Contextual Review Draft (28.10.2019)

General course impressions:

The Part One of the Fine Art Foundation course was some kind of test for myself to see what I’m capable of. This course is so complex as it consists of both creative and critical modes. As I was nurtured in educational system which is technique and skill-oriented, I needed time to learn how to do reflection tasks properly. I find a skill to reflect and analyze truly essential to be well-developed in contemporary artists.  

I really appreciate the right balance between control, discipline and freedom we have on this course. Artist is primarily an individual job which means that it requires a lot of self-control, self-criticism, discipline and ability to create an own schedule that would provide an efficient work. However, a sense freedom is integral. Of course, creative work can also be organized, yet still it is something more chaotic and, I would dare to say, unpredictable. 

 

Specialization:

It is hard to say now which pathway I definitely want to specialize in, as I am fascinated and opened to all dimensions, mediums and approaches. 

I wish there was no specialization, as I believe the most essential is an idea and it dictates what medium to use. Anyway, I suppose that Painting pathway would be the right one for me. I feel confident working with an image. There are quite a lot drawing, painting techniques in my arsenal. Also I really aspire to try out printmaking, more of collage and learn different approaches. 



Enjoyable project:

The most enjoyable project for me was Altered Spaces. Firstly, it was good for me to explore the notion of space and think in three-dimensions within flat surface. Previously, I was studying more of human body in my practice, so found that through this project I’ve learnt a lot and broaden my mind. I was working on painting and collage.Collage is something I’ve always wanted to work with, as it brings a sense of freedom and may be a as self-sufficient piece or a starting point for a project, space for brainstorm and experimentation that may lead to further ideas. I have read an essay that have expanded my understanding of collage

Secondly, I felt that I could really connect with it. I was inspired by a fact that we could create a psychological space and so I did. I love to deal with psychological field, to draw into and analyze my own inner states and use them pragmatically - as a material and subject of my works. It is also a way to sublimate through art. I consider psychological vulnerability as a weakness and, on the same hand, a power of mine. For Altered Spaces I have explored though colour, shape and emptiness how a space may embody feelings or awaken emotional reaction. During this project I’ve done a lot of research which intrigued me a lot, for instance read about and watch some pieces of Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, looked through works of some contemporary ukrainian artists who have influenced me significantly and, in addition, I have studied an uncommon symbolism of yellow colour in literature and cinematography. Colour may be an interesting subject of research and a powerful instrument used by artists, designers and filmmakers. 

 

Difficulties:

There was as well a whole bunch of complications for me during this course. Especially in the first month I found myself struggling in communication and working in groups. Maybe the main reason was in lack of fluency in English language that makes me unable to articulate my ideas earnestly and promote them. Or it may be the fear to accidentally offend someone by being insistent. I'm really afraid of conflicts and try to avoid them in any way possible. Often this "avoiding" may cause excessive fear of social interactions and inability to stand up for myself. In addition, I'm really concerned with the fact to whom the idea originally belong. If someone came up with an idea and did the most of the job, it's inadmissible for me to consider the product as "mine" in any way. But also if it was me, who have produced an idea I want other to acknowledge that.

I never worked in a context of studio before, that’s why my struggle in some points is quite explainable. In studio you may face destruction, inability to concentrate and anxiety on account of constant comparing oneself with other artists. Anyway, I suppose that it is valuable experience, as apart from stress it may bring inspiration and good advices.

For instranstance, one-day projects were quite challenging as they require making decisions in short period of time. I am more get used to take my time when it comes to idea development and creating a work. Nevertheless, I acknowledge that a lot of unexpectedly good artworks may be produced when you are thrown into stressful work condition and intensive tempo. During first short projects I felt really stuck, reluctant and unconfident in what I was doing. Too much hesitations. I perfectly understand that doubts should be left behind in first stages of idea development and especially in short projects, because their main point is to liberate mind and feel absolutely free for experimentation. 

I feel I should have done more making rather then sketching and thinking for sculpture projects. I tend to overthink, get stuck, as a result and do less thinking through working which is so essential for a idea development, as material itself may push to an interesting extend or even transform an idea. In addition, I found that I be too self critical that limits me on the early stages of a project. Being critical is essential, yet, I believe, it should be left for reflection, but not during the active phase of process. 

Regret I could explore more of materials and approaches. Sometimes, when in the begging I have an understanding of what I am about to do I stop myself from experimenting. The thing is that this time my works required minimalistic artistic decisions or conventional materials. However, in Part 2 I’m really looking forward to try out more. 

During Material news a big challenge for me was not to illustrate but embody a feeling, impression, problem, issue, state. That requires a lot of intellectual effort and research that helps to find a laconic, metaphoric, pure form. For me it was both sculptural and performance project which involved an engagement of an audience The same thing was with Place Project, were I was aspiring to explore a subject of memory, history, personal & political through minimalistic approach and using found artifact.

