Phases of Presentation:
Part One:
Eleven Rooms | Marina Abramovich
Chinese Whispers
Childs Play
David Nash | YSP
Forest of Bowland | Logs
Part Two:
Urban Exploration
Sound Collage
Books of Floorplans
Model for a Proposed Echo Chamber
Oiticica
Dissertation
Meltdown
Part Three:
Lino Cutting
Knitting
Edited Prose | Cut-Up Technique..
Bill Boroughs – The Soft Machine & Allen Ginsberg - Howl
Roadside Scars Project
Construction Models
Monument to the Built-Up Environment
Ongoing Project | Possible Film
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
word of the day part:forty-six | perfunctory
perfunctory
per·func·to·ry [pəˈfʌŋktərɪ]
adj.
1. Done routinely and with little interest or care.
2. Acting with indifference; showing little interest or care.
[Late Latin perfnctrius, from Latin perfnctus, past participle of perfung, to get through with : per-, per- + fung, to perform.]
perfunctorily | adv
perfunctoriness | n
per·func·to·ry [pəˈfʌŋktərɪ]
adj.
1. Done routinely and with little interest or care.
2. Acting with indifference; showing little interest or care.
[Late Latin perfnctrius, from Latin perfnctus, past participle of perfung, to get through with : per-, per- + fung, to perform.]
perfunctorily | adv
perfunctoriness | n
finished construction
Here is the finished contruction in it's final resting place. I have added a few close up shots of some the panels on piece number four.
bricolage
bri·co·lage [ˈbrɪkəˌlɑːʒ (French) brɪkɔlaʒ]
n.
Something made or put together using whatever materials happen to be available.
construction | photos
====================================
The placing of three components of the installation. The fourth piece was being constructed and awaiting the hammer.
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
word of the day part:forty-five | hubris
hubris
hubris [ˈhjuːbrɪs] also hybris
n.
Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance.
[Greek, excessive pride, wanton violence; see ud- in Indo-European roots.]
hubristic | adj.
hubristically | adv.
hubris [ˈhjuːbrɪs] also hybris
n.
Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance.
[Greek, excessive pride, wanton violence; see ud- in Indo-European roots.]
hubristic | adj.
hubristically | adv.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
word of the day part:forty-four | monolith
monolith
mon·o·lith [ˈmɒnəlɪθ]
n.
1. A large block of stone, especially one used in architecture or sculpture.
2. Something, such as a column or monument, made from one large block of stone.
3. Something suggestive of a large block of stone, as in immovability, massiveness, or uniformity.
[French monolithe, from Greek monolithos, consisting of a single stone : mono-, mono- + lithos, stone.]
monolithic | adj
mon·o·lith [ˈmɒnəlɪθ]
n.
1. A large block of stone, especially one used in architecture or sculpture.
2. Something, such as a column or monument, made from one large block of stone.
3. Something suggestive of a large block of stone, as in immovability, massiveness, or uniformity.
[French monolithe, from Greek monolithos, consisting of a single stone : mono-, mono- + lithos, stone.]
monolithic | adj
Friday, 25 May 2012
construction
I have named my degree piece .. Monument for the Built-Up Environment. It still has one element to be constructed as of yet and is still unfinished.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
quick drawings
I decided to draw two versions of my construction tonight on the bus home..it's a long journey and had a few hours to kill. I have made two of the elements now and on with constructing the large bit on the right hand side. This will be cladded with found wood and pieces of box wood.
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
word of the day part:forty-three | odious
odious
o·di·ous [ˈəʊdɪəs]
adj.
1 Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.
2 offensive; repugnant
[Middle English, from Old French odieus, from Latin odisus, from odium, hatred; see odium.]
odiously | adv.
odiousness | n.
o·di·ous [ˈəʊdɪəs]
adj.
1 Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure.
2 offensive; repugnant
[Middle English, from Old French odieus, from Latin odisus, from odium, hatred; see odium.]
odiously | adv.
odiousness | n.
