PRINTMAKING
ART4002
Advanced Research
20.02.2018 - 27.02.2018
Fig. 1. Genc, O. 2018. Sketchbook
Real flowers, botanical plants are key sources for my primary research and drawings. Therefore, I wanted to try real flowers, botanicals to create a wild background under 'Wild Nature' title for more creativeness and my process in printmaking.
Fig. 2. Genc, O. 2018. Cheesecloth in Middlesex University, London
Figure 2 is a cheesecloth we use in etching to clean the etching plate. It is a waste cheesecloth but I loved how the colours naturally formed.
Figure 3: The cheesecloth was recreated, inverted by me on Photoshop as an idea for background. I will send the new sample to digital print on fabric which then will be reused by me to add foil on top.
Fig. 3. Genc, O. 2018. Cheesecloth inverted on Photoshop CC
Reading #1 – Gilliam & McGilp (2007)
Gilliam & McGilp’s (2007) approach to recording the creative process: practice-integrated research points out the importance and efficiency of recording (archiving/documenting) and researching while we are making the process. The practice-integrated research is an evidence for development and evolution of work. However, not only the outcome or process of work but the development of artist’s ability and creativeness can also be seen through the practice research. Artist (researcher) passes through a process of evolution at the same time with research. As experiments, researches increase our skills, characteristic features, perspectives in art attune and progress along with the practice. A similar notion I figured out from Gilliam & McGilp (2007) and Prof Nancy de Freitas (2002) supports this data. I am pleased to match this notion with my practice-integrated researches; from the first day of MA Printmaking module I constantly recorded, archived my practices and process of print works in very detailed way. A difference, change in my processes of making can clearly be seen through my sketchbooks, I formed with my primary practice researches. I perceived the concept, purpose of practice research. Research in general is timeless; the more artist connects with environment, activities and knowledge, the more natural creativeness of art appears. Thus, a visual journal becomes a most realistic and important approach to keep a record of any practice research. Visual journal is a reflection, a transparent evidence of artists’ journey of art-making. The constancy and detailing of documenting in visual journal plays a key role for professionalism. Being on a postgraduate education level, I adopted the importance of both written academic data and visual practice however it is a fact that visually recorded practice researches are much effective, beneficial and a fundamental factor than academically written data. The reason for this is that visual journal improves self-awareness and self-critical. It does not only represent the final stage but the hidden process of result. Evidences of experiments, investigations, sketches, designs, information from books/texts, comments, connecting with others and environment are turning points, cases not to be underestimated.
Visual practice research divides in itself into two documentation styles: studio and active. The studio documentation is a common practice where you learn the basics and stand on the same level as others. However, active documentation is a primary, self-practice research where main improvement, real process of yourself and work occurs which leads you to set higher standards from others. The observation, exploration, engagement and right-wrong process in active documentation builds up self-analysis and new perspectives in art. Therefore, active documentation is a distinctive research in postgraduate education. By virtue of active documentation, when I go through my documentation I noticed a minor changes and evolvements in myself. The visual data from my journal and sketchbooks help to observe, remind and encourage me to use my ability and creativeness to a maximum level. Shortly, this is the goal I have in my education life, I desired to achieve and visually see my development in printmaking. Hence, the support of practice-integrated research in the process of making became a step, motivation towards PhD degree I am planning to study.
Bibliography
Article & Journals:
Gilliam, B. & McGilp, H. (2007). Recording the Creative Process: An Empirical Basis for Practice-Integrated Research in the Arts. Available online: http://mdx.mrooms.net/pluginfile.php/977388/course/section/202082/Gilliam%20and%20McGilp%20%282007%29.pdf
Freitas, N. Prof. (2002). Towards a definition of studio documentation: working tool and transparent record. Available online: https://www.herts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/12305/WPIAAD_vol2_freitas.pdf
McNiff, S. (2007). Art-Based Research. Available online: https://www.moz.ac.at/files/pdf/fofoe/ff_abr.pdf
Book:
Nutt C. P. & Wilson C. D. (2010). Handbook of Decision Making. London: John Wiley & Sons
27.02.2018 - 06.03.2018
Fig. 2. Genc, O. 2018. Designs on Photoshop CC
Fig. 1. Genc, O. 2018. Scanned drawings from sketchbook
Towards a Ply Gallery exhibition, I started to plan my designs for a layout place. These drawings are going to be samples for final designs in Ply Gallery.