In Material News I was supposed to talk about balance and conflict through a language of sculpture.I was really worried and unsure about my installation as it's concept was not completely logical and carefully considered. Moreover, the way it looked was treshy and shameful. I considered this project of mine as a complete failure. However, unexpectedly, it turned into success, as I have tried an uncommon way of interacting with audience - by annoying them. I would probably use his way of interaction in further projects.



  1. Art is…

 

Contemporary art is not about depiction, but about reflection. It is intellectual work done by an artist and converted into visual, symbolic, metaphoric form. An audience is supposed to be active as well. An artist expects public to work, to think, to analyze, to reflect. The bond between creator and public in art today is much stronger than in previous epochs. Moreover, art is starting to engage with audience and more actively. The visitors of museums can now have a ride on slides (Matthew Pillsbury), go through foggy corridor inside the museum (Olafur Elliassion), get outside of museum and roll a newspaper ball (Michelangelo Pistoletto). 

Sometimes I question myself what is left for our generation to explore. It seems to be that during 20 century and the beginning of 21st everything have been shown. What can we speak about if everything have already been said. Recycle that have already been recycled? We should find our voice and our visual language as well. 

Talking about my art I should say that what I do is a broadcast of my inner experience and the social problems, which I am concerned with. For me art - is a an instrument for stating my positions and attitudes to global problems and battle against gender discrimination, injustice and political aggression. 

I want to inform an audience. In my stance, art can be a powerful instrument for enforcing an awareness of problematic issues and educate, in general. While working on some art projects connected to historical or political events I realized how I’m getting a stronger understanding of those events by finding a way to represent it in symbolic form. That way, through art you can learn and teach as well.  

I am interested in different disciplines such as psychology, literature, politics, social and gender issues, feminism, identity, human body and anatomy, history, heritage and urbanism. Even though I make preference to social, historical or political art, on the same hand, in some projects I’m just enjoying working with material, form, shape, colour, as it is, actually, one of the main points of art.

References:

     1.  Slides in the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London, 2007, Matthew Pillsbury

  1. Luminous density … Your blind passenger, London, 2010, Olafur Eliasson.

     3.   Newspaper Sphere, Tate Modern, London, 2009, Michelangelo Pistoletto

CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE SESSIONS

CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE 11.09.2019

The focus of today's contextual practice lecture and practice was on working with text. We were looking for cases of how the text can appear as a piece of art itself. How it can become a social, political statement and message by example of Jenny Holzer "Abuse Of Power Comes As No Surprise" From the series Truisms Tshirts (1980-) How an artist can play around with text or a single word by creating a palindrome like Bruce Nauman did in his Lithograph on paper "Raw-War" (1971). "Raw" is "war" in reverse order. I'm intrigued by the fact that in the set of letter from which a word "War" consists, let's say from its spelling, its DNA can be formed its characteristic. Like the essence of war is in this word's nature. Interesting fact that "he discovered through printmaking (particularly lithography) the automatic reversal of his initial image/text, which naturally fed into the front/back interplay of works like Raw-War". 

 

Bruce Nauman. Raw-War. 1971

CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE 18.09.2019

On today's we have investigated an idea of how Being invisible Can Be Deadly. We have watched and analyzed a film or to be precise video-tutorial of Hito Steyerl "How Not To Be Seen" (see notes below). Then, we were shown some examples of artists who were working with the concept of being invisible and disappearing. 

 Later on in groups we were supposed to try to disappear. Jazmine, Rian, Bahar, Anushka and I were working together on the idea Fatemah have proposed. I was acting in one-minute film - communicating with someone in different locations and occasions. But my interlocutor was behind the frame. That way, the viewer is ignorant of who is another one in the dialogue. Moreover, the film is completely silent and that fact enhances the mystery behind it. This time was ok, but sometimes I find it quite challenging to work in group. Maybe the main reason is in lack of fluency in English language that makes me unable to articulate my ideas earnestly and promote them. Or it may be the fear to accidentally offend someone by being insistent. I'm really afraid of conflicts and try to avoid them in any way possible. Often this "avoiding" may cause excessive fear of social interactions and inability to stand up for myself. In addition I'm really concerned with the fact to whom the idea originally belong. If someone came up with an idea and did the most of the job, it's inadmissible for me  to consider the product as "mine" in any way. But also if it was me, who have produced an idea I want other to acknowledge that. 

I was really excited by the performance/protest/ political statement of one of the groups. When it was time for them to present their work, guys have just stood up said "Goodbye. See you next week" and left their statement/manifesto on the table where they declare that it is the act of protest against the agenda, rules as routine set by the authorities.  

