Reflective Statement

When researching I responded so much better to visuals than written text. Because of this, in this section of the Research and Enquiry module, I spend hours browsing through images on Behance, Pinterest and websites such ashttp://www.creativebloq.com/, http://www.thisiscolossal.com/ & http://www.juxtapoz.com/ . Although I am a visual learner and feel I lack the skill of verbalizing and documenting my findings. 

In early to mid December I took a risk and decided to change the direction my art was moving. I was beginning to wander into areas I’d never been and so was faced with information and articles I was struggling to make sense of. I fear that this had a negative affect on my progression academically, however I feel much more confident in my practical work. 

I found it difficult to pin-point any exact fields or areas of art which I needed to explore. In my work, I hope to document the life of a person or people who are deemed to be eccentric by society. I want to investigate how these people are viewed by the general public, how they view themselves in the publics eye and to document my journey/relationship with them.
I decided that the most appropriate place to start was to look at the various ways in which people or events can be documented visually. I had no specific goal in mind and allowed art pieces to stand out to me, to generate a reaction. I would hope that this method of research would be reflected in the work that I will produce and broaden my understanding of immediate response to a piece. I questioned the images possible meanings, their origins, the context in which they were produced etc.
In the creative fields which I investigated I tried not to limit myself to a specific area. I feel I achieved this. I included in my research: video art, photography, painting and illustrations. However, within these various fields I tried to keep myself within the spectrum of ‘styles and methods of documentation’. I looked for works which I felt could challenge me to move out of my comfort zone but not far enough to risk a loss of strength in my abilities.

I find visual connections easy to make. In contrast, theoretical connections are a difficulty for me. In viewing a piece of art during this module I questioned mediums and translation of concept/context and atmosphere. I’m aware that I have many weaknesses when it comes to research and enquiry. I am a person who lives by heart and emotional responses. Connections are what motivate me. Because of this I hit brick walls when it comes to verbalizing my work or that of others.
My weakness in this is my ability to back up points i make with strong theoretical words and references. It’s not that I don’t read articles, books and documents, it’s that I struggle to refine so many viewpoints while intertwining them with my own. Theory in practice is a side to my art that needs to be developed and I am aware that I’m slow to this.
The process of creating the blog itself has helped to drive me to engage in mediums which I would have previously avoided. This drive, I feel, may have reflected in the artists I researched.

Deenesh Ghyczy

The fragmented portraits created by German-Hungarian painter Deenesh Ghyczy hold influence over a style which has been resurfacing again and again in my research. Stumbling upon his work today I felt compelled to include his work as part of my blog.
On his website http://dghyczy.com/ Marc Wellman writes “Deenesh Ghyczy’s way leads to a world beyond the surface, goes to a depth that can explore more on the mental than in the merely visible.”
Ghyczy’s work brings together a feel of Cubisim however, it diverts away from the replication of such a movement. Instead, Ghyczy seems to slow down time in his work, rather than merge alternative viewpoints. Movement is evident, his portraits are not stagnant. They portray a feeling of partially kaleidoscopic frames.
The eye does not settle easily on the subject. Yet, Ghyczy manages to leave the viewer satisfied in knowing that not much more needs to be known about the moment portrayed. There is a starting point and an end, concluding the segment in a delicate manner.
In an interview with Fabian Faltin for Perfect Day Magazine in 2008 http://dghyczy.com/fabian-faltin-/ Ghyczy explains his methods of using optical filters:
“The optical filters had more to do with a general feeling of detachment from reality and also society. A sense of isolation which I wasn’t conscious about either.”

This feeling of detachment is evident in his work. The viewer is left feeling like they’ve just missed a moment or that they had an opportunity to witness the memory of another.
Ghyczy’s method of distortion is influential in it’s ability to alter the view and position when looking at this work, giving a slight disassociation but a gentle intrigue.

Indexhibit (2012) Deenesh Ghyczy, Available at: http://dghyczy.com/ Accessed: (05/01/14)

Documenting People

In researching art work for this blog, I found it difficult to zone into one particular subject or genre. In documenting people and events, mediums and creative fields changed and crossed over constantly. Various forms of portraits have have found themselves in the bookmarks of my computer, lying in question as to whether they are applicable or not. I have revisited historical works from Jan Van Eycks symbolic masterpiece of The Arnolfini Portrait, to the Picasso’s cubist portraits and Man Ray’s hauntingly beautiful portrayals of life and people through photography. 

