KEY:

         - Key information that I have learnt that day and will use to inform my further practise

Today i finished off my proposal, and spoke to a tutor about where this project was heading. I was given a few suggestions as to how i could get started....

1) make an object everyday out of waste next week

2) outcome may involve the solution rather than the problem itself (plastic-eating worms) Dont have to just focus on the negatives?

3) Look at Tony Cragg - makes pieces out of plastics 

4)Look at  Jane bennett - Enchantment of Modern LIfe (Book) - Talks about different values of objects (may be too off topic...?)

5) photograph and document waste daily (in skips) - make use of constant supply! - at CSM

6) revisit old projects and processes - using tights/bin bags - Manipulate them further

Having this talk was very reassuring as i feel more confident in my ideas. I am no longer worrying about getting to an outcome, but more about the process towards that and the initial research required. 

I also got started with my workflow, inputting research and artists that i have seen in previous exhibitions that fall into the themes of my work. I think that it is crucial for me to have seen the physical work in person, rather than just online, as you are able to fully see the visual impact that the artist intends to have. This is particularly important for the artists that i have researched today, (Jean Francois Bocle, Maha Malluh), as they rely on mass quantities to stimulate a visual impact. I will be looking out for exhibitions for the artists that i have mentioned in my workflow later on. 

Today i visited the Hockney exhibition at Tate Britain. Although his work is not to my own taste, i found the overall exhibition inspirational due to his range of styles over a 60 year period. He allows the evolution of technology and architecture to adapt his own work and methods of practise. (more about the exhibition will be found in the Research III tab).

 Visiting galleries, even if the work does not directly relate to your project, is still incredibly important as i have discovered today. You are still able to appreciate different methodologies of work, and curating skills which can benefit you in the long run if not necessarily now.  In addition, you never know what else you may come across during your visit. This was the case today, as i came across work by Rachel Maclean, which was all to do with the themes that i am exploring now,; consumerism and its effect on us. 

Affordable Art Fair - Hampstead

I think it is important to visit galleries or shows which are much smaller than the ones i tend to go to, as it can give you an idea of as to how artists work with much fewer resources available to them, including money. Today i visited the Affordable Art Fair in a Hampstead Church. It was filled with various paintings, all of very different styles. However, i felt that the overall quality really lacked, and this may have been due to the better quality pieces being completely overlooked by all the rubbish pieces. 

Today i started collecting my rubbish and playing with it in order for it to take a sculptural form. I used the plastic and paper that coated my laundry, and created bulbous organic like shapes by scrunching it up in balls. I then used light to see what different qualities may by picked up (as i did in my previous project, The Everyday). I have learnt from this today, that in order for it to have a good visual impact, i will need to repeat the process with lots of the same repeated materials. (like Boclé did with his piece, "Everything Must Go"). I think that this method of working is a great starting point for this project, as it will help me to learn what materials work best in terms of manipulation and which are able to sustain their shapes. This will help me to narrow down what materials i use in the future. I will therefore continue to work like this and document the process as i go. 

Today I reviewed my research within my workflow, and this was extremely useful as it helped me to critique and become further analytical of the artists' work that i have previously researched. I compared two artist's work, Boclé's and Munson's, as they are similar in method and presentation, however i was able to point out the reasons as to why Boclé's was more successful as a composition: it was consistent in texture, material, and configuration, which also meant that it held a more fragile quality. From looking at the work by Donovan, i was able to establish was made her sculptures look so successful in terms of vulnerability, it was also her use of consistent material and lay out. A pureness was also achieved through using white, but this has taken away the idea that waste is threatening. It has helped to disguise it as something that is clean and unpolluted. 

I have learnt today that by coming back to old research, you are able to pick up and learn new things that you may not have noticed before when initially researching it. I will continue to look over my old research in hope to learn new things and take away key ideas. 