Group Project for Being Invisible Can Be Deadly

 

Screenshots from a video 

91B68FAD-0860-4F08-9C09-5C73317C5FCA.jpeg

E30D0C5A-50F6-498C-B1CD-7E7C4591A0B2.jpeg

ECA75B47-8C69-49B8-A573-51831F00FD9C.jpeg

 

Rationale

Our video aims to show the social interactions between one or more people in which only one of them is visible of a camera. The existence and precipitin of a second person is evident however they cannot be seen. The framing is the key to convey the concept of invisibility in this situation to portray how someone is marginalized, silenced or censored.

Being Invisible Can Be Deadly. Notes

Being Invisible Can Be Deadly. Notes

CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE 25.09.2019

Proximity. Context. Meaning

In context of discussion about questions that Hew Locke Sikandar poses in his projects, like what is a place for monuments of figures who are personification of colonial oppression of previous centuries.  I thought about the policy that is  taking place in Ukraine. That is decommunization - process of getting rid of soviet symbols in public spaces. It have started from the demolition of statue of Vladimir Lenin on one of the central streets in Kyiv. It was a symbolic gesture of dethroning by physically destroying the monument - personification of totalitarian regime that was extremely oppressive towards Ukrainian nation. 

 At today's session we were also reading a fragment from text by Georges Perec "Species of Spaces and Other Pieces" about how routine, habitual, mundane things may be taken as valuable. 

Apart from that, we were supposed to carry mundane domestic objects, such as cutlery, old sports equipment, ect and experiment with them by creating a sculpture. It could be combining those objects or making other manipulations with them.  I found this task quite useful as it is forcing you to make quick decisions and think in unconventional way. 

Mundane Objects for Proximity.Context.Meaning

Georges Perec. Approaches to What?

Georges Perec. Approaches to What?

CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE. 2.10.2019

Review on Dafna Talmor's Exhibition ''Straight Lines Are A Human Invention" 

The artist talk with Dafna Talmor at her personal exhibition in Sid Motion Gallery was really inspiring event for me. Dafna talked about issues that concern me and other art students a lot. For instance, how to overcome frustration and free yourself  from being stuck, how setting limitations may be helpful and how what was considered as a problem may become a point of a work itself. 

I was intrigued by Dafna's collages. Fractured fragments of landscapes (river banks and water) with slightly colored uneven edges (which as artist admitted were created unintentionally, at first in practical considerations) on black background.  In these images I find resemblance with stained-glass technique.

I have observed an interesting features of Dafna Talmor's collages - standing close it's easy to recognize landscape, but from a bigger distance they seem to be more abstract, whereas it is more habitual to see an opposite situation in Post-Impressionistic and Pointilism paintings where in close position the spots and colors seems random, yet when you take one step back it transforms into figurative image.  

I also had a sense of feeling that I could dip into those landscapes but fragmentation and edges unable to get there completely.

ARTIST TALK Notes: Dafna Talmor

PLACE PROJECT 01.10.2019 - 17.10.2019

Place Project Outcome: “The Paving stone” 17.10.2019

Place Project Outcome: “The Paving stone” 17.10.2019

The text for the exhibition on King’s Cross CSM

The Paving Stone

 

A paving stone in the transparent cube was taken from Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv, Ukraine which was the epicentre of the Revolution of Dignity (2013-2014). This event inspired and united millions of Ukrainians to make a stand for their civil rights and peacefully protest against the corrupt, authoritarian regime. One of the main aims was the protection of  human rights and the creation of a democratic society with European standards and values. Sadly it entailed a huge loss of lives…

 

The paving stone is a real artifact taken from Maidan and preserved by my family. It was used as a weapon by protestors to defend themselves from special police forces, which utilized physical violence and torture. 

 

Different representatives of Ukrainian society - students, workers, scientific, business and cultural elite were standing along in long lines passing paving stones to build barricades. That way this object was something that consolidated  people.

 

The paving stone may be considered a symbol and unit of memory of those tragic events, an agent of sense and meaning. It is self-sufficient metaphor itself.

 

Here the paving stone is shown as a museum artifact. A glass cube creates a detachment between it and the audience. The object is fixed in a certain period. The stone is put into time vacuum. The placement of an object suggests how those events became a cornerstone for change and are already a part of contemporary history. 

Place Project. 3.10.2019

 The Paving Stone

  1. the street
  2. revolution of dignity
  3. what it meant for me
  4. first idea (from what it started) 
  5. idea of using artifact 
  6. how it can be displayed 
  7. how it can be used, how it can be used for performance 
  8. what are the problems 
  9. idea of substitution, duplication, painting, tracing, making the brick invisible, 

I grew up in Khreshchatyk - central street of Kyiv. During my lifetime I have witnessed two revolutions (Orange Revolution (2003-2004) and Revolution of Dignity (2013-2014)). The point of Revolution of Dignity was to overthrow corrupted authoritarian regime of Victor Yanukovich, who was about to sign up an association with European Union, put postponed it. People went on peaceful protests, but faced violence from police guards. As the reaction to this event people... People stood against corrupted justice system...

