Big Thursday!

After passing my theory this morning which was a really good start to the day we worked in our groups for the 'Exhibiting and Curating' modual and were shown how to present pieces of art in an exhibition style plus we sat together and talked about how we will work as a team to get a great outcome.
It was really good to see everyones different ideas!

Exhibition of Dispatches (talk about eachothers work)

Today we have had our exhibition for Dispatches.
We were first given a postit note and asked to write our name on it and stick it next to a piece of art that we were interested in and want to start a conversation about.
This was really good cause we got to see everyones thought process during this project!
I was really interested in Ali's work as she has used her imagination to create a painting of a happy place she likes going to, which I thought was very interesting. She also used language in her work which also interested me as I have put language in my work to but directed at a different subject.
Walking around today and discussing peoples work and how they came about making it has gave me various ideas and thoughts on how I could expand my own work.
Very benificial today!

Exhibition set up for Dispatches!

After thinking about how I will show my artwork, I have placed my artwork on the wall one above the other to present it like a poster. Here are a few pictures of how I have displayed my Dispatches project in the exhibition space:

Both posters displayed

Second poster

First poster

Artist Statement (Dispatches)

To go with our artwork that we have produced during the project of Dispatches, we have been asked to create an artist statement allowing the viewers to have an insight of our thoughts and process of making.
This artist statement has to be in Arial (font) and font size 12".
It only has to be half a page long so I have to think about what is the most important things to talk about on my statement that I want the viewer to understand more about.

This is the artist statement that I have written that I will display next to my pieces of artwork:

Following the ideas of consumerism from last semester, I wanted to look at how language can communicate to its audience and how easy it is to understand.  I started to look at company slogans and how they are presented to us, finding out that most don't convey much truth. My first idea was to alter company slogans, inserting the truth in areas that were not originally portraying this. The main problem that I encountered was that it began to present me with negative responses  Therefore, I researched into a few artists under the name of 'Barbara Kruger' and 'Jenny Holzer'. This gave me a greater insight into how imaginative and clever language could be used to draw in an audience but still direct it at consumerism. Barbara Kruger stood out for me as she used found images/photographs from existing sources and applied text to communicate and connect with the viewer. Taking some of the elements/aspects of her work, I started to think of various sayings or sentences that would generate an impact on the audience. The two that I came up with was 'the other line moves faster' and 'is there more to live than having everything'. I spent a day or so thinking about what images would be suitable for these slogans. Furthermore, when I thought of the slogan 'the other line...' I was in a queue in a shopping center and heard a woman say that exact phrase realizing that, we are always in a rush to do everything. This inspired me to look at images of queues to back up the piece of text. Regarding 'is there more...', people want the latest gadget or clothing or technical object, but one thing that they forget are those that don't have these things like the poor and homeless. Therefore, an image displaying this I believed to be appropriate. My main problem that I would change if I produced the 'the other line...' poster again would be to re-position the lettering and maybe enlarge this further. Overall, I really enjoyed producing these pieces and will keep developing them further.

2nd Dispatches poster made

This is the second poster that I have made for dispatches.
This picture is still following in the style of Barbara Kruger where I have used found images to help me to create this poster.
I have chosen a picture of a homeless person and put the quote 'There must be more to life than having everything' because it shows that some people who go out and buy whatever they like are sometimes blind to those that are unable to do so. 

Original image

Adapted image using Photoshop

I have really enjoyed making this one as i have changed things like what it said on the mans board originally, to the message that I want to bring across!

I have found out that creating the different posters and developing/adapting them through Photoshop is a really interesting way.

This and the last poster I have made would be interesting to experiment on using different mediums like paint.

1st Dispatches poster made

This is the first poster that I have made for Dispatches. I have used found images like Barbara Kruger did and developed them using Photoshop. Earlier I heard while I was in the Shopping Center a woman whilst she was in a queue 'The other line moves faster'. I thought this was a really interesting quote as it highlights what all consumers are like when they are shopping. When people go an buy certain items from various shops they always want to pay and get out as quick as they can!
This meant that the most appropriate image to back up this piece of language is an image of a queue, but adapting it using Photoshop.