Following this, i went to the Victoria Miro gallery to see the work of Do Ho Suh, "Passages". This was a successful trip and it allowed me to see how you can interpret forms both two dimensionally and three dimensionally. It forced me to reconsider my surroundings, and the "Passages" within it, as i walk down corridors and streets. It also demonstrated a method of working that i have never seen before, a technique that helped to completely reinterpret, transform and transfigure objects from their original self, into something far more delicate and organic looking. The Press Release and research on this will be found within the Research III tab. 

I also continued with the collection of rubbish and assembling it, using materials that contrast greatly to yesterday in terms of composition and texture. Yesterday i used soft paper and plastic, today i am using cardboard. It was interesting to see how both materials can achieve similar organic qualities.  

Today i continued with my exploration in cardboard materials. I looked at the faults of what i had assembled on the previous day and ways in which i could adjust it. One fault being, it just looked like a pile of bound rubbish. In order to tackle this i had to reassemble it in order to disguise it further from its original shape. I took inspiration from the cross section of a trunks rings that i made in my sketchbook on the previous day, out of the scraps of left over torn paper from the cardboard. (This demonstrated to me the importance small doodles and scrappy attempts have, for at the time they seem pointless, but coming back to them can allow you to trigger new ideas). I decided to bend the cardboard and attach them in ways to make a 3 dimensional object of what was in the sketchbook; in other words, recreate a log out of the cardboard. Placing these within a forest environment would be better disguised and blend in well within the trees.

I thought that this was an interesting concept, as it plays with the idea of the source of the material being from trees. There is an irony in recreating an object out of its original source. Perhaps  i will continue to look into the source of my materials for future tests, as it can create a whole new narrative to the piece.

Through documentation of the object, i noticed the texture was something of importance to me. I took chalk rubbings of it and saw this also resembled the rubbings that you may find from an actual tree, but also tyre track tracks and the marks you may find from oily chains; this being completely opposite from the intention of the original piece, where i hoped to make something that looked organic and fragile.  

Moving on to plastic bags... 

Today I saw a plastic bin bag caught up in a skeletal looking tree. This gave me the idea to introduce lots of plastic bags within an environment full of trees, where they would be caught and intertwined within their branches. Their branches currently looking lifeless and leafless due to the season makes them look right for the part. They look vulnerable and almost reef-like, giving the impression that the bags would be taking over their habitat and their life like they currently do within our oceans. In order to go forward with this idea, i have started to look up images of bags caught within tree branches, to get an impression of the overall look. From this i have concluded...

1) i should use all white plastic bags, they will be seen better by the camera (blend less into the environment) Consistency in colour has proven to be successful from the artists that i have explored so far. 

2) use bin bags so they are larger and therefore more dominant within the space - they will look ghostly in a large group 

3) choose an area that has a consistent view (no other objects to take away from the focus) - preferably just trees

Today i went to the library in search of books directly linked to waste, and the environmental impacts that it has. I also found books that talked about different cultures, and how waste interchanges between them, whether they are from an MEDC of LEDC. Unfortunately i was not able to find all the books that i initially wrote down, but I scanned various pages from three where i felt that they had relevant information: - 

  Packard V. The Waste Makers / Vance Packard ; introduction by Bill McKibben. Brooklyn, NY pp. 19-24, 79-88, 187-198

   Thill B. Waste (2015) New York, New York : Bloomsbury Academic pp. 19-35

   Gutberlet J. Recovering Resources – Recycling Citinzership : urban poverty reduction in Latin America (2008) Aldershot :      Ashgate pp. 19-40

I will annotate these pages and upload this to the Research section of my workflow. I hope this will help me to understand this topic that i have introduced to a higher level.

Today I read further into Chapter 2 of Gutberlet’s Recovering Resources (2008), and this brought to my attention the health risks that excess waste has to us. This is mostly common in LEDCs, where countries don’t have the resources available to properly dispose of waste, and therefore it ends up in the streets, causing air pollution, soil degradation and water contamination. This could potentially lead to harmful diseases, and even cancerous tumours, which can be life threatening. I have decided to look into the harmful effects that waste has on our bodies further, and use this as a source of inspiration for the making of pieces. 