It have become a milestone event in Ukrainian contemporary history and in my own life that have caused a huge impact on formation of my personality. I started to be more concerned of local and global social and political issues. Moreover, it have pushed to identity. 

I was also interested in exploring private& political and social. Being passive on account of age and Being an observant of historical events. Being present without actually being present, without participating.

 

The Paving stone - an artifact taken from a place where the Revolution of Dignity (2013-14) was taking place. A weapon activists used for defending from military guards. The brick itself is an agent of meanings. It is self-sufficient.

The way to bring it to UK may become a point itself. 

I was suggested by Adrian to find an elegant metaphor and avoid illustrating, even though the message may not be so clear for an audience. 

 

 

 

Place Project. 5.10.2019

Euromaidan, 2014 Ukrainian Revolution or Revolution of Dignity 

"Euromaidan was a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on the night of 21 November 2013 with public protests in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv. The protests were sparked by the Ukrainian government's decision to suspend the signing of an association agreement with the European Union, instead choosing closer ties to Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. The scope of the protests soon widened, with calls for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych and his government. The protests were fueled by the perception of "widespread government corruption", "abuse of power", and "violation of human rights in Ukraine". Transparency International named President Yanukovych as the top example of corruption in the world. The situation escalated after the violent dispersal of protesters on 30 November, leading to many more protesters joining. The protests led to the 2014 Ukrainian revolution" also known as Revolution of Dignity.

See more: Here

 

About maidan - it was a protest not for politicians, but for ideas, European values.

Place Project. 7.10.2019

A paving stone is...

 

  • A real artifact taken from the epicenter of revolution and preserved by our family;

 

  • One of the symbols of Revolution of Dignity;

 

  • A weapon used by protestors to defend themselves from Berkut - special police force controlled by a government of Victor Yanukovich. It committed crimes against Ukrainian citizens such as racketeering, physical violence and tortures; 

 

  • People who gathered at Maidan were united by collective actions such as building barricades. Paving stones were a material for building barricades. All who wished to stood in long lines passing stones to build them or to defend from Berkut;

 

  • An object which is an agent of senses itself;

 

  • A charm with protecting quality; 

Place Project. 8.10.2019

 

Variants:

  1. We had a high hope that Revolution of Dignity would become a strong fundament for significant and radical changes on governmental level.  However in the period of those almost five years we faced a lot of disappointments. Now everything is so ambiguous, we don’t know whom to trust. The structure, that we believed would be solid is now unstable and weak. However, it is still growing. We will see in what it would turn. We are in progress. The brick is not real. It can symbolize 

 

  1. that politicians can speculate on the topic of maidan, creating own interpretations. Or it can be a brick “constructed” by my memory and documentations made by family. Family memory of the events.

 

Structure upon - what is going on in politics today

Paving stone - a unit of memory of Revolution of Dignity  (Бруківка - одиниця пам‘яті Майжану)

Paper brick suggests it is my subjective interpretation

Дзвони Михайлівського

 

  1. Collaged Photo-series
  2. Text “The smell of Maidan”

Place Project. 11.10. 2019

 

Options for working with an object (paving stone):

 

a.  An object may be left untouched, as it is, like a historical artifact. Displayed in formal way.

b.  An object may be carved (pattern/ text/ symbols)

c.  An object may become a part of a structure 

d.  An object may become a part of performance ( with an audience or just photo documented). 

e. A transportation of an object may become a main point of my project. 

f.  Could be destroyed and transformed into something new

g. May be substituted 

h. May be duplicated

 

Place Project. 11.10.2019

 

Options for working with an object (paving stone) with further explanations:

 

