In a workshop with Mary focusing on shape and form painting with a roller to block out shapes.Using thick layers, waiting for the layers to dry then over lining them with different drawing mediums to serve as textural difference. I used conte pastels and charcoal to etch out detail within the more abstract shapes.
This early work sits as foundations for my work in my final major project, important to understand form and blocking out shapes if I am to use aspects of sculpture within my final major project. The marks of paint are a suggestion of a subject, a gestural expression of paint. I think these were successful in their juxtaposition of colour to create a complimentary palette . During the early stages of transitioning from viewpoints to My FMP, I was stuck on which medium I would like to base my piece around. Experimenting with both photography and painting in different stages, I thought it best to combine the processes I had focused on most this year which has been aspects of sculpture, installation and photography combined. This is to serve as practice for future practice in which I hope to be interdisciplinary, the physical process of making and being hands on is something that is important to me as I work best when I can problem solve with something I can touch and have present with me in a space I'm comfortable with in reach of reference material. Working with photography is something I had limited experience with this year and including it within my final piece would be a culmination of everything I have learnt within foundation year as it signals my growth in stepping out of my comfort zone to solidify my way of working and creating art.
The idea for my piece combines the usage of photography as narrative With topics I had previously explored within my other assignments Which include Bodily autonomy and the place of guilt, sexual expression and reflection. The historical context of these topics within art history, mostly through the lease of contemporary art and the importance art has when tackling these issues. Hoping to weave personal feelings alongside the broader universal experience, my viewpoint and interpretation of the topics I intend to base My FMP on. Personal work is also something I am calling on for reference on my fmp, some performative work I had completed for during the end of viewpoints that was a condemnation of the demeaning and violent treatment of the bodies of women and gender minorities. Making comparisons to the biblical treatment of women to modern gender based issues. Allegory is key in this work, based on Judges 19-21 it's a direct attack of a destructive way of thinking of individuals as disposable based on gender. Violent and disturbing but poignant when put into perspective it's similarities with the increase of domestic violence cases, increasing cases of gender based discrimination and Femicide. |
Developments Of FMP
Using modroc on top of a mannequin to build a torso structure, staining the modroc while wet as it adheres better as a stain when put on wet for a variety of tones with one paint. I found that the modroc was easily chipped when dry and although stained, the modroc chipped so the colour was inconsistent. Considering it as possibly a material I use for my piece, maybe in tandem with something more sturdy that is also malleable enough to work with.
Working in clay based on a sketch of a face, I carved the expressions to come off as more deep set when fired. The protruding eyelids were a difficult task and took up most of the time spent of the piece, the outcome wasn't what I wanted but it is still a piece I'm satisfied with in the early stages of my project. I was however pleased with the outcome of the nose. I left it in the wet cupboard to decide whether or not I would glaze it as I worked on other things. The piece itself was time consuming and may lead to difficulty when also working on other aspects of my final major project. |
During previous projects I had used expanding foam to mimic parts of the human body for example fat, So It would be fitting to continue the use of the material as I have worked with it before and know how t handle it safety and effectively for the desired outcome. Using expanding foam I layered it on top of the modroc solving the problem with it being brittle, the use of the modroc as a base also helps the foam to hold shape while drying. Expanding foam is also a good canvas for paints and it adheres well because it is porous yet solid. When working with expanding foam I wore gloves and long clothing so as to not let it stick to my skin. It's important to also have good air circulation of the space intended to work in, opening the windows to prevent being breathed; I wore a mask for protection.
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Progress of FMP and Reflection of prior Assignments
In ceramics class with Roberta before Christmas, I experimented with the human likeness within sculpture, with my final major project I wanted to bring in everything I learnt from these classes to create a sculpture with clay elements. I have sculpted a mask based on some sketches based on contextual study and my photography as reference for composition. The mask I have moulded around a base to hold its shape and building in thicker layers allowing me to sculpt in to create deeper markings within the clays surface.