Following this we received a lecture from Adrian, where he set out the details of deadlines, as well as what we can do to help achieve a merit of distinction on this course. Here is key information that i noted :-

1) Have a number of different outcomes, don't just focus on one piece for the final exhibition 

2) Have a clear development of "process"

3) Present several different ideas that have stemmed from a wide range of sources and media (in my case, this includes looking at the health risks from waste, looking at rates of consumption and what we waste as a result of this - ie. greater food waste (from social medias such as instagram) looking at the source of materials and focusing on how they could come together to make a sculptural piece of installation etc.) 

4) Ability to research and integrate a variety of methods (focus on this idea of the pyramid, wide starting point with lots of blocks which then come together to a final outcome, rather than focusing on one idea purely) 

5) Have consistent and strong use of supporting work- lots of sketchbook drawings/plans/annotations on writings) 

6) Have evidence of self motivation - organisation - planning

7) be willing to contribute to the learning of your whole group

Today i had my progress tutorial with Susan, and she helped to relay what i need to do more of and what i should continue doing. She also suggested some artists that could potentially help me with my work that would be situated within the public. These artists dont necessarily link in with the theme that i explore, but they would help me with the composition of a piece and working out how i could potentially structure it. They will also help me to think about what materials could be appropriate... eg Nets?

The "reading research" part of this project should be minimising, and the actual making of art and artistic ideas part of this project should be increasing. Susan suggested that i look into the research of artists more, rather than the scientific side of it so much, as after all, this project is about ART! 

I was told that i am not making enough entries into my workflow reflection, and so i will aim to enter one at least once a day. I think this wil be useful in terms of getting my mind further in gear with the development of this project, as it will force me to consider its elements everyday. 

Artists: 

Ernesto Neto (material engagement - previously looked at his work - involves olfactory pieces) 

Pyllida Barlow - (material engagement  - stacks of wood) 

Natalie Jeremijenko (crosses with plants)

Mierle Laderman Ukele 

Today i decided to start exploring with materials on a larger scale within public spaces. I brought materials with me, white plastic bags as well as tissue paper, and hung them within tree branches on the Heath. This was a quick and easy task, and helped me to see what materials worked best within open air conditions:'

- plastic bags are more durable than tissue paper- didnt tear or fall apart

- plastic bags have a more graceful quality than paper - they held themselves gently within the air, whereas the paper had to be tied 

Although the main aim was to show the bags to be threatening, they actually looked quite vulnerable within the trees, as though the branches were the ones attacking them. However, this may not necessarily be a bad thing? It still holds the same connotations due to the materials and environment that its being situated within. Perhaps by creating something more graceful and elegant than something menacing, this could create a more likeable piece of work. If it is likeable in terms of aesthetic and grace, then people would be more likely to notice it and take an interest in it. Therefore, let it be something worth talking about. This will encourage people to look into the impact that waste has on our environment, and be encouraged to make a difference. 

Today i documented the videos and photographs that i took on the Heath. This helped me to decide what i felt was mostly successful and why. In terms of filming, i felt that the tissue paper was most effective, and this may have been mainly due to the fact that the tree was in an open space and not crowded by other trees like the plastic bags one. I think that there being less distractions in the shot allows you to focus on the main object of interest, and helps to elevate its significance as it is not being drowned out by the things in its surroundings. This means i could potentially do this kind of thing again but in a different location, where it is more vacant. 

Today i discussed my ideas with class mates, as well as a tutor. This was extremely useful as i was given more ideas as to how i could progress my project further in terms of exploration and refinement. I was also recommended an exhibition to go to, "Grow-Conserve", which is highly relevant to my project. I will go later on today. 

Pupil Feedback:

1) they liked the plastic bags in the trees, as they felt as though their placement was natural and unobtrusive 

2) I could put natural objects, that you wouldnt necessarily think of as rubbish, into plastic bags. (objects like twigs, leaves etc) introduces this idea of transformation - re interprets their meaning and value? 