Monday, 21 May 2012
Helio Oiticica
Helio Oiticica's work is very influential upon my work at the moment. The Brazilian artist created installations that he called penetrables in that the viewer could interact with them. These large installations were themselves influenced by spatial concepts and colour, the De Stijl movement and the creation of Concrete Art and the short lived Grupo Neoconcretro.
I am interested in his concepts of human interaction and his paintings in particular. There are very bold and contains the elements of art that excite me such as the spatial awareness and the interactiveness of his pieces.
With my new piece, I want the viewer to interact and create an almost spiritual bond. I create monoliths and monuments and hopefully this will become one in a series of monumental assemblages.
As a footnote, on October 19 2009 a fire destroyed at least 90 Percent of his work at his brother's residence in Brazil. The brother was distraught and proclaimed that he wished he had died in the fire.. Quite sad news really, we have a piece in Tate Modern at least.
I am interested in his concepts of human interaction and his paintings in particular. There are very bold and contains the elements of art that excite me such as the spatial awareness and the interactiveness of his pieces.
With my new piece, I want the viewer to interact and create an almost spiritual bond. I create monoliths and monuments and hopefully this will become one in a series of monumental assemblages.
As a footnote, on October 19 2009 a fire destroyed at least 90 Percent of his work at his brother's residence in Brazil. The brother was distraught and proclaimed that he wished he had died in the fire.. Quite sad news really, we have a piece in Tate Modern at least.
word of the day part:forty-two | mellifluous
mellifluous
mel·lif·lu·ous [mɪˈlɪflʊəs]
adj.
1. Flowing with sweetness or honey.
2. Smooth and sweet.
[Middle English, from Late Latin mellifluus : Latin mel, mell-, honey; see melit- in Indo-European roots + Latin -fluus, flowing; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
mellifluously, mellifluently | adv.
mellifluousness, mellifluence | n.
mel·lif·lu·ous [mɪˈlɪflʊəs]
adj.
1. Flowing with sweetness or honey.
2. Smooth and sweet.
[Middle English, from Late Latin mellifluus : Latin mel, mell-, honey; see melit- in Indo-European roots + Latin -fluus, flowing; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
mellifluously, mellifluently | adv.
mellifluousness, mellifluence | n.
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Mike Glanville
Here are several images culled from Mike Glanville's website. Further into my research about assemblage and sculpture both textural and architectural I have found this artist.
I quite like the way he uses wood in a seamster kind of fashion. His technique of building the artwork in layers is an inspiration and hopefully I will intergrate this piece of knowledge within my wood assemblages. His other works are of note, especially the wood cut series.
I am particularly taken with Urban Four and may introduce elements of steel wire and other contributory factors into my work.
The Mob Are Rarely Right
Urban Two
Urban Four
I quite like the way he uses wood in a seamster kind of fashion. His technique of building the artwork in layers is an inspiration and hopefully I will intergrate this piece of knowledge within my wood assemblages. His other works are of note, especially the wood cut series.
I am particularly taken with Urban Four and may introduce elements of steel wire and other contributory factors into my work.
Saturday, 19 May 2012
word of the day part:forty-one | syntax
syntax
syn·tax [ˈsɪntæks]
n.
1.
a. The study of the rules whereby words or other elements of sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences.
b. A publication, such as a book, that presents such rules.
c. The pattern of formation of sentences or phrases in a language.
d. Such a pattern in a particular sentence or discourse.
2. Computer Science: The rules governing the formation of statements in a programming language.
3. A systematic, orderly arrangement.
[French syntaxe, from Late Latin syntaxis, from Greek suntaxis, from suntassein, to put in order : sun-, syn- + tassein, tag-, to arrange.]
syn·tax [ˈsɪntæks]
n.
1.
a. The study of the rules whereby words or other elements of sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences.
b. A publication, such as a book, that presents such rules.
c. The pattern of formation of sentences or phrases in a language.
d. Such a pattern in a particular sentence or discourse.
2. Computer Science: The rules governing the formation of statements in a programming language.
3. A systematic, orderly arrangement.
[French syntaxe, from Late Latin syntaxis, from Greek suntaxis, from suntassein, to put in order : sun-, syn- + tassein, tag-, to arrange.]
