WEEK 9
My
initial ideas for project 3 ‘Memorials’ have stemmed purely from research at
this point in time. I began looking at memorials as a general concept, which
lead me specifically to ‘Roadside Memorials’. I was simply blown away by the
amount of information, articles, websites and legislation that is accessible on
this topic which I have never even spared more than a fleeting thought on,
after driving past one.
At
this point of project two, I have been focusing my time on reading widely. I
have had ideas run through my mind about ‘mapping’ because I have stumbled
across legislation and application forms for every state in Australia. I like
the idea of keeping the dedicatory in Australia – this stems from my strong
interest in the landscape through my perusal of eco dyes in my previous work as
well as landscape imagery. I am only using this as an initial thought though
and am interested in the ideas that will follow from this. I can’t predict it
at this point but am happy with the bank of knowledge that I am building for
now.
I’ve
been looking at artists:
Louis
Helbig
Paul
Klee
Both
these artists look through an abstracted view of mapping, something that I
could draw from the physical location of roadside memorials.
I am
also looking at Annette Messager purely because of her works as a collection,
as a physical collage - much like the chaotic placement of objects on a
traditional roadside memorial.
Annette Messager, ‘The Promise of the Little
Effigies,’ 1990
Catherine Grenier. (2001). Annette Messager.
Paris: Flammarion. (p. 121)
Louis
Helbig
“Beautiful
Destruction – Alberta Tar Sands Aerial Photographs,”
Conceptual
and abstract.
Paul Klee's
"Monument in Fertile Country" (1929)
Watercolour
Below
is a link, which speaks about ‘temporary memorials’. It speaks a lot about
these memorials as a ‘memory aid’, which is something that I am not really
interested in pursuing but what I am interested in is how it talks about the elements
of temporary memorials such as graffiti, photos, stuffed animals, flowers and
notes. These elements are all common
features in roadside memorials that are used as a representative of a person at
a site – something, at this point, that I can see myself experimenting with
through my samples to develop into my final piece.
Like I
previously stated, I am currently at a research point in my project but over
the weekend am aiming to narrow this research into points that I can translate
into physical samples in order to get started on my final work as soon as
possible. They may not be completely resolved to begin with but I want to start
as early as possibly in making marks, manipulation and combining
techniques/materials to document the features of roadside memorials that I
choose to depict.
WEEK 10
Over
the past week my progress has consisted of more research, which has formed an
idea for my final work and therefore has allowed me to start sampling/exploring
possibilities before I begin to form it into my final piece this weekend.
Sample
1: couching around flower motif – roadside memorials are often filled with
flowers – I am exploring with ways to subvert that through textiles.
Sample
2: Free machine embroidery – I have just been playing around with building up
texture as well as shapes and tensions on the machine which I can then use for
the ‘mapping’ component of my final work.
Sample
3: Polysol heat transfer painting to cloth. Again, experimentation – not sure
that I will find a use for this but have been trialing shapes, flows and
colours for possibilities.
Sample
4: Fabric stiffening techniques for the final installation to allow the piece
to stand on its own. Have been trialing: Dissolved solvy, glue and water
solution, sugar and water solution, varnish, spray adhesive, vlisofix and
starch.
The
next image is just a few samples of text using machine embroidery. I want to
combine hand embroidery with machine for the text and mapping on my final work
so need to get cracking on it because it’s so time consuming!! I’ve been
working predominantly on felt and linen backed with iron on interfacing for
strength. I’m happy with the results so far and actually really like the look
of the text with the threads still connected (seen in image).
Continuing
on with my close evaluation of roadside memorials I have been searching for a
way to connect with the project myself rather than just recreate a roadside
memorial. For starters, I have no one that I want to personally memorialize in
a roadside memorial form so that means I would have no connection to my work –
making it a bit pointless. Over the past week I have decided on creating a
cloth that doesn’t replicate a roadside memorial but instead pays homage to the
memorials that I personally visit. This links back to my post last week about
‘mapping’ – something that I was drawn to in roadside memorials. For me, it’s
got a lot to do with the link between them and the physical road.
So
like I said, I don’t want to memorialize someone in my own roadside memorial
but I want to be inspired by elements of these memorials which I have been
documenting and plan to continually document, and create a textile piece that
can be installed and can be reminiscent of the mapping of the memorials as well
as their physical elements. I feel as though the piece will be quite symbolic
and will take the shape of a cylinder, which can mould to a telegraph pole,
like many roadside memorials do.
For
the final form of my project and its installation I have been highly inspired
by ‘Knitta Please’, a group of artists that began knitting graffiti in 2005,
Houston, Texas. As you can see in the images, they knit around public poles as
well as buildings, telephone booths and statues to only give a few examples.
I’m not specifically looking at the knitting as much as I am the installation
of the works. Their soft appearance juxtaposed on their positioning on metal
and cold objects creates a confusion and double take with every viewer. The
fact that it is labeled ‘graffiti’ gives off interesting connotations of
illegality and foreignness yet it looks so familiar and appropriate to me. These are principals that I have been
inspired by in the brainstorming of the form my final work will take.
WEEK 11
Memorials
à researched Widely
Kept
coming across Roadside memorials. Initially I didn’t want to take it down the
‘death’ path but couldn’t ignore the plethora of information available on the
subject!
Continued
to research (articles, journals, INTERNATIONAL etc.) and came across many case
studies comparisons to Aus.
I
had a look at state legislation regarding the placement of roadside memorials.
I
liked the idea of keeping it in the country – progression from the organic,
natural concepts of previous projects.
I
had no specific connection to Road Side Memorials so I began to look at the
mapping of the highways – where a lot of the accidents occur. I was striving to
find a way to pay homage, memorialize from a distance based on fact.
Looked
at Mapping artists: (refer to previous blog post)
Louis
Helbig à abstract, gestural,
organic, unconventional style of mapping (something I wouldn’t associate with
mapping.
contrasted
with
Paul
Klee à graphic, regimented,
literally inspired
How
can I encapsulate these qualities?
Started
experimenting w fabric manipulation, fabric strengthening techniques à plans of installment.
Experimenting
w text
Translation
of image
Began
to subvert and manipulate NSW arial view in light of Klee’s practice
(photoshoped images)
(screen
printed the manipulated maps on linen)
Black
– harsh, mysterious, dark, connotations of the end ‘black hole’
Contrasted
by white linen & silk –to see through to the black
Revealing
of the darkness through the light à angst vs peace (my perspective)
Harsh
vs soft – screen printed linen very rigid, silk is soft and gentle
Red
stitching – red, hurt, anger, pain
Colour
psychology.
From
mapping researched further (where to go next) – got to youths. It’s shockingly
relatable and surreal when you see your own age on the memorial page à felt this was a good
way to make a personal connection to the research.
Got
to looking at youth car fatalities – specifically males. (stats)
The
point I’m at is deciding what text/numerals are appropriate and stitching it on
the silk. Not sure whether to ad text – will make it too obvious – as much as I
want to base it on fact, I want to keep it as a general memorial to youth
fatality rather than specifically to the people I can fit on the silk.
From
the feedback in class today it is apparent that everyone is in favour of not
including text – keeping the numbers ambiguous. Leaving simplicity in the work.
It’s
been a sound progression for me and I am looking forward to bringing it
together – its been very research based so far but has needed to be for me to
achieve a connection.
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