Original image 

Adapted image using Photoshop

I have made it look like there is 2 lines resembling 2 different queue's. I did this by using the emboss tool in Photoshop!

My main problem with this was that I didn't like how I displayed the text at the bottom of the poster as the colors blend into the background too much and the text is too small for an A1 poster. If I created this again I would make sure that the text was big enough so the viewer can see it when they stand back.

Dispatches consultation

Had a meeting with my group about what I am going to do in my Dispatches project.
Stephen mentioned to me that I need to have a think of how I am going to display these posters I am going to make.
I have picked the area that I want to use so I need to think about how I will display this.

Research into Jenny Holzer

Jenny holzer relates to Barbara Kruger as she also looks at language but in a slightly different way.
She projects words onto goverment buildings, also she projects onto corporate and community buildings. I think projecting words onto a building is really imaginative as it will entice the audience because it is at a large scale!
She uses language because she wanted to offer content that people (not necessarily art people) could understand.
Jenny Holzer is a public artist!

These are a couple of her works that I like:

Research into Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger uses words and language in her artwork!
Ive realized she looks at consumerism in some parts of her artwork which would follow on nicely from last semester as I was focusing on consumerism too.
She uses black and white images from mainstream mags, she also layers found photographs from existing sources with agressive text that involves the viewer in the struggle for power & control. I find this really interesing!
She puts black letters against a red background which I think is really good because it stands out really well as its a big contrast.
Plus most of her text questions the viewer about areas like feminism, classicism, consumerism and individual anatomy.
There are a couple of pieces from her that I really like and they are called:

'I shop therefore I am' (consumerism)
'Your body is a battleground'

Spray paint gone wrong!

After looking at the outcome of the spray paint on the slogans, it didnt turn out very well.
When I started to spray onto the print-offs it was covering quite alot of the picture as well, I only wanted to spray a couple of words and change/re-word sections but the spray paint was going on too thick!
After talking to Stephen about this he said that the idea of changing slogans from well known companys could turn out as being a negative outcome e.g. (mcdonalds 'im loving it' to mcdonalds 'im hatin it') he gave me a few artist names to have a look at regarding language in pieces of art.

The names are:

- Barbara Kruger
- Jenny Holzer
- Ed Rucha

Testing for Idea 3 (Dispatches)

A couple of days ago I had a go at expanding idea number 2 for Dispatches
As I am looking at company slogans and want to apply truth to them, I was thinking of printing them normally with no changes on them at all and then use a coloured spray paint to alter some sections of the text and change words!

Semester 1 results!!!!

Yaaay! I passed my Semester 1!
But, ive got to work on a few things this semester to make sure i get a good overall mark. 
Things that I need to work on is:

1. Make sure that I do a few brief sketches for each of the piece of art I make to show the development towards the final piece
2. I need to do a bit more reading and research into my artists as i may find an artist that really connects with my theme and that can back me up (maybe my work doesn't look exactly like theirs but the idea and thoughts behind it could make my work stronger as a whole)
3. Make sure for ever piece of artwork I do, I produce about 3 of the same one so that i can have a practice on them and also see them develop e.g. instead of drawing 1 can, draw 4 and see what they look like each time you try to draw them
4. Make sure I take very bit of advice from tutors so that it can improve my work

3rd idea for dispatches

Previously I have posted about researching a guy called 'Jeremy Hutchinson'. He looks at consumerism in a different way.
I did a bit more research on him and I found out that what he does is asks manufacturers to take one of the products that they make and produce an obvious fault on it (he would pay for it even though there was a fault) and see what would be sent to him.
He did this to highlight some aspects of the designers identity!

 E.g.

A heel with 2 heels

A pipe without the hole for tobacco

2 ended racket

I want to have a go at re-creating an object that had a purpose to having no purpose at all.

