identity

The idea for this project came to me as I wanted to explore the loneliness of becoming someone/ the alienation from everyone else while you figure yourself out; holding on to the past; feeling stuck on your circumstances – and how suffocating these pressures are.

The mosquito net was the first object I knew I wanted to use as it represents the suffocating cocoon that is finding yourself; It (alongside the nostalgic tones in the video and its silence) captures the loneliness that comes with becoming someone.

The stuffed animal represents what you’re not ready to let go of. The medication package represents the circumstances that you feel that imprison you. The postcard represents the longing for someone you no longer are. At last, the video – the new you trying to break free.

There were a few ideas that I tried but didn’t like: green screening my hands and using sound. I felt like neither would add more to the project; I wanted the video to be filmed in the place that the net would be installed to make the audience feel that it could be their hand and I felt like the silence would capture better my idea.

The net idea was successful – easy to set up and a beautiful fabric to use in an installation. I think the objects were successful too, as they all have a different meaning even though sewing them into the net wasn’t very successful and might look messy.

I don’t think the video was successful as I treated it as another object on the net and I didn’t spend enough time editing it.

My biggest challenge was a lack of inspiration caused by the pressure I put on myself to have everything perfect. I only overcame it when I realised that the deadline was close. If I had had more time, I would’ve edited the video better and explored more within the artists I chose.

I think my project connected to all of my artists; Pipilotti Rist inspired me to film my hands reaching out (Selfless in a bath of lava) and to explore a dreamier, immersive installation (Sip My Ocean). Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew inspired me to explore a 3D effect of projection on my net. With Petra Collins’s work I realised the direction I wanted to take with my project – make it intimate and nostalgic and explore coming of age. With Sofia Coppola I decided I wanted to use the same blue-toned colour palette as her for my video. Sue de Beer inspired me to explore what it means to come of age as a woman. With Mike Kelley’s work I decided I wanted to explore childhood and how that takes part into who we become as adults. With Maria Imaginário’s work I decided to use pastel colours projected on to my net, same as Molly Soda; whose work helped me figure out what colour I wanted projected on my net – pink to represent femininity.

Since I’m presenting my project in the Studio instead of in the Workshop room, I hooked 6 different hooks to hold the net. I previously had planned to use the pole in the Workshop room to hold it but I prefer how it looks hooked. 

I also tested the pink light I am going to use and its intensity.

I’m deciding whether I should have the lights on or off during the installation. If I have them off, I want to know if I can have a different light project - projecting a colour similar to ‘blue hour’ (photographic inspiration below)

This last picture is taken from ‘The Virgin Suicides’ which I have researched and discussed before (see post #9)

If that is not possible, ‘blue hour’ is still the colour palette I’m going for in my video - I will see if I can edit these tones onto my video using Adobe Premiere Pro.

While doing my research for this project one of the themes  that kept popping up in the artists that I chose was: coming of age.

But what does it mean to come of age? 

This artist was mentioned in our ‘Final Tweaks’ session. I chose her because of her exploration of womanhood and coming of age in the era of social media - and finding yourself and your identity within it, which connects to my theme.

On Tuesday, the 5th, we had our second crit notes. I was advised by my tutor to play with sound of my hands against the fabric to conjugate with the video of my hands reaching out. Classmate A suggested I would try using a second net but since the assessment is less than a week away I won’t be able to get another one from Amazon. Classmate B suggested I would book a room with a higher ceiling but after talking to a different classmate I realised I want the room to have a lower ceiling to give you the feeling of oppression. 

Tutor also advised that every object in the room of the installation counts so I plan on taking everything besides the horizontal pole that will hold one side of my net and the projector - a smaller model so it’s less noticeable.

Classmate C suggested I would speak in Portuguese in my video with my hands to express the feelings of being of a different nationality and while I like the idea I don’t planning on speaking in the video. 

While I was setting up the net, classmate A was in the room with me and suggested I would set it up as a tent. I did it and liked how it looked so I’m keeping it that way. I’m planning on making my video circular so it fits perfectly inside the ceiling of the net. I still don’t know what to do with sound.

I plan on taking out the chair and the black thing holding up the projector from the room. 

As I’m going to project my video upwards, I’m going to have to find an object to put under my projector but set it up in a way that people don’t stumble on it.

The video part of my project will be of my hands reaching out, underneath the net as if trying to break free. I plan on editing the video in blue tones and playing it on a loop.

Hand Inspiration: