Sunday, December 21, 2008

19/12/2008

In library today (artist research).
There is no such thing as coincidence, everything happens for a reason !
Whilst researching the artist/film maker, David Lynch on Wilson web, there was a reference to the film Blue velvet. It transpires that ex student (and visiting artist ) Emmet kierans, had done his thesis on the psychological aspects on the film blue velvet ! It is a small world !
A while back we had a seminar with Aine, head of third year painting. I can't remember exactly what the seminar entailed, however, one of the artists she mentioned was William sasnel. I remembered his name obviously because I was impressed by his work, so, I Wilson webbed him but there was nothing there (that happens when there is nothing about he artist written anywhere) so thought nothing of it. Later, whilst googling something or other , William sasnel came back into my mind, "did you mean Wilhelm Sasnal"? google asked me, and hey presto there he was! and what an artist ! I have a new favourite artist, and his name is Wilhelm sasnal, he is brilliant, not too dissimilar in style to Luc Tymans, Marlene Dumas, etc. His 'haunting' portraits are exactly the kind of thing I have been looking for,I will use aspects of his work for my own practice.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

17/18 dec. 2008

Spent the past couple of days doing artist research.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

16/12/2008


16/12/2008

Christmas cards from Mary and Jenny, plus random notes left by person unknown !





16/12/2008 Jenny bright eyed today


15/12/2008











15/12/2008
















15/12/2008
















15/12/2008


15/12/2008

15/12/2008

15/12/2008

15/12/2008


15/12/2008


Spent most of the day in the photography lab taking and developing photographs. On a previous sojourn to the lab, I noticed the lights on the ceiling shone brightly 0n the plastic table, I pondered the possibility of blocking out one of the light panels in the shape of a jigsaw. Curiosity got the better of me, and I had to see if I could do it. I managed to get the plastic light panel out (with a bit of gentle persuasion) and proceeded to draw a jigsaw shape on the panel, when I had achieved this I blocked out the jigsaw shape out using duct tape, however, this let light through and I had to paint it black to prevent any further light leakages. Eventually I managed to accomplish my mission, and it was well worth the effort, I got some very interesting shots.
I photographed two of the masks I used in my video on top of jigsaw pieces etc, as well as the jigsaw "light shape". Went to shops to get some supplies and to print some photographs, alas the photo booths were not working.

12/12/2008


Still from my videofile.

12/12/2008


Still from my videofile. 

12/12/2008

I started filming my video today,it has a duel purpose . I used three people putting together a jigsaw. The three actors wore masks, my reason for this was to , in a sense, emphasise societies lack of recognition of the countless amounts of people who go missing every year. It is like the people are faceless beings who do not exist in the real world. 'I miss my mother, I miss sister, I miss my brother ' was the soundtrack I wanted to use, it did not come out too well, so will have to redo a soundtrack. In the background I am thinking about playing an Roy Orbison song 'In dreams' for obvious reasons but apart from that I like the work of the artist/film producer David Lynch .He used the track' in dreams' to great effect in the film Blue velvet. This film is so surreal, and it is the kind of effect I have created.
The second purpose of the video (putting together the jigsaw) is merely a comment upon the totalitarian society with which we are part of(under the auspices of capitalism), where every good citizen has to play their part, in the world jigsaw of 6 billion pieces.
The end of the video includes shots of 'three shadow shapes' passing over the jigsaw on the floor, again, as an eerie reference to the lost or missing souls.

11/12/2008

Went to London on the college trip to the Tate gallery and the Tate modern.The Tate had an exhibition of works my Francis Bacon. (I didn't think the exhibition would go ahead because of the ban on Irish bacon in Britain ! ) It was absolutely brilliant ! to see the works in "real life" instead of books. Seeing the brush strokes he used, his use of space etc, it was fantastic! it re-ignites the passion for painting!!! Also there were the entrants to the turner prize, I was particularly interested in the work of Runa Islam, a video artist. She showed great skill and mastery over her work.
In the Tate modern there were many wonderful works by world renowned artists, Rothko, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Monet, Picasso, Matisse, the list is endless, suffice to say it was great to see them all!
I would have to say I was very impressed by Rothko's work, the display of the work under examination of u/v light was fascinating, it shows all the processes the artist was using in the work. Another brilliant contemporary artist that I could specifically relate to is the Brazilian Cildo Meireles , his Duchampian use of readymades was spectacular, also comparable to another of my favourite artists Robert Rauschenberg.

10/12/2008


I realise it is in a sense an depressing subject matter to deal with (missing people etc) nevertheless, this is where the processes of materials/experimentation/artist research has led me, and I do have a strong interest in the metaphorical relationship to the jigsaw. For example, a jigsaw is a puzzle, a mystery. The various clues eventually lead to (although not in all cases) a resolution of the puzzle. The absolute devastation felt by the loss of a loved one to the families of missing people, must be unfathomable. Trying to piece together their lives with so much uncertainty to the wherabouts of family members; are they dead etc,  the sense of not knowing, no 'closure', the uncertainty; the "missing piece".  