Documenting people and their lives is not something new. It has been part of our lives since the first cave paintings some 40,000 years ago. The challenges we face today in how to spread new light on the lives we wish to document. How can I, as an artist, create a new way of seeing? Influences from the past, brought forward onto contemporary subject or concepts will naturally alter the discourse of this visual language. <a

I have been intrigued by the positioning and role of the artist in documenting the life of another, be it through photography, reportage, biographical illustrations, video or painting. If I am to spend time, observing the life of another, will I be part of the journey or am I to be a ghost at the edge. In a number of works I have researched such as Vivian Maier, the positioning of the artist in the composition of the photograph grabbed my attention. It made me question what is important in documenting lives or events, subject over environment, environment over subject or a harmonious balance between both as seen in work of Shin Young An? Where does abstraction of subject/concept begin and where does it end, if one chooses to apply it? How, with the application of this abstraction, is it going to affect the “reader” or viewer of the imagery?

What makes a portrait of someone? Can this idea of portrait be extended to multiples, falling over a serious of individual depictions or is it restricted to a single frame at a time? Camilla Catrambone helps to break the barriers of what a portrait can contain. Her work helped me to understand that there is more to expressing the personalities of an individual or group of people than their faces. That identity can be encapsulated in the world around us. 

In discussing what it is that makes a self-portrait, Mareia Pointon wrote “It offers… an illusion of timelessness, the impression that we can know people other than ourselves…” Pointon, M. (2013) Portrayal; and the search for Identity London, Reaktion. In creating works which tell the story, no matter how brief, of another persons life, I feel it essential to invite the viewer to feel a connection with the individual or to have a reaction.  

Benjamin Garcia

In an article posted online on Juxtapoz Magazine dated Friday August 16th 2013
http://www.juxtapoz.com/illustration/benjamin-garcias-abstracted-portraits
I was introduced to the work of Benjamin Garcia, an artist and illustrator from Venezuela. His striking paintings found in this article displayed some of the compositions, movements and layering which I had been researching. I decided to further investigate the work of this talented man leading me to his website:
http://beng-art.com/
It was here that I fell in love with Benjamin’s art. In particular his second piece displayed in the collection named: Communication Breakdown-2 (above)

The narrative formed, the composition and style of this painting I found instantly mesmerizing, pulling me into it’s abstract, conceptual, tensely driven scene. The positioning and clothing of the two women on the left foreground of the painting present a questionably provocative invitation into the scene. These women, painted in warm hues and tones, feel somewhat displaced in their urban industrialized environment.
In stark contrast to these partially clothed women is a figure walking towards the foreground. This figure, for me, questions gender identity. The figure walks in a feminine manner with masculine clothing towards the area which the partially nude women sit. In place of a regular human head is that of an elephant making it more difficult to identify the gender of the figure.

My love for this painting lies in the sense of wonder and the connection between art and viewer. The concept is one which is suggested but not completely obvious. A conversation is proposed and a narrative implied. An illustrative style merges elegantly with that of a contemporary painter adding an extra dimension to the piece. This meeting of minds on an intellectual level between viewer and concept is one which I am influenced by. Striking questions and a want to understand, to be informed and involved in the message portrayed is one which I hope to develop in my work.

Dessign.net (2012) Benjamin Garcia, Available at: http://beng-art.com/ Accessed: (04/01/14)

Camilla Catrambone – Portraits of My Family

Camilla Catrambone – Portraits of My Family

Discovered while browsing through posts under the search of “portraits” on Behance, I came across the beautiful Fine Art Photography of Camilla Catrambone. These family portraits however, are unlike most as they do not depict any facial imagery of the people and personalities they express. The only introduction to the people are the names of each title. The personalities of each person and their descriptions are largely expressed through objects associated with them. The items are delicately arranged into striking compositions photographed from an aerial viewpoint. 

In a way, the viewer is invited to ‘read’ the portraits. an intellectual invitation to piece together an understanding or possible narrative of the person portrayed. 