Friday, 18 May 2012
David Nash - Seventy One Steps | other works from the YSP
With having some free time on my hands and the sun actually coming out of it's cocoon for once, plans for a picnic at Yorkshire Sculpture Park was put together and with a box of sarnies, a penguin and some fizzy pop of we trotted.
There is a Joan Miro retrospective happening at the moment which has taken over the gallery and it's preceding grounds. I like his paintings but they don't catch enough sparkle for me..he had no paintings here though, there was some of his prints which I DO like and wanted to take home with me and a lot of his sculptures (this being a sculpture park). You couldn't touch his work which was a bugbear for me. Metallic sculpture of this size has the inherentcy to want to be touched and .. So, we left the main bit and went for a wander.
The Hepworth's were visual striking as ever and had children playing on them and actually interfacing with the pieces as she would have intended, I suppose. As I only wanted to see the David Nash's wooden monolithic works again and was deeply disappointed of their absence, we wandered through the Greek Garden enclosure and up and over to his Seventy One Steps piece.
This piece is just seventy steps going up a hill with coal used as treads but of course that will be a glib statement to just belt out. Yeah..the steps are useful and quite ameniable in their work ethic but like all Nash's work, the work has this relationship with its surroundings and become one with nature. His boulder in the river piece is just one of those from the same block..the boulder travels through the river and falls over waterfalls and disappear for a time then resurfaces. That work is just like these steps, over looked and traveled on by but is quite sublime in its prenteniousness but loveable.
I borrowed a few pieces of coal that is used with the work and has pride of place on top of my mantle piece where it will live until I make a perspex box to place it in.
The Moore statues where still Henty Mooreish but up we went to see the James Turrell, Deer Shelter SkySpace which is a wonder of unbriddled minimalism and is quite spiritual in it's majesty.
As I lay on my back, looking up through the windowless squared space watching the mighty blue and white pass by, I had emotions of grandeur. I was imagining monolithic sculptures and birdsong whilst visiting where siddling past me looking quite tentative at me..well all to their own I suppose. After the picnic we went back to the gallery, I bought a book and we went home.
A truly wonderful afternoon out of the city and batteries filled to just about the right capacity.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Tony Cragg and his wood-pile stacks
This guy is hugely influential to me and to my artwork and just need to leave this image here to rectify a disgression.
This is my interpretation of Cragg's wood-pile which is a photograph that I had taken at a disused railway station in Manchester.
This is my interpretation of Cragg's wood-pile which is a photograph that I had taken at a disused railway station in Manchester.
Friday, 4 May 2012
bad news
Adam Yauch has died of cancer..it is very, very bad news. Not because he was a founding father of seminal hip-hop/funk/groove band the Beastie Boys but for his family and friends also. He had been fighting cancer for at least three years and now..bye-bye. Nighty-night MCA and thanks for your input into putting that bit of joy into my life.
Thursday, 3 May 2012
power, corruption and lies - new order
Review of Power, Corruption and Lies Uncovered
Sometimes an album comes around at such a time that it will infect you for life. This album may come at a time when there is a huge upheaval, when emotions run riot or when conditions are just right for the change.
The year is 1986 and I am about eleven/twelve years old and just entering the second year of school. I was starting to listen to music at this time, Madonna and Prince mainly and after me, my sister and my mum went to a local jumble sale; I bought my first two records. These records were The Jam-Around The World in a Day and Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, my sister managed to buy a copy of New Order's second LP and my mum bought a bag of secondhand clothes.
After the jumble sale, my sister began to play the record on my Dansette record player and after the first listen; I fell in love with it. When I used to play the said record, I used to get a clout of my sister but eventually the record stayed in my bedroom and became one of the first records in my then growing collection.
Even through my ever-changing taste in music as a teenager with listening to bands such as Slayer and Napalm Death and to Pop Will Eat Itself and The Jesus and Mary Chain, this record kept itself within regular rotation. This record kept me sane through adolescence, school bullying and family break-ups. Songs such as 5-8-6, Your Silent Face and Leave Me Alone became embedded within my existence.
