Evaluation

This unit has shown me that my strengths are in pattern making and exploration into surface texture.  I have learnt that my practice works in its own right as a fine art based context through careful assemblage and composition of my artefacts and drawings I learnt this through actually displaying my work in this way in the exhibition; service wash. Through my own contextual research I also learnt that my work could fit another context in the field of fashion or trend inspiration as the work I make photographs well and could be used in an editorial sense. Working on paper has liberated me and enabled me to work faster, produce more and be more ambitious.  Before this project I had never used In design, this was a challenge that I overcame through trial and error. I feel that my skills with regard to photography have become much stronger yet I am disappointed that this project has little work on fabric. I do however feel that when I later make the transition back to fabric that I will be far more willing to take risks and as I have been continuously experimental throughout this project.

Portfolio

My portfolio showcases my abilities to experiment with different Medias and materials. It also shows an ability to use colour and pattern and could be viewed as a portfolio with the intention of being sold as inspiration in order to be used for prints for fashion.  I have I also included photographs of some of my more 3 dimensional work due to them being difficult to mount or assemble at interview, these also could be used as inspiration for fashion or trend.  However if somebody were to contact me with a mind to exhibit my work I think it more likely that they would get in touch with me through my website or I would refer them to my website if I was interested in working with them.  

Collaboration

I have found collaboration throughout this project a positive experience and perhaps a good representation of how it would work after I finish my degree. As throughout this project I have exhibited my work in two shows and post university I will hopefully work in this way; working with others to show work.

For the upcoming degree show I plan to show my work through an assemblage of drawings objects and artefacts displayed on the walls and the floor. I feel that it will be important for me to somehow showcase by book as a way of giving the audience that view my work a bit of extra context for my work and for them to see how it could be used in the future.

When I leave university I plan continue with my practice and continue to build my portfolio as I would like to use the drawings and objects I have made as an archive from which to work onto fabric as well as showcase them as works in their own right to take them to interview in order to qualify for an internship so that I can gain experience and learn more about my practice. 

Galleries and an outward facing approach

I have been researching galleries that would potentially exhibit my work as I begin to work as an artist. After I leave university I think that the galleries most likely to exhibit my work are independent ones such as Islington Mill in Salford or krack gallery these are both galleries that have exhibited up and coming artists before they  both have a good reputation and are well known for showcasing new work. Krack gallery is situated in the Northern Quarter of Manchester city centre this is ideal as this is an area well known for arts and culture, galleries such as these rely on people who are interested in viewing art coming across spaces such as these.by showing my work more frequently in spaces such as these I will gain publicity. Islington mill also offer studios to be rented, a rented studio is a possible avenue for me as it would be a space to work and build a network of other artists with which to work and make contacts. However the studios at Islington Mill do not have many resources or equipment. However if I felt it was necessary to use facilities such as screen printing the studio CDM in Manchester has more resources such as this.  I will aim to involve myself in groups similar to the students who set up service wash in order to gain contacts and gain publicity for my work. looking further to the future once I have established myself and my practice I hope to exhibit my work at more well-known galleries such as site gallery in Sheffield. Whilst on Unit X I have exhibited my work In two exhibitions as stated earlier. 

My Books!

I have produced two books one as a way of showing how my work can be used as inspiration for fashion and another as an artist’s book as a way of promoting my work. My idea for the inspiration book came from pairing images together, creating a narrative through pattern, surface and texture. I have been inspired by the online inspiration site paternity and the way they collate images into groups based on similar visual references. When it came to printing my book I had may attempts and test prints. I was relived that I had  made a start on this in plenty of time. I chose to use thick white paper, as much as  I would have liked to use unusual paper, when I test printed this I felt that the quality of the images was compromised. I am happy with the covers that I made they work well as a pair and have a tactile quality, a good representation of the work I make. 