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

09/12/2008




Forgot it was Tuesday due to church holiday Monday, as a result, I was late for photography.
Cut my missing people into jigsaw shapes, and put them into a photo frame. Another missing person I superimposed on to a figure in a sort of Arcadian setting, then framed the part jigsaw itself. Went to the exhibition in bedford place tonight, there were some great pieces there.
There was some fishing line hanging from the ceiling near Maurice's desk, it was an ideal place for BB to make an appearance!

Friday, December 5, 2008

05/12/2008



Painted green acrylic on top of jigsaw, the jigsaw shape can still be seen underneath. Painted white gesso around the edge of the board. Brought in a pipe but did not stick it to the jigsaw yet.As mentioned earlier on blog, I am intriguied by the use of "simulacrum" especially in the work of Magritte, I hope to add to the confusion with my 'ceci n'est pas une simulacrum'
Went to shops to buy a jigsaw for my video, it is not too big and seems straight forward.
Got some research on missing people.
Bought a picture in second hand shop, painted over image of a lady. Just going to have a featureless face,it is like all recognition has been lost. Wrote on a couple of pieces of blank jigsaw: missing person, have you seen this person, the date last seen, etc.
Wrote up the feedback of the students union class reps meeting, and presented it to the class, just to keep everyone informed as to whats going on.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

04/12/2008


04/12/2008

In my studio space.

04/12/2008 cont. Sean Scully







I am interested in the work of Sean Scully; the blocks of colours he uses in square and rectangular shapes on canvas etc. I will experiment with this on jigsaw, and see what develops. I painted individual jigsaw pieces with acrylic paint, in various colours to get the ball rolling. When dry, I stuck them to a sheet of cardboard.

04/12/2008


I used another board to "sandwich " my jigsaw, I previously had measured and glued the precise area where my jigsaw had to be positioned, it was then just a matter of flipping the boards over.It worked out exactly as I had planned. (which is nice!) I then watered down some white gesso to size the jigsaw. ( some of the jigsaw pieces have to be visible in order for it to be recognisable as a jigsaw. This presents a challenge, as obviously, subsequent layers of paint will have to be used, this will fill in the jigsaw joinings. I believe I can overcome this obstacle by scraping back the paint in some areas. It is crucial to the painting that it is recognisable as a jigsaw, in fact its the most important part, so it has to work one way or the other! failing this, I will leave the missing pieces blank,(I was going to fill them in), maybe it will be better with the missing pieces, we'll see.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

02/12/2008







03/12/2008
Attended the fine art department meeting today. The cost cutting by the present government means there is a deficit in the budget allocated to schools. This has led to the professional practice module withdrawn from the curriculum, and also a loss of the visiting lectures . The chairman, and most, if not all of the tutors, saw this as a great loss to both the fine art department, and especially to the students. I know it has been reconstituted in a watered down version, as a video presentation for marking purposes, nevertheless, it is not quite the same as the real thing. I believe this will have a detrimental effect for the college and students alike (I would wager NCAD would have a professional practice module !).Finished the jigsaw today at long last ! Took some photos of same. I have placed some blank jigsaw pieces on top of the jigsaw and photographed it. It looks visually very effective, and adds a sense of enigma to the puzzle.

02/12/2008

Photography this a.m. quite intriguing, especially to hear about the temperature of light. Apparently, the "flash " temperature is set to 12 o'clock noon. We were introduced to various aspects of the digital camera. I took some photos of one of my sculptural jigsaw piece, unfortunately, there was some problem with the computer there and we could not get the photographs. Had tutorial with Alan today, it went well. Alan has suggested that I have enough concepts, ideas, and methods, and that these should be acted upon, less thinking more do , make, say. Fair comment, I should let the work dictate the ideas, rather than the ideas dictate the work.
Did some more to the jigsaw, the end is in sight !

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

1/12/2008
















1/12/2008

I like the way the missing jigsaw pieces add a sense of the surreal to the images, I am sure this is something I can employ in my studio practice.

Monday, December 1, 2008

1/12/2008

We had a seminar with Aine this morning, it was intriguing to say the least. Dumas, Tymans, Richter were the three artists we looked at/discussed, I was amazed at how apparently banal images-photos etc can be used to create such wonderful artworks. With such diversity, I know that it will be impossible for me to ever say again that I have no material to inspire me. I like Dumas's painterly style, and her 'outspokenness' so to speak, in her source material. In my own work, I will explore the loose and fluidic paint strokes that she sometimes employs. Tymans, different but the same, eg, how he uses images from photographs to realise his social and political commentary. I like his 'conservative' less is more approach to his use of paint, highly effective.
Richter, again the same but different again. More photographic images used as source material, highly skilled painter, making the painting expound upon his social commentary, more so than what a photograph ever could. Excellent seminar.
P.m. carried on with jigsaw, stayed until 9 p.m. have made good progress.