SPIN SUSPENSION
REI KAWAKUBO, COMME DES GARÇONS
I decided to look at Rei Kawakubo's deisgns at Comme Des Garçons to reflect on the idea of making my sculpture wearable. I find her way of distorting the body by altering its silhuette, almost hiding it completeley, to be somwhat reminiscent of how Antony Gormley creates his eerie, humanoid shapes. Her use of abstarction on garments which are easily recognizable such as turning a collared dress into a wide round shape and using structures to obscure the face help to create this effect. The idea of placing my sculpture on someone raises lots of questions such as who would wear it and in what context. I find it really difficult to decide who this person would be, as my piece is very politically charged. Also, the air supply system and suspension elements would be specially difficult to work with around the body, making it almost impossible for the piece to be a functional garment. However, I am very intrigued by this possibility and would like to develop it in the future.
STELARC, "SUSPENSIONS", 1980 - 2012
THE BODY WAS SUSPENDED FROM 8 SEPARATE PULLEYS ALLOWING IT FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT WHILST IN SPACE WITH EACH ADJUSTMENT OF THE BODY POSITION THE STRETCHED SKIN LANDSCAPE WAS MODIFIED AMPLIFIED EMG SIGNALS AURALLY INDICATED THE CHANGING BODY TENSIONS DURING THE 12 MINUTE SUSPENSION.
"Moving / Modifying: Suspension for Obsolete Body", Espace DBD, Los Angeles 1982
When given "suspend" as a process as part of my Ideas Factory ptoject, the first thing that came to mind was this series of performances by Stelarc in which the artist uses flesh hook suspensions to expose the body as obsolete, a theme that is prominent in all of his work. The action of suspending the body on hooks straight from the flesh makes me think of BDSM as the person who is supended is subject to great amounts of pain and their movements are heavily restricted, forcing them to be in a very vulnerable position and dependant of others. Stelarc chose to reperform this action in several different settings, both public and private, emphasising the action in some cases and the documentation of it in others. The different locations and contexts, such as the streets of New York, make me think about how suspension relates to floating, which can be a symbol of spiritual enlightement. Although the artist is exposed and in a position of vulnerability, being suspended from the roof a building, it creates a very strong image that suggests he has transcended the mundane and everyday life thorugh physical pain and suffering, much like a martyr or ascete.
ANTONY GORMLEY
As my tutor suggested today, I decided to research Antony Gormley. Although I was already familiar with his work I chose to take this opportunity to look into it in depth and try and learn from it as much as possible as I feel it will be an important reference not only in this project but in future ones as well. I was surprised to dicover how much of his art I find both visually and conceptually intriguing for the eerie and mysterious atmoshperes it creates and I am really excited to incorporate some of it into my own work. Despite having looked thorugh many more of his projects and being inspired by most of them, I have decided to include images of the ones I believe illustrate what intrests me about Gromley's work best.
In works such as "Bodies in Space" and "Learning to Think" the human form is representented in a non figurative way, vaguely suggesting the shape of the body. This creates abstracted images uncannily similar to a human being that are very unsettleing as the viewer can't recognise them completely. They make me think about Freud's ideas of the uncanny and the "uncanny valley" theory. I wonder what degree of resemblance can an image have to a human body and still be indentified as such. I would like to explore the limits of this in my Ideas Factory Project.
As for Gormley's 2-D works, "Body", I am interesested in how different paint densities can express an idea of movement. I would like to use this technique in my final visualisation to represent my sculpture breathing, either by using paint, watercolour, ink or smudged charcoal.
Finally "Another Place" makes me think of the importance of context and how the feelings of alienation and loneliness are enhanced by placing the sculptures distant form each other and facing the sea, almost in an act of melancholy reminiscent of Capsar David friederich's "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog".
SOUNDSUITS LIVE PERFORMANCE
NICK CAVE
As my tutor suggetsed, I researched Nick Cave as part of my Ideas Factory project. His work is of special interest to me as it existist at the threshold between fine art and fashion, two subject areas I may want to specialise in. I find the idea of a wearable sculpture very compelling and how it also manages to be incorporate 4-D elements, as the suits produce sounds and are activated in perfomance pieces. Nick Cave's work makes me question if I want my sculpture, as it would be made of fabric, to be wearable and also makes me consider sound as a key element in communicacting the atmoshpehere of the project.
REBECCA HORN
A grand piano is suspended upside down from the ceiling by heavy wires attached to its legs. It hangs solidly yet precariously in mid-air, out of reach of a performer, high above the gallery floor.