3) Yan Wang Preston - at the "Grow-conserve" exhibition- plastic bags actually PROTECT the trees from the outside pollution - interesting irony in this?  As i saw the bags to be a threat 

4) wrap trees in cling film- enveloping the trees and suffocating them - more menacing. or perhaps this could be interpreting as PRESERVING the trees, as cling films main purpose is used for the preservation of foods

5) recreate something natural, e.g tree log , into concrete - and then smash it. Film the destruction 

6) throwing away is a very unceremonious act- create some sort of ceremony for the disposal of things This turns it into something worth thinking about and considering - prevents the "out of sight, out of mind" problem

7) take inspiration from the natural world and natural forms . eg cocoons  - the way they hold themselves suspended from trees - spun in silk (silk could be plastic?) 

8) look at George Shaw- makes paintings of human disturbance in the natural world

9) look at Michael landy - destroys all his belongings into rubbish - makes us re-think the value of our belongings ? is it necessary? 

10) trap trees/ branches into silicon - rebuild this tree on a wall?

My tutor highlighted the fact that a lot of the materials i am using are recyclable. This helps to elevate this idea of remaking and reinterpreting an object into a new thing, perhaps more beautiful than its original form.  Providing it with a new context through recycling helps to demonstrate that the rubbish that we create does not necessarily have to go to waste, but it can be remade into something of value. Therefore i could continue exploring in the manipulation of materials, to help recreate something into original source. 

He also suggested that i look into more versatile, less conventional materials, such as clothing. (TIGHTS?)

We assume that the clothes we give away to be donated go to less well off countries, however many of them end up getting shipped and literally dumped there. It was recommended that i look up "NCM Space Studios Photographer - Photo Fusion (waste clothes)", as quantities of wasted clothes have been captured and documented here. 

I feel as though i have done a lot of exploration in terms of materials and different mediums so far... (sculpture, photography, video) etc, and i feel that i should start focusing on one area in order to focus on developing a particular outcome for this project. However, this is hard to do as i am very indecisive! Now that i have a month left to create and exhibit a piece of work, i feel as though i can explore with materials for the next week or so, then decide to focus on one and develop this into something much more refined and worth of presentation. 

SOMERSET HOUSE -

Following class, i went to the exhibition, Grow and Conserve. This was heavily relevant to this project as it was all about capturing the effects of grow and conserve within a photo. This featured before and after pictures of areas in China, consisting of trees and developments. It also showed neglected mines that make a permanent "Scar" on our environment, along with land fill sites. It was interesting to see the rapid transformations that have been made to our planet as a result of rapid development and population growth. Notes on research will be found within my Research Page. 

Today i tried further experimentation with materials; plastic bags and tights. After discussing with my tutor, it was clear to me that i had to try to stick with a certain material and process that i have enjoyed working with in the past, and push it even further. After looking through my workflow research as well as my sketchbook, i identified key aspects and characteristics of the work that i am interested in;

1) A lot of the artists i have researched involve re-organising objects (plastics, rubbish etc) into something more organic - this is done by repeating a processes using consistent materials, but in an asymmetrical way. (Not fully ordered, so it looks organic) 

2) Using plastic bags and manipulating their properties - including air - Air is considered to contain junk according to "The Waste Makers", due to the pollution within it 

By revising the Research section in my workflow, i was able to pick up new ideas and methods of working that i can apply towards my current methods of working. For example, Sarah Lucas fastened tights to a metal rack in order for them to keep their shape. By applying this method to my own works, i have gained ideas as to how i can take my sculptures further in terms of fastening it. e.g. could thread it through a hole witihn cardboard? rather than using metal? 

Later on in the day i tried this, however the colours all blended into the cardboard due to the tights being of a brownish colour. This means i could start introducing different coloured bags, thus marking the various different brands that we are constantly being exposed to...e.g. light green for asda, blue and red for tesco, dark green for m&s, white for waitrose etc.... 

The different colours could potentially help to make it look further organic, due to the random and sporadic effect it may have. 

