For my artist multiple I made matchboxes that were in conversation with female rage. As a young, female-presenting artist, and not simply an artist but a person, I have come in contact with adult babies too many times. Often, they are male. The frustration that women seem to carry with them and conceal behind apologies and higher roads is a feeling that I’m sure many can relate to, and it is one that is cyclical. This meaning, the fact that we constantly have to remain professional while these men attempt to remove our agency of their own accord, and then when we stand up for it they have a tantrum? ridiculous.
But, as I am told “this is just the way things are”. B U L L S H I T. These are only the way things are if we allow them to stay this way. I know so many strong and capable women. Women who are aware of their agency and own it. we. need. to. speak. out. we need to burn things down. we need to yell and scream and tell them what they’re doing is not okay. AND because we are trained from such a young age to sit still and pretty, we can do all of this, while remaining professional. Professionalism does not equate to being quiet or sitting still. Clearly.
My artist multiple of matchboxes are just a small drop in the puddle of the fight to “burn the patriarchy”. I believe in my generation. I believe we can make a change. and I believe that as artists, we have a unique perspective and advocacy on matters such as these.
Process photos
I tried a couple of different options for the “i dare you” at the bottom of the box. Originally I just had text, like I did on top, however, I didn’t feel like this was the most successful option. I then dried my ink out a little and printed full black with “i dare you” carved out. I allowed the ink to try a bit so that the bottom would resemble a sort of ashy burnt look.
I have to finish them a little with some kind of coating, because of the material of the matchbox itself the printmaking ink feels a little dry and as if it could be scratched off. I want the coating to be matte for the boxes though, so the burnt effect remains.
further thoughts in process
Sitting with my ideas and designs for a couple days I have decided to go with the pink matchbox and have the text “Ask me why I’m mad.” printed on the top with “i dare you.” printed small on the bottom of the box. I have decided to put the vertical graphic of the women on the inside of the matchbox, underneath all the matches, so only when you have used all the matches are you able to see the release of the woman screaming.
working through ideas
First I looked at colours for possible ideas
These were my favourite;
I liked the blue but it made me think of weddings and baby showers. The red was nice but I was worried about the aggressive on aggressive and having it be “too much” in a way. I wanted the text or graphic I chose to speak in conversation with the colour of the box, rather than fight for attention. I loved the green but just cause I loved the green, I didn’t think it would work very successfully for what my concept was. The pink was the winner.
I then went in and started toying with different text ideas I could print onto the box. I’ve decided to carve intaglio blocks to have slightly imperfect printing on the boxes and have them vulnerable and messy.
These were two of my original ideas;
Jumping off from these ideas, specifically the text “Ask me Why I’m mad” I came up with 4 more possible designs.
These first two were good but not “just right”
The next two are my preferred ones;
original brainstorming
My first thought was to work with matchbooks. Simply because I collect and enjoy matchbooks and it felt very true to myself as an artist to create this as my multiple. I toyed with the idea of working with a zine concept I’m working on right now for a future exhibition however, after discussion, matchbooks seemed to be the overwhelming yes, and also something I’ve wanted to create for a long time so it felt right.
I want to make matchbooks that are a little passive-aggressive, or aggressive-aggressive… I love the Michael Drebert poster we have in the classroom that playfully and vaguely discusses using all the available light to make a fire in Vancouver, hopefully, one that is big enough.
and such and so forth for each person and their rolls.
MY THOUGHTS ON LAYOUT
I think that the first layout is more successful and allows more freedom throughout the arrangement of all the photos. I also have a significantly larger amount of photos than the other contributors, simply just cause I pulled from more rolls and shoot more often. I think the separation would be jarring and wouldn’t flow as nicely. Especially after having pages upon pages of my photos and then just a couple pages each of theirs.
My question is then, should I credit line each photo with a name? To give credit where credit is due? Or will that muddy the layout and the names at the front are enough?
full page spread? just the cover? full page bleed?
Book project continued thoughts…
I feel strongly about the idea of using my “bad photos”. I’ve gone through handfuls of rolls looking for all my technically wrong photos and I feel like I’m lacking in content. I reached out to some friends who are not studio art students but shoot film every now and then to see if they’d be willing to participate.
The idea that all these different people are shooting film, not just photographers or photo-based artist like myself, plays conceptually into an overarching umbrella of how photo is viewed as an art form. Of course, this is not the main idea in my book, nor do I want it to be. But it definitely brings an interesting field of thought to the table, and one that many photographers are aware of in our day and age. In fact, one that photographers have been aware of in one way or another throughout all of history.
Book Project initial thoughts and ideas
Automatically I was interested in doing some kind of photo book. I was swayed by the large collection of photos and textbooks I have that tell a narrative story connecting the two.
I want to use my own photos, likely film, as that’s what I prefer to shoot and shoot more often.
Looking through my rolls and negatives I want to use the photos that would generally be discarded or brushed off. I’m not sure if I want text alongside it still. I toyed with the idea of lists, as that’s another interest of mine, but after speaking with Diane we agreed it would be too separate from one another, and would be like an amalgamation of two books in one, which is muddy and not the goal.
TORONTO TRIP – October 21st
The trip to Toronto was so nice! I loved MOCA a lot. From the concrete permanent installation on the first floor, to the contemporary sculpture and photo above it was a beautiful experience overall. I always enjoy seeing contemporary art, especially because of the different ways to install and hang that are not standardized museum technique. It’s very reassuring as a young artist to see different ways to exhibit work and I find contemporary establishments are always where I’m able to see this, especially if the exhibition is not strictly photography, as photography is always hung differently than a painting would be.
I thoroughly enjoyed Liz Magor’s work. The way that she used sculpture and sculptural techniques was very thought-provoking and the inherent “strangeness” of the works itself made it incredibly interesting visually and conceptually. (Also, I want one of those flashlight-holding monkeys as a desk light)
Dancing in the Light was also a beautiful exhibition to walk through, and I loved seeing the curatorial work of the show. Having over 40 artists in it the portraiture exhibition was vast and as a student who’s been enrolled in many museum studies courses, curatorial styles are always of interest. The collection of books was an incredible installment in the exhibition, creating a conceptual and participatory element to the exhibition which is an evergrowing and important idea in museum and gallery culture.
The video project her name shown at TPW was a beautiful moving piece. The set up of couches, bean bags was so smart for what the film was and what it spoke about. The couches are “grandpa style” for “familial and physical comfort” as stated in the artist’s statement. The room where the film was shown is also painted yellow to enhance the feeling of ceremonial living, as this colour is often used in ceremonies. After watching the film I researched the artist duo and their words behind the exhibition and in doing so read about the adjacent room to the film room, where they created a smudging room we did not explore greatly, cause of time. This room is painted blue to feel reminiscent of Saddle Lake. Each decision was made so purposefully, and this is incredibly admirable in an artist and so nice to see so clearly in exhibition spaces and artist statements.
Kensington Market is always a space full of art and joy. It’s also a dangerous place for my wallet, but I never regret it.
Video Project
afterthoughts
In the future, I think I would personally remove the zoom-ins. Though I agree that it allows the viewer to see the more intimate moments I think it’d be more successful if they were able to find those on their own. I also think if we shot in a higher resolution this would be more successful as well, rather than having the grainy effect showing low-resolution quality.
In our piece cows, the boys followed our instruction “be a cow” and explored this idea physically and mentally for a 10-minute period. It was raw and touching and I think Jillian said it best when she wrote ” Small differences occurred; some would moo at one another, others laid in the grass alone. Cumulatively, however, each male became a cow, a female, not a horned bull. In a sense we have allowed for the male participants to use their bodies in a transformative manner. In this state, they seemed to convene in a deeply honest manner that veers away from the hyper-masculine social codes young men seem to adhere to.”
FILMING – October 5th
The filming went so well. We set up two mics. One in a tree out of the frame and one on the ground behind another tree on the opposite side. If we were to do this again I think we’d be more deliberate with how we began the recording, ensuring we started them all at the same time so that editing went smoother. The filming itself was good. We took the boys to a field and introduced them to the idea loosely, without telling them any conceptual meaning behind it. We had the camera set up already so they just had to begin. We shot a straight video for 10 minutes and cut it down in post. I like the idea of a long-shot video of this.
It was also just really nice to watch the boys explore this activity. It was really beautiful in a way I don’t think any of us expected.
Process Part 2
We’ve been back and forth with this idea. Even at one point toying with the idea of changing it altogether. However, we wanted to create a piece that we not only feel passionately about but also enjoy.
After a meeting on October 2nd, we came to a solid conclusion on what exactly we wanted and even how we would expand our idea if given the opportunity in the future and we’ve come up with a conceptual analysis that we thoroughly enjoy and are excited about.
Through additional research, we came across the master’s thesis of Florence Fitzgerald-Allsopp entitled Becoming-with-Animal: Cultivating a Feminist Understanding of Human-Animal Transformation in Contemporary Performance Art, which provided us with very helpful information relevant to our conceptual foundation of the piece as well as inspiration from other art mentioned throughout the thesis.
The idea of having men come in and act as cows is encouraging the males involved to play with the unknown territory of the animal they don’t know well, as well as the female gender. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, cow is a term for female cattle. It evokes a certain image in a person’s mind.
If I say cow you’re likely picturing a black and white spotted cattle, likely with an utter, likely with no horns. Maybe in a pasture, possibly grazing.
If I say cattle you’re probably picturing the same thing but multiplied, possibly adding a male in there as well.
However, if I say bull I’d take a shot in the dark and say the image that comes to mind is a brown cattle, with horns, maybe a ring in its nose.
These key terms are important to our process. Giving the subjects the word cow as the basis of their improvisational performance inherently gives them the image of a female cattle and so urges them to act as such, without us having to provide this additional information for them.
We aim to represent this vulnerable state of exploring the unknown, in both animal and gender, with our male volunteers. We want to react to the idea of historically gendered animalistic tropes and view this through transformative performance.
It will be interesting to see how the men react to this with such little prompting. I’m sure some will be embarrassed and others fully embracing of the performance. It may be helpful for some to have others around acting as cows too, and for others possibly harmful (in a sense of self-conscious ideas). They will be in a safe and guarded space, away from pedestrians and on lookers, but the lens of the camera is also an eye on them which some of them, I’m sure, will be very aware of.
To begin our process we contacted men that we know and asked them to take part in a performance art video project. We did not always share what we were making, leaving the actual improvisation up to the men at the time of filming, to create a more genuine experience.
We made and hung posters throughout campus; In Zavitz, the Bullring, Alexander Hall, and at the Gym. We also posted them through our social media to get intrigue from people online.
TUESDAY
I was not present for this mid-way critique, as I got Covid. However, I got very disappointing news from my group members while I was laying at home praying the vid away.
From what I was told, our idea did not go over well and there was lots of negative energy thrown at it, including from people who had previously been excited about our idea.
I am disappointed I had to miss this crit, as I wish I had been there to defend our idea with Jillian and Zoe.
We will do further research on the behaviour of cows however I disagree that we should have the men do the same. Part of the idea behind the project is the subtle social commentary on the role reversal of having men act as cows when “cow” is a term used in direct connection with a woman. Because of this role reversal, men should not know the immediate ins and outs of what it is to be a cow. We are acquiring male-identifying cis men. They have no experience with the idea of what it is to be a woman. As I stated previously in the early stages of conceptualizing this piece “men may be pigs but women are cows”. This unknowing improvisation based on assumed life and behaviour is an important aspect of the project.
Idea and Conceptual Ties
Last week when talking with Megan, myself, Jillian and Zoe (ZoZo) formed a loose idea of what we wanted to do for our video art. When talking it over with Megan she was very excited to see our final project and urged us to explore the idea further.
The idea of our video is to herd together a collection of men, bring them to a field, and ask them to improvise as cows.
Not only is this idea comedic but it also speaks to many larger themes and ideas seen in the world.
Cattle are something that, especially in Guelph, we see fairly often. Everyone has memories of road trips, small or far, where they see cows out the window and for some reason point and say “Cows!”.
Cattle are in the farming industry in more ways than one but are also well-loved as farm animals of less industrial scales.
They have many personality attributes that are similar to humans. They are socially complex; they can make friends, hold grudges, mourn, cry,. They show signs of advanced cognitive abilities, figuring out problems and enjoying the results of completion when they do.
This connection of cattle to the human experience creates play in our video, past that of the up-front humour that we will see with men acting as cattle.
Another playful anecdote of the video is the social commentary on how the term “cow” is used as a negative connotation to a woman, as many things are. Men may be pigs but women are cows. Using males to create a scene of “cows” in a pasture brings in a role reversal without outwardly attacking the entire male population.
If we had the men act as pigs the project would be much more surface-level.
Overall, the act of bringing in people to improvise as animals ties human nature to the animalistic tendencies that we have within. Cows are not the most aggressive animals, in fact, people are much more aggressive overall, however, it still connects human nature and animal nature together.
This video project will not only introduce generalized humour, but also force people to think about animalistic tendencies of human nature and cruelty, the human experience and subtle social commentary.
Meeting with Megan Arnold this week was very beneficial. It was nice to get to talk to an artist who is so young and open to ideas.
I was also a fan of a lot of Megan’s work that she shared with us.
As some of you know, I am not a fan of creating video art. In fact, the only reason I agreed to take this class was because I made sure there was less video art than the previous semester’s experimental studio. I seem to have been tricked a little bit, as here we are…making video art, but nonetheless.
One of my issues when it comes to making video art myself, past the fact that it is simply not what I enjoy creating, is the fact that with my art I hold it to a specific ideal of aesthetic. With my main focus being photography I am able to control all the elements going into it, and even if it’s an abject photo I can create a world in which that abjectness is the ideal. I enjoy video from a cinematographic lens.
I have a large interest in film but that is not what we’re aiming for in this course and though art is subjective, in school it often feels as though we are curving our practice to please each professor and their created ideals.
My favourite piece of Megan’s that she shared with us was “A Deal with Dog”. Part of my enjoyment of this piece was definitely derived from the fact that it was visually pleasing to my own eye. The blowing grass, the arching hills, the complimenting colours of the outdoors.
The piece itself had a touch of this cinematographic feel to it while it practiced Megan’s art techniques of comedy and cringe.
Environmental Art & Artist Research
Katie Patterson
I have become enamored with Katie Patterson’s work.
Future Library is a project that I am excited to share with my children and sad that I won’t get to experience it when the books are printed. I hope one day I can attend a ceremony for the handing over of a manuscript
The vastness of Patterson’s projects is what really gets to me. Not only Future Library most of her pieces.
One of my favourite pieces she has is To Burn, Forest, Fire. In this piece, she created sticks in incense to represent the first and the last forests on earth. As quoted on her website she said “Humans have used incense for thousands of years, mostly as a bridge to what dwells beyond the everyday, through prayer, oblation, and ritual. To Burn, Forest, Fire places that experience into the context of deep time and the living Earth community.”
Patterson created these two sticks of incense and then furthered the piece even more by taking them to a “variety places across Helsinki, and beyond” to burn them in almost a subtle performative way.
The immense research and time spent on this piece is eye-opening to me. The scientific nature of art that Patterson creates is a conversation that I don’t often experience in my own practice and it is one that I admire greatly.
On her website, she includes graphics of each forest with descriptions of the scent.
Another piece I simply adore is -there lay the Days between- in which Patterson created a tickerboard that displays the number of days the sun has risen since the earth was formed. Each sunrise the number changes.
Patterson’s works go beyond the concepts of space and time while closing the gap between the viewers and the cosmos. She shrinks the vastness of the universe in a minimalistic aesthetic to create a comfortable view of eternity.
When we spoke of Katchadourian’s book stacks in class I had some immediate ideas with my own library. Because of this, I chose not to use my own books. I went to my partner’s house, whose library is overflowing, and got to peruse the shelves to look for titles that stood out to me. I compiled a list of those titles and pulled some books to get started.
