I've decided to look at taking images underwater - so I've borrowed a friends underwater camera (its pretty cool I might invest in one) and I thought I'd give it a go. 

I did plan to go outside to some water - so I'd get the movement within the water... Although I have my second cold this winter already, so I'm thinking it wouldn't help me much. Therefore I decided to experiment in the bath tub (..again) Although if I manage to get his camera again at one point I may have to go outdoors and try and get a couple of shots. 

Before I began taking some pictures I wanted to do some research on other artists who have used similar idea of water......

I found these stunning paintings by Alyssa Monks, fucking amazing paintings! Also love the composition she uses.

I would give my right leg to be able to paint like this.

After my exhibition piece I've decided to still look into the idea of water. I want to explore the theme of deterioration in my work - looking at how water can be used as a tool to deteriorate pieces of work (paintings/images) and also looking at the idea of still behind underwater.

exhibition piece

Although I really liked the idea of the jug as it was smaller in the end I decided to use a different jug - as when it came down to displaying the piece I wasn't sure of how it would look best, so I changed the jug at last minute. I wasn't too confident with this piece even though I decided to show it in the exhibition.. I think it was because its not my usual style of work - even though I wanted to experiment with creating something on a smaller scale and making it more intimate. 

I dont think this worked as well as I would've hoped, I feel as though I rushed making it for the exhibition. I think my piece would've looked better in a darker place - as I added a light in top of the jar to really focus in on the images. Although in the private viewing it was dark outside - so I guess that worked to my advantage. I had a window space in the triangle space, which added a reflection of the piece on the wall making the space seem larger.

I ended up placing the piece on a side table, as I wanted the piece to look almost ornamental. I thought the table showed a relation to Emma Harts work I saw at Matt's Gallery, when she used a tripod. This made the piece seem more visual. I also added a shell on the lower shelf of the table, to make it seem more precious although I thought it distracted from the piece (so did others in the crit) 

I toyed with the idea of adding images above the book - I think this works more successfully than before. I also like the small scale as you have to really look up close to actually see the images.

 I also added a light to add more focus to the images and hopefully create some shadows while exhibiting this piece.

I decided to experiment with creating a book-like image inside water. Although I know these wont last in the water I really like the idea of them slowly being destroyed by the water. 

(sorry in advance for the shit photographs)

 Close up

Although I feel like there is too much space surrounding the book. I think it would work best relating to Su Blackwell with having pieces coming up out of the book. Also with the water they would float for sometime. 

I decided to play around with the scale of the image in the water. Also experimenting with the use of light as I've looked at light a little in my previous work,

I think the light really adds to the atmosphere of this image. I also think the scale has worked more successfully as it has made it more intimate. 

Heres a colour of the image more clearly.

I think it would work really well if I combined the idea of creating a book and the water together. 

I decided I wanted to create something using the idea of water so I experimented with the idea of placing an image in water...

I like the distortion from the water - although I'm not 100% keen on the scale. 

I decided to look into artist who have looked at using books within there work...

 Louise Richardson (above)

I found this piece online and really liked the idea of having something falling out of the book. Also the idea of having it in some form of a display cabinet makes it seem more precious and almost closed off.

 This then led me onto looking into other artists who have looked at similar concepts.

Su Blackwell (above & below)

I really love the contrast in these two artists, Su Blackwells work seems a lot more delicate compared to Louise Richardsons. The method in which Blackwell has displayed hers works so well, she has used the idea of light and shadow to make her work become more of a visual piece.

I think using the idea of having somethign coming out of a book would work really well - as though the idea of  abandonment includes the book - as the images would be leaving the book behind and moving on from this. 

I started off by creating a small book so I could make something to hold my images in and show the process of the photos...

Although I didn't think this was going as well and thought it needed a more interesting idea rather than just creating a book.. 

So I decided to explore some artists who have used books but used different elements. I was also thinking of using water in some form. 

Although I was having fun experimenting with different aspects. We had to put on a exhibition as a year group - realising I needed to place a piece of work in this. This made me think,.. of what to display. I didn't think any of my pieces were strong enough individually I wanted to look at the idea of process and perhaps look into displaying all the experiments I had looked at so far in some form.

This immediately led me on to looking at the idea of creating a book of some kind to display the journey  - as a story almost.

lynette willoughby

Genevieve Seille

Kim Gordon

I decided to create an idea which used the idea of shadows - making a paper filter on top of a candle to create a similar effect of shadows on the space around it. 