Filling out the exhibition space form was difficult to do, because at this point i am still uncertain as to how my outcome will turn out. However, i was able to produce a vague idea as to what may be included. For instance, i know from previous experiments within this project that i will not be working with video. This is because I feel as though i dont  have the knowledge or equipment at easy access, thus hindering my time to work with it efficiently enough in order to produce something of high quality. I have produced some videos along this course, however, from doing this i have been assured that this is not a process i would like to develop further, as i prefer the physical making of things, rather than technological side of things. This means i am certain i will not need a projector. Saying no to electricity all together however is something i can not yet agree to. I have played with light through material experimentation and i have seen that it helps to project and elevate certain qualities of materials like plastic bags. These qualities are not seen without the light projecting through it, and so this is something i think i would like to explore with further, especially now that i feel certain i will be using a combination of plastic bags and tights in the final outcome. As to saying whether the work will be fully wall based i can not say, as Sarah Lucas has shown to suspend her work which consists of a similar structure, and i think this would to help elevate the ethereal qualities of the piece. 

I know for now from filling out this form what my next main focuses are; continue experimentation with light as well as composition, whether it is suspended or not. 

Today  i continued experimenting with cardboard, and combined it with the tights and plastic bag forms that i have recently been creating. This deemed to be unsuccessful, as the colours merge too much into one, and it detracts from the obscure bulbous form, making them look more random and awkward rather than celebrating their form. I initially attempted to create a cardboard base like the one i did in a previous project that was presented in "the street", but saw that this did not marry well with the tight formations as the colours blended too well and the mix of textures was not appropriate. I then rearranged the base in different positions, where pieces awkwardly overhung one another and overlapped at different angles, in order to try and resolve the issue. However, this was also unsuccessful. This means that i may need to ditch the cardboard all together. I could potentially introduce the plastic tights in different environments...(growing off actual objects for example?) and see if this is more effective. However, i feel as though i will find that the main bulbous object itself is what is needed to be celebrated, and that i should attempt to create lots of different sculptures of these pieces in themselves, rather than starting to introduce different elements. 

After reviewing my thoughts of as to how to take these sculptural forms further, i came to the idea of introducing it within an organic space, where it looks like it should be there, although we really know it should not. This plays with this idea of waste collecting in certain areas that we are unaware of. "Out of sight, out of mind" is referenced, as by my introducing it into an organic area, we dont initially notice its presence, yet the problem still exists and persists. We are unaware of it being there, and therefore dont really see it to be a problem. 

In order to play with this idea, i have put the plastic objects within the branches of trees, in order to disguise and blend them in within their surroundings. The plastic, which in fact looks like organic fungus, seems to be sprouting out of the bark, as if it were growing out of the tree. Fungus is known to be an unwanted presence, and something that we should get rid of, and so we should also see plastic and waste in the same way. It being disguised as fungus signifies the problem of us being unaware of its persisting presence. 

I really liked the way the photos turned out for this "experiment", and hope to develop this even further in the following days. 

Today i drew out potential outcomes in my sketchbook, after reviewing the work that i had made previously in the trees. I found that by writing about the work; what was successful about it, what could be improved, what could be changed... etc, i was able to re-think new ideas that would push the concept even further, with a new and improved visual impact. For example, introduce new colours through different types of tights, introduce fishing nets...(fish net tights?) introduce a greater variety of sizes... etc. I also sketched out what the new and improved piece would potentially look like, and feel as though it could be successful and therefore is something i should carry out. The next thing i had to tackle was how i should go about physically making and installing it. This is crucial, especially when working in public spaces and on larger scales. I will carry out test pieces to see if i can make the work mostly at home before installing it within the public space.

Through drawing i also found that if i made the objects range of sizes on a much larger scale, it would be far more effective. This may mean introducing new materials, such as nets, in order to achieve this range of diversity. I started by finding fish net tights to see how effective they may be in containing the plastic bags. I liked the results, but in order to move onto a larger scale, i will need to find netting that is much larger than tights. The material will therefore potentially not be as elasticated and so will introduce new challenges, but i will face this when the time comes.  

Today i started to assemble my installation within the gallery space. The initial approach to this set up is extremely daunting, as i wanted everything to go right straight away in order for me to finish it before Monday so that i could dedicate this day to making my portfolio sheets and evaluation. However, it actually took a lot more through process and manipulation than originally anticipated. As i added more and more pieces to the structure, it became evident to me that i would need MORE TIGHTS.