I think it was beneficial for me to use books I was not familiar with. Not only did it open up possibilities visually, but it also allowed me to play with titles I may not have encountered otherwise, and not be hindered by the bias of the narrative between its pages.
I chose to photograph them on a black background because I love how some of Nina’s photos are so stark. I used just natural light and a black drop cloth and tampered with the exposure as much as my phone would let me. Some are too dark for my preference but I tried to use it as another aspect to the story the spines were telling. I also tried to play with the frames of the photo and created compositions I believed fit the narrations.
For one specific stack – “We so seldom look on love/run towards the danger/together” – The colours on the spine of the bottom book were too dark with not enough contrast so I ended up shining a light on the word together to brighten it in the photo. This created an illuminative effect on the word but not the author and I think it successfully highlights the story being told in such little words just that much more.
In the stack with the most books I wanted a space between two books, to act as a breath or a comma of sorts. Originally I used thin white spined books but wasn’t content with the aesthetic of the image so eventually I found a thick hard cover book and turned it around so all you could see was the pages. This worked well.
The stack – “Other people/as they see us/side glances/the unsettlers” – Is my least favourite final photo. Not because of the spine choices, but rather the creases in the worn-out book “as they see us” and how it becomes almost difficult to read. I’m sure I could attribute this to some purposeful and conceptual meaning, but it was difficult to shoot and annoying to settle. Nonetheless, it was an interesting and meaningful stack.
FINAL IMAGES
I’d be interested to work with books again in the future. One thing that interests me greatly is the documenting of the “destruction” of books over time. I am someone who prefers a soft cover to a hard one because I like it when my books are noticeably read. I dog ear my pages and don’t mind a tear and sometimes, if it’s the best option, I’ll fold the book up a little and shove it in my back pocket. Some readers think this is pure blasphemy, so, I think documenting these rips and tears and dog ears and creases could be an interesting concept to look into for future art.
Below, are three book stacks that demonstrate the many stages of murder, and getting caught. This trilogy was accidental, as I had initially intended to create 3 separate book stacks. But upon further observation and reflection, I noticed that each book stack fit together like a story when placed in a certain order. The first image (Part 1: Blood) depicts the act of murder. I chose to have someone walk past the book stack in the background of the image as a reference to the victim of the murder. Furthermore, the first letters of each book title create an acronym that spells “STOP.” I intentionally picked books that are red as an allusion to stop signs. The second image (Part 2: Sweat) represents the murderers getting caught. For this stack, I intentionally chose book titles that, when placed together, would sound like a news headline. In the final image (Part 3: Tears), the criminals are shown experiencing guilt and regret for their malicious actions. I cut out a portion of the book stack from the image to mirror the shame the the murderers are experiencing, as if to mimic the urge to hide away from the public eye.
Part 1: Blood
Part 2: Sweat
Part 3: Tears
ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST RESEARCH
Eyes as Big as Plates (Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth)
Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth have assigned themselves with the task of photographing people in their 60s, 70s and 80s in an outdoor setting, wearing part of the landscape on their bodies, as though it is part of their fashion. The photographs have a strong resemblance to National Geographic images. Older individuals do not often get the spotlight when it comes to photography. However, Ikonen and Hjorth have chosen to photograph this demographic, in order to celebrate the long lives and captivating stories of these people.
The artists’ initial goal was to illustrate Norwegian mythology, but they have more recently moved away form this idea. They have decided to allow the story to unfold itself through the interaction between the landscape and the individual in the photographs. The title of this work, Eyes as Big as Plates, references an old Norwegian tale that involves a large-eyed troll or dog that lived under a bridge. Ikonen and Hjorth have tried to emulate the unsettling stare of the troll through their subjects in their photographs. The individuals in their photos often have an intense and powerful gaze toward the camera.
What is striking to me about these images is how the artists are able to emerge their subjects into the landscape, and portray their subjects as one with the landscape. In Eyes as Big as Plates # Jakob(Greenland 2015), it takes you a minute before noticing that there is a person in the image. The individual is well-camouflaged into the landscape with his body covered in ice and snow, while the colour of his jacket blends with the rocks.
The relationship between the landscape and the individual and the landscape is one that is considered and acknowledged by the artists. In Eyes as Big as Plates # Halvar I (Norway 2011), a retired farmer is photographed on his own family’s farmland. The relationship between the farmer and his landscape almost serve as a portrait of himself and his familial roots.
Eyes as Big as Plates # Halvar I (Norway 2011)
Eyes as Big as Plates # Jakob (Greenland 2015)
ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO (research)
Pileated Woodpecker 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: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds
Eastern Screech Owl 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: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/sounds
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: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/sounds#
Loon 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.
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 in the forest (only 1 toe sticking out, for example)
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 the sounds we hear in nature (a compilation – cut back and forth between real sounds in arboretum and us imitating them)
Embracing the harmonious symphony of nature, our project focuses on the art of imitating the diverse sounds we encounter outside. This endeavor offers a unique opportunity to compile an auditory journey, seamlessly weaving together recordings from the serene landscapes of the arboretum and our own attempts at replicating these natural sounds. Here, we immerse ourselves in the richness of the environment, capturing the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the distant echoes of wildlife and more. 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, Hallie 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.
ENVIRONMENTAL VIDEO (final)
Primal Instinct
In this project, Hallie and I aimed to bridge the gap between humanity and nature. We wanted to underscore the primal connection by peeling back the layers of verbal communication, reducing individuals to their raw ability to make sounds. Our choice to feature people of various ages highlighted the intrinsic nature of mimicry and noise-making. Typically, we witness infants engaging in such behaviour as they explore their bodies and vocal capacities for communication. However, societal norms often lead us to stifle these tendencies as we age. Yet, the urge to vocalize and replicate sounds remains deeply rooted and natural. Throughout the filming process, which involved a diverse group, including strangers, we shared many moments of laughter. The experience became a genuine bond among humans, highlighting the collective inclination to express ourselves through vocalization and imitation.
In this project, my aim was to expose the most vulnerable facets of myself while paradoxically concealing them entirely. I extracted phrases from my journal, divorcing them from their original context. Deliberately selecting sentences with universal resonance and posing reflective questions, I sought to create a connection with readers. Having kept my emotions bottled up for an extended period, journaling became my self-reliant method for processing feelings. By publishing this book, I am affirming the validity of my thoughts, emotions, questions, and actions, acknowledging that they deserve to be both heard and seen. My journal, a cherished possession, holds my most intimate thoughts, and in sharing them with the world, I aim to honour and give voice to those personal reflections.
ARTIST BOOK (hard copy)
ARTIST MULTIPLES
With this sock puppet project, I set out to craft a unique form of emotional support tailored specifically for adults. It’s striking to observe that adults often struggle with emotional regulation, while children naturally navigate their feelings through instinctive behaviours. Take, for instance, a child’s tendency to fidget in line out of boredom or the comfort they find in a blanket or stuffed animal. Despite the common belief that adults surpass children in emotional control, my perspective is that adults excel in concealing their emotions, resulting in internalized challenges.
In my view, adults are constrained by societal expectations, preventing them from openly embracing emotional support objects as children do. To address this, I’ve presented an emotional support sock in a sophisticated packaging, deliberately targeting an adult audience. My intention is twofold: to tap into the inner child of adults, bringing smiles to their faces, and to create a shared experience that fosters connections among individuals. Whether utilized as a quirky party accessory or a personal comfort item, this creation is envisioned as a catalyst for joy and shared moments.
After watching the playlist “Taking A Stand,” I found the artists Barbara Kruger and Carrie Mae Weems stood out to me the most.
I found Barbara Kruger intriguing as I am often not interested in word art. She was able to captivate me and make me reconsider my relationship with text in art. A proud (second into) third-wave feminist, Kruger stated “Well, of course I’m a feminist. But I have never been able to consider gender or sexuality apart from class—and never thought of class apart from race.” (5:30-5:42) This intersectionality is a vital understanding many white feminists miss. With bold text which prompt bold, reflective questions in non-chalant, accessible locations, such as in her skate park installation, Kruger takes a stand in a way that influences me to consider the power of text, placement, and scale.
Carrie Mae Weems The Kitchen Table Series was moving to me, as it investigates one of the most important scenes in all our lives- the shared domestic space. A consistent location where family, friends, and lovers congregate frequently or infrequently, formally or informally. At the table, Weems emphasizes, is where we learn the value and skill of developing our own voice, and feel the need for that voice to be heard. Weems recalls how, historically, the space of domesticity belonged to women, begging the question of how do we begin to alter the domestic space, the social contract, and the status quo. She worked to capture how the table is a site of war, carried on by how we control, manipulate, or participate with one another. Weems took a stand in her exposure of the reality we have normalized, where even within the home, where women hold the key to the bedroom, to generations, men hold the power. Weems seeks to spark discussion on the battle around the family, the power dynamics and imbalances, love, community, and fights, that all happen at the table, which symbolizes and summarizes the entirety of domestic life.
Weems inspires me to carry a works narrative through the use of space and repetition. Repetition of the element of the table, combined with being in black and white, highlighted the stark differences in mood and change in elements. Weems additionally taught me the power of targeting the normalized and everyday to expose how disturbing or beautiful domestic life can be.
BOOK PROJECT
Progress photos:
(Apologies for the very poor image quality, I was taking them in a rush Tuesday as the other class was rolling in and waiting for the entire table to be unoccupied by photos of nude people. I felt very awkward and rushed lololol.)
My book is a parody of the images from The Body: Photographs of the Human Form (1994). The images were dominantly white people, specifically sexualized photos of white women, perpetuating them as soft, sensual, and angelic, and upholding the ideal, the innocent, and the vulnerable perception of women through racist, colonial, patriarchal values. Additionally, this book was exceedingly ableist and presented many colonial values, dehumanizing people through their photographs, and capturing people and cultures as if they were test subjects, animals, or monsters. All and all, this book is really messed up. The Body successfully captures the white man’s view of what “the body” is, its potential, worth, ‘differences,’ sexuality, formation, mutilation, and decaying. Exploring a single narrative of what a body is functions to silence any other view or experience of “the body” outside of the perception of a white man. The Body universalizes our bodies to the point where few can relate to the images contained within the book.
As a queer, transmasc person, I couldn’t relate to hardly any of the images that were intended to be universal. My relation to my body didn’t fit within the narratives portrayed, leaving my experience silenced and disregarded. In return, I acted to reconstruct the images to authentically relate to my experience and relationship with my body, how I perceive my body’s worth, sensations, sexuality, formation, reformation, dysmorphia, and origin. Ripping pages, cutting, stapling, and drawing on top of the images, I worked to disrespect the book and honor my lived experiences with my relationship to my body.
I recommend everybody do this, it was very cathartic. To physically take the single narrative and dominant view of “the body” and critique and remix it to represent you and your experience allows you to reflect and feel seen. Feels good.
ENVIRONMENT VIDEO PROJECT
Glowing in the Thicket are two videos playing in tandem. One is a feminine figure in the daytime, attempting to camouflage and match her environment but ultimately failing. The other is the same figure but at night, imbracing that she cannot mask herself and instead channels her energy into running around, playing, resting, exploring, and dancing.
Our culture takes pride in shunning, shaming, and othering. We have all felt rejection and humiliation and taken comfort in disguising ourselves to conform to the status quo. We camouflage our identities in this shame so well that we believe it is our nature. We wear a mask in the day when we can be seen and take it off when we’re out of sight, at night.
In these videos, we witness this individual be visible at night, highlighted and glowing. Instead of masking like they did in the day, now that they’re visible, they celebrate the vulnerability of being witnessed. Though they risk shame, rejection, and humiliation by being so visible, they are content.
Alyssa and I were immediately drawn to the phenomena of camouflage as well as its opposite with critters that purposefully stand out. We also began unpacking what “natural” and “unnatural” means in terms of settings, behaviors, and the social connotations of the word. We asked questions such as “if nature doesn’t come naturally to me, does that make me unnatural?” and “what about being a human IS natural?” We came to the conclusion that humans are the most “unnatural” creature on thus planet, we even invented the “unnatural.” We also noted that “natural” and “unnatural” as concepts were invented to be a weapon of white superiority, colonization, and patriarchy, who seek to alienate and dehumanize who they’re trying to dominate, as proven my environmental feminists/ feminist philosophers. We continue their questioning through asking what is “wild” vs “civilized” or “animal-like/ beastly” vs “humanly.”
As of now, our current concept is a figure, camouflaged in various settings in the day time. Half way through the video, dusk will fall and the critter/ figure will emerge and glow, now free. In this, we will also be playing with nocturnal nature. Both of us passionate about photography, we want to compose shots with artful intent.
As for audio we were concidering having the song Pale September by Fiona Apple in the background for a more atmospheric feel.
CAMOUFLAGE VS STANDOUT
Specifically standing out via light/ bioluminescence
Naturally Camouflaged leaf Insect.
Mycena lampadisLuminous fungi photographed in total darkness.30 second exposure.
Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth – Eyes as Big as Plates
SYL NIAL – “Somewhere on Earth”
“You cannot identify the characters; they show up always alone as bright beings reflecting light and shining, at times pure in their action like children. The photographer is merely someone spying on them, capturing their innocence as well as other elements– elements of awe, elements of terror, all combining to create the same feelings as fairy tales.”* – Artist perpetuates harmful narrative as white as pure/ innocent and black as sinister/ evil.
BENOIT PAILLE
LISSYELLE
Lissyelle is a photographer and art director based in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles, California, but she grew up in rural Ontario. “Her body of work is often still inspired by this compulsion to photograph, as well as by the vivid colors of early childhood, reoccurring dreams, the blurry way we see things when we are either too happy or too sad, and the soft hands of the high renaissance.”*
VIDEO ARTIST
About….
OUR NOTES/ EARLY IDEAS/ CONCEPTS
Lesbian Rangers
As a lesbain who loves performance art, film, camping, and camp, I was naturally drawn to Lesbian National Parks and Services (2002). I find lesbains are under represented, under valued, and misunderstood, even by the queer community. Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan work against this reality, creating content targeted at lesbain and showcasing the lesbain experience. When blockbuster films, typically written and directed by straight men, choose to include a lesbain character, they are often directed at the male gaze as fem x fem. In contrast, Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan chose to write and direct films based on masculine lesbians for a lesbain audience. We see this again in their film A Day in the Life of a Bull-dyke (1995), with genuine insight into the world of lesbians, still in a campy, exaggerated fashion. Dempsey and Millan aim to encapsulate the joy, pain, and ambivalence lesbains often experience, viewed as “strange animals.”
Dempsey and Millan respond less to nature, creatures, or environmental conditions and more to our cultural, gender based associations with these topics. These artists are aware that as “mother Earth” is feminized in our society, our patriarchal ideologies seek to own, assault, and exploit her, masculinizing ideas of physical exploration, hunting, fire building, and more. In this, there is a stereotype that masculine lesbians love camping, parks, hikes, and all things wild. Which is honestly pretty accurate. In Lesbian National Parks and Services, the artists played off the idea that being homosexual is a “choice” and “unnatural,” a common argument used to invalidate and demonize queer folk. By presenting the lesbain rangers as though it was a career path and a choice to become natural, wild creatures inhabiting the forest, they took the myth and inverted it with a campy approach, a style often used by the queer community. Homosexual innuendos based on the environment, mentions of common lesbian experiences, stereotypical lesbain clothing, and physical posing in reference to lesbian sex or masculinity additionally resonate with lesbian and queer culture, ideas, and values. Dempsey and Millan additionally played off the narrative that lesbians pray on straight girls, seeking “recrute” or indoctrinate them into the lesbian agenda. Again, they took this misconception and camped it up, taking the unprofessional and predatory stereotype and flipping it to be professional and protected with their Lesbian National Parks and Services booth at the park.