This week I spent time working, creating new designs and abstract works on Photoshop CC that can be used for screen printing in print studio following days.
Set Reading #2 – Rendell (2003) ‘The Welsh Dresser. An Atlas?’
The Welsh Dresser is a great article source to become acquainted with conceptual art: the relation between language (writing) and visual forms. Rendell illustrated reality, usefulness and emotional connection of everyday life architecture, furniture and objects. These unheeded objects, details have a power and role to lock and unlock the senses and memories of the subconscious mind. It is a psychological fact that a mental connection to objects identify personalities, and to preserve the personal identity people actively support their environment. Environment is surrounded by unheeded, interactive objects and details that are able to stimulate the events and emotions. The objects captured by Rendell (2003) ‘The Welsh Dresser’ reflected memories of her family, past which preoccupied her to question her personal identity. Therefore, the Welsh dresser carries a political and cultural importance for Rendell. It is a transparent connection between women in family and time, attaching the past and present.
Rendell used many forms such as photographs, notes, dictionary definitions and language to express the concept (idea) of her article in a style of conceptual art movement. She influenced by the conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth’s ‘One and Three Chairs’ (1965). Kosuth’s artwork illustrated with a chair (object), a digital image of chair and a definition of word chair. All three of chairs did not represent the same or “one” chair, but “three” chairs artistically designed in three different art forms to reflect an idea. However, a presented style of the definition of words (use of language) in both Kosuth’s and Rendell’s work are much powerful. The written words are not counted as visual art still today. People hardly think or imagine of language, words to appear in “art” galleries, museums etc. However, as well as other artists Kosuth and Rendell also proved the importance of language through dictionary definitions in their works. The written words have incredible power to stimulate and change the emotions, perspectives and imaginations of people. The combination of text and image has a history which dates back to medieval temples, medieval manuscript illustrations (Figure1).
Figure 1: Monk fighting off some devils with a club, from the Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300
In time this harmony developed and perhaps the beneficial sides of interplay between text and image did not change. The interaction of text and image allows viewer/reader to easily access and adopt the meaning, purpose of the work.
My own Atlas:
· Through Writing: A diary, to-do list and article
· Visually: A quick line drawing, an image and a structured (diagram) of my object
In total I responded with 6 different ways to my chosen object which is a keychain. In writing section, I found easier to express my purpose and aim of the object through a diary perspective. Visually, a quick line drawing tells more about my characteristics in art. This approach helped me to realize that I prefer visuality. I found challenging to respond through writing, perhaps it relates to my art background however, these different perspectives will useful for me to be more creative in writing and any visual forms.
Bibliography:
http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/slagel_j_essay_title_2.pdf
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/conceptual-art
https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/joseph-kosuth-one-and-three-chairs-1965
http://repository.uwyo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1089&context=honors_theses_15-16
Figure 1: https://io9.gizmodo.com/bizarre-and-vulgar-illustrations-from-illuminated-medie-1456202572 : Monk fighting off some devils with a club, from the Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300
06.03.2018 - 13.03.2018
Fig. 1: Genc, O. Samples in Printroom
This week I tried my drawing samples on screen printing. For my lace fabric I wanted to heat transfer machine in the print room, however it was broken. I didn't want to waste my fabric and time, so I screen printed three of my drawing on to lace to give a contrast between them.
I used copper, silver and black foils.
Sample of copper and silver foils on organza fabric.