a.  An object may be left untouched, as it is, like a historical artifact. Displayed in formal way. As the object itself is self-sufficient, I believe that I can represent it as it is, without doing any sort of manipulations with it. I actually incline to this minimalistic approach. I could simply create a pedestal, plinth of some sort of shelf for it that would bring this sense of museum-like look;
b.  An object may be carved. The date may be carved, some sort of pattern or text. Here also comes an association with an idiom “carved on stone” (to be permanent, fix or unchangeable. Reference to biblical Ten Commandments...);
c. An object may become a part of a structure where it becomes a fundament. Revolution of Dignity have become a cornerstone for further changes. The fundament is strong and powerful, but a structure upon (symbol of those changes, political decisions done after 2014 and what is going on in politics today) is quite unstable, weak and still in progress, so that we can’t say what would its final appearance be like. A brick here appears as a cornerstone in both literal and symbolic understanding. We had a high hope that Revolution of Dignity would become a strong fundament for significant and radical changes on governmental level.  However in the period of those almost five years we faced a lot of disappointments. Now everything is so ambiguous, we don’t know whom to trust. The structure, that we believed would be solid is now unstable and weak. However, it is still growing. We will see in what it would turn. We are in progress as this structure. 
d. An object may become a part performance that implies an involvement of an audience. For instance people could be asked to stand in line and pass a paving stone that way that activists on Maidan did. It would give a sense of unity and collective actions that requires commitment of each and everyone who are in this line;
e. An object may become a central figure for documented performance that would turn into series of photographs.
f. A transportation of an object may become a main point of my project. For now a paving stone is in Kyiv. I was suggested by Adrian that the way to bring it to UK may become a point itself. Getting symbol of Ukrainian revolution main aim of which was improving justice system, make human rights as a main priority to a place which is considered as a cradle of Western democracy.
g. Photographed on the streets of london. In this context a brick loses its value and almost “disappears”. This method is quite interesting, but it won’t work in this case. 
h. Could be destroyed and transformed into something new. This action becomes metamorphic and speaking, yet a problem here is in a fact that I have no idea into what it could it be transformed. 
i. Could be combined with another object. A brick which is a symbol of people’s protest finally cracks a huge monolith of concrete that turns out to be weaker and less lasting than a small brick.
g. May be substituted either by a brick made of paper or by not real artifact. When a brick is not real it can symbolize that politicians can speculate on the topic of maidan, creating own interpretations, deceive and so on. Or it can be a brick “constructed” by my memory and documentations made by family. Family memory of the events. Paper brick suggests it is my subjective interpretation 
k. May be duplicated.  Duplication is really interesting contemporary art method. Duplication poses a question of value of a thing, of the way to preserve it and also gives a feeling of uncanny. Not sure whether I will use this method in this project, as it does not really match its concept, yet I am really intrigued to try it my future projects. 
l. Placed into transparent cube and float in a middle. Here the brick is shown as a museum artifact. A glass cube creates a detachment between it and an audience. It is fixed in certain period. Placed into time vacuum. However, a fact that it is floating within a box gives a feeling that it is still alive, memory is still here, it hasn’t settles in. Revolution has already become a part of a history, but we are still working to actualize those expectation, aims that were set on Maidan. Yet, this variant may be technologically problematic....
m. Placed into transparent cube and displayed in its corner showing how those events become a cornerstone of contemporary history.

Place Project. 10.10.2019

Associations with a STONE
  • milestone
  • cornerstone
  • rolling stone 
  • stepping stone
  • a stones throw
  • be carved on stone 
  • cast stones against the wind
  • getting blood from a stone 

 

Place Project. 15.10.2019

Alternatives in case is a brick won’t come on time:

  • substitute with ordinary, fake brick;
  • make a brick out of paper. Make photographs of a brick from different angles, print it out in right size and stick them together;
  • take into consideration using absence of an artifact. For instance, by printing out a letter from airport delivery service with apologies on account of delay/missing a luggage with a brick.

 

Place Project. Reflection 23.10.2019

Feelings 

What I loved about Place project is the freedom topic gives us. ‘Place’ is such a broad notion that can be perceived differently and explored with various mediums and materials. 

 

Process

Looking back on the way I have organized a project preparation, I feel that in future I should make a work schedule more wisely. During first  two weeks out of three most of the time I was thinking about different variants of how a chosen artifact may be manipulated. I did quite a lot of brainstorming, sketching, writing, research. I felt control over my process...I there were few aspects I didn’t take into account or haven’t done on time. In the begging of third week I still had few options and was not 100% sure on which one to focus, so I went for an advice to Adrian. He was not happy with a fact that I didn’t came up with any physical outcome and suggested  to make something now as quick as possible. One of the reasons I didn’t make anything was the fact I didn’t have a brick in the UK till a day before the show. Also, I couldn’t estimate how much time will go on producing, as I thought, simple things, such as wooden plinth, glass cube or small transparent structure made of plastic sticks. I know now that even if I’m using minimalistic visual approach for a project it is still important to try things out by actually making and documenting it to provide an evidence of the fact I was working. Some materials may work or not and you never know once you try it. Furthermore, material may help with a development of an idea, bring it more senses or change it radically.

 

Materials and approaches 

Third week was dedicated to working on a pedestal/ plinth for a brick and a transparent acrylic cube. Apart from that I’ve tried transparent structure, but it didn’t work. Cube was more relevant as it’s pure form does not abstract from a narrative of an object.I found the experience of working with MDF and acrylic really useful and a bit challenging, even though I worked with a simple form. 

I was happy with the outcome, as I was aspiring to get museum-ish effect with white background and sterile transparent cube.

 

Impression on works of colleagues 

I was impressed by artworks of my colleagues. It have widened my understanding of Place. From political to deeply personal, large-scale to minuscule pieces, drawings to video...