Because its expensive to ask a manufacturer to change their product giving it a fault, I was thinking of asking my friends/people what objects they use day to day & what could be changed to make it useless then create this myself.

This is still seeing the identity of the designer as my friends (designers) will provide me with the ideas for the objects, the only difference is that I would make them! 

Plan of action:

1. Speak to some of my friends to see what objects they use on a day to day basis & what could they change to make it useless
2. Buy or collect the items they they have mentioned
3. Think of ways I could change/adapt these items to take their main use away, to make them useless

(This may take longer than the scheduled time)

2nd idea for dispatches

Part 1:

In the last few days I've had a play around on Photoshop briefly creating some slogans from popular companies I thought it would be a great idea to extend this creating more art where I change directions of company's slogans, applying truth & sense

E.g.

To

The reason why businesses have slogans/logo's is cause it helps people to recognize their company easier.

Slogans become catchy, sticking in peoples head!

I was wondering whether changing the slogan to incorporate some truth about the company, would make more sense to the viewer in stead of saying saying everything is positive

Part 2:

AT & T "Reach out and touch someone"

This is a phone company, this slogan is counteractive to what the company is about, the phone generally means you don't have to be around people to talk to them, therefore in this slogan AT & T are saying don't use our product. To "Reach out and touch someone" you kinda need to be next to them, plus if you are next to them there's no need for a phone!

This would be interesting if I could print off large slogans that contradict themselves (people see past these because the company is so popular they could write anything on the slogan) and graffiti on top of it questioning or correcting how ridiculous the slogan is 

Plan of action for slogans:

Part 1:

1. Do some research on various famous company slogans
2. See if they have chose a logo that had truth about the product/company in it
3. Ask people what they think of the product
4. Re-create the slogan displaying peoples realistic thoughts about the company/product instead of things like:

(Coca Cola "Its the real thing")          (Very vague)

Part 2:

1. Look at some slogans that are totally contradicting themselves
2. Print these off large like you would see in the street on boards
3. Graffiti on top of it questioning why they are contradicting themselves and see what the audiences response is

Either part 1 or 2 or maybe both would be great to have a go at plus I think it will be alright to do in the time given 

1st idea for dispatches

I've been having a good think over these last couple of days about what to definatly do in my Dispatches project. Yesterday I was playing with some ideas for the TV advert I would like to make but instead of directing it at Nokia or businesses like that,  I watched an advert this morning and thought about Tesco but this advert could be about how it is taking over all these local business eg. Butchers and bakers.
My only problem that I may find is that I might run out of time while making the advert. 

TV advert idea:

4 people in a line

1. Florist (Prop - holding flowers) (costume - own clothes)
2. Butcher (Prop - holding fake sausages (maybe)) (costume - stripy apron & hat)
3. Grocer (Prop - holding carrots) (costume - long coat & flat cap)
4. Baker (Prop - holding a loaf of bread) (costume - apron & hat)

In the background I could maybe overexpose a white backdrop to make it glow!

Plan of action if I choose this idea:

1. Ask media dept. to use their backdrop and their lights, plus book date to use the studio
2. Buy the props for the video (make sure people are still alright being in a video)
3. Shoot the video/ voice over
4. Edit video/ write brief text on the piece of performance art

What would the advert consist of:

1st section - There will be the 4 people, each will step forward and say what they offer to the public (through a voice over) then disappear

2nd section - Once all said and disappeared, the Tesco logo will appear with an altered slogan to go with it

   

Feedback on URCA essay

I've just checked my emails and saw that I had some feedback from Alka on my essay for URCA modual in semester 1.
She says that I have chosen an interesting subject to write an essay on but the points that I have made throughout my essay are very brief and don't have much detail. Therefore, my discussion remains on the surface needing to have a bit more depth to it. Its a shame cause she thought I managed to give a decent overview and have identified some interesting examples.

