SophiCamille

Soft Estate

The undervalued, impassable land beside arterial routes which evolves a natural home for wildlife, however it has the underestimated idea of how soft estate has now changed because it is now subject of an exhibition?

Edward Chell and invited artists gaze upon this area which was once so unappealing to the eye. Although through paintings, prints, video and the use of road dust and car parts. It is 'known' to be an unappealing, bleak English landscape that somehow can now be considered to be picturesque. Is this the new style of what was a traditional landscape?

On site we had a brief synopsis with Artist Director, Bryan Briggs. He went on to explain the movement of a larger exhibition from Chell's solo project and also by what methods he used in order to create the works of contemporary landscapes.

Overall I feel that two particular elements were entirely distinctive to me, one being the 'Poker Smoker Mantle Piece', laser etched stainless steel, 2013. This is such a significant piece for me, as it drew me back to my younger days, the fun days where me and my dad would go watch cars being distorted and smashed up until it is not longer the object that it started life to be, banger racing. The work brought back the aroma of burning rubber, petrol and dirt which has just been thrown at you by a speeding car. The sound of engines roaring, well maybe not quite a roar, more a groan, I should say. Chell also puts the source into his work such as the road dust in the printing ink. What else can we put into our ink? Paint or whatever material we are using that day? How much more could this be explored?

Besides the sparks of ideas from memory by this exhibition, I do not believe it to be as strong as The 3 Am. However the exhibition did open my eye to the fact we are killing off the natural beauty given to us, and it appears that we take no care and just drive past. The area is somehow taking its own beauty which would have been seen to be unappealing.

Throughout the following semester we are due to display our work in four pop up exhibitions such as bluecoat and metal. The exhibition will display our projects and will link to space chosen and our own work.

Recently, I have been revisiting an ongoing project. Whereby I was looking into how my family could be seen to be different, and how this has changed me and made me think more about others. We have foster siblings living at home, this therefore leads me to think; is family all about blood? Is more of a bond and set of values we share with one another. My idea of this has changed somewhat. As one day I became a sister to three young children in need of a loving home, which they never had. I therefore feel in need to explore the system which they gone through and procedures taken. I intend to do this within my practice and as a expression of my feelings towards the children. In order to develop this project further I will be digging deeper in to the system such as the judicial system and the role of social workers. I intent to start at the beginning, the turning point, when someone or something is noticed, and an outside body intervenes to help. For example a child running away or noticed to be heavily bruised.

My Primary media used tends to lay within painting and drawing, as over the past years I have felt a connection with such media. For my part in the pop up exhibition I started by getting hold of primary sources and taking photos of 'runaways'. Therefore tying into my response to the 'soft estate' exhibition. Taken in the undervalued, impassable land beside arterial routes of which evolves natural a home for wildlife, this therefore tied in with children as they too are on the edge of lands, the edge of society and in some cases life. Moving onto painting from the sources with oil paint, in a way I would say I have developed over the years. The painting for the blue coat was; two characters, beneath a concrete bridge, tucked in the left hand corner making them look fragile and feeble.

Also editing the photographs in such a way that it's difficult to decipher the character, linking to the fact that 'looked after children' can not be see in the public eye due to legal issues. To begin with I was going to show both a painting and three chosen photographs work, however I felt this weakened painting as the painting had been a stand alone piece it therefore was a link to the loneliness of been alone to run. Also by choosing to display the work above the radiator as a contrast to the coldness.

Fundamental Artists who have impacted my artistic walk and emotions include and Santiago Sierra- '160 cm Line Tattooed on 4 People' .

As I walked though the door, a table is laid before me 72 objects as the centrepiece of Marina Abramović's rhythm 0. The work was a six- hour performance where Abramović allowed herself to be manipulated by the public. The objects which one could use in pleasing or destructive ways, ranging from flowers to a loaded pistol. Her aim was to test the mental limits of processing conceptual art. She wanted to see how far you can push the energy of the human body.

