Further to the feedback received from the presentation, I received additional feedback in a peer crit.
PEER 1 COMMENTS:
- Use kitsch imagery in collage > re-appropriate existing imagery, try garish/ holographic papers/ materials
- Images appealing but not yet communicative
- Strength - variation in media
- Good application of colour
- Work towards more immediate communications > think about adding text
PEER 2 COMMENTS:
- Flux between progressive and accessible imagery
- Think about clashing colours > what do they mean?
- Is edgy tasteful?
- Who would own something kitsch?
- Look into class divides > Grayson Perry
- Middle-class people drawn to modesty > mock poverty
These comments seem to echo feedback received in the last session. The main issues raised seem to revolve around immediacy in communication, more garish materials and greater exploration of class and culture. I feel these are elements I outlined in my action plan but have not yet acted on. My intentions are to now produce the next set of visual responses, fully engaging with these suggestions of media and matter. I have been able to collect some metallic and holographic papers so these should provide a good grounding for the next developments.
Thursday, 26 January 2017
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
SB2 - Study Task 6 - Visual Response PRESENTATION FEEDBACK & FOCUS
FEEDBACK
On presenting the presentation and work so far, I received a range of comments from my peers providing a base for new directions. Elements I was praised on were the depth and detail I had gone into with my research and how this had clearly informed my subsequent work, particularly within the image analysis work. Comments also celebrated the exploration of kitsch through colour and media, particularly the experimental approach within my journal pages. My use of media is something I think I have explored well, I have tried to explore metallic paints in kitsch colours to capture the sense of preciousness, yet tacky aesthetic of kitsch products, whilst exploring mark making through use of ink and pencil to add textural qualities.
Suggestions from my peers were to further explore collage as an approach to kitsch and consider how materials can distinguish the difference between high-art and kitsch, suggesting that more tactile media could enhance the kitsch aesthetic. Exploring the relationship between colours was also encouraged to achieve a more succinct aesthetic across the journal.
ACTION PLAN FOR FOCUS
Responding to my peer feedback and working towards more focused responses, I will collect some tactile materials, perhaps holographic and corrugated papers to maintain the kitsch qualities, I may find these on a visit to the market.
In light of imagery, I want to take a more focused approach to collage, using existing imagery and re-appropriating media to achieve satirical, kitsch images. Developing on my existing journal pages, I feel the colour palette is a strength of my work so far as ot dorectly resonates with the subject matter, so I will maintain this within the new media experimentation and perhaps explore how this could work with language to communicate a clear message about taste and aesthetic hierarchies.
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Lecture 9 - Consumerism
PERSUASION/ BRANDS/ CULTURE/ SOCIETY
The center of this lecture was consumerism as an ideology and a social system. A social system, perhaps, that we enter into, with the belief that society expects us to.
MAIN IDEAS IDENTIFIED:
-A civilised society is not attainable
-Human instinct and desires are not compatible with civilised society
-Persuasion of necessity through desirable qualities
-Micro-production to mass-production
-Society saturated in goods
-Competition invites humanization of products and brands
-We become a collage of our possessions
-Short term gratification as futile
As Freud unveiled the true human nature through his Id, Ego and Super-ego, it became clear that a civilized society was futile, as human desires and instinct were paramount to civilized operations. I am interested in this idea of futility. If as humans, we are so charged by desire, than why does consumerism appear to be such a formulated issue? I would almost suggest that humans could conform to consumerism without such levels of persuasion. But it is this mass-subscription to consumerism that demands brand competition, and as such, persuasive tools become necessary.
The visual literacy and language employed by advertisers seemed to assign desirable qualities to rather undesirable objects, almost elevating them to not only a level of necessity, but a level of desirability. The move from cigarettes as being a male object to an object for women, is characterized by imagery of power, freedom and autonomy. Allowing objects to foster desireable qualities demonstrates that there need be no boundary between subject and audience, and as such, it is no surprise that society became over saturated with goods and manufacturing.
