02/03/2009

The board which I got off my colleague (I will call it the beauty board from now on) is taking shape now, all my colleagues have been very helpful and cooperative with my project. I completed another FYP proposal today, I feel more confident about this one, at least I am staying in the land of the living with this one !

27/02/2009

Alan very kindly brought in a book today, it is called Visual Music, synaesthesia in art and music since 1900. I have to admit I was blown away by it, it is exactly the kind of thing that I am investigating in my studio practice, it's brilliant. I am in turmoil now, as I am undecided on which route to take for my FYP. My initial rejection of my first FYP proposal (apart from the genius thing) was on the grounds that I thought it would not be a contemporary issue but I am so wrong, it needed today's technology to evolve. What I am I going to do now ? Do I go with the virtual gallery thing, or go down the synaesthesia in art route? Which one of the two is connected to my studio practice? in some regards they both are. Oh, and another idea for a thesis came to me the other day; an enquiry into the challenges faced by mature students in art college!!!!!!!!!!!! more food for thought. Damn !

26/02/2009

Went to see David Brancaleone about my FYP, I asked for an extension, to give me more time to get another proposal together. I told him of my idea and he seemed quite enthused about it. (I want to make an enquiry into Virtual galleries and whether these will lead to the demise of the gallery as we know it and the way people view art). It is a subject which I am interested in,and it would be considered a contemporary issue. (Plus, I wouldn't have to be a genius to undertake this one !!!! LOL. The board which I got from one of my colleagues, is making it's way around the studio, my colleagues are very helpful in this investigation, they all think it is a very good idea. I sent another E-mail to the turn-Berlin gallery, asking them if they had given anymore thought to our proposal. They replied and said that they were very busy at the moment (exhibition opening) but that they are still considering it. I wrote an E-mail to Sheelia Deegan (Limerick City Arts Office) enquiring as to whether she could help us (third year painting) to find a place in which to have an exhibition in Limerick City.I mentioned that perhaps the council might have an empty building somewhere that we could use.

25/02/2009

Had tutorial with Alan and David today regarding the FYP, they were a wealth of knowledge, and they gave me some great advice on artists, poets, composers.(Goeth, Stravinsky, John Cage,Kandinski, Klee etc.) They have made me realise that what I had intended to pursue in my thesis is not really feasible,(Alan commented that to achieve what I had planned to do, I would have to be a genius !) so I am going to take a different line of enquiry. I had planned to g to the sculpture department today to begin work on my egg moulds but three of them broke in my bag(it was a good job that I had them hard boiled!!!). Had tutorial with Nigel today regarding the video work for my studio practice, he seems really interested in the kind of things that I want to pursue. He wanted to give me a quick introduction to premier pro but between one thing and other, it didn't transpire. I have asked him if he wouldn't mind if I joined the second years for the photoshop introductions, he was only too willing to let me join in, fair play to him. It is a wonderful thing,(photoshop) a great tool for artists to use in their creative endeavours. I can now see where some contemporary artists get their colours from.

24/02/2009

For our first experiment with sound/performance, Mathilde and I went to the boardroom. We laid out our 'instruments' on the table as though we were setting it for lunch,(a metaphor for digesting our sounds) we arranged everything very neatly and orderly, and began our experiments, tentatively at first. We would try one table setting for a while then move on to the next place, seeing what kind of sounds we could create. The next stage of the process involved more sound and performance improvisation, which went very well, we were extremely pleased with our results. It took quite a while to get the video recorder set up in the right position etc, but it was well worth it in the end, we have good footage of our work. The sounds are quite obscure to say the least but at the same time very interesting in their own right. I could compare them to the kind of sounds that Morton Feldman uses, and also Fluxus,who use bizzare noises in their compositions. I will add video stills at a later date.

23/02/2009

Des sawed off the top bit 0f the starling egg, and tried to buff it up but it is still a bit tacky, we are going to place it in a drier over in ceramics. Mike wants to borrow it tomorrow to show elective students examples of casting techniques. Went to multi media room to do some more work on video but there was a class going on there. Handed in FYP today, was talking to Darragh about the FYP, he gave me some good advice on it.
FYP RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Name: Richard

FYP Option: Thesis
Choice of Tutor: Tutor with the most knowledge in contemporary issues relating to my proposal. (Kieran Cashell ???)

Description of project

An investigation into how, an artist with an in depth knowledge and understanding of colour theory (i.e. vibration frequency of colour, psychological aspects of colour), used in conjunction with an in depth knowledge and understanding of sound theory (i.e. vibration frequencies, auditory cues etc) can enhance the viewing experience for the spectator, while at the same time maximising the potential to make his work more desirable/collectable, even by the use of unscrupulous/unethical methods.
For example, in my studio practice I plan to create a painting using a combination of sound and colour theories, so that the spectator has to both visually and aurally[1] sense the painting. I will use subliminal auditory cues to both ‘enhance’ the viewing experience for the spectator, and to ‘promote’ the work.

Context of Project

Historically, paintings were made to be seen by the spectator, in other words visually sensed. It could be said that to actually listen to a painting as well is a contemporary construct. It has been scientifically proven that auditory signals (sound waves) impact on the neural receptors of the brain far more effectively than visual signals. Advertisers have used this to great effect, especially in television advertising. (I am aware that there are laws regarding the level of sound in television advertising).As for the use of subliminal cues in advertising, there are laws governing this too. However, as for the use of subliminal auditory cues in paintings, I am unaware of any such laws in connection with this; obviously this is one of the aspects that I shall be researching in this thesis. Current investigations into semiotics will also no doubt be of use in this thesis.
Obviously paint alone has been used as an emotive force for many years, especially by artists like Mark Rothko etc but if there are other aids available like sound manipulation, which would take the viewing experience to another level, I believe it is the artist’s duty to use these aids for the benefit of the spectator.

research Sources

ReseaRegarding research sources, use of the instrumentation from LIT engineering department in Moylish, will be required; I presume this will not be a problem. Familiarisation with procedures relating to subliminal implementation will have to be researched through the library catalogue. Experimentation with sound, colour, video and drawing from my studio practice, will be used as source material. I also plan to test my experiments on a number of people to see if my theory actually works; the results will be source material. A brief overview of colour psychology, semiotics, visual and aural methodologies will have to be researched through books, magazines, web etc.

Work Plan

Research books on my associated themes, e.g. Colour psychology, semiotics, subliminal practices, and sound waves/vibrations etc, to gain knowledge of these topics.
From my studio practice experiments, and work with the equipment from the engineering section, I would expect at this stage to be in a position to write up the details/analysis of these investigations.
At this stage, I would expect to have my case studies completed. I will write an analysis of the findings of these case studies. At this stage also, I expect to be in a position where I would be able to give an overview of all my investigations in the whole project, and finalise my conclusions.
[1] I will have instructions that headphones are to be used when the painting is viewed.

20/02/2009

More work on FYP, got it sorted now, just a matter of getting the wording right. Myself and Mathilde were meant to do some more work today but she never came in. This gave me a chance to do some more research for the FYP. Other than that, the western front was very quiet today.