I realised that i had in a way wasted some of the pieces that i had made, as i used them to dump and pile up from the base, and this could have actually been bulked out by another material which i then could have dressed up with the chains to disguise it. This would have meant lots of the chains would not have been wasted in the foundation of the installation, and i could have used these for other components on the wall. However, this may have altered the concept of the piece. Although the appearance would still be the same, with the same "dumping" effect, me knowing that the quantity was not actually there due to it only being falsified to appear like it was there, may have meant the message would be lost? 

My aim was to create a piece that replicated mass waste, which was both dumped, as well as growing up the wall, acting like an infestation to the gallery space. If the actual mass wasn't really there, then i feel that this would have taken away from the story that i am trying to portray. However, due to time constraints, the better solution would have probably been to falsify the appearance of the mass. This is something that i have learnt and will now take into account in my future exhibitions. 

Notes that i had to consider and take on board when making my piece:

 - Is it too "planned" or too "organised"? It was difficult to get a full perspective of what i was adding to the structure, as i was always way too close to the wall to see the overall effect and appearance that it had. This meant i was constantly having to step back, and look at it from a new angle further back in the room, to see if it looked right. I am aiming to achieve something that looks organic and erratic, and my tutors said that my initial approach looked too structured, and therefore took away from the organic effect. This meant that i had to add random pieces, consisting of all different sizes and shapes, to bulk out the piece to have a "growth" like appearance. 

- Does it take on a good appearance from all angles of the room? In order to see if my work would look good from all perspectives, i was constantly taking photographs from all different angles. Due to the piece being so abstract and erratic, it was extremely difficult what to know looked "right", as i had to organise pieces in an unorganised fashion, in order to resemble something that looked natural and organic. This meant i was constantly having to ask people around me for their advice as to if something looked right in certain sections, or if something did not look right. This was extremely useful, as it all started to turn into a bit of a blur to me, and so i was unable to have an opinion of as to what looked good whenever i added or took away something. At this point, i had to abandon the piece, and reattempt to finalise it on Friday. 

PLANS:

My morning started off by purchasing 8 more packages of tights (80 individual socks), which was followed by me continuing to assemble my installation. By adding a smaller, concentrated component to the top of the piece, i felt that the overall appearance had an improved finish, as this helped to create a "budding" effect. This gave the appearance of a newly growing plant that was sprouting at the top, preparing for new leaves to come through. It also provided a new curvature, adding more shape to the composition. I experimented with growing the piece out onto the gallery floor as well, by having individual components loosely left astray from the body of the piece, but after taking pictures and comparing them, i felt that the overall composition was much stronger when all in one piece. I was not able to finish this piece entirely (im not sure if i ever will feel that it is finished???), but will continue to work on it on Monday, once i print out all extra portfolio pieces.

I feel as though this piece could continue growing, and has so many structural options that i will never feel fully satisfied with the final appearance. It is the sort of piece that could take months of rearranging before it finally feels to be right, but then again, there is not a "right" organic shape, as they are all independent and unique from one another. But i will do my best to complete it to my satisfaction on Monday.

Today i printed out the images for my portfolio sheets, and mounted them onto card. Unfortunately a lot off the images were reduced in quality once printed out, as they were enlarged to A3. But this was surprising as when enlarged on the screen they were in high definiton. I think it may have been something to do with the resizing when making sheets with text on Photoshop, but rather than re-doing it all over again, i decided to print out the original images individually of Lucy, and stick them on card, as these were the most important, and most refined additional outcome of the bunch. 

After looking at Natsuko Hattoris work yesterday, i saw what i needed to do to change my installation, and extended the lower half and widened the upper section a bit. This allowed the look to appear more "complete" than before, so using the formation of other artist's works has proven to be a great success for me. 

below is a before and after picture so you can see the difference:

I feel as though the final photo looks less "organised" and more dynamic, as it looks to be spilling across the floor more than the first image, which creates a sense of movement. This is a good thing!