During the final 1. 5 hours of in-class time – please develop loose video art ideas – related to an artist, and environmental subject of your choice. Make a blog post and prepare to discuss your research and ideas in the next class.
Each student will make a blog post that includes some images/drawings/notes as needed – you must include research, images, and reflections on ways you might interpret and respond to the information in a video to be shot in the arboretum, or in controlled, studio conditions. Choose a partner to work with today – but each student will make their own blog post reflecting on the themes and ideas for working.
This research and process notes are the foundation for your video art project. You must have a completed blog post due for show and tell during our next class – where we will be discussing your research, and video art ideas.
Stacking books as an art form is akin to the likes off blackout poetry, in which one would search out prewritten words to form a completely new text. Since my book collection is fairly small and I lend literature to many people, I dug through the University of Guelph’s library to see what stacks I could make. I found this to be a meaningful exercise when using text with limited resources, digging and the art of “hunting and gathering” should be taught in art school.
There were books which targeted my self-esteem and I made an effort to have both me and the books be insulted directly. Very punk.
I dug into a very intimate part of my being and acknowledged my fear of letting go of things I need or crave.
Good question.
I am Generation Z, but broke Millennial’s are still a sad sight to see.
Please view the following lecture, and read the upcoming assignment instructions. You will be working as partners in groups of 2 for this project. Read/scan relevant articles linked in the lecture, watch the videos linked, and explore the websites and larger ouevre of artists presented as examples. This should take approximately 1. 5 – 2 hours during class time.
Please respond to the questions below on your blog during the rest of class time today. This should take 30- 45 minutes. Nathan will be available to assist with technicial difficiulties making blog posts.
Follow up with a deeper dive into one of the artists presented in the lecture. Discuss your interest in their ideas and their works by using two examples of their works (they may or may not be included in the lecture, include images in your post). What are some of the strategies they use to make their work? Can you summarize their system/task they assigned themselves in a sentence?
How does the artist you chose respond to nature, creatures, or environmental conditions in their work? What kind of fact-based research did they do to work in the environment? What kinds of ideas and values inform and motivate their work? How do these ideas resonate in their final works?
To create these book stacks I went to the Guelph library and began looking through the shelves for any titles that I thought had potential for my stacks. I ended up deciding on the books below and captured these photos in different locations to help accentuate my created sentences. This first stack (The Aesthetic Body) suggests a concept or image of a beautiful and or artistic form that exists in a distant, unreachable place, free from external constraints or limitations. The second stack (Be Very Afraid) suggests that aging is a significant aspect of life that can evoke various emotions and experiences, including both fear and growth. It invites the reader to reflect on their perceptions of aging and its impact on identity and existence. The last stack (Shameful Behaviours)suggests a range of ideas or emotions related to personal relationships, experiences, or situations, such as a fight that had occurred leaving there to be an incident where the couples had disputes and ended up breaking up.
1. The Aesthetic Body
2. Be Very Afraid
3. Shameful Behaviours
ARTIST RESEARCH
Rebecca Belmore
Belmore’s known for her powerful and thought-provoking work that often addresses issues related to Indigenous rights, identity, colonialism, and social justice. I was drawn to Belmore’s performance art, as her own physical body is present in a majority of her peices as a means of expression, enabling her to explore the self and community boundaries between her own ideas and those of the viewer. She incorporates photography and video into her work to document her performance and create visual narratives that complement her themes. Additionally, Belmore creates sculptures and installations that often incorporate found objects and materials with historical and cultural significance. This aspect immediately seized my attention, lending greater strength to her artwork. She frequently employs symbols and metaphors in her work to convey complex ideas and emotions, allowing viewers to interpret the meaning on multiple levels.
Overall, Rebecca Belmore’s art is characterized by its multi-faceted approach, blending various mediums and strategies to create works that are not only aesthetically engaging but also deeply meaningful and thought-provoking in their content and messages, serving as a platform for dialogue and reflection on important societal issues.