BOOK STACK POST
After exploring the library like I never have before, I composed the following book stacks. As a huge fan a poetry as a kid, specifically Shel Silverstein, this experience made me feel energized and playful. At the beginning of the process, feeling this fun spirit, I made the first stack about meeting someone, realizing how at peace you are around them, how pleasant they are, how much you are amazed by them, and suddenly realizing oh God you’re in love with them. I photographed this stack vertically as love can feel disorienting and lifting. The empty space emphasis works as a bright and reflective space, much like feeling in love. This contrasts Katchadourian’s dark, abyss-like background.
As I continued to hunt for titles I grew tired and hungry, with this, progressively feeling more emotional and dramatic. The titles I was drawn to and the concepts I imagined out of them became more grim. Once I saw the “mother stone” book my mommy issues were up enough that I just ran with it. I was definitely in a mood. With this, I decided to make a portrait of the dark side of my mother, and how it made me second guess every part of myself. Photographed with more space sinking under the image than above, the viewed eyes are directed down, weighing on the final words, “what did I do?”.
The final book stack is more self explanatory. One of my favorite childhood books, Where the Sidewalk Ends, at the end of a sidewalk, perhaps where people parted ways.
A small sociable moment with this person is like Heaven on Earth. OHHH!!! I feel love!
Shes in a stone-like mood, unmoving and cold. Her aggressive tone and her caring utterances send mixed messages. I feel cold and unmoving as though bronze is in my blood. Cold and unmoving like my mother, yet mine is out of fear. I question what I did to make her mother stone, unmoving and cold.
Where the sidewalk ends, we’ll meet again. Words take up a small portion of the image, evoking a sense of loneliness.
Eyes as Big as Plates # Agnes II (Norway 2011) (Credit: Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen)
Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth’s photography immediately struck me. I was struck by the way that the artists used costumes to camouflage with the environment, but more impressively these artists found away to blend the models personality and character seamlessly as well. The woman pictured is named Agnes, and here she dresses as the “fabled north wind”. The artists clearly used a strategy of understanding Agnes before photographing here. Agnes parachuted twice in her late age (At both 85 and 90) and she described these experiences as “pure joy”. Due to this comment the artists chose to depict her as this wind.
2. In this example the model not only dresses and camouflages into the environment, but he actually wears a coat of native fish. Here the artists demonstrate how they combine the environment, animals, and human in one image. Through this beautiful combination the artist achieve ideas of magic and anthropomorphism. As well as demonstrate a clear respect for life, age as it applies to Humanity, animals, and cleary the environment.
BOOK STACKS
Guelph English Literature
The following book stacks are created from a collection of books that I have been required to read in the English program at the University of Guelph. This limitation in my book collection critera produced very small pallette of available texts forstacking. I feel as though this limitation created an on brand route for book stacks…English as a subject. This book pallette allowed me to reveal the messaaging that Guelph University and University English send through their required texts.
Enviromental Video Art Project
Throughout this project me and Zoe struggled through several iterations of what this video would become. When our brainstorming began we were working with 2 ideas that formed our orginal concepts and also carried over to the final piece These were mental health and nature documentaries. Nature is extremly impactful on human health, both physcially and mentally. Even simply meditave walks in nature can have longstanding benfits, yet soceity is increbicly removed from nature and these befenfits, strangely people will even choose to consume nature in a more manfucatured way… Nature documentaries. Originally we had planned away to transport and show nature documentaries to different settings in order to create/expose some kind of interesting truth or situtiton. However; while we were searching for Nature documentary clips to use we had a epiphany moment were we realized that we should be using books instead!
Nutured by Nature – https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
THE NATURE YOU SEE IN DOCUMENTARIES IS BEAUTIFUL AND FALSE- https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/04/problem-nature-documentaries/618553
D’Arcy Wilson – Artist Research
Protect your Love– Wilson’s dedication to excuecting a task seemingly blind to basic information in regards to said task continously creates interesting dynanmics. This s is the clash between her youthful corousity and respect with her ignorance.
#1 Fan – this work (and artist) were first introduced to me in class. When I first saw this video I was not its “#1 Fan”, but after explore more of Wilsons catolgue I found a greater aprecaition for this work.
The Memorialist Museolgy – this peice in particular was channeled in our final video. We took insiparation from the idea of almost naively committing to the task of of informing a inanimate object.
The Tree
Book Project
Book Cover
Children’s Book Research
This artist book is a collection of found children’s books image with one theme -unruly red hair. Each decision making step off this project was hard. I was initially drawn to the beautiful illustrations found n children’s books . After checking out many from the libary, I quickly begin to notice how similar the 2 genres are. I would aruge that several books I found were artist books disguised as children’s books. It makes sense considering that most illustrated books are illrustred by and written by artist’s. Children’s books are artist books in nature.
Below are some examples:
Red Hair Book Pages
I collected as many children’s books I could from the library, but I still need a theme. Something featured a lot in childrens books are characters with red hair. In fact there are a lot of books spefciallly about dealing with redhair. I grew up reading a lot of these books because I was a child with unruly red hair. Even once I landed on this theme I found I needed to be more specific. What about red hair did I want to feature? Most of these “red haired children’s books” are described as “learning to love red hair” and most of them deal with the attention and messiness of being a child with red hair. At this point in my life I love my hair and do not want to change it. As a child, that wasn’t the case, lots of tears, mostly from the pain of people (mostly my mother) aggressively pulling or brushing my hair.
Mornings before school were often filled with tears, both mine and my mothers. At times we resorted to cutting knots out because neither of us yet knew how to deal with my hair.
The frustration of child became the energy and theme I wanted to convey throughout the book. I wanted to create something that a younger me might have passionately scribbled in anger one school morning. The doodling paint lines and the endless drama and horror of having curly red hair are channelling a playful naivety of young people with red hair, or at least me.
Hard Copy-Print Verison
Artist Multiple
Badge of Dishonor
My original idea for this project stemmed from gold star stickers. I thought that these stickers provided an interesting opportunity to manipulate and play with because we have strong associations with this symbol as a reward. These stickers are often used to persuade or encourage children to accomplish goals in a usual educational setting. I started thinking along the lines of reward and participation. This leads me to the idea of ribbons- or participation ribbons. Similarly, participation ribbons are often given to encourage children to try and participate; however, in past years, these ribbons have faced much backlash as they have been revealed to remove competitiveness, drive, and resilience. I began to think about how participation is rewarded and what kind of participation is rewarded. As individuals existing by nature, we are participants and complicated in systems, particularly in the West.
“Take a Stand” Playlist
The “Take a Stand Playlist” is filled with artist making bold statemant and commentary a through processing the world around them.
AI Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a artist and activist. He often combines tradtional Chinese styles with modern materials and concepts, thorugh this exploration he makes bold and politcallly charged art. Ai video explains that he strives to “give testomony to the world he is living in”. This seems to be a common trait of the artsit featured in this playlist.
Barbara Kruger
Krueger is an American conceptual artist. Her work is based in her knowledge of architecture, and is known for incorperating photography and collage. Her signature style being the red text box and white writing.
Throughout this video, Krueger descirbes an intersectional appraoch to art, you cannot examine race, class, or gender ever truly independently). Kruger challenges these norms by confronting her viewers with power dynamics represented in the world around us.
Here are the new book stacks I made to continue with the idea I had for expanded stacks that being in this case boardgames and books that were whispering potent messages at me just when I need to hear them. I’m sorry I’ve been sick, and I’m trying to catch up while not delaying my recovery. I have periods of it’s all good and mad energy like “yeah dance time!”, but I know if I indulge my fever will instantly return and I’ll be worse for wear. I’m doing the best I can here with this pesky flu. Anyhow I thought the obscuring of the white box and part of catacombs with only a hint of digital help to hide a red thread on the couch was a enjoyable optical play on the reaching up from these more grounded games with morbid undertones to an extent. The fun on top being above the mystery void is the table is lava, resulting in misery raining down from above. I think the game one is fun but I definitely vibe more with the call out books, it’s got a cinematic moving comic book vibe and while it might be sharper with a boost in contrast or black point, I think the soft paper haze makes it feel less sterile and more genuine and loved.
Book Stacks
I explored lighting, fake books and my book display arrangments based off elements. I wanted to play with the notion of books and reading and their outwards appearance. I often take a chance on books based on their covers and appearance finding something I didn’t know I wanted or needed to learn. I have small sections in my room of books organized into elements and meanings. The first one is my water element section with mermaids and sea creatures. The middle one is my earth section to ground me, be realistic and connect with my lived experience. The last one is a bigger experiment with lighting and fire, a hint of book burning but also falsehood from the books being fake.
A Further Exploration of Katie Patterson
I am a big fan of rocks, fossils, crystals and geology. So when I saw the example of Katie Patterson’s work being a necklace of fossils made into beads from the various major geological events in our planet’s history, I was ecstatic! My interest was furthered by the meticulousness of collecting and processing materials. It is a feat to amass such variety and even in terms of time commitment it is a daunting feat. Examining their body of work while finding many thread lines of interest it was ultimately To Burn, Forest, Fire that I was equally enamoured with. I will have to sift through my computer but I had read about an exhibit that made the use of fiction and specifically scent to convey a believable realism to an exhibit about merfolk that lived in a valley. I will add the piece when I find it but the main intrigue was the use of fiction and the believability sold through sensory engagement. I have a bit of discussion about the merfolk exhibit but what connected so well for me in the To Burn, Forest, Fire, was the use of scent to fully immerse and encapsulate an environment and time.
Overall, Patterson uses strategies of curation of time and scientific data collection mainly in their practice. Temporality and an attempt to catalogue and capture how knowledge and things have changed with technology over time plays an important role in their practice. A core theme in Patterson’s work is, the connectivity and encapsulation of our planet at large from birth to possible death. They assign points of history, time or place and from their work to gather the milestones and ingredients from specific locations. Their response is generally not abrasive but has palpable silence and contemplation. It is curatorial in you are seeing all of our time or the edges of what we saw as the world, or a first and last. They have to collect a lot of scientific data and materials from various regions and historical documents to properly make their work with accuracy and consult with scientists. There is a value of reaching out across time and space; allowing someone to connect to all of it in one space emanating from Patterson’s work. They make the final products feel both intimate and yet monumental.
MerFolk Exhibit Adoration
The narrative presented was not very realistic or particularly believable, but the use of smell and presentation gave authenticity. Most people eventually understood it was an art exhibit and not an anthropology or scientific endeavour but the space fiction left the viewers to self project gave greater impacted than cold facts. The show was overall about environmental concerns and global environmental degradation and habitat loss. Most shows would try to be destructive, sensational and stern but generally most people know or have seen these things first hand, and yet are not moved to action. This show however mimicked authenticity of scientific and anthropology processes but with more whimsy and fantasy, allowing viewers space to not feel directly antagonized or in peril from environmental crises. The fiction allowed for emotional connection removed from direct implication of viewers, letting viewers make their own attachments and connect it back to their personal life and experience of the world.
Environmental Video Art
Chloroplastic is currently just one song but I think it’s too cool of a name to be only one song. This was an exploration of using audio clips with digital instruments to compose outsider music. I really enjoyed this project and while it has a steep learning curve and can be finessed more, the beauty of it lies in that you can continue to pay homage to this song and remake it. I hope to continue this audio work and make more songs in the future for Chloroplastic as an album.
The suit of food wrapper armour is a piece that I’ve been sitting on for a while. I have a deep love for design and an a sucker for commercial packaging and aesthetic boxes and mascots. The things so often tossed aside and thrown away, I find collectable and cherish even if I can’t keep everything. This video was a way to share my acknowledgement of my participation in a plastic consumerist world and appreciate that I still hold the natural world dear and more comforting than a bed of plastic.
When researching this project I reflected on things such a planned obsolescence that many technologies and items sold now have. The article above talk more specifically on technology based stuff but I was lead to this topic from another video. I had happened upon a discussion of why sewing machines now have all these computer parts and stuff while the actually technology we use to sew hasn’t truly changed in almost a century or more. The argument was that those old machines still work and don’t really break so companies tried new gimmicks to make people buy more machines. However, even when they made machines designed to break they lasted pretty long and other companies would make replacement parts to fix them. More modern sewing machines have computers and digital interfaces much more difficult to replace and such incentivizing people to keep updating and buying more machines sine they can’t really replace and fix the computer parts.
This article discussed notions of consumer republic that I had learned about in visual culture class. It makes an interesting assertion that the suburban neighbourhood was the central stage for this battle of fitting narrative and proving self reliance through purchases.
Fast fashion is another avenue of investigation as I buy and own a variety of clothing, fast fashion or not. I however, repair and repurpose old clothes and try to give them new life. Many people have no qualms getting rid of a plethora of clothes and constantly replacing them when they are still perfectly good. Such high consumption practices have an environmental cost that wearing once does not justify. There are further battles of ethics aside from labour and environment. Many of the largest fast fashion pushers blatantly steal independent design’s works and make much cheaper worse versions of their designs. The concept of a single non formal garment being more than $80 is crazy to most people. Our sense of value is skewed as with fast fashion many costs and quality have been reduced to keep up with consumers and make them such a low price point that people don’t bat an eye when buying.
Chloroplastic plays on this rejection of the environment and natural world showing a battle between our warped perspective of consumerist comforts and what we are rejecting.
In terms of musical stylings I was initially going for something similar to Dorian Electra’s songs like Drag and My Agenda. Or having an off beat note to add unease like in Hex Haywire’s, U got Hexed. I have no musical background or theory at all so it was a real stretch to get something with some musicality while still being true to my playful unconventional style. While it does not sound how I had envisioned, it has a life of it’s own and is rather interesting.
Visual references and works in a similar vein to my project and ideas
The book itself has some explanation on the ideas behind it to not misconstrued the intention. With parody one can often feel it is attacking or mocking the medium it is parodying. That is not my intention with this book and I think the while more implied understanding at the beginning of the book is more subtle the end notes make it pretty explicit. This book is intended to be humorous and playful in tone, not mocking the sources but easing public discomfort with topics of sexuality, kink, fetish and adult content. So often these topics are difficult to discuss due to negativity, discomfort or shame associated with it. We can lead healthier lives and push back against a culture of shaming by openly discussing sex and kink. Through open conversations there are greater learning opportunities and encouragement to share important safety information that could be easily missed when learning in solitude and feeling ashamed to talk about sex. Furthermore there is a lot of work that goes into adult content and it is often dismissed as simply, look traditionally beautiful and show skin; or even non adult content creators are told they are just given more views or money because of their looks. My goal is not to discredit adult content creators, and while the text is campy the images themselves have a certain beauty and care to convey my respect for those creators. This idea came from the pun of Onlyfans instead being about mechanical and manual fans but the precedent of using the platform in a parody manner seeing who stumbles upon it either genuinely aroused or in on the joke came from Bernadette Banner, who made an victorian era notion of erotic content mainly sock covered ankle reveals. They also did not do this to antagonize adult content but out of curiosity to see what the culture was like and acknowledged the effort it took to even just run quality content on an account to the platforms level of standards for a week.
Maya Ben David Video Art
The best way to describe their work is being apart of online culture and parodying it from within. There’s an interesting sense of humour and sincerity in criticism while also blending in with the very culture it’s critical of. It’s interesting to see some of the work behind making these chaotic masterpieces and what gets the full production fineness. There is a lot of work that goes into making the outfits and getting the makeup correct to try and film a clean shoot and it can be a frustrating process. It’d be interesting to see how artists can further integrate and appropriate platforms to succeed in artistic endeavours. With all social media platforms you have to battle against their algorithms which often reward rapid fire content and constant production. Trends can be helpful to follow but it can be difficult to stand out or instead give off the notion of being a sell out or content farming. Instead Maya embraces the absurdity of trends and interrogates said trends both blending in with them and standing apart. The playfulness and absurdity gives an air of camp but that very camp is what makes it fits in so well with the absurdity that is internet culture.
Take A Stand Videos
“You Make Me Iliad”Mary Reid Kelley
I found it interesting to see how historical text and media could be given reactions from those they discussed but did not get docummented in historical record. There is so much missing and lost to history that we often only have scraps of info to go off of and need to use roundabout ways to uncover people outside of mainstay power holders. The crafty filmography of Mary’s work has interest in materiality and also interrogates the viewpoint and information from historical records. It shows how to give information room to breath without forcing a singular narrative of current cultural ideology.