A mechanism within the piano is timed to go off every two to three minutes, thrusting the keys out of the keyboard in a cacophonous shudder. The keys, ordinarily the point of tactile contact with the instrument, fan disarmingly out into space. At the same time, the piano’s lid falls open to reveal the instrument’s harp-like interior, the strings reverberating at random. This unexpected, violent act is followed between one and two minutes later by a retraction as the lid closes and the keys slide back into place, tunelessly creaking as they go. Over time, the piano repeats the cycle. A mounting tension to the moment of release is followed by a slow retreat to stasis as the piano closes itself up like a snail withdrawing into its shell.
"Concert for Anarchy" I find this artwork to be particularly interesting because it could be a response to the Ideas Factory brief as it combines the concepts of "air", "anarchism" and "suspensd". I am drawn to the idea of presenting a machine that seems to act randomly as a living creature. The way it was installed at the Tanks in Tate Modern algonside many of Horn's video works helped to create a very unsettling atmosphere, enhanced by elements such as the audio tracks that accompany "Ballet of the Woodpeckers" and the big dark shadows cast against the rough concrete walls of the gallery. I am also very attracted to Rebecca Horn's wearable sculptures such as "Pencil Mask" and finger gloves and how they distort and exaggerate different parts of the body in a mysterious and ambiguous way.
PUNK
The punk movement during the 1970s, heavily influenced by the ideas of anarchism, appropiated conventional business attire such as suits an blazers and tore them, ripped them and painted over them in order to subvert their meaning wih the intention of ridiculising mainstream society. Distressed clothes act as a vestige of violence and therefore can appear shocking and menincing, expressing the rage, anger and destruction associated with the anti-establishment ideals of punk.
PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY
"All space is occupied by the enemy. We are living under a permanent curfew. Not just the cops — the geometry", Raoul Vaneigem
Psychogeography was defined in 1955 by Guy Debord as "the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals." It is a technique for the exploration of urban spaces that emphazises the idea of getting lost as a way of raising awareness of one's environment, potentially subverting architectural structires wich are intended to direct and manipulate people's behaviur. It is linked to the Situationist International, a group of artsits and intellectuals interested in burring the boundries between art and life. I there is enourmousb potential in incorporating the idea in psychogeography into designing a space, creating it with the intention of making people who navigate it purposefully get lost and disoriented.
WINCHESTR MYSTERY HOUSE DOCUMENTARY
WINCHESTR MYSTERY HOUSE
The Winchester Mystery House is a mansion located in San Jose, California, which was the personal residence of Sarah Winchester, widow of the firearm magnate Wiliam Wirt Winchester. The houe is known for its size and architectural curiosities and is said to be haunted by everyone killed by a Winchester rifle.
CHARLES RAY, "PLANK PIECE"
I am very drawn to this image by Charles Ray because of the impossibility of it, as it uses the body as a sculptural form in a way that seems to defy the laws of physics and creates a feeling of confusion in the viewer. It makes me think of Surrealism because of its dream-like qualities and I wonder how the picture was taken, if it was manipulated or if the posture was actually stegd and if so, how was it staged.
GILLIAN WEARING, "SIGNS THAT SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS YOU TO SAY", 1992-1993
GILLIAN WEARING, "SIGNS THAT SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS YOU TO SAY", 1992-1993
What interests me so much about this artwork is how succesful it is in creating strong images that make an impact on the viewers through interaction with people on the street. In my previous experience with relational art pieces like this one, which required the participation of an audience, the results were never quite as I expected them because people's reactions were unpredictable. The strength of the images lays in the contrasts generated between the brutally honest and vulnerable messages and the people who hold them, such as a policemen or a businesmen, as social expectations of them would never allow them to express themselves in shuch a way. The context in which the photographs were taken, that of an economic recession, plays a key role in achieving such shocking images.
GILLIAN WEARING, "SIGNS THAT SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS YOU TO SAY", 1992-1993
REBECCA HORN, "LIGHT IMPRISONED IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE", 2002
In a similar way to how buildings and structures distort Jenny Holzer's text projections, Rebecca Horn's light sculptures distort a text through projecting it onyto different surfices. I think Horn's approach places more importance in conveying meaning thorugh the way the text is installed than through the words it says, treating the text almost as images rather than pieces of writing. I belive this artwork further illustrates how light can be used a s a sculptural medium and makes me wonder how different surfices could interact with the projection and distort it and what could the distorsions mean.