Fountain (2005)
In “Fountain”, Belmore repeatedly carries heavy buckets of ocean water, symbolizing the enduring Indigenous struggle against colonization, with water representing the journey’s challenges and witnessing the transformation from Indigenous beauty to oppression. The bucket itself symbolizes the weight of colonization’s burdens on Indigenous people, mirroring their centuries-long oppression. A distant fire unites land, water, fire, and air’s elemental forces, channeled through her body. Fire, crucial to Indigenous life for ceremonies and sustenance, also mirrors its destructive capacity, akin to the devastation of Indigenous culture during colonization. Belmore emerges from the water, walks toward the camera, and throws the water, which turns blood-red, symbolizing the connection between water and humanity. The act shifts the burden of Indigenous history’s bloodshed cycles back to its European source, illustrating how purity turned to violence due to colonialism. Red, signifying pain, represents the blood spilled in the abuse of Indigenous people, emphasizing the ongoing impact of brutality and colonization. Belmore’s work highlights the tragic repetition of such acts between water and blood.
Biinjiya’iing Onji (2017)
Rebecca Belmore has created a memorial to transience using locally sourced materials. She has painstakingly carved a tent, which is increasingly becoming a long-term dwelling for refugees and migrants, out of marble. This sculpture serves as a testament to the enduring state of crisis and the makeshift havens it compels. The tent’s design also draws inspiration from other traditional shelters, notably the wigwam, a significant part of Belmore’s Indigenous heritage. Wigwams, traditionally constructed with young tree branches and covered in birch bark, showcase a resourceful approach to building with available materials, allowing nomadic communities to establish homes wherever needed.
Rebecca Belmore responds to nature, creatures, and environmental conditions in her work by often incorporating natural elements, materials, and symbols that hold cultural significance, particularly as they relate to Indigenous perspectives. Her response is deeply informed by her Anishinaabe heritage and her commitment to addressing pressing issues. Belmore conducts fact-based research by delving into Indigenous histories, traditional knowledge, and contemporary challenges. She collaborates with Indigenous communities to ensure her work is authentic and representative. Her work is motivated by ideas of Indigenous sovereignty, resilience, and cultural survival. She values the importance of giving voice to Indigenous experiences and challenging the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous peoples. These ideas resonate in her final works through various mediums such as performance art, sculpture, and installation. Many of Belmore’s works, such as “Fountain” and “Biinjiya’iing Onji” are intended to challenge the status quo and raise awareness about social and political issues, Indigenous rights, identity, and the interconnectedness of nature and culture.
ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO RESEARCH
1. Chickadee
SONGS: Across the majority of North America, you can typically hear a straightforward, melodious song consisting of two or three clear whistled notes, often resembling “fee-bee” or “hey, sweetie.” However, in the Pacific Northwest, the song differs slightly, featuring three or four notes at the same pitch. In many regions within its range, male birds commence their singing in mid-January, and as the winter season unfolds, the frequency of their song gradually intensifies. Interestingly, females in this species also occasionally join in with their own songs.
CALLS: Chickadees employ their distinctive “chickadee-dee-dee” call, which includes an increasing number of “dee” notes, as an alarm signal when they sense danger. Additionally, they utilize a specific gargling call, particularly in confrontational situations, such as when a lower-ranking bird approaches a higher-ranking one. This call is also exchanged between members of a pair. In the case of Black-capped Chickadees, they emit a high-pitched “see” call as a high-intensity alarm signal, typically in response to the presence of a rapidly approaching predator. When other chickadees hear this alarm, they instinctively freeze in their current position until they receive the reassuring “chickadee-dee” call, which signifies that the threat has passed. Notably, the high “see” calls are most frequently produced by male chickadees.
OTHER SOUNDS: Nestling chickadees employ a defensive strategy by emitting a sudden and forceful hissing sound while simultaneously striking the interior of their nest cavity when they perceive an intruder peering inside.
To hear samples of the calls and songs of the Chickadee, click on the following link:
SONG: Their most common song is a high pitched tremolo that can sometimes resemble a soft “purr.” It is a 3-6 second long song that the screech owl uses to keep in touch with their family or mate. The second song is one called the whinny. It is a 0.5–2 second long shrill that resembles the sound of a horse neighing, and is used to defend territories.
CALLS: Screech Owl calls can often sound like a soft, low “caw” or “hoot” sound. As their name suggests, these owls can also produce a screeching call that is used to indicate danger, alarm, or agitation.