Stephanie Syjuco in “San Francisco Bay Area”
This artist’s work reminds me that the medium is the message at times. Materiality can have an important role in the meaning of a work. It’s interesting to see ways of working within culture and how to shift and critique what is going on in the world. Parodying and hiding within culture can create different layers of intrigue where something can be taken at face value or seen for the irony and criticism it is. Repurposing green screen to be the feature that is seen shows what the hidden labour of digital skills and comments what we hide and censor from the final product.
FanBoy Magazine & Artist Multiples
It was a lot of fun making fanboy magazine taking the humour of an only fans page about ceiling fans and expanding it into a mock playboy magazine. As Anna said it critique it’s making goofy humour over discomfort around discussions of sex and also highlighting the absurdities of attraction and fetish. While it can be seen purely as playful humour there is likely a genuine market of people who would be thrilled by such content and the underlying fetishes displayed can subtly be broached by the magazine. The print quality was really nice and while having a more coffee table bougie show book in future would be fun, I think the playful magazine was definitely well received.
My artist multiples built on the previous work offering a Fun for 1 package of a mini mag, a penis ornament or keychain with colour changing tip, a set of push pompom boobs and a kissed paper in a charming milk box package. The multiple kits had playful humour and was about having self satisfaction and having body positivity, being able to gloat that you’ve got your very own penis or boobs to enjoy should people be insulting. The prints were a further testament to self love by literally uplifting ones’ breasts or buttocks with their own hands in ink onto clothes. That way we can offer ourselves the love and support to uplift ourselves when we need some support. The printing process as well was a learning experience of finding comfort in interacting with ones’ body. All in all I think it turned out super cool and a ton of fun and hope to do more printing with my friends this weekend!
Eyes As Big As Plates: Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth
These photographs by the Scandinavian artists initially really struck me for the way in which the models were positioned as if they were embedded into the earth and appeared as if they were just emerging from the earth itself. To me this highlighted the connection of humans and earth in the sense that the earth gave birth to us and that we are not separate from the earth itself. It also reminded me of the recycling of matter through cycles of life and death, what I mean by this specifically is that the matter that makes up our bodies could have once been part of another plant, animal, microbe or mineral. This was just my initial interpretation however. When I began to read more about the project, I discovered that it was initially inspired by Scandinavian folklore and creatures like trolls. The name of the collection “Eyes as Big as Plates” was actually inspired by a folk tale of a large-eyed dog and throughout the images, the artists try to capture the same curious nature and eerie gaze of this creature. I definitely felt this in photos such as #Brit (Norway 2018) and # Bengt II (Norway 2011), where the subject directly gazes into the camera and there is an eerie and mystical feeling that is captured and emulated through this. On the other hand, there is also a very curious and mischievous nature that comes through in some of their other photos, such as #Tuija (Finland 2012). In this particular photograph the subject skinny dips in the frigid waters of Finland and looks at the camera through a crown of lily pads with a playful smirk pasted on her face. Everything about this image speaks to mischievous water creatures of folklore. Essentially, the task that these artists have assigned themselves was to use old photographic techniques, such as shooting with natural lighting and using a medium-format film camera, in order to capture older people existing as a part of nature. This process is extremely delicate and requires lighting at particular times of day and the film being used doesn’t always turn out, for example they lost 75% of their photographs taken in Iceland. Time is also a very important aspect of their photographs through the older age of their subjects, the painstakingly long process of shooting and the old photographic techniques being used. Additionally, despite the seemingly fantastical nature of the photographs, they are also deeply connected to the natural environment through the subject and their own personal connections to nature. Maybe the subject is a swimmer and is photographed in the water or a farmer who has strong connections with the land. A more specific example of this is in #Agnes II (Norway 2011), where she is photographed as a wind goddess to represent her connection with the wind through her joyful and memorable experience while skydiving.
Pollen from Hazelnut & Wax Room: Wolfgang Laib
I was initially very attracted to the piece “Pollen from Hazelnut” because I was just imagining how badly my pollen allergies would be acting up around this piece and handling that much pollen. However, after this initial fear I also began to think about how long this process of collecting jars upon jars of pollen to cover 18 x 21 feet of floor space with pollen must be. The process itself would require a lot of time over many seasons and being within nature up close with plants, in this case Hazelnut Trees. In addition the significance of pollen itself is such a pure organic material that represents the beginning of plant life. The artists himself put it beautifully, “pollen is the potential beginning of the life of the plant. It is as simple, as beautiful, and as complex as this. And of course it has so many meanings. I think everybody who lives knows that pollen is important.” -Laib. Further than this, pollen is also such a crucial part of any ecosystem for its importance to the lives of insects such as bees and butterflies. Therefore the task that this artist has assigned himself was to capture the beginning and essence of plants, through spending quiet and meditative time collecting this material. This was extremely important to Liab on a personal level because of his previous work in hospitals with sick and dying people. Additionally it is also a physical representation of his time spent over many years, specifically his time alone just outside a small and quiet village, something which he highly values. He also values the ability to be doing the same task every year, especially in a world where everything in a constant state of movement and change.
Another piece that he has done, “Wax Room: Wohin Bist Du Geagangen – Wohin Ghest Du? (Where Have You Gone – Where Are You Going?)”, creates a meditative space filled with the natural scent of beeswax. This experience emulates a cocoon-like feeling and the combination of the smell, dim light, colour and material of the room induces a loss of awareness of time, space and self. The space is contemplative and meditative and infers a connection to the natural world through its use of beeswax material. In a way this piece is also deeply connected to the concept of beginnings with the cocoon-like nature of the space and entering it allows one to feel as if they are in a completely new body and otherworldly place. A lot of his works are appreciative of meditative states and time, and are able to connect to the natural world through the materials being used and the time spent collecting them.
Book Stacks: Inspired by Nina Katchadourian
For this project I wanted to focus more on creating punchy statements and sentences using the spines of the books rather than trying to create a more sculptural piece. I experimented with a lot of different lengths of book stacks and sentences and I ended up liking more of the phrases that I made with stacks of two books. I really enjoy the punchy and direct nature of the stacks when there are just two books, compared to the longer stacks. When experimenting with longer stacks of books I feel that a lot of the messages I was trying to create were getting muddled and lost in all the words. This was probably largely due to the fact that I was mostly using my own limited collection of books, however I did also borrow some graphic novels from my workplace (The Dragon) and I loved the humour I was able to create with some of the titles. I did include one of the longer stacks of books that I made however, because I did actually end up liking this one and I don’t feel that the message was lost or muddled. For this particular long stack I decided to format the words like a list and I feel like this helped a lot in keeping the message clear. I had spotted the book “The Hazards of Love” on the shelf at work and I was determined to create a list with this, so I was able to focus my search more for this particular stack. I also enjoyed how this stack ends with a rhyme (rhyming “me” and “be”), as it creates a more poetic feel as well.
Bird Banding Arboretum Trip
Video Art Brainstorm
Bird Species (left to right, top to bottom): Common Grackle, Northern Flickers (woodpecker), Red Winged Black Birds, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal. All of these images of birds were taken by me in my backyard in Guelph.
Protecting certain geographical areas of biodiversity is extremely important for the overall survival of the natural environment. Canada harbors approximately 80,000 different species of plants and animals and many people believe that sanctioning off any land that humans aren’t actively using and don’t need will suffice in sustaining these species (NCC). However, many plants and animals, take birds for example, require very particular types of habitats spanning over a vast amounts of land. Most bird species in Canada live and migrate along the border to the US, which just so happens to be where the majority of the human population in Canada also resides. For nesting, some bird species may require marshland, shorelines, grassy fields, or dead trees surrounded by thick forest. Additionally, in order to migrate, birds also need patches or strips of natural environment in order to rest and sustain themselves throughout the journey. In response to the rapid decline of bird species all across the world due to habitat loss, designated areas have been established in order to try and maintain these species. An area such as this has been established right behind where I live, a marshland that houses a large diversity of bird species that I get the joy and privilege of watching come and go throughout the year. Interacting with bird species has been a large part of my father’s life and now it has also become a significant part of mine. I often enjoy spending my evenings and nights following in my father’s footsteps, and with his advice, calling owls. The thrill of being able to hear one call back is like nothing else I’ve experienced. The first time I got an owl to call back to me I remember the chill it sent down my spine and I never get tired of that feeling. I love the birds and I never want to have to see them go. So, for my video project I wanted to film a sort of performance done by me and my father. My idea is that the two of us will go out in the evening to a large field that is close to my house and sit facing each other while practicing owl calls. I want the performance to appear almost as if me and my father are having a conversation with one another in these unique bird calls and sounds. The overall performance will highlight the importance of birds to me and my father, and the activity of watching and enjoying their sounds, as well as how this has connected the two of us on a personal level. I also want to highlight that birds aren’t just important on an ecological level, but also for the wellbeing of humans and human connections.
This project was almost too difficult for me to do, as I love books so much and they have played such a large part in my life, that it was hard to try and focus on one solid idea. After sharing my books in class however, I noticed that I have quite the collection obscure or eldritch horror as genre, so I started to gear my ideas towards the theme of eldritch horror. However, rather than being inspired by one of the books I posses, I decided to use the notebook I am currently writing for a podcast called “The Magnus Archives” produced by Rusty Quill. The best way that I can describe this podcast is eldritch horror on steroids, so I knew this notebook would be perfect for me to use in order to produce the effects that I wanted. I wanted the layout of the book to appear as uncanny as possible, so I decided to format each page with a scanned image of my notebook, creating a book within a book affect. Sometimes my hands are even holding the edges of the scanned notebook which creates and odd effect, as the reader holds a book that has image of someone holding a book. Aside from the notebook scans, I also scanned other objects and found some images from online to add things on top of the notebooks pages that related back to the text of my notes. For this particular element I was partially inspired by old “I Spy” books, trying to create a three dimensional effect on two dimensional pages. I also added objects and effects to the pages in a way that shouldn’t make sense in order to add to the uncanniness of it, such cracked glass, digital glitching and warping the pages and text. These effects also helped me to bring the readers attention away from the actual text and contents of the notebook pages and on to the physicality of the notebook itself. I intentionally wanted the book to be difficult to look at or fully comprehend, as eldritch horror is all about not being able to fully grasp or understand something, as there is something just not quite right or natural about it. Although, if the reader is familiar with “The Magnus Archives”, they would have context for all the pages and just about every decision I made for the contents of each page is some sort of easter egg for the podcast. Finally, I decided to loosely title the book (by loosely I mean its not advertised on the front cover) “The Assorted Archives”, as the pages are all from varying sections of my notes and aren’t in order. In the podcast, the main character, Jonathan Sims, is an archivist who is sorting statements people gave to The Magnus Institute about potentially supernatural encounters, however Jon finds that the archives are in a such disarray after the previous archivist passed away. The statements that Jon reads in the episodes of the podcast then are never in any order (chronologically or numerically) and I wanted this aspect to be reflected in my book as well. I therefore, wanted this to be reflected in the title, and I also really liked the alliteration and sound of “Assorted Archives”, so I stuck with it.
ART21 Video Notes
The first artist that really stood out to me from the videos was An-My Le and her piece, “29 Palms”. The piece really struck me as she decided to take such a powerful, emotional and devastating subject, war, and framed it in a manner that I have truly never seen before. War is a subject many artists try to tackle in their works, as it is a very real part of many peoples lives, however it is almost never portrayed in a positive manner. I really enjoyed how she took the moments of war that those who have never actively fought in a war would never know about. When thinking of war, we almost never think of peace or peaceful moments that might occur during it and I found it was very beautiful and moving for Le to focus on these moments. I also love how she chose to incorporate how nature and the landscape plays a role in these peaceful moments of war and war in general. I think the way in which she chose to shoot her images as well really helped to enforce the importance of the landscape in the pictures. She spoke about wanting to take as many steps back as she could and this allowed for her to capture landscapes where the soldiers and vehicles appeared extremely small in the vast expanse that surrounded them. Additionally, her use of black and white was reminiscent of the techniques used by landscape photographers like Ansel Adams and his work.
I also really enjoyed the pieces done by Stephanie Syjuco in her “San Francisco Bay Area” exhibition, looking at culture and protests through a very digital and consumerist lens. She was largely critiquing digital culture through her “transparent” photoshop background sheet and green screen pieces. It was very interesting to see how she took aspects of digital art and creation that people who create digital works will recognize but almost never think about. It was also interesting that these aspects, such as a transparent background and green screen, are also things that are never seen in the final products of digital works, but are still very much a part of the image or digital piece. For example, a green screen is still technically in an image, but its not the green that we end up seeing in the final results. To me this gives her pieces the feeling that they are somewhat unfinished, as we don’t expect to see these elements of digital production that are supposed to be hidden or only viewed by the artist.
Final Book Images
I really enjoyed the way my books turned out. I think the framing of the journal in each of my pages was very effective and the solution I came up with for the gutters of my pages ended up looking quite nice. I also really liked the texture of the inner pages of the book, as it has a nice, almost papery quality to them which I think complimented my concept very well. If I were to go back and change anything about them however, I would change the covers as I don’t particularly enjoy the glossy photobook covers. I believe I tried to order the hardcover trade book, but I think some sort of mix up happened and I ended up with two photo books instead. Regardless, I still really like how the overall design and layout turned out. I also might decide to paint the inner covers black, as they originally came in white and I think the black just ties in better with the overall black background that I used throughout the rest of the book’s design.
Artist Multiples: Horror Trope Pins
For my artist multiple I really wanted to keep with my previous themes of work in the horror genre and mix it with my interests in film and the film industry. I have always found the tropes within horror movies to be absolutely absurd and began to think about what these tropes might look like if they were applied within the real world. My goal for this project then, was to create and apply these common tropes through my artist multiples. I chose to use pins/ buttons in order to do this, as I really enjoy the declarative nature that is typically associated with them. What I mean by this is, pins are often used to declare a political or social message/ viewpoint. I think this helped to create a double meaning within the text of my pins. I wanted my pins to move further beyond simply displaying absurd tropes, but also conjure messages about our society in general. For example this is evident in the pins which declare, “Why don’t responsible adults exist?”, “I’m not proud of it but I ran”, “Why does the cute girl always die first”, “Killers wear a mask”, and “Cell service isn’t provided to those who are being chased by killers”. I really enjoyed the discussions that my pins ended up invoking within the class critique, so I think I was successful in bringing out meaning through these horror trope pins. I also liked that these pins made people start to wonder about the true horrors of our own world and if they are as far off from the movies as we make them out to be. Overall I think that, especially when applied in certain scenarios, my pins can be both shocking, comedic, and profound in their meanings and messages.
I am interested in their works because a lot of their art pieces involve turning the focus onto environmentalism and the human’s relationship to the natural world. She creates works that try to get people immersed and hands-on, becoming a part of the piece like her work with milkweed dispersal balloons, and Tell it to the Birds. A lot of her pieces also work with audio like A confounding mimicry and Playhead of Dawn. They use strategies that help answer the question of how to best represent a topic and bring awareness to people in an artistic fashion. The artist changes their strategies piece by piece, but the reoccurring practice of bringing people into the piece, or creating room for participation tends to be reused.
The Playhead of Dawn outside in the gardens of The Arts Club of Chicago.
For their piece Playhead of Dawn, they chose to make a piece about birds and the impact of humans on birds by playing a 24-hour audio piece that recreates the rise of the sun at dawn as the earth rotates around the sun. The audio piece amplifies the bird’s voices, and puts them in the front row for all to hear. The artists collected and compiled thousands of bird song data from around the world, and organized them, and timed them to be played at the correct times as if we could listen in at dawn at any time and geographic location in real-time. A lot of research has been put into making this piece as accurate as possible, even including the earth’s axis of rotation in the calculations of when the audio clips should be played.