Reading 3# Lorain Leeson (fieldwork) – Process and Product
Political, cultural and geographical features add value to community and social practices. Participation and collaboration of people from any age group creates different perspectives for outcome of art project. Thus, collaboration and diversity of communities expand the cultural activism and art. Social practice whole purpose is to develop, raise awareness, educate and change society. If this is the case as it mentioned in Artful Teaching (2010): community artists must actively and systematically engage, promote through art and teach. The most effective and permanent method is teaching through art, where people collaborate instead participate. Art and social practice projects must be systematically applied and supported starting from school environment. As children climb to higher stages in the state-funded education system creativity disappears from the curriculum. Sadly, very little space and lack of learning materials from art perspective appears in this system. To bring a change in schools Leeson accepts that many projects have a commission or fund. She mainly mentions the advantages of funding, where it becomes a beneficial step in research and development of the process and product. However, I believe in the opposite because excepted art is not creative. There is always an expected multiple outcome from these projects; the outcomes are certainly attached its funders. To indicate this fact, we can approach to Leeson’s text where she mentions the power of imagination, creativity of children in the process of social practices but at the same time she wants the practice to be its ‘best’. This contrast clarifies the invisible pressure and responsibility of funders on “community” artists. Their social art practice must be suitable for the society and system. It is kind of a cycle, children or participants follow artists, artists follow funders. Now we can call it ‘the art of negotiation’ a negotiation between artist and funder.
Where is the social change in these collaborations or participations? Where is art in this process?
Rebellious kind of art has been created outside galleries, museum. It must carry freedom of creativeness and expressionism. It has to communicate with community in their environment (outside). Even practices that hold valuable meanings, political and cultural activism, I still do not believe the honesty of exhibited social practice in galleries or museum. Such as works: ‘Part 2’ by Santiago Sierra, ‘Sunflower seeds’ by Ai Weiwei etc. Using underprivileged people or students for art project is not the way to raise an awareness through art. In my opinion one of the modernist collaborated, socially engaged art practice is created by Candy Chang, a project called ‘Before I Die’ (Figure 1). It gives a freedom, speech, desire, creativity and acts as a reminder of death in a fun, artistic way. After a death of her loved one she wanted to start a communication, reflection of death and life on a dispersed house in her neighbourhood in New Orleans in 2011. “Before I die I want to_____,” project on chalkboard was entirely filled out by the next day. Today it is a worldwide known and created project, it is on 3,000 walls in over 70 countries in different languages. This is art.
Fig.1: “Before I die …” project. Savannah, GA, USA. Photo by Trevor Coe
Bibliography:
Loraine Leeson, ‘Chapter 6: Process and Product’, Art: Process: Change: Inside a Socially Situated Practice (Routledge, 2017), pp. 77-98.
Engaging Classrooms and Communities Through Art: A Guide to Designing and Implementing Community-based Art Education. Authors: Beth Krensky, Seana Lowe Steffen. Publisher: Rowman Altamira, 2009
Artful Teaching: Integrating the Arts for Understanding Across the Curriculum, K–8. Authors: David M. Donahue, Jennifer Stuart. Teachers College Press, 2010
http://candychang.com/work/before-i-die-in-nola/
13.03.2018 - 20.03.2018
Fig. 1: I and friends revisited the Ply Gallery (where our show is going to take place in April) to plan, restructure our places. It was a helpful visit for me to plan my layout before the show.
Fig. 2: Received my digital print sample. I printed a foil on top to test out the fabric and look.
Reading #4: Hal Foster (archive): An Archival Impulse
Personal practice and environment shape artistic creativity with a particular figures, objects and events that reflects in archiving. Archival field and practices support the liberate activity in art. Archiving generally evoke photography and writing however, there are numerous methods such as: photographs, sound, illustration, drawing, writing, video which become a passage to history, culture and psychology. Most of the time archives investigate and revisit us- individuals, histories, memories and sometimes incomplete desires, journeys in ourselves redirect the archives around us. Thus, meaning of archives and making archives develop over time; Foster highlights the history roots of “archival impulse” rather than allegorical impulse. The structure of archiving and art in the pre-war era and the post-war (post-production) era with Independent Group. In a contemporary art today, these impulses are reflected by electronic archiving. Mega archive is considered as an internet which blocks the real interactivity, a relational art. Despite the fact that a genre archival art is an institute in rising contemporary art, I still prefer archival art than virtual art. The physical art and archives are much powerful tools for community. Not all but artists such as Zoe Leonard, Ruth Maclennan and exhibition, ‘Threads of Feeling’ (where fabric swatches tell stories, separations of mothers and babies at the Foundling Hospital in the 18th century) affects our senses, perspectives towards archives and art.