To hear samples of the calls and songs of the Eastern Screeching Owl, click on the following link:
Loons exhibit a diverse range of vocalizations, comprising four primary types: the wail, tremolo, yodel, and hoot.
The wail, often the most frequently heard, is a haunting call employed by loons when they find themselves separated from their chick or in cases where their mate has not returned. It serves as an expression of their willingness to engage with others.
The tremolo, conversely, serves as an assertive response when loons feel disturbed by boaters or potential predators. This wavering call communicates their distress and encourages a move to a safer location. It also functions as a means of announcing their presence at a particular lake.
The yodel is another vocalization that signifies aggression and is typically emitted by males during confrontations. It plays a crucial role in territorial disputes, effectively conveying a message to nearby loons, asserting, “This territory belongs to us!” Interestingly, each male loon possesses a unique signature yodel, which they may modify if they relocate to a different territory.
Lastly, the hoot is a softer, brief call used to symbolize curiosity and/or happiness. Loons employ hoots to maintain contact with one another, with parents using hoots to communicate with their chicks and mates hooting to stay connected with each other.
To hear samples of the calls and songs of the Loon, click on the following link:
CALLS: The Pileated Woodpecker call consists of a fast staccato high pitched repeated sound. The call can last up to several seconds. They have a second call that is more spaced out and is lower in pitch. It usually sounds like cuk, cuk, and indicates danger, or marking of territory.
OTHER SOUNDS: Woodpeckers are most known for their drumming sound that they make by repeatedly pecking their beak against a tree trunk. This sound may be used to solicit mating/courtship, or to alert others of a predator near a nest. For males, drumming may also be used to mark or defend their territory.
To hear samples of the calls and songs of the Pileated Woodpecker, click on the following link:
“hanging from a tree until you fall” serves as a thought-provoking symbol that unites environmental concerns with the human experience. It underscores the importance of perseverance, resilience, and responsible stewardship of our natural world while acknowledging the inevitability of occasional setbacks in our journey toward a sustainable future.
Idea 2: Hide and Seek
Hide and seek in the forest is more than just a childhood game; it’s a transformative encounter that binds individuals to the natural world. Through sensory immersion, physical interaction, and environmental awareness, participants learn not only about the forest but also about themselves. This connection between body and nature cultivated through play endures, fostering a lifelong reverence for the natural world and a desire to preserve its beauty and vitality.
Idea 3: Imitating Bird Sounds (FINAL IDEA)
Embracing the harmonious symphony of nature, our project focuses on the art of imitating the bird sounds in Ontario. This endeavour offers a unique opportunity to compile an auditory journey, seamlessly weaving together recordings of individuals own attempts at replicating these sounds. Here, we immerse ourselves in the richness of the environment, capturing the chirping of birds. It’s an exploration that celebrates the interconnectedness of humans and nature and invites listeners to experience the beauty of the outdoors in a novel and creative way.
ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO PROGRESS
During our first outing to film our video, Alexia and I went to the mall. We went up to people and asked them to be in our video. However, this proved to be difficult, because many people said no and it was hard to find people who said yes.
For our second attempt, we went to campus and stood outside with handmade signs that said ‘BE IN OUR VIDEO’ and another that said ‘MAKE A BIRD SOUND. JUST 5 MINS OF UR TIME!’ This was much more effective, because we weren’t putting people on the spot. Their participation was a little more voluntary.
We went to the mall again for our third attempt, and ended up making a sign in front of Michael Hill that said which “MAKE A BIRD SOUND AND GET 20% OFF AT MICHAEL HILL!!” helped us to get some attention and get more people to be in our video.
ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO PROGRESS (final re-edited)
“Primal Instinct”
For this assignment, Alexia and I were driven by the ambition to narrow the divide between humanity and nature. Our mission sought to illuminate the primal connection by peeling back the layers of conventional verbal communication, directing our focus to the raw, fundamental ability of individuals to produce sounds. The intentional decision to feature individuals spanning various ages served as a poignant reminder of the intrinsic nature of mimicry and noise-making, characteristics often prevalent in infancy as one explores bodily functions and vocal capacities for communication. Despite societal norms that tend to suppress such behaviors as we age, the inherent urge to vocalize and replicate sounds persists, deeply rooted in our nature.