The piece might evoke something different for everyone, but there are certainly a lot of things that people can learn just from listening to it. One might notice that throughout the day, certain areas will be silent, which could be due to passing over a body of water, or through an area of habitat that no longer contains birds from which to capture their song audio. The audio and absence of audio are important in this piece, representing the reality of a moment in a bird’s life, and reaching out to people to think about how their human lives can impact the lives of birds around the world.
The Milkweed Balloon Dispersal
For their piece, the Milkweed Balloon Dispersal, the artist was responding to the decline of monarch butterflies and making an educational and interactive piece to help make people aware of the decline of Monarch butterflies. They did some research about the habitat impact, and the importance of milkweed as a source of food to the Monarch butterflies. As a piece, they filled balloons with milkweed seeds, and handed them out to citizens, helping educate people, and offering them an opportunity to take part in the piece by bringing a balloon home and popping it somewhere to disperse the seeds in the hopes of increasing the milkweed plant population for the monarch butterflies. The intention of wanting to find an artistic way to reach out to people and educate them on the subject is shown in how they performed their art piece very publicly.
Book Stacking
For these book stacks, I asked all of my roommates to hand over every book they had hidden away in our house. It was fun to see how I could try and organize them in unconventional ways. Trying to piece together books that may have never met before to create new combinations in to universe. I tried to keep in mind color, text, and composition for these pieces. I also have not read any of these books before, so these were all newly discovered titles to me.
Nature Video Art Project
For this project, I was originally interested in working within the intersection of mental health and nature. There are studies showing that mental health can improve with the exposure to green spaces, like forests, parks, beaches, ect., and I think there is a problem with many societies today as population density increases in city areas. It seems people’s lives are centered within human-made walls, and people have become distanced from the natural world. I wanted to try and find a way to expose people to this problem. Avery and I first came up with the idea to set up a living room set in a field and play a nature documentary on a tv in nature, but we moved away from that idea because it was a bit too literal. We then had the idea to play nature documentaries in unconventional places around town, and see how people interacted with them. After further refining of ideas, we came upon the idea to read books to trees.
Trees have long been used and exploited the humans. For Centeries, they have been carefully cut down, and used to make clothing items such as shoes (Wikipedia, n.d), hats and masks (Indigenous Foundations, n.d). Trees have also importantly been used for traditional shelters, and burned to make food (Jiang et al., 2018)… but they can also be abused and slashed down for the lumbar and paper industry (Bergquist et al., 2016), or even for cut for traditions like Christmas. Trees can be mistreated, and cleared for food crops (Dall’Agnol et al, 2022), contaminated from the exhaust of vehicles (Gong et al. 2022), and from the chemicals that can spill into rivers from the textile industry (Dall’Agnol et al, 2022; Grappi et al, 2017). As a society, it seems that people relationship with trees and forests have become removed and distant.
K’aaxada Mask by Haayłingtso Marlo Wylie Brillon
Some Clogs.
Bolivian Amazon Forest and a Soy Crop
Bangladesh water run off from textiles
A stereotypical christmas scene
We also wanted to explore how some people have a relationship with trees in the art form of Bonsai. I personaly have had experience trying to make my own bonsai, and we try to bend to tree to do what we what by trimming its roots, physically reshaping the branches, cutting off unwanted branches, and keeping the tree to a small desired size because that is what make sus happy…. but have I ever stoped to thing that is what would make the tree happy? There is even the scientific relationship with labeling specimens and naming all the different parts on the tree, but has anyone ever introduced themselves to one of them?
We felt it was an important task to try and educate a tree on these topics, so that it can learn about the world and introduce it to some of these topics. Of course, we see the irony in our communication because trees can not see, or hear, though they do have many other ways of sensing the world (JIC, 2022). We wanted to see how it would feel to get personal with the one on one session from our very own Aboretum.
References:
Bergquist, Ann-Kristin, and E. Carina H. Keskitalo. “Regulation Versus Deregulation. Policy Divergence Between Swedish Forestry and the Swedish Pulp and Paper Industry after the 1990s.” Forest Policy and Economics, vol. 73, 2016, pp. 10–17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2016.07.003.
Dall’Agnol, R., Sahoo, P. K., Salomão, G. N., de Araújo, A. D. M., da Silva, M. S., Powell, M. A., Junior, J. F., Ramos, S. J., Martins, G. C., da Costa, M. F., & Guilherme, L. R. G. (2022). Soil-sediment linkage and trace element contamination in forested/deforested areas of the Itacaiúnas River Watershed, Brazil: To what extent land-use change plays a role? The Science of the Total Environment, 828, 154327–154327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154327
Gong, C., Xian, C., & Ouyang, Z. (2022). Isotopic Composition (delta N-15 and delta O-18) of Urban Forests in Different Climate Types Indicates the Potential Influences of Traffic Exhaust and Relative Humidity. Forests, 13(12), 2060–. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122060
Grappi, S., Romani, S., & Barbarossa, C. (2017). Fashion without pollution: How consumers evaluate brands after an NGO campaign aimed at reducing toxic chemicals in the fashion industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 149, 1164–1173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.183
Indigenous Foundations, “Cedar”, Arts UBC, n.d., https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/cedar/
Jiang, Hongen, et al. “Drilling Wood for Fire: Discoveries and Studies of the Fire-Making Tools in the Yanghai Cemetery of Ancient Turpan, China.” Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, vol. 27, no. 1, 2018, pp. 197–206, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0611-5.
John Innes Center, “How do plants sense the world around them?”, JIC, March 2022, https://www.jic.ac.uk/blog/how-do-plants-sense-the-world-around-them/#:~:text=Plants%20have%20special%20structures%20called,far%20red%20and%20ultraviolet%20light.
In “The Tree”, we film an ironic scene where a girl brings many books to read to the tree to try and educate it on today’s world. The books selected are all related to economic and potential justice issues that we thought a tree might want to know. For example, what we label trees as… is that what they would call themselves? Might the tree want to protest how we treat them like polluting the air and soil with our inventions like cars and clothes, chopping them down for our celebrations, or manipulating their growth because of our beauty standards? The act of reading is also ironic in that the books are made from trees. This short film is intended to explore these concepts through humor, but hopefully, it also allows people to think about how our actions might affect each individual tree.
Book Project
For this project, I had a few ideas, but the most fun one seemed to cutting out images from a children’s picture encyclopedia and re-making the spreads. The difficult thing at first was trying to find connections or interesting images within the book, and then deciding on an interesting composition of how to re-arrange the images. After a lot of trial and error, this was my end result:
The Picture Encyclopedia, 2023 edition is better than ever. This book allows the images to come to life, and re-image the world without any labels. Explore the pages and find surprising images. The book is created from a children’s picture encyclopedia, however, the 2023 edition is an attempt to deconstruct the built narratives in the book and instead rebuild a more freeing and educating book on how one should expect the world to work. Take a look for yourself. See how it makes you feel. Cut out the images and make your own world. It’s fun.
Take a stand:
Barbara Kruger
Kruger is a text based artist who has been creating pieces for a very long time. They create these large prints of questions and installs them in places where the public can be confronted by the questions, like the public installation in the skate park. with Kruger’s work being primarily large text, they dismantle the artist’s trope of having complex paintings or sculptures for people to interpret, and instead offer the message directly for people to understand. It is nice that the text created is still something that people have to think about, and is not just an answer provided. Their pieces often are related to current issues in society, and offer messages for people to reflect on them. Kruger uses topics that are important to her, and allows that to fuel her work.
I like that the art pieces are simple in theory, and effective it terms of offering awareness to people. Words can be a very powerful medium, and being able to create enlarged messages is a great way to share and inform people about important topics. It makes me realize that I can incorporate the right words and messages in the pieces I create.
Marry Reid Kelly
In Mary’s work of “You made me iliad” she explores the narrative and experiences of WWII woman and sex workers. She explains that there are very few records of their experiences, due to societal reasonings, and so she feels it is important to explore their roles as a way of stating their lives on the record for them. I thought it was a very interesting piece because she says that this concept is something that can only really be shown in art. I think that it was a smart choice to use the little information that was provided by male documentation to piece together the information to create a mosaic of the woman’s experience. I like that it is a serious topic in creating justice for women of the past, but the black-and-white character design, setting, and script add elements to the intention of the piece that make it a bit more digestible for the people watching. It inspires me to see what other narratives have been lost in time for future projects.
Artist Multiple
For this project, I knew I wanted to go in a direction that inspired people to explore the world around them. I personally enjoy adventures, and I wanted to create a piece that could inspire people to explore as well. With the help of Nathan, I am proud to present the following maps….
Here to Nowhere
and
Here to Somewhere
Are you tired? Do you wake up in the morning, bored and uninspired? Well fear no more! The map to Nowhere and to Somewhere is just what you need. These maps offer you the route to the road trip of a lifetime, where you can drive from wherever you are, all the way to Nowhere, Oklahoma! But wait, you can keep driving all the way to Somewhere, New York! The route is displayed for easy directions, however, there are many alternative routes that may intrigue you. Get your maps today and go Nowhere, or Somewhere. It’s up to you.
The maps can be printed in any size, and can be folded for convenient traveling. The bold red path is sure to guide you to your destination. This particular series is designed to provide directions from Guelph, Ontario to Nowhere and Somewhere. These maps can be edited to provide directions from all over the world.
So, with Katchadourian’s work, what really strikes me is how she sees these invisible connections between book titles. It’s like she walks into a room and the books start talking to her, telling her how they can fit together to create something totally new and unexpected. It’s almost like she’s got a secret language with them.
Then there’s her storytelling. It’s not just about finding a funny or clever sequence of titles. She’s crafting these mini-narratives, these little worlds within the spines of the books. It’s amazing how a few well-chosen books can suddenly say something profound or hilarious, or even just make you see things differently.
And the visuals – they’re so key, aren’t they? It’s not just any books that make the cut. She’s looking for the right color, the right size, the kind of font that speaks in just the right tone. It’s like each book stack is a carefully composed painting, but instead of brushstrokes, she’s using the spines of books.
Context plays such a huge role too. Whether she’s in a private library or a public space, the stories she creates are like mirrors reflecting something about that place, the people there, or the wider world. It’s like she taps into the soul of the place and lets the books tell its story.
And how about the element of surprise in her work? It’s like she goes in without a script, letting the books guide her, and then finds these gems that just click. It’s that spontaneous, in-the-moment creativity that’s so exciting.
What she’s doing, really, is changing the way we look at books. They’re not just vessels of stories on their pages; they’re storytellers themselves through their titles. And when she brings them together, it’s like she’s giving them a voice we never knew they had.
It’s such a playful, yet insightful exploration of language and meaning, isn’t it? Every time I see her work, it’s like a reminder of the power of context, of how the meaning of words can shift and change depending on where they are and what they’re next to. She’s making us rethink what a book can be, and that’s pretty incredible.
Dave Dyment: A Billion Years [Past and Future]
So, what Dyment does here is pretty out there, but in the best way. He takes these two sets of records, each with a billion years etched onto them. One for the past, one for the future. It’s like he’s compressing the entire timeline of our planet, and even beyond, into this physical form you can actually touch. It’s a wild concept when you think about it.
The past record is etched with dates of significant geological and historical events. It’s this tangible walk through time, kind of grounding you in the history of the Earth and humanity. But then, the future record – that’s where it gets really interesting. It’s blank, like this open invitation to imagine what’s coming. It’s a mix of hope, uncertainty, and a bit of existential dread, all rolled into one.
And it’s not just about the content; it’s the medium too. Records, right? They’re this old-school way of storing information. In a world where everything’s digital, there’s something really powerful about using a physical, almost outdated medium to talk about time and history.
The project also makes you think about how we perceive time. Like, a billion years is just this unimaginably long period. By putting it into a form we can see and touch, Dyment kind of makes the abstract concrete. It’s a bit like he’s holding a mirror up to our own perceptions of time and history, showing us how vast and yet how limited our understanding is.
It’s also a statement on the impermanence and fragility of what we know and what we expect. The past is set in stone, but the future? It’s this blank slate, unknown and unwritten. It sort of throws you into this contemplative space, where you’re thinking about where we’ve been and where we might be heading.
And there’s something poetic about it, don’t you think? This idea of using records, a tool for capturing moments, to represent the entirety of time. It’s like he’s using them to play the soundtrack of our planet, only the future side is just waiting for us to fill it in.
In a way, Dyment’s project is like a time capsule, but instead of burying it, he’s put it on display, making us confront these ideas head-on. It’s an artistic exploration of time, history, and the unknown future that challenges us to think about our place in this grand timeline.
My Book Stacks:
I’ve always been drawn to the stories books tell, not just inside their pages but also through the lives they’ve lived. The worn spines, the dog-eared pages – every book carries a history beyond its text.
The idea for this project sprang up from my fascination with how books are more than just stories or information. They’re artifacts, carrying individual tales of where they’ve been, who’s held them. I wanted to capture that sense of journey. So, I started stacking them, playing with the titles to create new meanings, new stories.
I sourced these books from my own collection, from friends, and even some old library sales. I looked for titles that could work together, that could tell a story or evoke a feeling when read in sequence. It wasn’t just about the content; it was also about the physical book. I chose books that showed their age, that had character, because I wanted this project to have a texture, a life of its own.
In one stack, the titles read as a quirky, almost existential joke. In another, there’s a poignant narrative about life’s fragility and the human condition. Each stack has its own vibe, its own purpose. They’re like visual poetry, each book a line in a verse.
As I arranged the books, I thought about the interplay of titles, the conversation they could have with each other. It was about finding that balance, that sweet spot where the titles clicked and the stack came to life. It’s a bit of a metaphor, really, for how we all try to find meaning, how we stack our experiences and memories to make sense of our world.
This project is an ongoing dialogue with literature and time. It’s a love letter to the printed word and an exploration of the narratives we build from the objects in our lives. It’s about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary and the stories that exist between the lines.
Intertwined (2023)
Where the books are interlaced almost page by page, it feels like a metaphor for the complexity of narratives and the intermingling of stories. As I arranged these books, I was reflecting on how our lives are like pages in a book, constantly touching and influencing one another. The mingling pages suggest a deep connection, the way our stories are not solitary but shared, how the lines between one person’s narrative and another’s are often blurred and indistinct. The choice to intertwine the pages of two books so intimately against the stark black background amplifies their connectedness. It’s as if these books, and by extension the stories within them, cannot exist without one another. The black background is void of distraction, focusing the viewer’s attention solely on the complexity and beauty of the interlaced pages, highlighting their shared existence.
The New Old (2023)
The contrast between the new and old books is stark. The old books, with their weathered pages and worn bindings, speak of a rich history and the passage of time. They carry with them the wisdom of age, the hands they’ve passed through, and the dusty corners they’ve adorned. Beside them, the newer books, pristine and unmarred, hold the promise of new stories, new knowledge, and fresh starts. This stack was about showcasing the cycle of life in literature, the old giving way to the new, and the new eventually becoming old. The reflective surface beneath them acts as a metaphor for contemplation, urging the viewer to consider the cyclical nature of time. I realized after I took the picture that the newer books cast reflections that are sharp and clear, while the older books have softer, more diffused reflections, reminding me of the clarity of the present and the fading memories of the past.
The Killing Cat (2023)
The books, with their vibrant and more modern spines, seem to represent the lighter, more humorous chapters of life. The titles are playful, hinting at a story within a story. This stack was crafted with a sense of whimsy in mind, recognizing that while life has its depths, it also has its moments of levity and laughter. It’s a nod to the quirky, unexpected joys that punctuate our everyday existence. Ironically, the second book is a graphic novel by Teva Harrison, a writer diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 37. She shared her experience living with this condition in this book.
Mo[u]rning (2023)
This stack of books brings together titles that evoke a sense of introspection and contemplation. The books, with their somber tones, suggest a quieter, more reflective narrative. They seem to capture those moments of solitude we all face, where we look inward, taking stock of our lives. This stack was intended to be a personal meditation, an invitation to the viewer to pause and reflect on their own journey through the stillness these books convey.