What is it that we depend on to get to know or understand a person and their lives? Are the objects around us enough to express us individually? Do they have enough power in their existence to give a legitimate representation of a person’s life or personality? In the tasks I plan to undertake as part of my work, I want to bring these questions with me. In Shin Young An’s work, the background on which the portrait or objects are painted guide the viewer to understand what it is exactly that she wishes to express. It aids the concept. Could it be beneficial to include  a specific or a number of specific object in the background of a piece which hint to sub themes or link to the concept expressed? 

I feel that Camilla’s work is a strong example of the different possibilities which exist in the portrayal of a single person or group of peoples lives. 

Behance (2014) Camilla Catrambone, Available at: http://www.behance.net/lacatra Accessed: (02/01/2014)

Shin Young An

“Peeking”

My admiration for Shin Young An’s work lies in her ability to subtly combine topical issues in a composition of everyday tasks, stills and portraits.

Images in the forground and background are beautifully balanced with neither topic nor object taking command of the piece. As a viewer, my eye gently wanders between the issues portrayed on broadsheet newspaper and the portrait/stills placed delicately on the platform of these issues.

These works highlight the issue of backgrounds for me and the place background details play in the overall composition of a piece. How, conceptually, a piece is read and to question how information is translated.

This question of rendering and detailing a piece is something I asked myself with the work of Evan Turk. In Turks work he understood the subject, he planned and prepared before embarking on the task of capturing spontaneous sketches and drawings of such events. His works translated moments more so than subject. However, Shin Young An’s work is fine detailed and composed. In her work, the readability of the to

Weebly(2013) Shin Young An Available at: http://an-shinyoung.weebly.com/ Accessed: (29/12/13)

Evan Turk – Reportage Illustration

Evan Turks collection of Illustrations of Seattle Gay Pride are taken from the Book “Understanding Illustration” (Brazell, D & Davies, J 2014, Bloomsbury, London)
In this collection Turk captures the moments during the Gay Pride Parade through quick and rough sketching. As stated in “Understanding Illustration” (2014, p103) “Evan wanted to include the explosion of sights, sounds and colour that is part of a pride parade, but without presenting the characters as stereotypes.”
This i feel is achieved in his drawings. The images produced form a collection of movement, activity and atmosphere. Depictions of people are sensitive yet full of character, a difficult task to undertake given the lavish stereotypes which are associated with such events.

In contrast to Richard Johnshon, another reportage illustrator I discussed previously, Evan takes a different approach in his methods of capturing moments. He plans possible layouts and settings, structuring his options before attending an event. To Evan it seems information and knowledge is key to finding the “right” imagery. However, his piece have a feeling of a fleeting moment, a loss of control and a method of drawing which is unrestricted. Some figures merge together in a flurry of lines adding to the sensation of movement and spontaneity. In places, colour adds to the loudness of the image, informing the viewer that there is more happening beyond the lines you see.

Although these works are uniquely beautiful and captivating I can’t help but wonder how the image would appear should its lines be cleaner with small details emerging in places. Would the images benefit from layers of colour, overlapping and working in conjunction with the lines created? Would clean reworked lines reveal more to the view? Would the viewer be informed more? The unease and sense of fulfillment, in-completion of the works leaves me eager to know more yet frustrated as an admirer because i’m also limited.
I’m left to question Evans intention in his style of documentation of such an event. Could the stereotypes of which he has mentioned be investigated, expressed and represented by showing detail rather than avoiding it? The feeling of a fleeting moment which is so clearly and beautifully captured would be lost with detail but maybe somewhere within a more refined piece that feeling of movement could still be expressed.

These questions are ones which I hope to ask myself in the journey of my work. I tend to look for detail and lack the spontaneity that Evans so beautifully captures in his work. The ability to capture the essence of a moment is a task I will undertake in the hopes of finding another level of experience, motion and movement in my work.

Brazell, D and Davies, J (2014) Understanding Illustration, Bloomsbury

Chris Russell – Narrative Portraits of NYC Subway Riders

Chris Russell – Narrative Portraits of NYC Subway Riders

In a twist of inspiration I came across the work of Chris Russell while browsing the illustration archives of Juxtapoz Magazine. Chris’s undeniably entertaining and intriguing illustrations are discussed in an article posted Wednesday 31st of July 2013. For 4 years Chris dedicated his travels in NYC subways to documenting various people who sat in front of him. These characters combined to form an accordion style books.