Using modroc and expanding foam to create the base for the torso of my piece, I used this technique in Mary's Class in the viewpoints assignment; using modroc earlier in the year to create shape within 2 Dimensional pieces and as a canvas for paint. With the expanding foam a basic shape out of expanding foam allowing it to set slightly and manipulating the half set foam to allow for easier shaping. after seeing the foam base by itself I thought it looked better without having the clay face attached as it fit with the depersonalisation aspect that I wanted to display within my work. Working in ceramic also posed a problem with timing, the processes that are required would have taken a significant amount of time given for my final major project. The sculpture without the clay face means I could work on other things that I wanted to prioritise for the finalisation of the piece. The sketches were modified to be inclusive of the completed piece as something to reference and work from to guide composition and staging of the piece as I wanted it to be an installation, this also has had to be compromised as the uncertainty of how the piece will be viewed. ideally the piece would have been viewed from a 360 degree angle with the viewer able to walk around it. Working to modify the piece to create the dramatic effect with photography is the way I have decided to work with my materials to show best in a digital format as the subtlety of colour I had originally planned wouldn't photograph as well as I would like.
Using the expanding foam, waiting until it has set somewhat and manipulating the material with a palette knife; then later when dry carving out more defined crevices to create depth within the sculpture. The use of expanding foam as it is accessible to work from whether within college or at home. The foam also has the benefit of being sturdy once dried while still giving the desired outcome of both rough and rounded surfaces for shape and texture. The texture of the foam lends itself well to acrylic based paints and inks, both allowing for staining and thick application of colour. I also floated the idea of using oil paint but the drying times and expense would be significantly more compared to acyrlic
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The palette for the sculpture is based on the portraiture of Lucian Freud, the colour palette and application technique of Freud served as inspiration for the piece. The book 'Lucian Freud: The Self Portraits' gave fascinating dissection of the artist's scrutiny of his body and the progress of his artistic maturity, keeping the book alongside myself for reference while working with colour.
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The next step of My progression of my sculpture was to correct and define any features I wanted to stand out and build upon. Working in layers of expanding foam and modroc gave a solid foundation for the next part of the process with is finalising the shape and mass of the body. Using gap filler because of its ability to be mixed both thin and thick to create textural difference with one material is handier than using a few different materials for the same effect works out both more economical with the added advantage of allowing for a working time which wasn't too much of a constraint to layer the desired amount of material. Finessing the shape and strokes of the application of the sculpting material; between each application allowing to dry and returning to which after an hour when completely set. The material I also used is flammable and had the idea in mind to set on fire when completed the torso as the narrative of purification based on religious ritual and self destruction. Keeping in mind the safety protocols to ensure that the proper care is adhered to.
I also experimented with mixing the a colourant in the form of red acrylic ink, firstly I tried using normal acrylic paint but it didn't have the fluidity needed to properly mix with the powdered filler which ended up clumping in parts and didn't look promising as an underpainting material. However the Ink did work in the experiments, mixing a smaller amount of powder with water and ink in a separate container and dipping the end of the palette knife every so often in the mixture on top of the uncoloured filler mixture. The desired effect was to have parts of the body look blushed before applying the other paints at a later stage.
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The process of dyeing the fabrics chosen for the piece was a new experience for me, using synthetic fabric dye for the process was the best option for both the recycled fabrics I had collected from old sheets and newer fabrics I had got for the project. The fabrics consisted of synthetic cottons and organza, using synthetic cotton because it meant I could splurge on the organza that would give me the desired effect of fluidity to imitate liquid and transparency for texture and an ethereal look when photographed. I wanted to reference older work from earlier this year, the work which consisted of multi exposure photography which had a ghostly liminal quality that I wanted to replicate with a physical material.
I plan to set the material once dried partially on fire alongside the sculpture, photographing it and then once charred photographing it within a studio setting. So ensuring the fabric is dyed in advance was priority for me. the dyeing process took a total of two and a half days, allowing the fabric to sit in the dye for at least 24 hours, followed by a second soak once processed in cold water and dried. I used a Red dye but diluted it to more of a pink because I thought it complemented the tones of the sculpture better. I intended to use red dye to symbolise blood, but thought it too contrasted to the piece and diluting it was a subtler nod to that idea. Once hung up to dry a second time but still wet I sprayed the fabric with a brown spray paint for a dirtier, aged finish. I intend to use the fabrics as representation of expelled matter whether that be menstruation or any other form of expulsion caused by natural or forced circumstances, a symbolism pf the violent actions of the body.