The sleeve art has probably influenced me through my taste in graphic design and my early interest in art as a teenager and this maybe permeated into how I chose what I buy when it comes to record buying.
Eventually, through having to live in a mobile home when I left home, this and all the rest of the records that I had accumulated through the years got stolen and I was distraught. I managed to get a handful back through sheer determination but not Power, Corruption and Lies.
When I finally bought the album on Compact Disc a few years later, I got a big surprise. Because the record isn't labeled on the sleeve with tracklisting and other information, I have been playing the LP in the wrong order. I had been playing side B as Side A and so on, so when playing the CD thereafter, the album got a bit confused. Your Silent Face should be the album starter and 5-8-6 should be the closer anyway. I didn't like We All Stand and The Village reminded me of my sister singing into a hairbrush and slamming a bedroom in my face so when I (stole) the record, these two track were always dodged for the already mentioned classic 5-8-6. With luck, the album in vinyl form was bought again when I was in my mid thirties and the true running order was re-established.
This year is the thirtieth anniversary of Power, Corruption and Lies release. I believe that this changed the course of music through its production values, design and overall musicality. It is one of those records that without it's existence there would be a huge void. It has probably influenced the whole electronic music scene of both Britain and predominately, New York and Chicago/Detroit. The record is full of the New York electro/gay scene, Manchester's post punk and Germanic Krautrock.
So, with its 30th birthday coming up popular rock magazine-Mojo decide to release a cover album of contemporary electronica rock bands playing a song each. I quickly did my irrational fan thing and bought a copy, albeit tentatively.
Yeah, some of the tracks are ok; with some tracks being so close to my heart I became ever so hypercritical. Some songs fell through the radar such as The Golden Filter's Age of Consent and Tarwater's We All Stand. These two sound so anemic that a blood transfusion is needed. Hand's up to Errors’ version of The Village though, they've made it a slomo new romantic number.
SCUM made 5-8-6 into a generic electro number but don't get me started on Fujiya & Miyagi's rendition of Your Silent Face. The humanity, the warmth and the joy have been stripped away. It still has some of the elements of the original but important basslines and nuances had been ignored. Yeah, this is a covers album and people will do their thing with the tracks but you either do a faithful version or you rip the track's innards out, stamp on the remains and then make a new beast altogether. I may be harsh on the chaps but this song has saved me through bad times and has entered my being. It isn't really that bad of a run through the song and I do like Fujiya & Miyagi but it was a bad choice of a cover.
On the other hand, Seekae has done one of the best jobs on the whole album with their version of Ultraviolence. They have reduced this track to its basest elements and have become a new track. I just adore this track as they have done it and will in time, become a classic. It is the CDs shortest track but a track that commands a second and third listen. Walls's Ecstasy was skipped after the first few bars, sorry and Leave Me Alone by Destroyer is a faithful rendition and that is all I have to say on that.
The extra tracks on the cover CD are Biosphere doing a Germanic/robotic voxed Blue Monday, interesting I suppose but The Beach was always my favourite of the two and Zombie Zombie is a vastly superior cover. After Seekae, the two stand out tracks are Lonelady's Cries and Whispers (Mesh) and Anothers Blood, Lonesome Tonight. These two tracks are usually hard to find and was b-sides for other releases. I think because of the emotional detachment to these two, I am more forgiving in their musical arrangements even though, Mesh is a personal favourite but with the addition of the female vocals..it has elevated the track.
Last but not least is the behemoth that is Murder. This was an American only release; my copy is so I'll stick with my information on that. Murder is an electro monster from New Order and has been part of my collection for over twenty years. It has been played at parties both my own and others that I was invited to play at. I have fallen out of love and then bounced back to this track. K-X-P is another unknown group..I still don't know what they do but gosh and feckin' golly what have they done to Murder.