Throughout the immersive filming process, which engaged a diverse group primarily composed of strangers, shared moments of laughter became the threads weaving a genuine bond among participants. This collective experience served as a profound testament to our universal inclination to express ourselves through vocalization and imitation. In capturing these authentic moments, our project not only aimed to bridge the gap between humanity and nature but also to celebrate the enduring, natural ties that bind us all through the expressive art of sound.
For this project, my primary goal was to delve into the nuances of scanning ordinary items, such as rubber bands, string, underwear and more by incorporating dynamic movement, specifically by dragging them across the scanner. By embracing this unconventional approach, the project aimed to go beyond conventional static representations, seeking to capture the inherent beauty and variability that emerges when objects are subjected to movement during the scanning process.
Through this dynamic scanning technique, I wanted to illuminate the interplay between form and motion, allowing each item to undergo a metamorphosis in the scanner’s interpretation. The visual outcomes, a combination of the ordinary item on one side of the page and the extraordinary on the other, serving as a testament to the artistic potential inherent in the mundane. This project not only aimed to explore the technical capabilities of scanning but also to evoke curiosity and appreciation for the artistic possibilities embedded in everyday objects through innovative and dynamic perspectives
ARTIST MULTIPLES (cut out)
ARTIST MULTIPLES (digital files)
In the conceptualization of this project, my vision was to create a harmonious blend of realistic scanned images of bandaids alongside whimsical, cartoon-like renditions transformed into sticker form. Traditionally associated with physical injuries, bandaids serve as symbolic healers, but I aimed to redefine their significance by shifting their purpose from addressing wounds to adorning everyday objects.
This involved meticulously scanning actual bandaids, capturing their realistic textures and details, and also drawing them using procreate to create cartoon-style renditions. Transforming these creations into stickers added a playful and versatile element to the concept, allowing them to transcend their conventional usage.
The intention was to challenge the conventional association of bandaids with physical injuries and imbue them with a new meaning — one that extends beyond wounds to celebrate the healing potential within various aspects of our daily lives. By turning bandaids into decorative elements for objects, the project is to invite viewers to reconsider the symbolic power of these everyday items and embrace a more imaginative and positive interpretation.
Rebecca Belmore is a member of the Lac Seoul First Nation (Anishinaabe), and is known as a multidisciplinary contemporary artist. Her art practice is grounded by current; participating in a call to action. Most of her work is her responding to current issues like land and water rights, violence against Indigenous people by the government, and the role of the artist in contemporary life(to name a few).
Torch, 2014 Photograph
This work connects the symbolism of the Lady Liberty statue to the forced displacement of Indigenous peoples. Bound by the flag holding uprooted long black hair instead of the torch of enlightenment. Belmore’s ability to make a clear statement to her wide audience by using symbolism to make people think deeper about the violent impact colonialism has. Even though this work isn’t directly interacting with nature, it is definitely responding to North American (Lady Liberty symbolism) Indigenous Peoples land being stollen(flags), and their populations being forcibly displace(uprooted long black hair).
Wave Sound, 2017, Sculpture
Rebecca Belmore created sculptures for a handful of National Parks, with the intent to encourage visitors to pause and listen to to the natural sound scape of the land. The sculpture’s are in the shape of a horn that varies in aesthetics to fit the landscape for example; length – using rocks in the landscape to keep it propped up, material – blend in with surroundings, etc.. The sculptures themselves are quite large but, there is only ever enough space for one person to listen at a time and they are quite low to the ground forcing the listener to get close and personal, creating an intimate setting to reflect on your relationship with nature. Each sculpture had a lot of thought put into it, in order to respond to all the different locations but also research in order to know what shape and what materials are needed to amplify the sounds that surround it.
Some more interestingwork!