I plan to set the material once dried partially on fire alongside the sculpture, photographing it and then once charred photographing it within a studio setting. So ensuring the fabric is dyed in advance was priority for me. the dyeing process took a total of two and a half days, allowing the fabric to sit in the dye for at least 24 hours, followed by a second soak once processed in cold water and dried. I used a Red dye but diluted it to more of a pink because I thought it complemented the tones of the sculpture better. I intended to use red dye to symbolise blood, but thought it too contrasted to the piece and diluting it was a subtler nod to that idea. Once hung up to dry a second time but still wet I sprayed the fabric with a brown spray paint for a dirtier, aged finish. I intend to use the fabrics as representation of expelled matter whether that be menstruation or any other form of expulsion caused by natural or forced circumstances, a symbolism pf the violent actions of the body.
Testing a scrap of the synthetic cotton fabric to see how it reacted to being set on fire, in an open space with access to water to put the fire out after photographing it. I didn't like the outcome of the experiment as the fabric melted and became stiff once put out. Sticking to leaving the fabric as is to keep it's loose qualities.
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SETTING ALIGHT
The process of setting up and composing the photographs of the burning sculpture, meant looking at spaces within my garden for the best set up to see both the draping of the fabrics from a height and the sculpture, settling on a more intimate space but with more ventilation. The lighting was also a problem To figure out how to photograph the fire. deciding to use the outdoor lights to light the fabric from one source as a nod to chiaroscuro techniques for a dramatic effect on the fabric defining the folds once hung and positioned in the way that is most flattering to the space.
Once the piece was burnt and photographed, I used the leftover dye liquid poured on the sculpture both for a final tint of the charred materials. This process gave an interested few shots that were alluding to violence. The dye took well to exposed areas of expanding foam and the burnt pieces of gap filler that partially crumbled contrasting the smooth areas untouched by the fire.
I shot a few photographs using multi exposure just to support what I wanted in the final photographs to have as reference to the finalised studio images. Using processes I developed during my previous assignments that have become a core part of my practice in the time of starting the course and up until now still incorporating in multitudes of other things I have did.
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Shooting wide had the problem with empty space that lost the intimate feeling I wanted to have as work towards the final image, Shooting portrait was the solution to this and preferred the test shoots from this method.
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Contextual Research
Lamentation and death
God knows that there is no proof
that part returns to wholeness simply because miracles happen at a single church-going. Her verdant branches labelled with the names of the five senses, the garden not ours, she prayed for her illness to last beyond the grave, and be the unsealer of that tree. She might have been dead for a week, though she went on with her deep dying, her womb a transparent crystal turning into a brown relic even before her death. The blinding beauty of her hood opening acted upon me as my own ghost would do, sounding silk, as with a lifting gesture she tore off flesh from her hand, driving wide her middle finger into the palm of the other. Till being a vessel, Christ appeared to her as a dish filled with carved-up bread so unnaturally sweet, so lightly crushed, she could quench the tall language of his image in her mouth, which was the breast-wound, always on the point of being taken, in his female side. Medbh McGuckian |
Poetry has been a source of contextual influence for myself during the research of my final major project, mainly contemporary Irish poetry with the themes of domesticity, the inner life of the body, sexuality and maternal relationships. The influence Catholicism has on the lives of Irish women extends beyond life but into death, it carries cycles of Maternal ideals and expectations through it's foundations. Ireland itself written itself in the feminine form, Mother Eire; fertile and comforting to those who inhabit. The Poetry of Medbh McGuckian, Eavan Boland and Paula Meehan prominent within a male-dominated literary landscape focusing on women's experience, an enshrined subservience put in place by state and church and the touching sensuality of Woman.