STEVEN KLEIN FOR VIGUE HOMMES JAPAN
In a similar way to the pieces by Shaun Lean, the necklace shown in these images takes inspiration from bondage and explores the restriction of movement and domination of the body, again by forcing the wearere to adopt a very specific posture. This is enhanced by the simple yet expressive style of the image, the purpose of which is to highlight a piece which is very visually compellinga dn attention-grabbing. The descriptive nature of the photographs is reinforced by the fact that they are in black and white, as the elimination of colour is often used to express volume and texture in more detail.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, "DANTE", FW 1996
One of the designers from this week’s references that interest me the most is Alexander McQueen and in particular his collection ‘Dante’. McQueen was known from his dramatic and provocative approach to fashion design and catwalk presentations, often showcasing avant-garde garments in a very theatrical way, with dark and disturbing aesthetics. This is exemplified in ‘Dante’, a collection based on Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s famous ‘Divine Comedy’ which narrates a journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. The show took place in Christ Church Spitalfields in London’s East End, a building designed by alleged Satanist architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, in which models wore a mixture of Victoriana, punk denim, military fashion and couture corsetry and lace as well as McQueen’s famous low-cut trousers known as ‘bumsters’. The clothes marked a turning point in fashion history, as described by Melanie Rickney in a book about the collection, "The clothes in "Dante were a blueprint for the way we would dress for the next 15 years".
What I find so attractive about McQueen's work is its ability to embody meaning through aggressive and elegant garments. 'Dante' deals with incredibly complex themes of life, death, vanity and 'wars of religion through the ages', as suggested by Suzy Menkes in an article for International Herald Tribune. The juxtaposition of delicate lace with harsh military attire and luxury tailoring with printed t-shirts showing images from the Vietnam War created an unsettling and shocking mood. I think the choice of location and music, a combination of club music, religious chants and sounds of gunfire, accentuated the ideas communicated by the garments and enhanced their meaning and impact. The ability to express all of this using the body as a canvas and the use of disturbing and thought provoking references and aesthetics as well the impact it had on the fashion of the following years is something that I admire.
HARLEY WEIR X DEMNA GVASALIA, BALENCIAGA SS17
I think the strength of these images lays in their use of the flash to illuminate the scene and create veery harsh shadows in the fabric that is draped as a background, which interacts with the fabric of the garments in a way that is very painterly and it makes me think of Renaissence or Baroque art, almost fading the models into the backgrounds. The colour palette, coordinating the models clothes with the colour of the background or making them contrast highlights the diffrenet textures and wights of the fabrics. I m interested in the use of the flash and the colours in these images and how by the simple act of draping some fabric as a backdrop, the image becomes very visually charged, filling up all the negative space with visual information.
IOLI SIFAKAKI, "TANTALUS DINNER"
I am interested in the grotesque and disturbing nature of this piece of product design. It is very thought-provoking and it manages to convey meaning and question gender roles though a piece of design that is fully functional. I wonder if it could also be considered sculpture or performance art although it was not intended for that context because of the very complex ideas it deals with. I am very drawn to artwork that is not easily to classify or that exists in the threshold between different creative practices such as this one becaus ethey question the limits of art and design and how they can exist in the world and our day to day life.
MENDICK, "THE EX FILES", 2018
I am attracted to the way the artist has used fiction to talk about a personal experience in this piece. Referncing a popluar TV show in the title, this installation presents the artist's expartners as if they had been abducted and disfigured by aliens. I think mixing personal experiences with fantasy and imagination is a great way of creating art that is catahartic but not too self-conscious and that can resonate with morre poeple as it may be easier to connect with. I would like to explore more narrative worksuch as this is the future and incorpoate leemnts of fiction into my practice.
DILLER SCOFIDIO AND RENFRO,"BLUR BUILDING", 2002
I think the idea of conceileng a building's structrure is very inspiring because it generates an aura of mystery around it, creating a vey distinctive presence and atmosphere. I find it very interestring how it could be considered an abstract building as it does not show any of the elemennts traditionally associated with architecture, even modern or post-modern architecture. I wonder what are other ways of hiding a building in a similar way, such as the interactuion of tall structures and fog or clouds or certain types of scaffolding.
GILLIAN WEARING, "SIGNS THAT SAY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SAY AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS YOU TO SAY", 1992-1993
JENNY HOLZER
I find the work of Jenny Holzer to be very apealing because of its provocative messages and the context that thye're presented in. Her poetry is projected onto buildings in a way that is unavoidable and impossible to miss, forcing anyone who passes by to look at it. The simple, easily readable and neutral typography allows the message to create a bigger impact because it does not create any expectations about the words it contains. I am very drawn to how the light interacts with the architecture, distoring the message at some points. I think this creates a very visually compelling effect that shows the possibilities of light as a sculptural medium. I wonder how I could incorporate light into my work in a way that it interacts with architectural elements to alter the viewers perception of a space.