Next time I write an essay I need to work on:

• Bringing depth to each of the points I discuss
• Making sure for definite that there is a connection between each point  

The feedback has been really good because I've got some points that I can improve on ready to write my next essay.

Dispatches introduction

This afternoon we were given a project as part of our 'Fine Art Independent Studio & Context'. The project is Dispatches.
In this project I have got to create a completely new piece of artwork in a short period of time (about 6 days) and back it up with a brief bit of text about the artwork.
In the text backing up my artwork I need to explain:

• Describe the thought process
• Evaluate the success/failure of the production
• Highlight 2 aspects that deserve further development
• Name a contemporary artwork that fueled my thoughts during this project (be specific)
• Text should be no more than half an A4 page (Font - Arial 12pt) when done put it on a memory stick for 10:00am on Tues 29th Jan 2013

Ive just been having a good think about what type of artwork I could have a go at producing over this sort period of time. 

Thinking about the artwork i've just produced (changing the slogans on well known shops and retailers) I could continue that but look at different genera's of retailing (eg. Clothes retailing, car retailing).

On my last post after changing some slogans for McDonalds and Nokia etc, I mentioned about it being interesting to take the new slogans and recreating their adverts but using the new slogans which would change the meaning of the advert. So im also thinking of taking a company like Nokia and creating an advert using the slogan I made:

I like the 2 ideas, im swaying more towards the advert making at the moment but ill have to have a research into it further to see if i could produce it in the time given.

Changing slogans/quotes

Thinking along the lines of recreating quotes/slogans, I've just had a play around with Photoshop, I found 3 slogans that I have had a go at changing slightly:

This was really fun changing some well known companies slogans and flipping it giving them the totally opposite outcome to the customer. 
When im in uni ill have a go at printing these off at A1 size (as if they were bulletins) and see what they would look like at a large scale. 
This would be even more interesting if I could produce an advert like they show on TV but using the new slogans ..... 

Continued research on Jeremy Hutchinson

I've been having a good think about items that I could use and take Jeremy Hutchinson's style and recreate some of his work. 
Some items i have been thinking about using is a hairbrush (but without the spindles), or maybe a watch/clock without the hands (therefore not being able to tell the time). 
I really like this idea because its taking the purpose of these objects and giving them no purpose at all, doing the total opposite to what consumerism does!

Keeping the idea of creating these useless objects in mind, I was watching the news the other day and it mentioned something about role models (e.g. Martin Luther King) and that his dream was about hope, he was famous for the quote 'I have a dream'. I was sitting today and had an idea of taking quotes/slogans and recreating them in the direction of consumerism. 

E.g.

(Instead of it saying 'Because your worth it.' it could say 'Its not worth it' instead)

This is another area that will be really good to look into and see if I can produce this idea maybe as a photograph or even maybe in a painting form.

Ill give it a go!

Jeremy Hutchison (Consumerism artwork)

Just been researching around the area of consumerism and came across this artist named: Jeremy Hutchison. 

Pipe

Heels

Tennis Racket

After looking at some of his work I think it is really really good! Im defo going to look into it and maybe make some of my own. 

The best thing about it is that it hits consumerism on its head. 

When a 'pipe' is made, its made for someone to smoke from, but it cant be smoked from if the top of it is sealed!
When a set of 'heels' are made, they are made for women to walk with on their feet. But they cant be worn if there are 2 heels, one being in a place where she would put her foot!
When a 'tennis racket' is made, they make it so he/she can play tennis with. But, people cant play tennis with a 2 headed racket (if so with great difficulty). 

Hutchison takes consumerism and looks at what people buy and what the objects purpose is and takes its main use away so the object becomes useless.

GENIUS!

Artwork set out for marking

Just been in Uni and sorted my artwork out ready to be marked. Bit nervous see what mark I get for it, fingers crossed it will be alright. We've got this week off while they are marking our work so im gonna do bits of research ready to start Semester 2, all ready to crack on when I get back.