015-ready-to-wear/giorgio-armani

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Final Work