 

 

 

Winter on Fire. Netflix

COLLECTION PROJECT 02 - 05.09.2019

COLLECTION OUTCOME

COLLECTION PROJECT CONCEPT of my photo-series

The focus of my project is what is going on on the ground, especially on a road of the urban space. While walking the streets we mostly direct our sight down on a ground, but ignore that geometrical beauty of tile, tiny plants between it, dynamic lines of road markings which may be lay in perfectionism manner or either roughly.

While making photographs of what is under my feet I found Neoplasticism, Suprematism, Colour Field-like compositions. 

I love exploring social, political topics in my practice, but in this case I focused exclusively on beauty of color, shape, composition.

COLLECTION PROJECT. EXPERIENCE

This week was a real challenge for me. From a first day I faced an avalanche of information. That was, honestly, really stressful. It was difficult to get used to intensive studying routine. Apart from that I've struggled with English, as it is not my first language. I should definitely transmit art terms and useful adjectives to my active vocabulary. 

The lectures were really informative and useful, especially the one about methods of presentation.

Apart from lectures and project development work we had a workshop induction.I was also inspired and impressed with how the workshops are well equipped. Inspired because sometimes I find material or technology can become a starting point to an idea. 

Talking about my project, I should say that I came up with the idea in quite a short time and didn't have almost any hesitations about the concept. Although, I had a few variants on how to present a series of photographs. Anyway, I've ended up with regular arrangement of photographs all in square format (as it was suggested by Adrian) disposed on a floor. 

COLLECTION PROJECT. PLANS & ADJUSTMENTS

  • Vocabulary improvement. Make it more broad and eloquent. Focus on art terms and useful adjectives to describe an artwork;
  • Work on reflective writing; 
  • Develop a habit to make notes (observations, reflections, impressions, resume of day/week/period) and fill in sketchbook regularly with life drawings, quick sketches, ideas, research and inspiration;
  • Fill in workflow page every single evening;
  • Augment self-esteem!

MATERIAL NEWS PROJECT 09-16.09.2019

MATERIAL NEWS PROJECT. EXPERIENCE & ROUTINE

DAY I. 9.09.2019

Today we started to work on a new project - Material news. The concept of project is inspired by the idea of Damian Ortega. The artist was making a sculptural response on different news during certain period. Our objective is to try this principle, to work with current news that grabbed our attention. 

I've taken free newspaper Metro for a class. Metro is not actually a platform for high quality analytical articles. The content of Metro is sport news, rumors, life of celebrities, political scandals, adverts - material that will loose actuality in two days. This kind of newspaper is temporary, ephemeral like a moth whose life duration is 24 hours. 

I've cut out words, titles, texts, photographs and left exclusively negative space. The trace is left, it is still possible to read what was there, but the meaning is removed. Now I have a fragile, ephemeral and structure.

I was suggested by tutor to look for another idea as this one is quite time-consuming. Apart from that, this idea does not correspond the objective.

 

DAY II. 10.09.2019

As I was not satisfied with the idea of "ephemeral newspaper" and decided to choose a story that happened last weekend - the release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russia. I was thinking of embodying the feeling of isolation and solitude. While a small conversations with those who felt stuck with an idea, Adrian mentioned sugar as an example of work material. Among those who were released were navy soldiers captured in Azov sea a year ago. That pushed me to an idea to use salt as a symbol of bitterness and naval conflicts. I tried out to work with salt and decided to combine it with metal constructions (symbol of oppression and boundaries). 

On account of technical problems I am not able to for with metal. In this project it is crucial to use this material, as it quite narrative itself and has a powerful symbolic meaning. 

 

DAY III. 12.09.2019

I'm really struggling with this week's project. I found overcriticizing and limiting myself on the early stages of a project. Moreover, overthinking makes me stuck. As it was suggested by tutors we should take a newspaper story as a starting point and them turn on thinking through working mode. Final piece may not respond to original story and furthermore not illustrate it.

 

DAY IV. 16.09.2019

Presentation of Material News project. I was supposed to talk about balance and conflict through a language of sculpture.I was really worried and unsure about my installation as it's concept was not completely logical and carefully considered. Moreover, the way it looked was shameful. I considered this project of mine as a complete failure. 

Although, the comments of an audience and tutor were really unexpected - I received a positive critique. People instantly 'read' that the main point of a sculpture is an idea of balance. Many noticed that the fact that structure was collapsing while making plastic cups the same weight, made them feel frustrated and annoyed. The first comment from tutor was: " I thought you must be the worst maker in the world, but then I realized that fragility and awkwardness of structure, it's appearance and the fact that it is constantly collapsing and making you feel irritated is fully appropriate for your idea'. Also people pointed that there is a bunch of pieces of art that are supposed to awaken fear or joy, for instance. However,  making audience annoyed and discomforted is underestimated and not so commonly used. The concept of my work had undergone significant changes. 

