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COLLABORATION

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The Individual and The Social Rationale

For this brief I have continued my interest in biology to inspire my work. After leaving my biology degree to begin this course, I believe I can incorporate my understanding of this discipline into my practice. Biology is a strong passion of mine I feel this will help keep my practice developing throughout the briefs.

Memory and Materiality - For this workshop I used the memory of leaving my Biology degree as a starting point. This moment was an important turn in my life. I began looking at cognitive psychology and the theory that our mind works as a computer constantly uploading and saving information. This was how I felt I was being treated on the biology course. We were flooded with information in the first semester and I was struggling to process it. With this in mind I began copy and pasting information off the internet from course topics. I decided to recreate the confusion I felt by printing the text on the paper in all directions so the viewer is no longer able to read the text. 

Looking at the mind and how information is processed, I began to focus on the brains biological content. The brain contains a network of neuron cells that transmit electrical pulses which converted to thoughts. A series of neuron drawings were produced using a mixture of ink, pen and wax. However, I felt these drawings I produced were too structured and I had too much control over the marks I was making. I felt this didn’t reflect the way our mind works. As our thoughts are often fluid and disorganized. With this in mind, I began working in a looser more fluid way. I wanted to produce more organic biological forms that are closer to a real human cell. Creating water washes and adding small dots of indian ink produced these looser forms I was interested in. The ink would bleed for a long distance and almost make the work look alive and grow uncontrollably. One aspect from this technique I focussed on was the small amount of control I had over the material used. The ink would find it’s own path and create marks beyond my control.

“Cells are the building blocks of life”

After researching more on cells I selected this quote as I felt it linked my individual interest in Biology and the aspect of society. Each cell I draw I see as a symbol of life. Like human life a cell is constantly growing, transforming and communicating. The cells in our body work as a synergy. A grouping of single cells form a living organism. 

Briefly, I began to move away from paper and started to work on more clinical materials associated with science/medicine. I used acetate, glass and resin. Each material took on its own properties and from these materials I believe the acetate worked best. I created a PVA glue and salt wash and then added indian ink. The marks this created reflected cellular forms and It also gave me the option to experiment with light. If it wasn’t for the discovery of a new technique in the print workshop this is the idea I would have developed.

Print workshop - Continuing with the theme of letting materials move freely. I began experimenting with the linseed oil used to clean up etching ink. The prints created both beautiful yet unusual forms that reflected cells.  Each cell had its own uniqueness yet had all been create using the same process.

During the “crit” sessions my peers recommended introducing colour to my work, up until this point I had only used black ink. Scientists stain cells to view them easily under a microscope. With these chemical colours in mind I began to created more prints. These prints had less visual impact and little contrast. Introducing colour over complicated the prints and moved away from the minimalist forms. 

Final Piece - My final piece consists of multiple cell prints presented in a specimen-like way. The way the prints are presented reflect the logical, objective, statistical aspects of science. I’m interested in looking at society and people as being a statistic in a complete population. To begin with my initial composition was to have the cells positioned in an organic way. Moving freely up the wall and onto the studio floor. This way of presenting them became to overcrowded and the beauty of each cell print was being masked by the others. 

Materials and Processes Rationale

I began this brief by looking at the cube as a mathematical shape. Using graph paper I made a series of drawings calculating the dimensions and volumes of cubes from various sizes. Square paper allowed me to draw simple cubes from different perspectives. To present the cube in alternative ways.

Looking at Tom Freedman's work, I attempted cubes constructed from house hold objects and materials. For example, Magazines, Cotton buds, Maps, Marbles and Matchsticks. The size of each material determined the size of the cubes. Using household objects in art can give value to worthless materials. This highlights the importance of process. It’s how you use the material that creates successful artwork. The general public can relate to these materials from everyday use. However, what is interesting is seeing these materials in unusual compositions. For, example stacking marbles to form a cube. One difficulty of producing art from everyday household materials is trying to make these pieces look professional and viable to be seen in a gallery space. 

Moving away from these materials I selected the clay workshop to produce a simple cube. Clay is a traditional material that has been used for many years. This materials brings many historical contexts with it. It is an organic material which contrasts with the household materials used previously. Clay is a difficult material to work with when creating a large 10cm square cube. Each side of the cube has to be pieced together separately, covering these bonds is difficult and are still visible after neatening up. Clay shrinks in the kiln by 10%. This has changed the form of the cube and the shape has become slightly distorted. I selected a metallic glaze as I was interested in making one material look like another. The clay cube now appears to be made from metal. 

Throughout this brief I have been experimenting with alternative ways to drawing. Moving away from paper and pencil. I began to draw onto acetate, tin foil and fabric. Each surface creates different effects on the drawing. For example, tin foil reflects light from different angles so the drawing is constantly changing as you approach it and using acetate allowed me to place other material beneath it. When experimenting with alternative ways to drawing, I began using a series of pinpricks to create texture on paper, these pinpricks were used to draw a cube design. I’ve also started creating drawings with burning matches. The interesting aspect about drawing with fire is that the marks created are out of my control. This is something I am currently focusing on in the Individual and Social brief. With more time I would have liked to develop these techniques further and create large scale pieces.

When researching into how the cube is used in contemporary art, many minimalist artists were raised. For example, Sol Lewitt. He focuses on the structures of a cube. He removes the skin from a cube and reveals it’s bones. Minimalist artists typically work around geometric shapes often based on the square. They explore the properties of materials. With this in mind, I started to create a minimalist sculpture that highlights the cubes form. For my final piece I have created a chain of white cubes made from MDF. Although MDF is a cheap material, it’s easy to work with and can be disguised. The sculpture has also been the focus for another piece of work. I have scanned the sculpture and printed them in reprographics creating a 2D piece of work from a 3D form.