This is 4.12 of sonic electronica and is rightly kept until the end. It is not that dissimilar to the original but is still a bloody rendition. I quite like the break off towards the end and what appears to reduce the track into ashes of it's former self.. An excellent finish to a somewhat patchy CD. Technically free but I had to buy and then throw the magazine for the pleasure.
When emotional attachment is placed onto songs or movies or whatever, you can become slightly fetishtic about them. Your Silent Face is such a totem, as it became a catalyst for a change in me. I was beginning to forge my own ideas at the time and what with adolescence happening, the emotions of such a change became embedded. I am just glad that Destroyer's version of Leave Me Alone didn't cause such an offence and they kept within the confines of the original.
I have heard this CD some more times since I past judgment on it and some of the reactions have subdued quite a bit and now beginning to enjoy the flow of the record as a new experience but, a bad cover version is like having a dog shitting on your favourite record, turning around and looking at you saying, 'well, clean this up then'. It does cause that much upset but, yeah, one has to breathe and just get on with living. Oh, I do like The Golden Filter's Age of Consent now and find it quite sweet and has erased my adolescent hang-ups about the track..
Update-13/09/13
My opinions have softened a little and now able to listen to Fujiya and Miyagi's track now without recoiling in horror.
new order | power, corruption and lies
mojo | power, corruption and lies-covered
Sometimes an album comes around at such a time that it will infect you for life. This album may come at a time when there is a huge upheaval, when emotions run riot or when conditions are just right for the change.
The year is 1986 and I am about eleven/twelve years old and just entering the second year of school. I was starting to listen to music at this time, Madonna and Prince mainly and after me, my sister and my mum went to a local jumble sale; I bought my first two records. These records were The Jam-Around The World in a Day and Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, my sister managed to buy a copy of New Order's second LP and my mum bought a bag of secondhand clothes.
After the jumble sale, my sister began to play the record on my Dansette record player and after the first listen; I fell in love with it. When I used to play the said record, I used to get a clout of my sister but eventually the record stayed in my bedroom and became one of the first records in my then growing collection.
Even through my ever-changing taste in music as a teenager with listening to bands such as Slayer and Napalm Death and to Pop Will Eat Itself and The Jesus and Mary Chain, this record kept itself within regular rotation. This record kept me sane through adolescence, school bullying and family break-ups. Songs such as 5-8-6, Your Silent Face and Leave Me Alone became embedded within my existence.
The sleeve art has probably influenced me through my taste in graphic design and my early interest in art as a teenager and this maybe permeated into how I chose what I buy when it comes to record buying.
Eventually, through having to live in a mobile home when I left home, this and all the rest of the records that I had accumulated through the years got stolen and I was distraught. I managed to get a handful back through sheer determination but not Power, Corruption and Lies.
When I finally bought the album on Compact Disc a few years later, I got a big surprise. Because the record isn't labeled on the sleeve with tracklisting and other information, I have been playing the LP in the wrong order. I had been playing side B as Side A and so on, so when playing the CD thereafter, the album got a bit confused. Your Silent Face should be the album starter and 5-8-6 should be the closer anyway. I didn't like We All Stand and The Village reminded me of my sister singing into a hairbrush and slamming a bedroom in my face so when I (stole) the record, these two track were always dodged for the already mentioned classic 5-8-6. With luck, the album in vinyl form was bought again when I was in my mid thirties and the true running order was re-established.
This year is the thirtieth anniversary of Power, Corruption and Lies release. I believe that this changed the course of music through its production values, design and overall musicality. It is one of those records that without it's existence there would be a huge void. It has probably influenced the whole electronic music scene of both Britain and predominately, New York and Chicago/Detroit. The record is full of the New York electro/gay scene, Manchester's post punk and Germanic Krautrock.
So, with its 30th birthday coming up popular rock magazine-Mojo decide to release a cover album of contemporary electronica rock bands playing a song each. I quickly did my irrational fan thing and bought a copy, albeit tentatively.