This sequence plays with the homophones “mourning” and “morning,” weaving a narrative about personal reflection, grief, and the hope of a new day.
The stack begins with a personal, introspective note, as if one is jotting down thoughts or reminders. It then transitions into a statement about resting in a period of sorrow or mourning, implying a time of loss or reflection on hardship. The final title shifts the narrative towards a sense of hope or contemplation of the future — if or when a new day, “morning,” arrives, symbolizing new beginnings or recovery.
This play on words invites the viewer into a moment of intimate reflection, suggesting a journey through personal grief with the possibility of healing and renewal as time progresses. It’s a thoughtful and intentional layering that adds depth to the visual presentation of the stack.
It [kind of] is a study in minimalism and the power of space. The dark background here creates a sense of depth and void, a space for the viewer to fill with their thoughts and emotions. The composition is tight, the books are close together, which emphasizes the theme of introspection. The titles of the books are aligned to guide the eye smoothly down the stack, inviting a moment of personal reflection.
Week 2:
Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth: Eyes as Big as Plates
Collaborating with Karoline Hjorth, Ikonen captures portraits of elderly individuals integrated into natural landscapes, often with organic materials like leaves, rocks, or seaweed, enveloping them in ways that seem to both camouflage and celebrate their forms.
The project started with the exploration of Finnish folklore, but it quickly grew into a broader examination of humanity’s relationship with nature across various cultures. It’s about the stories we tell, the myths we weave, and how we see ourselves as part of the natural world. The subjects aren’t just posing; they become part of the landscape, almost elemental in their presence.
There’s a deep respect for the elderly in Ikonen’s work, portraying them with a sort of mythic grandeur. They’re not passive or frail; they’re powerful, almost otherworldly beings. The use of natural elements in their adornment seems to speak to the cycles of life, to a deep-rootedness in the world, to a return to the earth that bore us.
The photographs are haunting, beautiful, and a little surreal. They challenge our perceptions of aging, of beauty, of the lines between the human form and the more-than-human worlds we inhabit. It’s like Ikonen is saying, ‘Look, here’s the beauty of age, of stories etched in faces, of bodies that have weathered time, now merging with the land that sustains us.’
There’s also a playfulness to it, a sense of not taking ourselves too seriously. By adorning her subjects with these natural materials, there’s a sense in which Ikonen is inviting us to reimagine our connection to nature, to see it not as something ‘out there’ but as an intrinsic part of our being, of our identity.
“Eyes as Big as Plates” is a powerful visual conversation about nature, mythology, and identity. It’s an ongoing project that continues to evolve, each photograph a new verse in a larger story about what it means to be human in the natural world.
Tim Knowles:
Tim Knowles’ work, especially his Tree Drawings and Wind Walks, offers a mesmerizing blend of art and nature. His approach is a radical shift from conventional art-making, where he relinquishes control and allows natural forces to become the artists.
In his Tree Drawings, Knowles attaches pens to the tips of tree branches, transforming them into the artists. The trees, swayed by the wind, create drawings that are spontaneous and beautifully unpredictable. Each piece is a direct record of a moment in time, capturing the tree’s interaction with the wind and the environment. It’s a poetic reflection on nature’s rhythm and the unseen forces that shape our world.
Then there’s his Wind Walks. Here, Knowles uses wind direction to determine his path through a landscape, letting the whims of nature guide him. He documents these journeys with GPS, creating drawings based on where the wind takes him. It’s a fascinating concept – surrendering human intention to the will of nature, allowing the environment to dictate the creative process.
Knowles’ work is a profound statement on the relationship between humans and nature. He removes himself as the central creator and instead becomes a facilitator, letting the natural elements express their own ‘artistic’ qualities. It’s a humbling reminder of the power and beauty of the natural world and our often overlooked role within it.
His environmental projects extend beyond traditional art boundaries, blending science, nature, and creativity. By doing so, Knowles invites us to reconsider our perceptions of art. He challenges the idea of the artist as the sole creator and instead presents nature as a dynamic and unpredictable force in the creative process.
The underlying message in Knowles’ work is about connection and harmony with the natural world. It’s a call to observe, to listen, and to respect the forces that exist beyond our control. His art is not just a visual experience but a conceptual journey, urging us to consider our place in the larger tapestry of the natural world.
Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan: Lesbian Rangers
The “Lesbian Rangers” project, developed by artists Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, is a fascinating and provocative piece of performance art that blends humor, activism, and social commentary.
In this project, Dempsey and Millan don ranger uniforms and patrol parks and natural areas, engaging with the public in a role that’s part environmental steward, part social activist. They draw attention to the presence and history of lesbians in various environments, challenging the conventional narratives of national and natural history. The ‘Lesbian Rangers’ guide visitors, not just through the physical landscape, but through a cultural and historical one that is often overlooked or marginalized.
The concept is a playful yet poignant critique of how certain groups, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, have been underrepresented or even erased in mainstream narratives about nature and history. By assuming the role of rangers – traditionally seen as guardians and interpreters of natural and historical sites – Dempsey and Millan assert the importance and presence of lesbian contributions and experiences in these spaces.
Their interactions with the public are filled with wit and humor, but also provoke deeper thought. They challenge stereotypes and invite conversations about inclusivity, representation, and the diversity of stories that make up our collective history. The project effectively uses the format of performance art to engage directly with people, creating a dynamic space for dialogue and reflection.
The “Lesbian Rangers” project is not just a critique; it’s also a celebration. Dempsey and Millan celebrate the resilience and contributions of the lesbian community, asserting their place in both the natural world and in historical narratives. This project transcends traditional forms of protest or activism, using art as a means to educate, engage, and inspire a rethinking of how we view history and the environment.
Katie Paterson:
Katie Paterson’s work is a beautiful blend of art, science, and deep conceptual exploration. She delves into themes that span time, space, and the universe, often merging the poetic with the scientific in her projects.
One of her notable works is “Vatnajökull (the sound of)”, where she set up a live phone line to Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier, allowing people from all over the world to listen to the melting ice. This piece beautifully captures the immediacy of climate change, making a remote and gradual process both accessible and visceral.
In “Fossil Necklace,” Paterson created a necklace with beads carved from fossils, each representing a significant event in the Earth’s history. This piece is a tangible timeline, a wearable narrative of our planet’s past, encapsulating eons of geological transformations.
Her project “Totality” consists of a large mirror ball reflecting images of nearly every solar eclipse documented by humankind. This work encapsulates the awe-inspiring phenomenon of eclipses, a dance between the sun, moon, and Earth, into a single mesmerizing object.
“Future Library” is another fascinating project, where she planted a forest in Norway that will supply paper for an anthology of books to be printed in 100 years. Authors are submitting works annually, but no one will read them until the century has passed. This project is a profound meditation on time, trust, and the legacy of literature.
Paterson’s art extends beyond traditional boundaries, inviting viewers to ponder big questions about our universe, our planet, and our place within it. She intertwines the vastness of cosmic phenomena with the intimacy of human experience, creating works that are not just visually stunning but conceptually profound. Her approach to art is a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the mysteries of the cosmos and our fleeting presence within it.
Lindsay Dobbin: Listening in Reciprocity
Lindsay Dobbin’s “Listening in Reciprocity” is a deeply immersive and thoughtful project that explores the intimate relationship between humans and the natural world. Dobbin, a Canadian artist, musician, and educator of mixed settler and Indigenous heritage, creates a space for meaningful interaction with nature through sound and engagement.
In this project, Dobbin invites participants to engage in the act of deep listening at various natural sites. The focus is on cultivating a reciprocal relationship with the environment, encouraging a sense of connection and mutual respect between humans and nature. Participants are guided to listen to the subtle and often overlooked sounds of the natural world, from the rustling of leaves to the flow of water, and even the more silent, yet palpable, energies of the land.
“Listening in Reciprocity” isn’t just about hearing; it’s about an exchange. Dobbin emphasizes the idea that listening is a form of communication and relationship-building with the non-human world. This approach is rooted in Indigenous philosophies that recognize the agency and vitality of the natural world, seeing humans as part of a larger community that includes plants, animals, water, and land.
The project often involves communal gatherings and workshops, where participants not only listen to the environment but also share their experiences and reflections. This communal aspect fosters a sense of kinship and shared responsibility, reminding us that we are not separate from nature but intrinsically linked to it.
Dobbin’s work is a gentle yet powerful reminder of the importance of slowing down and attuning ourselves to the natural rhythms and voices around us. “Listening in Reciprocity” offers a space for healing and reconnection, challenging the often dominant narrative of human separation from and dominance over nature. It’s an invitation to engage with the world in a more mindful, respectful, and empathetic way, fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of all life.
Wolfgang Laib: Pollen From Hazelnut
Wolfgang Laib’s “Pollen from Hazelnut” is an extraordinary work that merges simplicity with a profound contemplation of nature and existence. Laib, a German artist known for his minimalist yet deeply spiritual works, creates an immersive experience that resonates with the viewer on multiple levels.
In “Pollen from Hazelnut,” Laib collects hazelnut pollen over several years, meticulously gathering these tiny, vibrant particles. He then sifts the pollen onto the floor of a gallery space, creating a luminous, golden carpet. The result is breathtaking – a simple, natural material transformed into a sublime visual and conceptual experience.
This artwork goes beyond mere visual appeal. It’s a meditation on time, patience, and the rhythms of the natural world. The act of collecting pollen, a slow and repetitive process, is almost ritualistic. It speaks to themes of dedication, the passage of time, and the artist’s deep engagement with the environment.
Laib’s use of natural materials directly connects the viewer to the earth and its cycles. The pollen is not just a medium; it’s a life force, a fundamental component of the natural world. By bringing this outdoor element into an indoor, human-made space, Laib blurs the boundaries between nature and artifice, inviting us to consider our relationship with the natural world.
“Pollen from Hazelnut” also evokes a sense of wonder and the ephemeral. Pollen, as a symbol of fertility and renewal, carries connotations of life, growth, and the interconnectedness of all living things. Yet, its delicate and transient nature reminds us of the fragility of life and the passing of time.
Laib’s work is a quiet yet powerful statement on existence, nature, and the human condition. It’s a space for reflection and introspection, where one can contemplate the beauty and mystery of life. “Pollen from Hazelnut” challenges us to find the extraordinary in the ordinary and to recognize the sacred in the everyday.
Week 3:
Megan Arnold:
Megan Arnold’s “Are We Human or Are We Skater” is quite an exploration into skate culture. She seems to capture the essence of what it means to be a skater, beyond just the physical act of skateboarding. It’s the way she integrates various elements in her work that brings out the spirit and the subculture. She’s not just showing us what skateboarding looks like; she’s delving into what it feels like, its place in society, and how skaters navigate public spaces.
Then, take “Running Up The Hill.” This piece seems to be a metaphor for struggle and perseverance. The visual depiction of the hill and the figure climbing it – there’s something raw and relatable about it. The use of color and form really conveys the intensity of the climb. Arnold’s choice of this particular imagery speaks volumes about human resilience and the ongoing challenges we face. It’s not just a physical landscape she’s portraying but an emotional one.
In each of her works, Arnold appears to have this ability to take a concept or a subculture and unpack it in layers. There’s a depth in her approach, where visual aesthetics intertwine with deeper meanings, inviting viewers to look beyond the surface and engage with the underlying narratives. Her work isn’t just visually striking; it’s thought-provoking and invites a conversation, which is what makes it resonate so well.
Week 4, 5 and 6:
Research:
In the verdant heart of the University of Guelph Arboretum, an intricate tale of domestication unfolds, echoing themes of adaptation, exploration, and the nuanced interaction between the natural world and human influence. This tale resonates with stories of discovery and adaptation in both flora and fauna, much like the journey of an individual discovering an unfamiliar world.
The Canvas of Domestication in Flora
The Arboretum serves as a canvas where the strokes of domestication have painted varied landscapes. It showcases the interaction between native and introduced species, reflecting a broader narrative of adaptation and change. The studies on the impact of environmental factors, such as soil salinity on white pine trees, illustrate how even subtle human influences can reshape the natural characteristics of plant life [read more].
Wildlife Adaptation and Conservation Efforts
The conservation initiatives, especially for pollinators like bumble bees, highlight a proactive approach to supporting wildlife in adapted environments. The use of artificial nest boxes in the Arboretum is a testament to the ways in which human intervention can aid in the preservation of species struggling in domesticated landscapes [read more].
Artistic Inspirations from Nature’s Adaptations
The Arboretum’s landscape offers rich artistic inspiration. It speaks to themes of exploration, adaptation, and the delicate balance between nature’s inherent rhythms and human modifications. The contrasting environments, from carefully curated gardens to untamed woodlands, evoke reflections on the journey of adapting to and exploring unfamiliar terrains.
Reflections and Ethical Considerations
This narrative of domestication at the Arboretum provokes thought on our relationship with nature:
How do our interventions reshape the natural evolution of species?
What responsibilities do we bear in balancing development with ecological preservation?
How does the introduction of non-native species alter the ecological narrative of a region?
These reflections form a backdrop to stories of discovery and adaptation, akin to an individual’s journey into a new world, navigating the delicate balance between the familiar and the unknown.
This exploration at the University of Guelph Arboretum offers a metaphorical parallel to narratives of discovery, adaptation, and the nuanced relationship between the familiar and the unknown in the natural world. It’s a reminder that our interactions with nature, whether through observation, conservation, or study, are integral to the ongoing story of life adapting to changing environments.
Cat Meets World (2023)
“Cat Meets World” is an environmental video art piece that explores the profound effects of domestication on animals, particularly focusing on my cat, Haku. This narrative, captured through a camera mounted on Haku’s collar, offers a unique perspective on how the domesticated life has estranged animals from their natural instincts and environments.
The video begins with “Discovery,” where Haku steps out of the familiar territory of home into the vast, unfamiliar outside world. This scene sets a critical tone, highlighting the contrast between the safe, human-centric indoor space and the unpredictable expanse of nature.
As Haku progresses to “Hesitation” and “Observation,” his initial reluctance and cautious approach to the outdoors underscore the theme of domestication’s impact. These scenes depict how an animal, once in sync with the natural world, now finds it alien and intimidating.
The subsequent titles – “Separation,” “Exploration,” “Fear,” “Shelter,” “Realization,” “Courage,” “Excitement,” “Curiosity,” “Experiencing,” “Longing,” “Recognition,” and finally “Returning” – chronologically follow Haku’s journey. Each title encapsulates a stage in Haku’s emotional and physical exploration, echoing the broader narrative of how domesticated animals navigate and perceive the world that was once their natural habitat.
Discovery: This initial scene captures Haku’s first moments stepping out from the familiar comfort of home into the outside world, symbolizing the first encounter of a domesticated animal with nature.
Hesitation: Here, Haku pauses at the threshold of the house, displaying uncertainty and wariness about the unfamiliar outdoor environment, reflecting the innate caution domesticated animals have towards the natural world.
Observation: In this scene, Haku cautiously surveys his surroundings from a safe vantage point, indicating a cautious approach and the unfamiliarity domesticated animals often feel towards nature.
Separation: This title denotes Haku’s physical and emotional distance from the house, symbolizing the divide between domesticated life and the natural world.
Exploration: Haku begins to cautiously explore his surroundings, sniffing and examining the terrain, depicting the curiosity and inherent exploratory instincts of animals.
Fear: The sound of a barking dog triggers a fearful reaction in Haku, leading him to rush back towards safety, illustrating how domesticated animals can be easily frightened by natural elements they are not used to.
Shelter: Seeking safety, Haku hides behind a tree, representing the need for security that domesticated animals seek in unfamiliar environments.
Realization: As Haku calms down and plays with a branch, this scene represents the gradual adaptation and acceptance of his surroundings, a step towards reconnecting with his natural instincts.