Although paper wasn't the most ideal material as I noticed it got burnt by the candle.

This was the effect I got with the lights off in a corner of my bedroom - the light projected up against it creating the shapes I had cut out of the template.

There's a close up of it also.

As I was investigating the idea of having the images almost turn into shadow like images. I wanted to do a quick experiment just focusing on the idea of shapes and shadows.

The first artist which came to my mind was Cornelia Parker:

.CORNELIA PARKER.

These projections/shadows were created so simply but work so effectively to create a sense of space.

I projected my images into my bath tub..

I also experimented with creating a more distorted effect almost showing a journey of the image fading away.

I found this piece by Dorothy Cross, she projected a film into a tea cup:

I really love the delicateness of this, the size makes it really intimate with the viewer. I think projection on the water is a great idea - the ripples really add a great effect to the projection. 

I think this would be better idea to project my images on water - to create movement. Also add more of an environment factor.

.MATT'S GALLERY.

As a tutor group we all went on a gallery visit to Matt's Gallery, to see Emma Hart's exhibition. It was really nice to see the actual gallery space as I'd never been there. I liked the fact that it was focused on just  one artist - it gave us the chance to be able  to take in the piece better.

I really loved the scale she used of the  videos - making the pieces more intimate, as the screen on the camera meant the viewer had to get close to the piece to take it all in. Also I really loved the way she placed the piece, in a circle as though we were meant to walk around the outside and not enter the middle (as we would've been faced with all of the camera lenses). Using the tri-pod also makes them very sculptural pieces. 

I wanted to look at other places to project my pieces onto... for somewhere that creates distortion I really liked the idea of water. As it creates an intimate environment between us and our body. 

This is a photography of me underwater which my friend took - I really like the ripples across the face as they add an element of distortion. I also like the light which is reflecting off of the water. 

Bath tubs can also seem very womb-like. 

Like this piece it creates a darkened vulnerable womb-like environment. 

Artist unknown. 

 although when looking at any element of water the first artist which comes into my mind is Bill Viola

I decided to experiment with projecting some images on walls in my house..

I don't think these are that successful - I think I could use projection in a more successful way. 

I wanted to look at different ways to further my images I took with projections on top of my brothers face. I found some really great artists which used the idea of projection in their work which I really loved...

 Athanasia Kyriakakos and Dimitris Rotsios- Dream

 marc camille chaimowicz

Tony Oursler

.SOME OF MY WORK.

Although I know my work hasn't been as successful compared to the work I've previously looked at they have some qualities which I like. 

On this first piece I decided to project some shadows which I had creates from a previous piece of work.. I like the strong contrast that has been created although the projection didn't come out as clear as I would've hoped.

(The shadow I created with a broken mirror reflecting light on to my wall)

This second piece I used a video of running water, to experiment with movement - every shot I took came out slightly different. The projection has come out more clear on this piece.

I think these would've worked better in a studio rather than in my bedroom.  

.UNKNOWN ARTISTS.

These are some really inspiring images I've found using projections - these have mainly been found on others blogs. I really love the how different they all are, I'm definitely going to experiment with projection on the face.

.ZBIGNIEW FITZ.

As I wanted to look into artist that have used an almost projection effect I found Fitz, I thought this worked well alongside my idea. Using the human body a lot to create more organic figures which work really successfully.

I find her pieces are rather dramatic, the use of light and harsher tones/contrasts. Also in a lot of her pieces she sets out to make the human body very organic and almost appear fragile.

 Although I really like the outcome of her photos, she has actually use photo manipulation rather than projecting these onto the body.

I wanted to experiment with using light on top of the found objects. 

TATE BRITAIN

.JOHN MARTIN.


After going to the Tate Britain to see.. John Martin - Apocalypse. Although his work was more traditional then my practise. In one of his rooms he had a piece where there were projections on his paintings (this was remastered by someone else in a way of displaying his paintings.) Although I didn't necessarily like the style which it had been done - I found this really inspiring for me to look further into the idea of projections.

"Theatrical display of the 'Last Judgement' triptych

Exhibitions of these paintings were sometimes accompanied by dramatic lectures and lighting. Theatre company Uninvited Guests have created a sound and light show for our own times, when apocalyptic blockbusters are a popular cinematic entertainment. The words you can hear are drawn from the pamphlet that contained a descriptive key to the paintings, published advertisements and reviews from the time of the original exhibition tour and Martin's inspiration, the Book of Revelation, King James Bible" (Tate website)