Wild, 2001, Installastion/ PerformanceBlood on the snow, 2002, SculptureTrace, 2014, Sculpture/ Community Project1181, 2014, Performance/ Sculpture At Pelican Falls, 2017, Photographic and Digital Arts
Book Stacks
I chose to look through my recently deceased Mother’s library for this assignment. I started off with the intent to find books that might relate back to our relationship and where she searched for parenting advice. I started with trying to think of it as a possible order of events to why she even wanted kids to begin with. Then I chose to humorously demonstrate a sort of escalation in my mum’s searching for some sort of control while raising me, the spirited child. I enjoyed getting to know my mother better while looking through her book collection; I could tell which books were her favourites, the ones she must of started many times but could never finish, others that had no interest to her and were obviously bought so she could learn more about her loved ones interests like hockey, I found books that looked all to familiar, books that have survived decades of school children’s sticky little hands, and of course her paper cover copies of her favourite books that she annotated. This insight into my mum only happened when I stepped away from how the books related to our relationship and focused more on building imagery through story telling or humour. Having to categorize Her books with a different intention had me pay closer attention to all the little details, things that would be normally overlooked.
Blog Post – Environmental Video Art Proposal
A lot of time went into the HOW of it all. In order to make our paints we needed to understand each step of the process; from foraging materials and extracting the refined pigment, to making binders and additives, and the crucial ratios. Our video cycles through each step for each pigment with a focus on the mixing of the pigment and the binders.
Video Art
We really wanted to follow our intuition and use everyday items when it came to selecting pigments but also keep in mind some more modern ways to forage pigments. We made sure that we had an array of different materials like stone, leaves, flowers, berries, ash, household items, studio items etc.. This practice reconnects you to your environment because it forces you to pay attention to your surroundings in a different way. Some examples of contemporary methods of foraging are listed bellow.
Flour – Frothy Ivory – foraged for pigments in own pantry
House Brick – Salmon Blush – Foraged for pigments by scraping the brick from my own home
Weed Leaves – Oui’d – Foraged through community
Rubber Car Mat – Car Sludge – Foraged from the car mat from the passengers side of my car. This paint has a little piece of everyone/ everywhere I’ve been
Blue Acrylic Paint – Liquid Plastic – Foraged from Becca’s home studio. Great to expand the life of your paint.
Lavender Incense Ash – Cleansing – foraged from alters
Assorted leaves – Tina Belchers Zombie Boyfriend in a jar – Foraged by lying down on the ground waiting for leaves to land on us.
It’s quite poetic if you think about all the effort that was put into each step but the videos of mixing the pigments and binders together is what memorizes the viewer.
Field Trip!
Book
Becca and I wanted to create a book that details how we made each pigment from our video. Our goal was to document our process in an educational way to encourage others to also participate in this practice. We created two books, one that is able to be printed and the other acts as the original that can forever be added to.
BOOK SPREADS
Both Books
The Original Book Spreads
The images are out of order… the binder clips allow for the pages to be rearranged and for pages to be easily added and removed.
At the end of the book I added pages that are ready for a new pigment and future en plein air paintings using the pigments we made.
-Fun extra Details-
I crochet a bag to hold our book so that it would be easy to transport.
I knot weaved a bookmark using floss and bead’s I already had. I wanted the bookmark to symbolize Becca and I’s collaboration by using the colour palette I associate with Becca and my love for the sky through the bead choice and alien spaceship.
Multiples Project
I was having a difficult time with this project because I was really set on using the scrap art materials I have collected over the years and my idea being representational. So I asked myself what kind of multiples are representational? (wedding rings, military grave markers, religious paraphilia, tourist souvenirs, friendship bracelets, and Kandi at concerts)
All these types of multiples attempt to memorialize a person, relationship, shared experience, place, or promise. I was really drawn to Kandi because, the plastic beaded bracelets/jewellery are exchanged by strangers through an understood mini ceremony.
The bracelets I made are to by given to a stranger when you witness them doing a simple act of kindness. It doesn’t have to be an act of kindness done for you but one you witness. This includes holding doors open, picking up garbage, letting someone cut in front of them, complements, giving directions etc.. The first one I gave was to the women who pulled over and helped me when I got into a car accident on my way to critique.
I crochet bracelets by using floss and beads I already had refusing to waste any floss. The eclectic use of different coloured floss and beads act as a decorative element that implies importance. I also decided on crocheting the bracelets to be representational of a vine to symbolize our growing community and how we are all connected.