Courage: Haku resumes exploring with increased confidence, indicating a growing comfort and adaptation to the outdoor environment.
Excitement: Engaging playfully with his surroundings, Haku exhibits joy and excitement, showcasing the innate pleasure animals find in interacting with nature.
Curiosity: Haku’s curiosity leads him to investigate various elements of nature more deeply, reflecting the inherent inquisitive nature of animals.
Experiencing: Haku’s journey through different terrains, including stepping into a puddle, represents his active engagement with the natural world.
Longing: Seeing the house from afar, Haku feels a pull towards his familiar, safe home, depicting the dual longing for both the comfort of domestication and the allure of the natural world.
Recognition: Recognizing his home, Haku’s increased vocalizations and rush towards it symbolize the strong bond and dependency domesticated animals have with their human-provided homes.
Returning: In the final scene, Haku’s approach and eventual return to the house illustrate the completion of his journey, representing the inevitable return to the safety and familiarity of domesticated life after a brief foray into the natural world.
“Cat Meets World” is not just the story of a cat stepping outside; it’s a poignant reflection on the disconnect between domesticated animals and their inherent natural instincts. The video serves as a subtle critique of how human interventions and the comforts of domestic life have reshaped animal behaviors, distancing them from their ancestral roots. This art piece aims to provoke thought about our role in shaping animal lives and urges viewers to reconsider the implications of domestication on the natural world.
Week 7, 8 and 9:
Blue, Gray, Black (2023)
I found myself reminiscing about this poem I fell in love with when I was just 12. It’s a love poem by Hamid Mosadegh, Iranian poet and author(1940-1998), a lengthy one, stretching over 34 pages, and somehow, it stuck with me through the years. I could recite it from memory, which is kind of funny to think about now. Anyway, I’ve been living away from where I grew up, and it hit me how rare it is to really get into the world’s different cultures, especially their poetry and art. I teamed up with ChatGPT to help me translate it bit by bit, and then after ChatGPT did its magic, I took a stab at refining the words, trying to make sure every line kept its original beauty and power. It’s been this personal passion project of mine, bringing a bit of my world to others, and maybe, just maybe, making this poem someone else’s favorite as well. It’s about sharing a piece of art that might stay hidden otherwise, and I think there’s something pretty special about that. This was ChatGPT’s response: “Poetry Translation can be subjective, and there are various ways to capture the essence and emotions of the original poem. The provided translation is an attempt to convey the meaning and sentiment of the original. The poem is in Persian, and it seems to revolve around themes of love, life and the intricacies of human relationships, as well as nature and its elements. Please note that poetry, especially from languages rich in metaphors and cultural allusions like Persian, can be difficult to capture in translation fully. The challenges of translating poetry include conveying the emotional depth, rhythm, and cultural context. While the translation captures the general essence, the original Persian text carries its unique beauty, rhythm, and depth.”
I decided to create this book by hand, and I think it was the best choice for a project like this, where I’ve translated a poem with the help of ChatGPT. You see, there’s something incredibly special about handcrafting a book. It’s not just about putting words on paper; it’s about bringing an artwork to life in the most personal way possible.
For starters, think about the artistic expression involved. When I’m putting this book together, I get to infuse my own style into every corner of it. The cover design, the layout, the type of paper I use – all these elements reflect a part of me. It turns the book into a unique piece of art, far beyond just the content of the translated poem.
Then, there’s the connection I feel to the work. By assembling the book manually, I’m not just a translator or a writer; I become an integral part of the book’s creation. This physical act of putting it together adds a layer of intimacy and fulfillment that I simply wouldn’t get from a mass-produced item.
Customization is another big factor. I have complete freedom to tailor every little detail to complement the poem. Whether it’s adding illustrations, choosing a specific font, or selecting materials that resonate with the poem’s theme, these choices make the book truly mine.
And let’s not forget the sentimental value. This isn’t just a book; it’s a keepsake, a tangible testament to my dedication and creativity. It holds a story, not just in its words but in its very creation. Whether I keep it for myself or give it away, it’s imbued with a sense of personal history and love.
Consider, too, the collaboration aspect. Working with ChatGPT on this project was like merging traditional artistry with modern technology. Presenting our combined efforts in a handcrafted format really underscores the uniqueness of this collaboration.
Of course, there’s also the aspect of it being a limited edition. By making it by hand, I’m ensuring this book is one-of-a-kind. This exclusivity adds a certain charm and desirability, especially if I decide to exhibit it or give it as a special gift.
Lastly, I think about sustainability. By choosing my materials carefully, perhaps using recycled paper or eco-friendly inks, I’m making an environmentally conscious choice. It’s a small step, but it feels good knowing that my art isn’t just beautiful but also kind to our planet.
So, that’s why I chose to make this book by hand. It’s more than just a translation; it’s a piece of art, a piece of me, and I believe that’s something truly special.
Week 10:
Analyzing each artwork and artist from the “Take A Stand” playlist from Art21:
“Part of the Discourse” by Barbara Kruger: Kruger’s work is a critique of power dynamics, using bold text and imagery to confront issues of feminism, identity, and consumerism. Her style agitates the viewer into questioning societal norms and their own complicity in these systems.
“Istanbul” by Doris Salcedo: This installation reflects on violence and memory, often focusing on marginalized victims. Salcedo’s work communicates the pain and loss in a tangible form, using absence and presence to evoke empathy and awareness.
“The Kitchen Table Series” by Carrie Mae Weems: Weems addresses race, gender, and family life. Her work challenges stereotypical narratives and explores the complex interplay of personal and political identities.
Ai Weiwei’s “Change”: Known for his political activism, Ai Weiwei uses art to spotlight issues like government corruption and human rights abuses. His work often has a stark, poignant symbolism.
“Gramsci and Pasolini” by Alfredo Jaar: Jaar’s work delves into the intersection of culture and politics, often illuminating overlooked social injustices through photography and installation.
“You Make Me Iliad” by Mary Reid Kelly: This piece combines historical references with contemporary issues, often using a narrative, poetic approach to address themes like feminism and war.
John Akomfrah’s work in London: Akomfrah’s films and installations explore post-colonialism, often creating rich visual and aural experiences that question historical narratives.
“In Protest” by Nancy Spero: Spero’s art is deeply political, utilizing various media to address issues like feminism and war, and her work often serves as a direct form of protest.
“29 Palms” by An-My Lê: Lê’s photographs blur the lines between war and simulation, challenging perceptions of military conflict and its representation.
Stephanie Syjuco in “San Francisco Bay Area”: Her work examines cultural identity and the impacts of colonialism, often through participatory projects that engage directly with communities.
“Working Along Freeways” by Robert Adams: This series reflects on urbanization and environmental change, highlighting the impact of human activity on the landscape.
Hiwa K’s work in Berlin: His installations and performances often address issues of identity and displacement, particularly within the context of the Middle Eastern experience.
“Feeeeeeeeeeeeels Your Pain” by Liz Magic Laser: Laser uses performance and video to explore the intersection of politics and emotion, often critiquing media and political rhetoric.
“Borderlands” by Postcommodity: This collective focuses on issues affecting Indigenous peoples, using a variety of media to highlight border politics and land rights.
Each artist brings unique tools and strategies to their activist projects, from direct confrontation and narrative storytelling to symbolic representation and participatory engagement. Their work can inspire new ways of thinking about art as a means of addressing and questioning justice issues, encouraging artists to consider how their practice can both reflect and influence societal change.
Week 11:
Yoko Ono: Yoko Ono’s “Cut Piece,” performed in the early 1960s, stands out as a poignant exploration of vulnerability and passivity. In this performance art piece, Ono sat silently while audience members were invited to cut her clothing. The work transcends a mere artistic display, delving into themes of objectification, sacrifice, and the artist’s role in society. It’s a strikingly intimate encounter that challenges the viewer’s role, blurring the line between observer and participant, and raising profound questions about power dynamics and empathy.
Sandy Plotnikoff: Sandy Plotnikoff’s use of everyday materials, like foil and stickers, brings an unexpected depth to common objects. His technique of creating foil impressions on paper captures fleeting moments and interactions in a tangible form. This approach not only highlights the beauty in the mundane but also encourages viewers to find creativity and meaning in their daily surroundings. Plotnikoff’s work is a reminder of the artistic potential that lies in simple, overlooked materials.
Hiba Abdallah: Hiba Abdallah’s installations, such as “Everything I Wanted to Tell You,” integrate seamlessly into public spaces, inviting communal interaction and reflection. Her work often focuses on the power of words and communication, exploring how public discourse shapes our understanding of community and identity. Abdallah’s art creates a dialogue that bridges personal experiences with broader social narratives, offering a platform for collective storytelling and contemplation.
David Shrigley: David Shrigley’s art is characterized by its straightforward, often humorous approach. Works like “I’m Dead,” featuring a dog with a placard, employ humor to address serious themes such as mortality and existentialism. Shrigley’s style is direct yet thought-provoking, using simplicity and wit to engage with complex ideas. His work often acts as a mirror, reflecting back our own absurdities and anxieties in a way that is both accessible and deeply resonant.
Artists and mental health:
Tracey Emin: Tracey Emin’s art is intensely personal, often exploring her own experiences with mental health. Her piece “My Bed,” for instance, is an unfiltered snapshot of her life during a depressive episode. The installation features her own unmade, disheveled bed, surrounded by personal items like empty alcohol bottles, cigarettes, and medication. This work confronts the viewer with the raw reality of depression, breaking down the barriers between the private and public self. Emin’s vulnerability in sharing such a personal space invites a deeper understanding and conversation around mental health issues.
Louise Bourgeois: Louise Bourgeois’ sculptures and installations often delve into themes of anxiety, fear, and trauma. Her series of room-like structures called “Cells” encapsulates various emotional states. These installations are filled with objects and sculptures that represent her personal memories and experiences. The “Cells” series is a physical manifestation of Bourgeois’ inner world, exploring themes of confinement, the subconscious, and the impact of past traumas. Her work encourages introspection and highlights the complexity of the human psyche.
Edward Munch: Edward Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream” is a powerful expression of anxiety and existential dread. The figure in the foreground, set against a blood-red sky, visually captures the intensity of a panic attack. Munch’s use of color and form conveys a sense of overwhelming emotion, resonating with anyone who has experienced similar mental distress. “The Scream” is not just a painting; it’s a visual articulation of the human condition’s more tormented aspects.
Yayoi Kusama: Yayoi Kusama’s work, particularly her “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” reflects her lifelong struggle with mental illness. These immersive installations create a sense of endless repetition and expansion, symbolizing Kusama’s hallucinations and obsessive thoughts. The repetitive patterns and mirrored spaces invite the viewer to step into her mind, offering a glimpse into the disorienting and overwhelming experience of mental illness. Kusama’s work is a testament to the power of art in conveying complex psychological states.
Frida Kahlo: Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits are profound explorations of her physical and emotional pain. Paintings like “The Two Fridas” reveal her inner turmoil and identity struggles, stemming from her health issues and turbulent personal life. Kahlo’s raw and honest portrayal of her suffering makes her work deeply relatable to those who have endured similar hardships. Her art is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of physical and mental adversity.
Rage // Insomnia
In my sketchbook today, thinking about how to shape “Rage // Insomnia.” It’s all a bit fuzzy, but ideas are starting to come together, inspired by some amazing artists.
Tracey Emin’s “My Bed” is stuck in my head. It’s so real and raw, showing her life during a tough time. What if I tried something that honest? I want to show the mess and chaos of dealing with mental health, kind of like she did, but in my own way.
Louise Bourgeois’ “Cells” got me thinking too. Her sculptures are like little worlds of emotions. Maybe I can create something that shows how it feels to be trapped in your own thoughts, kind of like she did with her art.
Then there’s “The Scream” by Edward Munch. That painting just grabs you, doesn’t it? It’s all about feeling overwhelmed and anxious. I want to use strong visuals like that, maybe something that really shows what anxiety feels like from the inside.
Yayoi Kusama’s work is fascinating, especially her “Infinity Mirror Rooms.” They’re all about repetition and feeling lost in your mind. How can I bring that sense of endlessness into my project? Maybe through repeating patterns or something similar in the videos?
I’m thinking of using two videos – one with smashing and breaking stuff, to show the turmoil in the mind, and another with someone tossing and turning in bed, to show the restlessness that comes with mental struggles. The black and white idea seems cool – it could make everything more intense and focused.
Still figuring out how all this fits together, but it’s a start. I want to weave these ideas into something that really speaks about what it’s like to deal with mental health issues.
Visual Concept:
Top Half of Screen: A series of clips where I’m demolishing a wooden structure, symbolizing the internal chaos of the mind. Each clip captures a different stage of destruction – a visual metaphor for the mental disintegration during a crisis.
Bottom Half of Screen: Counter to the top, here’s a series of clips showing me in bed, restless, constantly tossing and turning. This mirrors the physical manifestation of mental distress – the sleepless nights, the endless trying to find comfort.
Stylistic Choices:
Black and White Filter: Thinking of using this to strip down the visuals to their raw, emotional core. It could amplify the intensity of the scenes, making the emotional turmoil more palpable.
Synchronization: Plan to sync the actions in both videos – as the hammer strikes in the top clip, I turn or shift in the bed in the bottom clip. It’s like a visual echo of the chaos above reflecting in the restlessness below.
Presentation:
Multi-Screen Display: Imagining this project being shown on multiple screens of varying sizes – from phones to large projectors. Each screen adds a layer to the narrative, creating a fragmented yet cohesive portrayal of the mental state.
Sound Design: Considering a subtle, yet dissonant soundtrack. Maybe the sound of the hammer striking wood, juxtaposed with the rustling of sheets? It should be jarring but not overwhelming.
This is just a rough sketch, a starting point. The idea is still evolving, but I’m aiming for a visceral, immersive experience that genuinely reflects the turmoil of mental health struggles. The challenge will be in the execution, ensuring each element contributes to the overall narrative I’m trying to convey.
Artwork Statement for “Rage // Insomnia”
“Rage // Insomnia” is an immersive video installation exploring the often unseen chaos of mental health struggles. At its core, this project seeks to externalize the internal battle many face with mental illness, capturing the dual nature of this experience – the visible and the hidden.
Conceptual Foundation: The installation is centered around the juxtaposition of two contrasting yet interconnected states: the physical expression of inner turmoil and the restless, often unseen struggle with insomnia. It reflects the duality of mental health, where internal chaos manifests in both overt and subtle ways.
Visuals: The artwork is presented in a split-screen format. The top half of the screen depicts a series of clips showing the progressive destruction of a wooden structure, symbolizing the mental disintegration and the internal violence of a psychological crisis. The bottom half counters this with a series of clips portraying a person in bed, restless, embodying the physical manifestation of mental distress through sleepless, uneasy nights.
Stylistic Elements: A deliberate choice was made to use a black and white filter for the videos, intending to strip the narrative to its emotional essence and enhance the intensity of the visuals. The stark contrast amplifies the emotional depth and the rawness of the subject matter.
Synchronization and Sound Design: The videos are almost synchronized – as the top clip shows a hammer striking, the bottom clip mirrors this with a corresponding restless movement. This visual synchronization is complemented by a carefully designed sound landscape – the juxtaposition of the jarring sounds of destruction with the subtle, yet unsettling noises of restlessness in bed. The sound is intended to be dissonant yet not overwhelming, adding an additional layer of emotional depth to the experience.
Presentation: Envisioned to be displayed on multiple screens of various sizes, from small hand-held devices to large projectors, this fragmented approach allows for a layered, multi-perspective view of the narrative. The scale of each screen correlates with the intensity of the audio, creating a dynamic and immersive environment.
Through “Rage // Insomnia,” I aim to create a space for reflection and conversation about the complexities of mental health. This project is not just an artistic expression but an invitation to acknowledge and engage with the multifaceted nature of psychological struggles. It’s a visual and auditory journey through the tumultuous landscape of the mind, offering a glimpse into the often silent battle against mental turmoil.