Yeah, some of the tracks are ok; with some tracks being so close to my heart I became ever so hypercritical. Some songs fell through the radar such as The Golden Filter's Age of Consent and Tarwater's We All Stand. These two sound so anemic that a blood transfusion is needed. Hand's up to Errors’ version of The Village though, they've made it a slomo new romantic number.
SCUM made 5-8-6 into a generic electro number but don't get me started on Fujiya & Miyagi's rendition of Your Silent Face. The humanity, the warmth and the joy have been stripped away. It still has some of the elements of the original but important basslines and nuances had been ignored. Yeah, this is a covers album and people will do their thing with the tracks but you either do a faithful version or you rip the track's innards out, stamp on the remains and then make a new beast altogether. I may be harsh on the chaps but this song has saved me through bad times and has entered my being. It isn't really that bad of a run through the song and I do like Fujiya & Miyagi but it was a bad choice of a cover.
On the other hand, Seekae has done one of the best jobs on the whole album with their version of Ultraviolence. They have reduced this track to its basest elements and have become a new track. I just adore this track as they have done it and will in time, become a classic. It is the CDs shortest track but a track that commands a second and third listen. Walls's Ecstasy was skipped after the first few bars, sorry and Leave Me Alone by Destroyer is a faithful rendition and that is all I have to say on that.
The extra tracks on the cover CD are Biosphere doing a Germanic/robotic voxed Blue Monday, interesting I suppose but The Beach was always my favourite of the two and Zombie Zombie is a vastly superior cover. After Seekae, the two stand out tracks are Lonelady's Cries and Whispers (Mesh) and Anothers Blood, Lonesome Tonight. These two tracks are usually hard to find and was b-sides for other releases. I think because of the emotional detachment to these two, I am more forgiving in their musical arrangements even though, Mesh is a personal favourite but with the addition of the female vocals..it has elevated the track.
Last but not least is the behemoth that is Murder. This was an American only release; my copy is so I'll stick with my information on that. Murder is an electro monster from New Order and has been part of my collection for over twenty years. It has been played at parties both my own and others that I was invited to play at. I have fallen out of love and then bounced back to this track. K-X-P is another unknown group..I still don't know what they do but gosh and feckin' golly what have they done to Murder.
This is 4.12 of sonic electronica and is rightly kept until the end. It is not that dissimilar to the original but is still a bloody rendition. I quite like the break off towards the end and what appears to reduce the track into ashes of it's former self.. An excellent finish to a somewhat patchy CD. Technically free but I had to buy and then throw the magazine for the pleasure.
When emotional attachment is placed onto songs or movies or whatever, you can become slightly fetishtic about them. Your Silent Face is such a totem, as it became a catalyst for a change in me. I was beginning to forge my own ideas at the time and what with adolescence happening, the emotions of such a change became embedded. I am just glad that Destroyer's version of Leave Me Alone didn't cause such an offence and they kept within the confines of the original.
I have heard this CD some more times since I past judgment on it and some of the reactions have subdued quite a bit and now beginning to enjoy the flow of the record as a new experience but, a bad cover version is like having a dog shitting on your favourite record, turning around and looking at you saying, 'well, clean this up then'. It does cause that much upset but, yeah, one has to breathe and just get on with living. Oh, I do like The Golden Filter's Age of Consent now and find it quite sweet and has erased my adolescent hang-ups about the track..
Update-13/09/13
My opinions have softened a little and now able to listen to Fujiya and Miyagi's track now without recoiling in horror.
word of the day:part forty | erroneous
erroneous
er·ro·ne·ous [ɪˈrəʊnɪəs]
adj.
Containing or derived from error; mistaken: erroneous conclusions.
[Middle English, from Latin errneus, from err, errn-, a vagabond, from errre, to err, wander; see ers- in Indo-European roots.]
erroneously | adv.
erroneousness | n.
er·ro·ne·ous [ɪˈrəʊnɪəs]
adj.
Containing or derived from error; mistaken: erroneous conclusions.
[Middle English, from Latin errneus, from err, errn-, a vagabond, from errre, to err, wander; see ers- in Indo-European roots.]
erroneously | adv.
erroneousness | n.
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