Sierra recruited four heroin addicted prostitutes from the street to have their backs tattooed, each were hired at the price of a shot of heroin. Throughout the film they move constantly, chatting, laughing, curiously watching the tattooist.

The work made me feel disturbed, as they have a huge emotional impact, which then lead me to link to the circumstances I live within, also my previous and ongoing practice. My parents are foster carers; currently we have three siblings living with us, which descend from addictive parents. Santiago Sierra work truly made me reflect on the extremes which addicts go through to get there 'fix'; pain, loss of a home and mostly the loss of offspring.

   (Marina Abramović , 'Rhythm 0', 1974, Documentation At Tate Liverpool) 

                   (Marina Abramović , 'Rhythm 0', 1974, Photograph)

(Marina Abramović , 'Rhythm 0', 1974, Photograph)

 (Santiago Sierra, '160 cm Line Tattooed on 4 People, 2000, Film)

(Santiago Sierra, '160 cm Line Tattooed on 4 People, Film Close Up)

 (Sophie Camille, Remain Hidden, 2013, Varied Size)

Headspace

Ever thought art and surgery can go hand in hand? To be totally honest I thought not until today. I visited a talk at fact, on Headspace. Its an artistic and medical research project which aims to build up a database of 3D photographs featuring skull shapes, which are used by cranio-facial and other medical specialists. The database is the first of its kind, which aims to establish ‘typical’ skull forms for different categories of age, gender and race. For those whom do not fit the so called norm of today's society. The Headspace installation will collect 3D photographs of the public throughout the exhibition period. They are looking for a wide range of skulls from any age. Go get a 3D image of your head, not only can you be a part of an art installation but your also taking part within life changing research.

The installation and artistic research has been developed by three LJMU graduates (Philippa Dye, Rachel Armstrong and designer Isobel Seacombe.) in collaboration with cranio-facial surgeon Christian Duncan of Alderhey Children's hospital. Throughout the project they have been reflecting on social, historical, conceptual and ethical aspects of the research as an artistic enquiry.

Your 3D image could help in three major ways such as; It will enable the study into the range of head shapes of the general population. It will also help to understand if specific craniofacial features are ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. However this has caused slight contravention as some of the population believe that you are born with and should not change it. Some also see society to not have a the 'norm' facial feature as we a all different. But for people needing craniofacial surgery it is simply that they want to look like what in today's society is seen to be the 'norm', and making life a little easer for example, not been a target for a bully. Thirdly It will help to grade the severity of complex craniofacial conditions and to develop surgical procedures accordingly.

Disorientated

verb

past tense:disorientated; past participle:disorientated

1. cause (someone) to lose their sense of direction.

"when she emerged into the street she was totally disorientated

Synonyms:

Confused,bewildered,perplexed,nonplussed,at a loss,(all) at sea,in a state of confusion,in a muddle.

make (someone) feel confused.

"being there made her weak and disorientated"

Echo by Mark Boulos enforces the feeling of been disorientated, with only a step into the limelight.

Entering a darkened room you notice nothing but a spotlight, inviting you to stand within it, instantly transporting to you to the centre of London on a eerie night. Buildings, traffic and the public passing every now and then. Your ghostly reflection stares back, simulating every move and expression in such as far out place. Just a few seconds standing within the installation you really do start to ask yourself, Where am I? Who am I? Am I still me? beginning to distance yourself from reality. My voice, likewise, becomes an echo. As the image of my body becomes increasingly unsynchronised, the background also becomes strange, shrinking into the distance , the buildings then start stretched. The perspective rule now becomes a blur to me.

Echo uses a technological version of the 19thcentury stage trick ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ and the camera technique is known as ‘contrazoom,’ a technique developed by Alfred Hitchcock to induce a feeling of vertigo, as it dislodges time and stretches space. The installation was made in collaboration with Professor Olaf Blanke, a neuroscientist, who has demonstrated ways to manipulate the body’s perception of the body’s location by using 3D video, and focusing on our relationship with outer body experiences. This reflects on Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory known as ‘The Mirror Stage’, which argues that only when we recognise our reflection that we can actually begin to understand ourselves as a single subject.