Rage // Insomnia (2023)
More About The Presentation:
The presentation of “Rage // Insomnia” is designed to create a chaotic, yet deeply engaging experience, mirroring the unpredictability and turmoil of mental health struggles.
Multi-Screen Display: The installation features multiple screens of varying sizes, from smartphones to large projectors, each playing the video clips. This multi-screen approach is crucial in creating a fragmented, yet cohesive narrative, allowing viewers to experience the artwork from different perspectives and intensities.
Shuffled Playback with Structure: Unique to this installation is the shuffled playback of clips on each screen. After the introductory clip, which sets the tone of the piece, the subsequent clips are played in a random order. This shuffle mode contributes to the chaotic vibe of the installation, echoing the often unpredictable nature of mental health issues. It ensures that no two experiences of the installation are exactly the same, as the order of clips varies, creating a dynamic and ever-changing atmosphere.
Cyclical Nature with Pauses: Importantly, each cycle of clips – from the start of the intro clip to its end – is followed by a one-minute pause. This pause acts as a moment of reflection, a brief respite in the midst of chaos. It also serves to reset the narrative, preparing the viewer for the next cycle of shuffled clips. This cyclical nature, punctuated by moments of silence, mirrors the ebb and flow of mental health struggles – the intense periods of turmoil followed by brief moments of calm.
Through this carefully orchestrated presentation, “Rage // Insomnia” aims to provide an immersive and thought-provoking experience. The combination of the multi-screen display, shuffled playback, and structured pauses creates an environment that is both chaotic and contemplative, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities and nuances of mental health.
Going through my mother’s multiple-decade old collection of novels proved to be an insightful experience. Going through the spine of each book felt like reading one long free-verse poem about her. Aside from the two more “humourous” stacks, I’m most interested in the fact that I was able to find so many books that feature the word ‘daughter’ in their titles. I felt personally addressed while I was looking for the next title featuring the word daughter and after the following books echoing it.
Straying from Katchadourian’s method of capturing her books against a stark background, I wanted to include elements of the setting where I found the novels. I believe they are very much a part of the home, specifically the living room where my mum always sits reading. The stacks inherit a portrait-like quality when they are placed in a familiar setting such as this, with warm wooden flooring and a worn rug.
Looking back, the fringe of the rug in this image subtly resembles waves!This image is easily my favourite one of the project. I’m personally attracted to the repetition and varying colours.
Environmental Art Research
Out of the artists presented, Wolfgang Laib’s artistic process stood out to me mainly due to how human it is. It seems to be a natural inclination of ours as a species to take account of the world around us, to collect and categorise, then communicate our findings to one another. The meditative aspect of collecting from the natural world over time, and reflecting the findings in such a way as to mimic the stillness felt while gathering said materials is a fascinating feat. This process is carried out in Laib’s decade-spanning pollen collections, such as in his 2013 work, Pollen from Hazelnut (2013) pictured in its inception below.
Pollen from Hazelnut (2013) being constructed by Wolfgang Laib at the MoMA
Not only does Laib create a still field of colour from the pollen of the natural world for viewers to contemplate, but to his point, the very medium is the “potential for life”. In a sense then, Laib instills the spaces he constructs these pieces in with the very stuff of creation, the essence of life all in one giant golden plane for viewers to take in.
In other cases, Laib works with beeswax to create or enhance structures of varying size such as in the piece There is No Beginning and No End (1999-2001). When I view the work he has created through this specific medium, I think of the cyclical work of the bees that have provided Laib with this medium, and how the creation of the structure is a continuation of the material itself, from nectar, to honey, to wax, to a stair-like structure which in its pyramidal shape represents an endless procession.
Wolfgang Laib meditatively accumulates natural perishable mediums, carrying on their existence by means of converting them into objects that illustrate notions of eternal life.
As mentioned before, the process of creating the pictured pieces feels scientific in nature. However, the conclusions that can be made about them are purely philosophical and spiritual. Laib’s educational background in medicine has informed this process, with his taoist background additionally laying the foundation for his works’ intent. Laib attributes the influence of his parents and their simplistic lifestyle inspired by the teachings of Laozi. By far, the most essential tenet of Taoism is the concept of spiritual immortality. Pairing this tenet with Laib’s near-humanitarian artistic intent, his body of work throughout his career speaks to the cyclical nature of life on earth and the ease we may be able to feel as humans upon becoming aware of this possible truth.
Video in the Arboretum (Research and Idea)
Following conversations and viewings of several video artworks in class on the 21st of September, Zoe, Bella and I began conversing amongst ourselves and had several revelations about what we would do for our assignment.
Personally, I was inspired in part by the use of comedy in our guest lecturer Megan Arnold’s work in informing the direction we would take the project. Megan often uses comedy within her practice as a means of conveying more introspective topics such as climate anxiety, perseverance, and generally what it means to be a human being in the digital age. Particularly in the work A Deal with Dog, I found that not only was the video humorous, but after the humour, questions regarding our relationship with nature after the advent of the internet arise. A viral song creates the backbone of the project, Megan takes the lyrics in a literal and personal direction through going outside with her pet dog to run up a hill. The sensibilities of late aughts and early 2010s internet culture seems to permeate her practice in this way. I couldn’t help but want to conjure up the same visual language with my group in our video project.
A Screenshot of Megan Arnold and her Canine Collaborator in A Deal With Dog
In another work of Megan’s, improvisation during production with a few specific constraints develops into an intriguing and once again internet-informed piece concerning our place in the world. Group of non-skaters are wrangled into the Zavitz gallery, wherein they are instructed to “dance” with their skateboarding implements, resulting in an array of results all occurring at once.
Performers in Are We Human, Or Are We Skater?
Again, this work combined with the former helped to steer me and my group toward a comedic direction that speaks through the unique lens of early 2010s internet comedy as well as an altered interaction with the environment we had not previously though of before. Improvisation would provide a key role in maintaining a fluid project with varying pieces of footage to arrange in post-production.
Megan Arnold helped facilitate a meaningful discussion with regards to my groups vision and the conceptual directions it could be taken in from an outsider’s perspective. After conferring, we came to the conclusion that we would shoot improvised footage of male volunteers in the arboretum close to the apiary where there is lots of grass. We will instruct them to be the best cows they can be and assimilate into the larger herd of male volunteers. No costumes will be used, nor will any group members directly attempt to interact with the “cows”, as that would make the production far too theatrical in my eyes, which is not the direction we wish to take the project in.
Audio will play a crucial role in this video project, as it will heavily influence the general atmosphere of the piece. This is still something we have to determine, whether an atmospheric field recording and the distant moos of our cows will suffice, or yet perhaps instead, multiple select cows will be connected to microphones to create an awkwardly intimate audio experience (similar to Megan’s audio choice in A Deal With Dog). While comedic in nature, I am sure there are conceptual meanings that will reveal themselves as we shoot and edit the footage and finally get it in front of many more eyes in the final critique.
Additional Research
In mooving forward with our original concept, we set out to research similar works and scholarship on the subject of becoming-animal and its larger purpose in the larger circle of discourse concerning eco-feminism and poststructuralist thought. As of my writing this (October 2nd), I can present only multiple hypotheses as to the conceptual extrapolations to be garnered from our shooting and editing of the footage given the improvisational and instinctual nature of the main concept. These anticipated conclusions will be back with the following research below and then reflected upon the final piece’s posting.
Gathered from the master’s thesis written by Florence Fitzgerald-Allsopp entitled Becoming-with-Animal: Cultivating a Feminist Understanding of Human-Animal Transformation in Contemporary Performance Art (2019), becoming-animal as a feminist practice within the scope of performance art may present us with the possibility of undoing the dualistic and heavily gendered reality we find ourselves in. We wish to create a space of play, where our male volunteers may embody the unfamiliar yet internally present representation of the cow and all it symbolises. Fitzgerald-Allsopp recognises and discusses the gendered manner in which domesticated animals and wild animals are historically gendered within philosophy. We acknowledge the historically “feminine” domestic animal and the “masculine” feral animal archetypes and seek to dissolve this notion through a transformative performance.
We aim to represent the cow through the bodies of male volunteers as a means of not only getting acquainted with the home we all fundamentally share as animals through the physical act, but to additionally coax out the genuine representation contained inside. The vulnerable state of becoming more than the constraints of the body will most likely generate a multitude of responses from viewer, all of which are welcome.
The most helpful piece mentioned in the paper in informing our process is that of Lucy Gunning’s The Horse Impressionists (1994). Here Gunning instructs several female volunteers to do an impression of a horse, some embarrassed, some serious and some startlingly accurate, the video is an excellent example of the meaning emerging out of the experiment. Of course, the guiding motivation was to tease apart the memory of the horse within each subject, yet the varying responses reflect a greater conversation on the collectively conceived representation of the horse and the uniquely female experience of playing horse as a child. Gunning creates a safe place of exploration of the self in relation to the animals carried with us in memory.
The Horse Impressionists (1994), Lucy Gunning
The representation of the cow in the collective memory of the volunteer group of male students will be made physical in their performance until performance may cease and a becoming occurs. These mental representations will interact in one space, as the volunteers learn from one-another. Fitzgerald-Allsopp notes that the collective women in the piece bring to mind “the notion of women as “pack” [which] lends to something more fearsome, more threatening and more political” (Fitzgerald-Allsopp, 2019). I believe a group of exclusively men attempting to embody the mental representation of a cow can be just as politically meaningful. A “herd” of men embodying cows can be construed as a radical act of embracing a communal space of rest and exploration.
Humour in this case is unavoidable. Humour and play are important in maintaining a space where above all, our volunteers in a vulnerable state can feel safe to carry out this process. This attempt of course is futile, as we have been socialised to see and label accordingly (perhaps another extrapolation that might present itself once we begin to edit our footage).
The shooting of the video shaped up to be an experience quite similar to Gunning’s work, in that our instruction to “be a cow” resulted in a collective physical embodiment of each participant’s mental representation of a cow. Small differences occurred; some would moo at one another, others laid in the grass alone. Cumulatively however, each male became a cow, a female, not a horned bull. In a sense we have allowed for the male participants to use their bodies in a transformative manner. In this state, they seemed to convene in a deeply honest manner that veers away from the hyper-masculine social codes young men seem to adhere to.
We emphasise these honest moments in rudimentary close-ups that reveal an innate softness we seemed to have brought out in this piece. I would like to believe that in some way, we revealed to ourselves and our participants that there exists an innate softness we have the ability to share with each other. In these states free from acting out tiring gender-specific behaviours, perhaps a regenerative power exists for us to explore.
Research and Inspiration for Book
The topic I desired to cover for this coming project came quite fast for me. I knew that I wanted to share with viewers a part of my practice that plays such an integral role in informing my “finished” works. Margin doodles and drawings offer a more intimate experience rather than “gallery ready” works. Giving my small drawings a platform to be viewed feels like a step in a refreshing direction, as it is often something I keep to myself.
The artist that comes to mind for me in informing my direction for this assignment is John Porcellino. He has served as a main inspiration in my drawing in how direct yet evocative his comix are. Reading his King Kat Compilation book in 2021 during the tail-end of lockdowns and isolation, John’s work really helped me stay connected to my feelings and reduced how alienated I felt at the time. He is common ground between me and my partner as well, informing both our tastes in self-expression and remaining emotionally aware. I was gifted Perfect example last Christmas and reading it solidified the direction I wanted to go in terms of reaching out to my audience.
A page out of John Porcellino’s Perfect Example
In class while sharing our favourite books, I gravitated toward Witness My Shame by Shary Boyle for similar reasons as Perfect Example. Boyle is able to connect deeply with her viewers through these seemingly crude illustrations. Drawing in this way is a fast tool to record fleeting memory in a format that doesn’t take itself as seriously as painting sometimes can. I wish to connect with my viewers through depicting the feelings I have undergone in class during lectures prior to the assigning of this project.
A page from Witness My Shame, a compilation of drawings by Shary Boyle
Through creating a collection of scanned drawings from my lecture notebook this semester, my main goal is to capture personal interactions I have with myself and these being reflected in the margins and seeping or impressed through my written notes.
The two stand-outs from the playlist for me were Mary Reid Kelley and John Akomfrah’s respective work. The subversion of narrative plays a significant role in each artist’s practice which I find to be quite powerful considering the destructive role art has played in generating prevailing false notions of the oppressed. Kelley and Akomfrah actively place their unique standpoints within specific moments in history in order to reveal the forgotten populations in history.
A still from You Make Me Iliad (2010) by Mary Reid Kelley
The short film You Make Me Iliad features a clever mesh of poetic dialogue which masks the brutal nature of women sex workers during World War Two. A male German soldier tasked with overseeing a brothel believes his next source of inspiration for his written work lies in sex. A discussion ensues between him and a female sex worker regarding power and the using of women both physically and intellectually for personal gains. The referentially-dense dialogue diversifies meanings that can be gleaned from the piece, additionally speaking to the nature of making sense of senseless events so brutal as war (that may I add is an unabashedly male creation). Kelley discusses in her Art 21 interview the fact that all the trauma groups such as this were made to bear was never captured in first-hand accounts, meaning that just as the dialogue is abstracted, so too is the trauma as it is regurgitated through the passing mentions within soldier’s written notes and letters. Kelley reveals to us how trauma in these cases is disappeared by those history prefers to remember.
A still from Vertigo Sea (2015) by John Akomfrah
John Akomfrah creates impactful video art, often spanning entire walls as to create an enveloping and emotionally overwhelming display. In Vertigo Sea specifically, Akomfrah touches on the innately political and racial dimensions of the sea and its connections to human movement, both voluntary and involuntary, and the lives lost from one destination to the next. Reimaginings of historical paintings depicting the ocean portray black individuals as overseers of vast lands, subverting the intent of the original works as celebrations of whiteness and colonial culture. These scenes are interspersed among footage of immigrants on makeshift vessels, the Vietnam boat crisis, whale hunting, and marine life. The piece as a whole is a reflection on the ocean as a site of unimaginable cruelty just as it is historically rendered as a site of tremendous natural beauty.
Artists have the power to generate tangible thoughts/ideas with respect to activism. This allows us to define what it is that we are exactly trying to advocate for through critically engaging with associated work. This is very important when taking political action, as constant sharing of ideas and concepts is oftentimes the main driver. When I think about Kelley and Akomfrah’s practices, I get a good grasp of what artists can do to “undo” the damaging historical components of visual culture. Stereotypes or conventions can be reclaimed or reworked and put back into the world to transmit messages that better represent the communities they were originally aimed at attacking.
I think about how important it is to understand the history of art and who has been given the privilege to tell this history. This feels like a natural “jumping off point” with regards to my multiples. I intend to create a project that calls this subject into question while also fostering a community of people linked by the wrong that they have undeservedly faced.
Clothing as multiples interests me deeply. Objects that refer to their owners in their nature can be imbued with a decorative property depending on what is placed on them. With the same desire to shed light on untold histories as Mary Read Kelley and a similarly bold visual language as Barbara Kruger. In the same multiples assignment in experimental studio 1, I came up with the slogan “I am a male genius” on a whim. This time around I will be collaborating with my friend Ray in screen printing the slogan paired with a design of their making.
The design will be an amalgamation of various institutional figureheads, done through AI (which additionally contains destructive masculine undertones just as genius does) in order to create a symbol that compliments the notion of the slogan.
Multiple Process and Reflection
Exposing our geniusOur beautiful screenA test on a piece of paper
I could not be more happy with how a project has come out in this course than in the multiple project! Being able to continually learn new things and create something so cathartic with another artist (RAY FLEMING) that shares similar views with respect to the art world was a joy.
Now that I am able to spread this image and message among friends in the format of t shirts, I feel as if this can foster more of a community of people who have felt shadowed or outcast from the boys’ club. There is a male genius in all of our lives, who smiles proudly as he dehumanises us. Through averaging out a small portion of the male faculty in SOFAM and pairing it with my slogan, I express a very real anger through humour.
