Art O'Clock

Initially to begin this module, we were scheduled multiple workshops in order to develop our practise but also personal tutorials with tutors whom set tasks in order to challenge our concepts and ideas of making artwork. I really enjoyed these first few weeks of experimentation and challenging what constituted art and artistic concept. In the workshops, I experimented with film photography, welding, mental casting, illustration, Premier Pro and paper making. While these methods were really useful in developing my knowledge and practise, I felt like some were more relevant to me personally than others. At this point I knew I really wanted to develop my use of making films, so Premier Pro was really useful for me.  During the personal tutorials, the tutor set various tasks in order to challenge how we made work and what work meant. I really enjoyed being forced out of my comfort zone by having to make work in short periods of time. A particular task I enjoyed was re-purposing a m...

In order to sum up my project in a shorter post, here is my 550 word rationale to contextualise my work: The control we have as individuals is something that concerns me more as I grow older, due to me becoming aware of my own and others arbitrary positions in society. Growing up exposed me to the reality of my own choices, my own freedom and my own significance as an individual. "Man is condemned to be free"1 ; both a blessing and a curse. As a young person in society, what is my function? What will it be in 10 years? Can I control any of this?  Provoked by these anxieties, I pushed my ideas through multiple mediums to test the boundaries of control, chaos and freedom. Inspired by Zen philosophy and meditation, I have experimented ways of altering control in my work. This creates a work subject to chance/ result of chance. By removing control, I submit myself to allowing things to happen in their own way, the way of the 'tao', meaning path or way. 'Tao' i...

In this project I began with methods of changing my level of control on my work. Being interested in what it means to create raw art, without the expectation of creating good work, I wanted to try different experiments in order to create work using partially chance and part my subconscious abilities. From blind doodles to mapping things from memory, I liked the way my work began to have it's own voice: potentially a voice that wasn't mine. A part of me, unlocked by letting go of the anticipation of what I was supposed to make, draw, create. By removing certain familiar aspects of traditional drawing, for me in particular sight, I was able to create images completely separate from what was intended. What I'd intended to be the portrait of a person became an abstract doodle. Dennis Oppenheim inspired transfer drawings A5 A significant experiment in this process was inspired by the artist Dennis Oppenheim, who conducted a trial with a boy, who would draw an image on ...

For anyone that's read my last post, it probably makes a little more sense why my Instagram page is filled with strange excerpts of dada poetry, wreckless scrawlings and light drawings. I know: poetry! Through a lot of research and experimentation, I've begun to refine my ideas into imagery that I like the look of. Honestly, I'm relieved. Conceptual art is extremely challenging to understand, never mind to actually produce. It's required me to quite literally do a Henry Krokatsis and lose all of my ego, and it's one of the most challenging things I've done! On the topic of conceptual art, I've been having a lot of debates recently about firstly what it is, what it means, and the importance of it. For anyone that doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about, you must watch BBC's Who'a Afraid of Conceptual Art, I found it on YouTube and I found it really useful in fully getting my head around understanding artworks, and also applying it in my o...

When I say I've delved deep for this project: you have absolutely no idea. I mentioned in my previous post about letting go and having fun with this project, and it's only JUST becoming possible for me to do so. It was a lot harder to say than to do, worryingly and surprisingly! This idea of allowing things to go wrong, the relish of being free to make mistakes: it's all rather foreign to me. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but the truth is it's a lot harder to let go than people say it is. In fact, I've found it near impossible. However finally, we have lift off. I knew that FMP was supposed to be challenging, but believe me, the stress I have encountered in the early stages of this project was unbearable: trying to pick my brain for the most PERFECT theme, the MOST COMPLEX concept, the BIGGEST ideas - I quite frankly drove myself insane before I realised that there are no perfect ideas, there are no right answers and there is no wrong. I realised that ...

 For my next project, I've set myself my biggest challenge of being fun. As contradictory as this sounds, I am finding it near impossible! A lot of my ideas come from serious places like women's rights, gender roles, consumerism, racism, which are all rather serious and powerful topics. For me, the biggest challenge is to loosen up. And in order to do this I decided to become a child again. Children have the most innocent and perfect view of the world: sheltered from prejudice, money, the pressure of knowing what to do with your life.. children have the most beautiful and most honest perception of the world. Pablo Picasso was well known for his believe that "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up", which I am definitely relating to at the moment. Jeff Koon's Swan Inflatable To say the pressure of university, growing up and having a career is terrifying me would be a massive understatement. Will I be good enough? Ha...