Monday, 14 July 2014

Tutorial Report 32 James Kowacz

Date:   15th June 2014                Tutor: James Kowacz
_________________________________________________________________________________

Reflection on outcomes since last tutorial

Last worked with James during Task 4 Personal Practice and Career Development, and last talked about work quite a while ago. Had sent him a few links for current work, and also pertinent trials from recent making day.
____________________________________________________________________________
Current projected aims and outcomes

Discussed the found paintings – the variety of colours, patterns, textures, and how that made it possible to view them in different ways. James noted the slightly blurred bits in some and suggested they work less well (Blurring happens during merging). He asked did that matter to me – I have seen the overall effect, and like that variety, thinking also a shade of Gerhard Richter slightly blurred paintings. James could see other artists suggested in paintings, and that I have framed them to be like that – they could be independent artworks.
Talked about the white layer film sample – questions scale, if large, could get lost in a dream-like state, like staring at clouds. Induces a certain state of mindfulness – increasing awareness of textures, etc. Suggested slower transitions (!)

Asked about the colour ideas, I explained matching like with like, so roughly colour palettes together.
Looked at the photos clip – James found them creepy and disturbing, that he could not focus on a single person – not clear enough to convince himself he could see them. Ambiguous shapes, so don’t know what he is looking at – an uneasy ghostly feel – old photos/grandparents – familiar to all. Hovering within image- still/moving? Uncertain whether see image or shadow.
________________________________________________________________________________

Discussion and recommendations

Sound. Discussed sounds lower than the human ear can hear. Sarah Angliss, Roddy Skeaping http://www.sarahangliss.com/extras/Infrasonic/whoweare.htm Chapter from –Experiment: Conversations in Art and Science – another book to get. Psychological effects of infrasound. Soundless music. Church organs – 64’ – Liverpool? This subliminal sound is right up my street. Sound – it can split the video up, help the viewer’s attention, build and fall tension and emotion, divide into sections – it gives the video narrative.
Discussed my dilemmas about installation – don’t want to squander the opportunity by being too bare, but don’t want too elaborate a set up to take anything away from the moving image itself. No right answer. Issues of sound leakage in gallery choices. The work – hovering between reality and non reality – colours could be blood, holes could be from bullets, etc, but that narrative, interpretation is James’ imagination… Decided to try some contemporary school photos just to test effects/ contrasts, if it works and if the photos have to be drawn from the past.

Reflection


Great to talk over ideas with James, and that he could interpret the effects and suggestions I am after.  Some aspects of this final project are as yet difficult to put into words – I always had the found paintings and the school photos in mind, and knew that they would merge, and that process is still continuing, but I am still far from saying why I chose them and why they are together. As I make the work, I plan that it will inform me, as ideas mesh, and more themes and connections emerge. I guess it’s to and from between me and the work.

14th July 2014

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Me

My photo
Thinker of thoughts, mother of adults Shadows Echoes Stories Dyslexia London Scotland Drawing Sewing Research Tutor Mentor Books Trees Clouds Quartz Magnets. I review and write about art and culture.

Followers