These fascinating people overlap, layer and sit side by side in an unexpected visual documentary narrative. Conversations spill from the imagery into the mind of the visual reader. Unspoken words between people who may never have met are created by chance sequential meetings upon paper. Sounds spill from the pages in crowded forms interjected in places by tiny text or inanimate objects.

Chris’s work is beautifully constructed however it is the method and process which has caught my attention and influenced me. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have lacked spontaneity in my work and feel that broadening my horizons to take in multiple views of the same subject may be an option I will strongly consider in my art. 

 

highspeedproductions(2014) Narrative Portraits of NYC Subway Riders by Chris Russell, Available at: http://www.juxtapoz.com/current/narrative-portraits-of-nyc-subway-riders-by-chris-russell, Accessed (30/12/13)

David Michalek – Portraits in Dramatic Time

Another Video Art piece which captivated my interests was David Michalek’s Portraits in Dramatic Time. I found two of these particular videos, one including Alan Rickman (above) and the second with Lili Taylor. https://vimeo.com/19238270

These Portraits first intrigued me because of their title. I was in search of a “portrait” of documentation of an individual or collection of people when I stumbled across this work.

The video, lasting over 8 minutes long, captures a moment of anger and frustration. In this piece raw emotion is expressed in fine detail as the movements are slowed dramatically. What ensues is a journey in which the viewer is pulled along and forced to analyse the actions before them with more depth than one would have experienced had the moment been in real time.
I watched this video over and over, revisiting my emotions when viewing it. During one of my viewings I was distracted for a few seconds. Within this time the actor, Alan Rickman, has moved from looking at the tea in hand to staring directly into the camera. I looked back just at this moment. It struck me as extremely powerful and had a lasting affect on the rest of my viewing. Within this piece, each small movement can be chosen as essential, expressive and as having as much importance as the next moment.

In my practical work, I plan on spending time with people, getting to know them, to share experiences and express their lifestyles. This piece of art by Michalek left me questioning “How can I define one moment as more important than another? How can I find the “essential” moments in this journey I hope to take? Should I decide in the moment? Rely on my feelings and instincts? Should I document as much as possible and come back to pick through my resources?”

The work method of Richard Johnson has created a strong contrast in the methods of documentation and research and how these methods affect a piece.

DavidMichalek (2014) Portraits in Dramatic Time Available at: http://www.davidmichalek.net/portraits/video.php Accessed (02/01/2014)

I decided to experiment with various styles of video motion. My main aims of these were to experiment in the production of the short videos and to find new ways of influencing an illustrative style, expressing line and movement. With the aid of a simple phone app, I converted the imagery to styles which focused on line or simple shapes and forms.
The following links will bring you to the prospective videos:

Eyemovement
https://vimeo.com/83385158

Slow motion experiment
https://vimeo.com/83385156

Lincoln Schatz, The Network

The Network is a collection of portrait videos of highly influential individuals from Washington DC. Schatz created these videos by interviewing each individual for 45 minutes. While interviewing them a number of cameras were set up around the individual capturing them from various angles and distances.
What resulted from these interviews is a beautiful minimalist documentation of sight and sound. In these portrait videos I feel that Schatz has brought the view of a traditional portrait to a multiple level of experience. The video contains a layering of videos of the individual. Each layer contrasting in its style of projection from slow motion close ups in black and white to real time, voice matching video.

Schatz work has influenced my interest in the overlapping of imagery and time and how this affects the viewing of a piece. Does help to understand time and sequence in a confined space or frame? Or does it create more complexity for the viewer of the image/piece. Are there advantages in seeing the one subject from multiple angels at the same time?

I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Cubist portraits of Picasso’s as I was viewing the collection and writing my thoughts.

Could it be possible to take the idea of multiple angles or multiple time frames and combine them to create one piece. A static piece of illustration which although static in its physical form expresses movement and extended time in the one image?

LincolnSchatz (2014) The Network Portrait Available at: http://thenetworkportrait.com/category/participants/ Accessed (02/01/2014)

In a piece I previously created (above) I looked at the possibility of mulitple angles and overlapping imagery of the same subject. After viewing the video art of Schatz I have considered reworking the composition of these layers in future works. I have also been influenced by the medium of video art. It is a very new medium to me but one I would like to use as a possible form of investigative and preparatory work for my art.