Artists Book 

Book for inspiration 

layout research

I have been gradually collecting small books and magazines as research on layout for the book I plan to make. I am making this book for the purpose of making my work into inspiration for fashion if it was used in this way it would more than likely be displayed in layouts that utilize good photography, carefull presentation and attention to detail. These are all skills I am learning as I go along through practicing my photography and careful research as a way of creating my own style for my book. I find that I like that way artists books look, perhaps this is due to me coming from a makers point of view and so see my work as being more about the ‘art’ or the artifacts and the result of the making process than the trend and concept. A piece of research that particularly stood out was a spread in a magazine curated by Iris Van Herpan, the piece was on found objects and how they documented the places they were from. The photographs of said objects were each spaced well apart, this space gave the layout an archive/ documentation feel. This is a style I may consider for my book and photography. 

Books- dead ends, Sol Lewitts artists book and a magazine curated by iris van Herpen 

collaboration and outward facing approach

I had some of my work displayed in ‘service wash’ a two part exhibition curated by art history student Jasmine Saunders and Graphic design student  Beatriz Pinharanda. The exhibition revolved around themes of community and the dying breed of Launderette, both exhibitions were indeed held in launderettes. These themes helped me select my work for the show I began to see this piece as ‘sight responsive’. I chose the works I did for the ideas they evoke, the clustered assemblage I arranged was homely and reminded me of a cluttered ‘lived in home’, a ‘homely’ theme was one discussed with Jasmine when I visited the space. The work could also be perceived to have ‘bubble’ imagery this was in response to the work being in a launderette.  It was a good experience to collaborate with student from different disciplines and for me to be able to reflect upon my work so far and how it could be used in a real exhibition context. It was a good practice to assemble my work as a collection of objects and drawing and made me think about how my work may be presented in the degree show, it also gave me some ideas on how some more difficult pieces could be displayed. Working with History of art students showed me new ways of presenting my work and solutions for displaying more high maintenance works that I may not have arrived at on my own without this collaboration. During this unit I also collaborated with other student on my course who curated my work and displayed it in an embroidery show named ‘Irregularities’ at Stockpot Art Gallery. I used work from the past unit but it was good practice to see my work on fabric displayed in a sculptural sense, this work was originally made for the stitch show L’Aiguille en Fête. The experience was beneficial for me as I began to see how work made with a slightly different intention in mind, can be used in a new way in a gallery space, showing the number of different ways my work can be used.  

Graphics by Beaatriz 

Karla Black and my use of pastel color

I have been looking at more fine art references to in order to inspire my work. I have been looking at both painting and sculpture/ assemblage type works.

Karla balck is an artist I have been researching who’s work utilises colour well, and uses  contrasting materials such as matte powders and soft mounds of gel like substances. Black Uses   unconventional materials such as make-up, reams of sellotape, cling film and many different types of cosmetics. I find that her use of pastel colours juxtaposes her odd medias as they are typically used in a ‘pretty’ way yet blacks work is strange and on a vast scale. This clash of qualities is a theme running throughout my work and use of colour.

Here is a quote from Black that I found, I felt that it was an interesting self reflection on her work and inspired me to think about the way I may display work at degree show.

"That's what sculpture can do, it can be a pure engulfment and absorption in the material world, when you're not even aware of yourself, when you have no self consciousness, and you're not being watched and you're just purely absorbed in the material world. That is the best possible kind of escape – when you are fully connected to yourself.

"I think about art as a place to behave, as an escape, not just for me but for the people looking at it," says Black.

works and installations by Karla Black 

Piece made from plaster paint and sculpting foam; the rough uneven surface contrasts with the soft pale color

Taking the marks off the page

I have been using plaster as a way of taking the marks that I make on the paper off of the surface and give a more 3 dimensional quality to my drawings. I have used materials that are typically used for a domestic purpose like plaster and gloss paint that are typically used for decorating a house and have re-appropriated these materials, I enjoy the notion of taking something quite humble, things that fade into our surroundings and go unnoticed and making them something of interest bringing them to the forefront of our attention as the prime use of decoration.  I have been researching the artist Hayden Dunham, her work fits within the fine are context, I see a correlation between her work and mine for the way she constructs objects and artefacts and later photographs them. The work is partially showcasing the objects she makes yet  the  photography of said artefact is crucial to her practice and gives the work a new dimension becoming a separate work and a piece in its own right.

 

assemblage of objects and drawings

Work by Hayden Dunham