TOM BINNS
What intersts me about Tom Binns work is how he creates decorative pieces to go on the body that question traditional notions of value in jewellery and are as thought-provoking as they are beautiful. The juxtaposition betwen the precious and waste materials and the destruction of a rolex watch create a very shocking critique of the function of jewellery as a signifier wealth and social status. I am interested in how recuntextualising certain obects and placing the alsongside others which arre not at all related to them or are even considered to be opposite can completley subvert their meaning.
SHAUNE LEAEN FOR ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
What I think is pealing about Shaune Lean's work for Alexander McQueen is how it embodies very complex meanings in simple structures. The first rib-cage piece makes me think of ideas of both death and entrapment, which lead to the expression of existential angst. I think both pieces explore the domination of the body in different ways, restricting and shaping moveement and posture. I find the performatic qualities of the second piece to be very interesting and it makes me think onn how I coild incorporate this into my own jewellery work. I like how both pieces of jewellery are very symolically cahrged and have very complex meanings, creating a polarising reaction in the viewers.
P.U.R.E. MAGAZINE, 1999
I stumbled upon this magazine by chance at the CSM library and was immediately fascinated by it. I was interested in its dark, alternative style and the beautiful images it contained. In the fisrt picture, the model wears a latx dress inspored by BDSM that restraints her movement, crteating a shape around the hands similar to what my team achieved in the Do Undo Redo workshop. For the next two images, I am drawn to the cold and subtle colours, the fragile yet harsh textures and epsecially the framing and composition of the images which combined with the lighting help to give the photographs an aura of mystery and eeriness which is raeinforced by the strange, unusual poses of the models which suggest that something dangerous has happened. Lastly, I find the poses of the models and the use of lighting in the final image to be its main strentgh. It makes me think about horror films and especially the work of Dario Argento, known for his film "Suspiria".
HOW TO WRAP 5 EGGS: TRADITIONAL JAPANESE PACKAGING
What I find attractive about these exsmples of traditional japanese packaging is how they create very balanced and rythmic compositions through the repetition of certain elements and how the limited use of materials helps to create a very cohesive aesthetic. I think this packaging is very succesful at presenting food in a way that is visually compelling, protects the products and uses the minimum amount of materials possible in order to do this.
RICHARD SERRA
One artist whose work I am interested in from the references provided this week is Richard Serra. Richard Serra is an American sculptor associated with the Process Art movement and known for his large scale, site-specific sculptures. These sculptures are usually free-standing, balanced arch-like structures made of Corten steel that slowly rust over time and explore the relationship between the body and space. Serra's aim is to challenge the viewer's perception of space through monumentality through pieces that don't represent anything in particular. As the artist himself put it in an article by Deborah Solomon for The New York Times, "If you’re are dealing with abstract art, you have to deal with the work in and of itself and its inherent properties. The focus is mainly on mass, weight, material, gravity and so on."
A piece of Serra's work I'm particularly interested in is "Verblist", 1967. The artist developed a list of verbs that related to materials and processes in art and set himself to carry them out in a cross over between performance art and sculpture. As a result of one of these actions, Serra created a series of site-specific sculptures by splashing melted metal into the corner of a room. I think “Gutter Corner Splash”’s materiality and texture are what I find more attractive about the piece. The subtle aggressiveness and violence of it, the cold rusty colours and how it interacts with light is very inspiring. I am very interested in how the sculpture shows the aftermath of the action and still embodies the movement that created it.
FRANCESCA WOODMAN
One of the artists that interested me the most from the references provided this week was Francesca Woodman and her “House” series in particular. Francesca Woodman was an American photographer known for her black and white medium format self-portraits in which her face and body, often nude, are distorted or obscured. Her work exists somewhere in between performance art and fashion photography and takes inspiration from Gothic literature and Surrealism. In her series of photographs titled “House”, 1976, Woodman poses in an abandoned 19th Century interior in Providence. The long exposure shots create a ghostly image of the artist who appears to be merging with the background, hiding in corners or behind architectonic structures. In documenting movement, Woodman attempts to defy the limits of the photographic medium, trying to sustain a moment in time into infinity, as suggested by Chris Townsend in a monograph published by Phaidon. “She is constantly evading the fixity that the limits of photography would impose within the attenuated site”.
What I find to be interesting about Woodman’s work is her eerie, dark aesthetic which is created by her use of texture and distortion. The juxtaposition of a nude body against rough, textured backgrounds such as decaying mansions, chipped walls or forests create subtly violent images which are as delicate as they are disturbing. The ambiguity that surrounds her work, mostly untitled or presented without a context, is in my opinion one of its greatest strengths because it adds to the aura of mystery that surrounds the images. However, as Townsend points out, this could be due to the fact that most of what is considered to be Francesca Woodman’s oeuvre is actually the experiments of a young artists developing her own style, which have been recontextualised as final pieces because of her passing at such an early age.