It seems then that the self-conscious consumer needed some reassurance from brands, telling them that they were buying something human and necessary. The humanisation of products through assigning names and characters became a tool for persuasion. Selling 'Aunt Jemima's pancake mix' because the consumer thought it offered the qualities and characteristics of home-baking. Perhaps then it is notable that consumers were subscribing to a lifestyle, as well as a desire, and as such, lives started to become a collection of objects selected for their characteristics and powers.
The center of this lecture was consumerism as an ideology and a social system. A social system, perhaps, that we enter into, with the belief that society expects us to.
MAIN IDEAS IDENTIFIED:
-A civilised society is not attainable
-Human instinct and desires are not compatible with civilised society
-Persuasion of necessity through desirable qualities
-Micro-production to mass-production
-Society saturated in goods
-Competition invites humanization of products and brands
-We become a collage of our possessions
-Short term gratification as futile
As Freud unveiled the true human nature through his Id, Ego and Super-ego, it became clear that a civilized society was futile, as human desires and instinct were paramount to civilized operations. I am interested in this idea of futility. If as humans, we are so charged by desire, than why does consumerism appear to be such a formulated issue? I would almost suggest that humans could conform to consumerism without such levels of persuasion. But it is this mass-subscription to consumerism that demands brand competition, and as such, persuasive tools become necessary.
The visual literacy and language employed by advertisers seemed to assign desirable qualities to rather undesirable objects, almost elevating them to not only a level of necessity, but a level of desirability. The move from cigarettes as being a male object to an object for women, is characterized by imagery of power, freedom and autonomy. Allowing objects to foster desireable qualities demonstrates that there need be no boundary between subject and audience, and as such, it is no surprise that society became over saturated with goods and manufacturing.
It seems then that the self-conscious consumer needed some reassurance from brands, telling them that they were buying something human and necessary. The humanisation of products through assigning names and characters became a tool for persuasion. Selling 'Aunt Jemima's pancake mix' because the consumer thought it offered the qualities and characteristics of home-baking. Perhaps then it is notable that consumers were subscribing to a lifestyle, as well as a desire, and as such, lives started to become a collection of objects selected for their characteristics and powers.
Wednesday, 4 January 2017
SB2 - Study Task 5 - Visual Response DEVELOPMENT
Having put together my presentation to show next session, I have briefly started to explore some of my suggestions for development. Considering re-appropriation of imagery whilst maintaining the gestural marks explored in my previous journal pages, I have developed the idea of conflict and hierarchy, using images that resonate with high-art aesthetics, these pages start to explore questioning of why these are 'high-art' objects. Language seems to work well to guide a thought process and lines initiate the idea of framing and direction towards objects of status.
When I have received feedback from my presentation I will plan how I can further develop these approaches inline with new suggestions.
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
SB2 - Study Task 4 - Visual Response INITIAL IDEAS & FEEDBACK
PROCESSING THEMES AND IDEAS
Developing and interpreting the themes explored in my written work, I have chosen to focus on the idea of the internal conflict of the artist to conform to aura or commercialism, and the kitsch aesthetics often associated with commercialised art.
Considering this idea of the weight of aura and purity in the art world, I started off by exploring how abstract marks and gestural lines could communicate this force on the artist, and the conflict between the two outlets in which an artist can operate. As an initial starting point this has worked to explore line and texture, but I may wish to develop these with a greater consideration of colour and a more explicit visual connection to the issue of kitsch. The use of china-graph on colour pencil proved particularly successful as the colour pencil resisted the china-graph, capturing the conflict and flux identified in my themes in a material sense.
Developing and interpreting the themes explored in my written work, I have chosen to focus on the idea of the internal conflict of the artist to conform to aura or commercialism, and the kitsch aesthetics often associated with commercialised art.
Considering this idea of the weight of aura and purity in the art world, I started off by exploring how abstract marks and gestural lines could communicate this force on the artist, and the conflict between the two outlets in which an artist can operate. As an initial starting point this has worked to explore line and texture, but I may wish to develop these with a greater consideration of colour and a more explicit visual connection to the issue of kitsch. The use of china-graph on colour pencil proved particularly successful as the colour pencil resisted the china-graph, capturing the conflict and flux identified in my themes in a material sense.
