Maggot And Fungus

Incorporating research into my everyday life means I have been able to make the work I have encountered and art a conjoined process that flows naturally and aligns with my own experiences and morals. In doing this everything I found interest in becomes relevant to the work I produce. I feel that the process of making art and the creative development through life experiences lie hand in hand which is why when I viewed the exhibition at the Blue Coat Gallery in Liverpool, the combination of the man-made and nature aligned with how I perceive our relation to the world at this moment in time. By meshing my everyday with my art, my exploration of materials is not confined by strict ideas but develops naturally and not out of force. This translates into my work through concepts of the artificial and natural conjoining. This contrast connects the juxtaposed ethics, bringing to light the impacts on the planet. Whilst also acknowledging our coexistence with the present and all materiality’s that come along with it. Allowing the acceptance of this contrast with harsh reality. By focusing on the simplicity of material objects and the everyday, as seen in the exhibition held by the artist Gay Place, the artist can translate their concepts of normality to the audience. Influenced by this in the work produced out of Conceal&Reveal I produced work using found objects as well as potted plants. Doing this I was able to focus on how we encapsulate nature to keep potted in plastic pots for our own entertainment, similarly we do this with Animals, so by using a dog cage I was able to connotate the aspect of our naturalistic selves that has transformed and disguised itself in our everyday life in a material form. Nature turning manmade shows a great parallel to the artificial and natural worlds. Posing questions of our true intent and impact on our organic selves. Everyday Objects prove to always be important to me to convey my reality in art. Objects such as tights, potted plants, garden ornaments, plastic bags and dog cages, various metals such as safety pins prove to hold a manmade, artificial, pollutant value which is then mirrored through artificial plastic neon acrylics and spray paints as well as chemicals such as bleach. By focusing my methods on my materials, I can then draw on my own experiences of the internet, nature, life, and death which allows me to translate more effectively and communicate to an audience the experience of life in theory of personal connection and relativity to self. During this module I have developed skills of research in relation to my art practice as well as improving my interactive skills with other artists through group projects and critical development. During the first project I found it difficult to get into the flow of developing my own practice again in a university setting. I found this to be very hard to get into for most of the module as adjusting to the new surroundings was interfering with my work. Although I feel I have gained a lot from over the course of the module and I feel that I have tried to be as experimental as I could, I feel that I could have done much better in the aspect of fully immersing myself with my practice. But I feel I have given myself a good base where I can now develop a lot of my work further and become more consistent and develop stronger concepts. Going further I wish to include researching into my daily life more, visiting other cities and becoming more aware of the art in the local area. I am going to work on my organisation skills so that stay on top of my work so that I am then able to produce more as well as become more consistent and find a platform that works best for me to share my works.

 - https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/meireles-babel-t14041

Dominic Hawgood’s work was also displayed in TJ Boulting in London before Hayley Morris-cafiero. The work is sight specific, filling the basement of the building with flickering lights resembling TV and phone screens, communicating the radical technology which is behind the digital world. The artist wishes to recognise the work behind the phones we use and that many of us do not realise as images from the internet wash over us. By using the technology as an art piece that we would not otherwise recognise, the artist allows the scale of what we face ahead for technology by reminiscing on the history of the technological age, the flickering lights reminding those of sitting in front of a TV screen getting square eyes. The work also allows for some kind of paradox where the viewer feels as though they are inside of a computer, in doing this the viewer is confronted with the bleak aspects of digital communication, a feeling of trancing emptiness fills the experience of the viewer. I find the blue and bright lights is what makes this experience so calming and trance like, but this stimulation to the brain may also be why today we are facing an addiction to the devices that are transforming the world. Hawgood’s work inspires me through his use of the technology that is changing today, as well as the colour blue which only reminds me of the worlds deepest oceans and lightning filled sky, a nod to our natural connection with the earth. I may experiment with the use of flickering lights within my work, allowing for the viewer to become entranced to the work. It is the simplicity as well as the knowledge and thought behind the work that makes it successful, allowing to trust the artist in the information that is being bought forward for us to experience. The artists display of their work also allows the viewer to become immersed, becoming part of the work, TJ Boulting seems to believe in this method of connection with the audience, allowing the work to be experienced by the audience is what makes the work so personal and easy to connect and understand; much like standing in a forest allowing the earth to bring you back.