 

 

MATERIAL NEWS. PLANS & ADJUSTMENTS

- For projects of that kind it is always better to collect useful materials/ objects beforehand. 

- Don't overthink. Think through working. Material itself may lead you to an interesting outcome.

- Don't be too critical to yourself from the starting point of your work. Feel free to experiment and try things out.

- Document the process. 

ALTERED SPACES PROJECT 16-24.09.2019

ALTERED SPACES PROJECT. ROUTINE AND EXPERIENCE

I started from industrial theme. I love depicting old industrial constructions. I find them exquisite, elegant, majestic, graphic. At first I’ve cut out negative space for it to look as light as lace and to use it somehow for collage. Although, the structure itself didn’t work for me, firstly, because it is such a painstaking work, secondly, constructions are holistic and I found it hard to separate its parts from one another. However, what intrigued me a lot and pushed to the next step in developing project is industrial pipes. I was captivated by those giant, flexible, biomorphic pipes that wrap around strict, cold, rational structures.

 So, I have made a decision to derive from all those amazing industrial landscapes only pipes and concentrate my attention on them. I have transported pipe to different environment and colored it into red. The environment is totally empty minimalistic, sterile yellow room of simple rectangular shape. Why this color? Cool, cadmium, lemon, unnatural yellow is associated for me with overwhelming anxiety, madness, threat. It is alarming.  You feel annoyed while looking at it for a while. Once I've found a small post in Facebook where it was demonstrated a use of color in cinematography and it's symbolism. Yellow usually represents anxiety and insanity. It also has some personal associations for me. In my school toilet room and corridor the walls and tile were yellow. When I was coming inside the toilet cabin I used to focus my sight was usually directed to the floor made of tile of this nasty color. Mostly I did it when I was dismayed or anxious. So, this colour now has a strong connection with that kind of emotions for me. 

And then comes a pipe. I've tried to make if corrugated and it started to appear even more anthropomorphic and have a resemblance with intestines, warm or some kind of mysterious monster. Anxiety may cause some problems with intestines and that's what I've experienced once, thus those two colors and the intestine pipe are closely and logically connected for me. Here comes a creation of my own symbols (probably understandable just for me) from colors, space and objects.

The color decision was made not incidentally. I have once worked on large-scale painting that had a background of exactly the same tingle of yellow and and on top I have applied bold brushstrokes of red. Alter a while, I have started to feel a taste of blood in my mouth and even headache. So, I’ve decided to use this combination of colors in this work to get direct physical reaction of an audience. To get them to another level of perception of an artwork.

This mysterious, anigmatic space that poses a lot of questions.

Associations with David Lynch, Francis Bacon, Stanley Kubrick, sci-fi movies, Amish Kapoor,

ALTERED SPACES. FEEDBACK

Critique of a tutor (Emma Todd): 

The first thing people said about this project were associations with horror or sci-fi movies, for instance "Human Centipede". Emma have suggested me to look for some essays and movies for my research. Among those is an essay of Freud - "The Uncanny" (" Das Unheimliche"), where he explains the experience of something as "strangely unfamiliar". Mark Fisher's "The Weird and Eerie" and film "The Host". Emma have noticed that there is something 3-dimensional in my depiction of a yellow room and it also has a resemblance with set design drawing for a movie. I was suggested to try it in 3D.

 Feedbacks of group of five (Anushka, Kevin, Fatemah, Bahar, Angel):

"It looks like if  there is a monster that is traveling through all your works. Even if on a work there is no, there is still a feeling of its presence. Or like a horror movie with monster which you are waiting to appear".

"transaction between medias".

"Interaction between 2D and 3D".

"Purposefully put things that doesn’t fit together".

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.1

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.2

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.3

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.4

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.5

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.6

Ian Monroe: Where Does One Thing Ends and Next Thing Begins. p.7

4D PATHWAY: Come Here I Want to See You

BODY IN SPACE. OUTCOME, 12.09.2019

This morning we were given a task which could be done rather in groups or individually.

  • Use objects around you to make a sculpture with a body 
  • Replace furniture with a body 
  • Measure the space with a body
  • Define space a body
  • Use body to photograph space
  • Consider movement through space
  • Perform a verb with body 
  • Use your body to restage a well-known artwork

I  was participating in group performance with Samuel, Rian and Bahar where we were replacing furniture with body. For an individual work I've chosen to restage Valie Export's "Body Configurations" 1976. I was exploring university by fitting in its space and finding were do I belong. Credits to Bahar and Harrison who have made photographs and helped with choosing locations. 