I also went on to explore colour palettes and collage, employing bright metallic colours of teal, magenta and gold to capture a stereo-typically kitsch palette and employing these as textures in collaged components and brush marks. While I feel these do not immediately communicate to the view the idea of a conflict between the 'high art' and the commercial kitsch, I feel at this stage it was right to explore colour and collage in a more playful sense, creating abstract forms and compositions that attempt to portray elements of the theme.
To develop my journal, it will be necessary to explore more visual clues in order to fully communicate the subject to the viewer, perhaps using really excessive images of kitsch or just stereotypical nods to kitsch elements to create a more subtle aesthetic. I may look at working with found and existing imagery in order to create images that are more recognisably connected with kitsch aesthetics.
FEEDBACK
On presenting my progress, I was asked this question; How through the use of line and collage can you explain your theme? My intentions for this first set of pages was to explore abstract lines and marks as a means of exploring the conflict between aura and commercialism and the flux of the artists to conform to one or the other. While they do capture this in a symbolic sense, they don't immediately communicate and so collage was suggested, in line with my own intentions, as a way to insert more recognisable motifs and enhance the meaning and understanding of my images.
SB2 - Study Task 4 - Visual Response DEFINITIONS
As a means of formulating some potential starting points for the visual journal, we worked through the definitions of line, shape, colour, texture and college in light of relevant COP themes. It was discussed that drawing is a form of meaning making, and as such, these approaches to image making can inform the message and tone of voice of an image.
GROUP DISCUSSION
Firstly, we worked as a group, applying the 5 elements to politics. This worked well as an exercise in getting me to understand the meaning inferred and asserted from certain visual devices. It was interesting to think both literally and symbolically, considering actions and clues. From the group task we identified the politics of colour and line, exploring divisions and parties, potential ethos and characteristics. I am particularly interested in the way colour can develop a tone of voice and perhaps how this could be considered with collage as a means of capturing the integration or rather segregation of ideals and views.
GROUP DISCUSSION
Firstly, we worked as a group, applying the 5 elements to politics. This worked well as an exercise in getting me to understand the meaning inferred and asserted from certain visual devices. It was interesting to think both literally and symbolically, considering actions and clues. From the group task we identified the politics of colour and line, exploring divisions and parties, potential ethos and characteristics. I am particularly interested in the way colour can develop a tone of voice and perhaps how this could be considered with collage as a means of capturing the integration or rather segregation of ideals and views.
APPLICATION TO OWN THEME
In light of my own COP theme, I have considered the application of these elements to the issue of taste and aesthetics. Having identified the issue of conflict and flux between ideals and institutions, it would be interesting to explore line as a means of visually realising this struggle. In a more abstract sense, marks and an exploration of line quality could capture the inner conflict of the artist and the weight of aura and institution on artists.
Furthermore, colour could work as a symbolic tool to explore high art values against low art aesthetics such as kitsch which could work alongside collage to create embellished kitsch imagery or re-appropriation of high-art motifs.
Following on from this consideration of definitions and visual devices, I will now work through some initial ideas, considering all 5 elements in order to explore a body of potential responses to my chosen theme.
Sunday, 1 January 2017
SB1 - Study Task 2 - Triangulation & Referencing - ESSAY PLAN
Working towards a draft of my essay, I have grouped quotes from my chosen sources in to for, against and for and against, in order to formulate a coherent essay structure. Noting basic analyses, this should form a guide to the argument I want to establish. I feel it will be necessary to jump between view points in order to successfully corroborate or challenge reasoning, so that I can form a sufficiently supported conclusion.
SB1 - Study Task 2 - Triangulation & Referencing NEW SOURCES
Following on from the triangulation carried out on my first set of sources, I have begun to analyse two more documents in line with my theme and sub-themes.
Munari's essay seemed to revolve around functionality in taste and the place of design in aura. While Sontag's feminist article takes an alternative approach, discussing taste in light of the female form and the female role in ever present patriarchal conventions.
While Sontag's essay does not cover the subject of art specifically, her viewpoints on taste as a subservient exercise seem to echo some of the problems raised by Grayson Perry in his discussions on the power of curators and critics in defining what the world sees as 'taste'.