Archive is an only evidence; a truth for past. As a printmaking student my relationship with archives has recreated and supported my artwork on this path towards the major project. I designed a personal journal sketchbook which contains researches, images, visited events, drawings, writing, plans etc. (Figure 1) Every page on my journal book and sketchbooks are documents, archives (Figure 2). They are part of my work as I being a part of my work too. I may not exhibit my journal book or sketchbooks in galleries or museums as many artists do, I would love to visit and physically observe and see the discovered Van Gogh’s seven surviving sketchbooks at Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum. Even its famous artists like Van Gogh or unknown artists or students (like me) documents of artists still hold a magnificent development and self-identity. Therefore, every archive is telling a story of self-development and not comparable.
Fig 1. Genc, O. Journal Book 2018
Fig 2. Genc, O. Pages from Journal Book 2018
Bibliography:
Book:
Critical Cartography of Art and Visuality in the Global Age. Editors: Anna Maria Guasch Ferrer, Nasheli Jimenez Del Val . Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014, pp. 11-12. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk
Journal:
Big Archives and Small Collections: Remarks on the Archival Mode in Contemporary Australian Art and Visual Culture by Martyn Jolly http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/phrj/article/view/3823/4605
Art, Work and Archives: Performativity and the Techniques of Production by Jane Birkin http://www.archivejournal.net/essays/art-work-and-archives/
Art in the Archives: An Artist's Residency in the Archives of the London School of Economics. By Sue Donnelly. http://www.tate.org.uk/download/file/fid/7295
Website:
http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tate-papers/09/perspectives-negotiating-the-archive
https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/10/02/van-gogh-sketchbooks-secret-museum/
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/oct/09/foundling-hospital-museum-threads-feeling
20.03.2018-27.03.2018
Reading #5: Coco Fusco (identity): The Other History of Intercultural Performance
Dealing with a self and cultural identity in colonialist world is a weary journey. As I read the ‘A Report to an Academy’ from Franz Kafka and Fusco’s ‘The Other History of Intercultural Performance’ I come to a conclusion that: only ourselves, our own power can free ourselves from the past. Sometimes we need to distance, be silent and only watch our environment to hear and see more, just like Fusco watched audiences from the other side of the bards in “The Couple in The Cage” performance. It is an important act not to forget origins, roots and history in a politically ruled world. The Imperialist, Western concepts are taken as a metaphoric case for the cage exhibition by performance artists Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Coco Fusco. A “reserve ethnography” of the cage experience is a radical decision that meant to critique on political, racial concepts. However, the cage ideology instead became an entertainment for this post colonialist society. It has also created sexual challenges of men and women towards the performance artists. A horrific detail is that women were much physically abusive where men being verbally. This exhibition played a role of a black screen/mirror where audiences were presented their own identities. A reverse ethnographic exhibition stimulated the natural actions. It is abnormal situation which need a further survey because which reasons (silent, cage, guards, performances) encouraged and triggered people to act in this sickening way. In what cases conclusion can be changed?
Over time more performance helped Fusco to concentrate more on audiences and their reactions instead of feeling down during the performance. It was a beneficial act for her further self-development. It holds similarities with I exhibiting my work front of “others”. The more I exhibit, express my ideas and work, I become more concentrated towards the work.
Bibliography:
‘The Other History of Intercultural Performance’ by Coco Fusco TDR (1988-), Vol.38, No.1. (Spring,1994). pp.143-167
.
Franz Kafka- A report to an academy http://www.kafka-online.info/a-report-for-an-academy.html
Website
http://beautifultrouble.org/case/the-couple-in-the-cage/