Body in Space. Replacing furniture with Bodies, 12.09.2019

Restage of Valie Export's Body Configurations, 12.09.2019

Valie Export. Body Configurations, 1972-76

BODY IN SPACE. PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS, 15.09.2019

This day's project I found quite challenging. I felt really stuck, reluctant and unconfident in what I was doing. Too much hesitations. I perfectly understand that doubts  should be left behind especially in short projects. They are made to liberate a mind and feel absolutely free for experimentation. 

All in all, I was generally satisfied with the result. If there was some more time I would probably look for some more locations for where to "fit in" and I would have thought more thoroughly about how to "fit in" more precisely. 

BODY IN SPACE. REFLECTION, 13.09.2019

Is there a specific point at which action becomes art?

In my opinion an action becomes art when it has conceptual, artistic statement  and as if is was labeled as art by an artist. 

 

How and when photography is a performance?

Photography may appear as a performance if it is a documentation of performative action.

 

How did you find the use of your smartphone as a medium? Consider the local and wider implications of the use of such a mediated device.

Smartphone itself is an interesting phenomenon -  inalienable object these days, storage for personal data, replacement for many different objects such as clock, photo and video camera, maps, calculator, tickets, letters, newspapers, real people(?), the container for everything most intimate and personal and something that speaks about it's owner. I find smartphone as an intriguing tool for creating a piece of art. Among the advantages of this device is its mobility and simplicity in using. Thus it can document fleeting moments of life.

 

In what ways has Philip Ausländer’s text, on the documentation of performance, affected your understanding of the act of performing in front of a camera versus the documentation of this act?

The text has explained that documentation of performance can be done when it happens in real life, it also may imply the presence of an audience. Whereas, the ‘theatrical’ type of performance may not be witnessed by public and can only exist in a space of document (visual/audiovisual) without actually taking anywhere expect a photograph, for instance. 

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

The Performativity of Performance Documentation. Notes

DAY 2: SEFLIE POETICS

PANORAMA DISTORTION

In this project I'm exploring the idea of identity through distortion and deformation of my own image. Here I'm capturing the fleeting moment of movement using panorama camera mode in IPhone. Distortion, destruction, deformation as opposed to integrity and perfection - aspects that attract social media audience in selfies. Thus, this photo series may be taken as an act of protest towards standards and expectations. Even though the pictures may look ridiculous they are also filled with creepiness and decadence.

DISTORTION. Panorama Selfie,18.09.2019

DISTORTION. Panorama Double Portrait in Collaboration,19.09.2019

COLLABORATION. 19.09.2019

During the class we were collaborating on this idea with Zoe Springer. We were making panorama selfies and photographing each other. Apart from that Zoe and I were capturing each other in the process of taking picture. Both of us noticed that the process of making panoramic photographs was a great fun. We could experiment by making some crazy pictures without limiting ourselves. Finally, there was a huge amount of material which can even be used in future project.

FRANCIS BACON. Three Studies of George Dyer, 1966

I see a resemblance with Francis Bacon's portraits which are distorted, smashed, facial features are leveled out and there is also a sense of movement in them. 

DISTORTION DISPOSED ON THE WALL

FRANCIS BACON. Three Studies of George Dyer, 1966

FUTURISM

Italian Futurists were obsessed with the ideas of dynamism and experimented with the idea of depicting a movement as much thoroughly as possible.

GIACOMO BALA. Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912

DAY 3: THE SONIC WITNESS

Today I was my first experience in working with sound as medium in context of fine arts. In a first part of the day we were given a task to make a collection of sounds which are inherent to the place we are in. My group ( Saph, Melodie, Luca) and I recorded, for instance, people who were passing by with metal objects, door, printer, walking sounds, noise from metal workshop... After Melodie and Eaton and I concentrated on collecting  different sounds of water and ice. We have ended up combining them in together and creating a music of them. I have also recited a fragment of a poem by Ukrainian author Taras Shevchenko were he mentions water.  

In the end of the day I came up with an my own idea of recording a text in Ukrainian language and then just make audience listen to it. Obviously, people are frustrated and bewildered, trying to guess what am I talking about. Paradoxically, I'm simply uttering that I know that you don't understand me. Here is a transcript of this strange 'dialogue':

I know what you feel right now. I know that you don't understand me because you don't know my language. I know what you are wondering about right now: what is she saying, what is that suppose to mean? My intonation would hardly help you. What an intriguing game we are playing. Let's say, if I was screaming you would have guessed that I am uttering fear, dissatisfaction or expressing aggression. You are ignorant of that, but I an just saying that you don't understand me. What a strange dialogue. Perhaps, you will recognize some words, yet would it be helpful if you don't know the context? You don't understand me. I understand it. I know it. You don't understand me, because you don't know my language. I know it. That's it.

(see original recording in digital outcomes)

I found that  sound may be really powerful instrument to use in my practice in future, as it may push an audience to different level of perception an art piece.

Notes from a lecture: 

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