A conflict raised by these documents is the applied artist as being the provider of function to the high arts, while remaining the lesser genius since the commercial artist can never be the pure genius. In light of my other sources, it will be interesting to address the issue of the artist's choice to conform, either to fake hierarchies of power or low brow, honest, commercial art.
SB1 - Identified a new quote - SUSAN SONTAG
"TASTE IS NOT FREE, AND ITS JUDGEMENTS ARE NEVER MERELY 'NATURAL' "
Sontag here seems to propose the futility of pursuing ones own taste since it will always be overridden or controlled by the taste of power. This idea of taste as 'natural' is an interesting concept, since taste does seem, by definition, a personal, sensory opinion, but is in fact manipulated by projected views of what taste should be and as such, taste cannot exist autonomously.
Sontag here seems to propose the futility of pursuing ones own taste since it will always be overridden or controlled by the taste of power. This idea of taste as 'natural' is an interesting concept, since taste does seem, by definition, a personal, sensory opinion, but is in fact manipulated by projected views of what taste should be and as such, taste cannot exist autonomously.
SB1 - Analysing Sources - BRUNO MUNARI
ANALYSING SOURCES
To further enhance the body of sources I will use in my triangulation essay, I've found this essay 'Pure and Applied', from Bruno Munari's book Design As Art which seems to cover the wider conflict between commercialism and pure arts, and more specifically, the internal conflict in the artist to conform to one or the other.
The main issue raised by Munari is the error of judging applied arts and designed objects as being of 'lesser' status, rather than appreciating their usefulness and functionality as beauty. Munari seems to suggest that beauty should be judged on utility and coherence, alongside aesthetic qualities. It will be interesting to consider this idea of usefulness in line with pure art examples, like Renaissance paintings and sculptures which seem to be purely for aesthetic value.
KEY QUOTES AND INITIAL ANALYSIS
- the "lesser genius who absorbed Pure Forms and the Style of the Master and attempted to give these some currency by applying them to objects of everyday use"
Here the applied artist is recognised as the 'lesser genius', Munari therefore suggesting that functionality lowers the status of an object or image. Important also is that it seems futile to attempt to achieve status or value through reproduction and commercialization as these seem to be accepted as 'low brow' examples of art.
- "If the form of an object turns out to be 'beautiful' it will be thanks to the logic of its construction and to the precision of the solutions found for its various components."
Munari notes that these objects do not require the justification of having been made by an artist because the beauty of an object now relies on utility. Does this mean that pure arts and applied arts serve a simultaneous purpose in aesthetics, since it relies on the specification of the viewer as to which is most tasteful?
- "A thing is not beautiful because it is beautiful, as the he-frog said to the she-frog, it is beautiful because one likes it.
SUBJECTIVITY - Essentially any object can be beautiful is it is assigned qualities of beauty in the mind of the viewer.
To further enhance the body of sources I will use in my triangulation essay, I've found this essay 'Pure and Applied', from Bruno Munari's book Design As Art which seems to cover the wider conflict between commercialism and pure arts, and more specifically, the internal conflict in the artist to conform to one or the other.
KEY QUOTES AND INITIAL ANALYSIS
- the "lesser genius who absorbed Pure Forms and the Style of the Master and attempted to give these some currency by applying them to objects of everyday use"
Here the applied artist is recognised as the 'lesser genius', Munari therefore suggesting that functionality lowers the status of an object or image. Important also is that it seems futile to attempt to achieve status or value through reproduction and commercialization as these seem to be accepted as 'low brow' examples of art.
- "If the form of an object turns out to be 'beautiful' it will be thanks to the logic of its construction and to the precision of the solutions found for its various components."
Munari notes that these objects do not require the justification of having been made by an artist because the beauty of an object now relies on utility. Does this mean that pure arts and applied arts serve a simultaneous purpose in aesthetics, since it relies on the specification of the viewer as to which is most tasteful?
- "A thing is not beautiful because it is beautiful, as the he-frog said to the she-frog, it is beautiful because one likes it.
SUBJECTIVITY - Essentially any object can be beautiful is it is assigned qualities of beauty in the mind of the viewer.
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