When you spend time looking you then notice detail. Looking is a major part of how I make work.
“Yet, although every image embodies a way of seeing, our perception or appreciation of an image depends also upon our way of seeing.” (Berger,1972, pp. 10)
My eyes are like a movie screen with borders, as they don’t have an infinite peripheral. So I use what I see from edge to edge as the viewable image, I don’t want to move my head from side to side when looking at the canvas as I might miss something. I have this idea that you can walk in to a space and know it is my work your about to experience. I think artist have a look that could be un-describable by them in words at that moment but it is their look. But I speak about this with naivety because I can’t explain my work fully as I am in that moment of discovery in my career. This is why I spend time looking at what I make or what I am interested in.
A series of events happened to me yesterday that made me think about my image. I am very concerned in how we view the figure and more importantly how, where and what mode that figure is presented. I was at the gallery that is showing my exhibit Within/Spaces yesterday afternoon around 1pm. I was in a very celebratory mood because my first exhibit in London is a reality now. Walking through the space experiencing my work as it is designed, I watched a visitor delicately vector her way through the series. Then, she returned back to the center of the exhibit to sit on the bench and observe one particular video again. I found in the first presentation of the exhibit many observed the 7 videos in order and then returned to one to observe one more time. This was to work through the feelings of nostalgia that a particular video had been saying something to them. Different videos call to different people for one reason and or another. After leaving the gallery I went to a meeting about my work with a colleague. This was to work out what I was doing and how I would move forward. In this meeting many topics came up about what is it I am looking for and what is my image. This was a necessity for me to take myself serious as an artist. After my meeting, I return to the gallery only to find my exhibit had been altered.
I wanted to examine the idea of why I felt violated and I have come to this conclusion:
I am serious about attention to detail and a clear image.
I walked into the space and examined its details and how I can take it into account. I spent time thinking about the white space; to the first on-look one would think it is a blank white canvas room as all galleries are. But further attention, I start to examine the height of the ceiling, the 6 rectangled shape pillars, and the entrances and exits of the space. From there, I looked to the flat walls in contrast to the textured pillars, as well as the gaps between the ceiling and the walls put up. I followed the cords attaching the lights as they ran across the ceiling and into the walls making their way to a back room to plug into one power socket. I got closer to those cords and notice the painted white tape where the wires had been attached so all lights work on one source. I then looked into the flooring that had been painted white with wall paint and how it chips with a wrong step of heeled shoes. This was discovered through exploring and looking at the space not for a few minute but actually hours. You can never look at something too long if you continue to consider it and question it.
Now I am at the place to install my exhibit. I am faced with a challenge of using the idea of the exhibit and its position in the space (the gallery). I was supplied with small tvs that had been sprayed painted white with mixed match grey and black DVD players. The exhibit explores the idea of improvisation in public spaces, the idea of looking and being informed by that information, and sound (the individual videos as well as all videos together make one soundscape). Especially because of the height of the room I wanted the sound to swarm the space and the viewer to be drawn into each video. I made a conscious choice to put the TV’s and DVD players on the floor to consider the sound and space. When further laying out the exhibit I realized that there is a choice I am always faced, because I explore ideas of research as a product, is the materials I use. There is no hiding the amount of cords, technical devices and overall set-up. I like to structure the raw. The exhibit is laid out so you see the cords run to the DVD player and into the TV in an almost minimalist compulsive disordered fashion. But this is my style; order to the disorder or beauty of the raw. And I recognise that in my work and this is why I never use professional cameras, sleek equipment, and designed costumes. I like real and attainable situations because I take what I see and I "consider it part of the performance." (Vincenzi, S. 2010)
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