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Artist research
Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency
Nan Goldin's photography series The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is a record of the artist's experiences, capturing the love, vulnerability and loss within intimate relationships. The seminal image Nan and Brian in Bed provides a look to the alienation post intimacy, with the artist capturing the separation of lovers, a distrust in her gaze with an usual power dynamic. The nuance of body language portrays an emotional disconnect chronicalling dissatisfaction in the detachment of her partner. Goldin's series of photographs stand as a diary to the passing relationships dually the love and hate in an honest and unflinching way, a diary of those around the artist and universal emotion.
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Louise Bourgeouis
The work of Louise Bourgeois returns to the maternal body in many stages of the artist's life, the provocation that an ageing body has, fertility and the presentation of the human fear of sexuality and ageing. For me the work of Bourgeois is a testament to the devaluation of the female form and her correction of such. The works in many forms depict a spliced and reworked form, nightmarish and surreal they shed light on themes of family dynamics, loneliness and pain. Forms created from childhood distress, the artist dissects the relationship of her mother in father and how they fit in to the wider scope of gender double standards and infidelity.
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Ana Mendieta
Ana Mendieta, an artist whose life was cut tragically short mirrors her work in death. The evocation of folk tradition and the occult in relation to gender, female sexuality and the harmful effects of male violence are themes that shadow her work. The Silueta series revolving around the body, nature and the spiritual connection of a return to the maternal source, the temporary nature of these works are ritualistic in nature, an imprinting of the female form in nature "through my earth-body sculptures I become one with the earth... I become an extension of nature and nature becomes an extension of my body". The disintegration of these works in their natural state in which they are viewed are not captured within photograph a self erasure of the work by the changing state of nature and the passing of time. Fire within her work presents a ceremonial practice of worship to the form, my use of fire in my work is a reflection of a purification of the form.
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Tracey Emin
The work of Tracey Emin has been brought with controversy to what art really is in contemporary art. Her works signal a move towards a form of self vulnerability and combative against disgust against herself as a woman and in a wider context the digsust and degeneration of women based on sexual history , trauma and a refusal to conform. Detailing great traumas as a source of inspiration, looking introspectively towards her own anguish to the pain bestowed upon her by both herself and other. Her work can often be aggressive and unwavering in the face of its viewer, it shocks in its confessional nature. The series of recent paintings known as the rape series, depict a figure basked in expressionistic marks and strokes, the subject is dehumanised and deconstructed creating a violent almost brutal assembly of lines that break the solid colour of the canvas.
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Rineke Dijkstra
The photographic works of Rineke Dijkstras of portraits of women after they have given birth, provide an intimate rarely looked at insight of new mothers in private paces, the protective nature and powerful presence of these women after birth, bearing signs of the previous ordeal in the form of scars and sanitary towels. Covering the baby's head to protect them and keep them close. The intensity of the Mother's gaze and form is uncompromising and emphasises a shared reality to stages of womanhood. The atmosphere of change that has occurred to both the emotional and physical sides of a woman. The time afterbirth recognisable and relatable to a lot of people who view the photographs.
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Zanele Muholi
Patricia Belli
The works of Patricia Belli rework clothing in a sculptural manner, her works focus of the themes of memory of body and identity., the use of distorted fabrics signal the objectification of the female body. A confrontation of the ideas of femininity and the surrounding patriarchal ideals analysed and counteracted by these domineering forms which act as rebellion. The piece traps is erotic in its display but also nightmarish, objectification and attraction meet to form a inhuman form. The works of the artist has been influential in the development of what I wanted to achieve within my final piece, helping me to refine what I wanted to display to denote an objectification and dissection of body.
Lucian Freud
The work of Lucian Freud has inspired me in the techniques I have used throughout the painting process of my piece, the impasto of his later works, taking on a sculptural quality to the work. The artist's relationship to the medium is as important as the subject, manipulating the human form in such a way that creates discomfort to the viewer. The later pairings of Freud denote a heaviness and a weight to the form through thick layers of paint. The painter did not glamourise the form, painting meticulously from the point of a critical lens. The figurative painter committed to the honesty of the flesh in its real form. The work has influenced me to turn a scrutinous eye to flesh and the representation of the body through thicker use of material to create weight to the work.
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