Curatorial: finished

We handed in our Curatorial Studies module this week.

Drawing Workshops

Drawing light and shadow

 

Blindfolded self portrait



Tracey Emin

In Contextual Studies, Jess, Elena, Shaun and I done a presentation infront of the class about tracey Emin. It seems odd that when given the chance to present on anything or anyone (so long as we can relate it to art context) we chose Tracey Emin, but there was a logical chain of thought.

We wanted to present ideas relating to the psychology of art, comparing two artist with completely different approaches. We were going to look at Andy Warhol, with his absolute depthlessness and pure surface-meaning that he conveys with his artwork in comparison to Tracey Emins' severely expressive, personal and intimate art work. We were interested in the metal status of each artist and how that influenced their artwork. However, after talking to Sally, who told us she was a Fine Art Lecturer and not a Psychologist (duh?) we realised we could easily go off track. We then decided to home in on Tracey Emin, as this was someone that all of us didn't have much knowledge about.

We presented about her life experiences and influences, that play a centre stage in the majority of her work. She has had quite a traumatic time, and she expresses this in a number of different creative approaches. We spoke about ideas about Tracey's high/celebrity culture, yet her low/popular culture that she seems to still embrace. I done a lot of research on her critics and found interesting views and opinions of her work. The most were quite negative, however it wasn't all bad. I did strike up a conversation with Sally and the class about how critics tend to say that because her artwork is so confessional, it makes it hard to judge it. Effectively, critics may be seen as judging her and her personal experiences, rather than the direct piece of art. It must be hard to critique fairly, as when you hear quite traumatic influences that you interpret through her art, it can make you quite bias. I understand that as a professional, it is important to look past that, but I also think that the meaning and underneath reasons for an artist to produce a certain piece of work, is as important as the piece itself. Maybe I don't know enough about the world of art right now though...We also questioned whether she can be considered Modern of Post-Modern, or something entirely different. It was then that Sally mentioned the Feminist revolution and I realised I didn't know anything about it! I wish to research this as part of my next project, maybe drawing it together with my ideas about how contemporary women are represented in the media.

This presentation was a summative assessment, meaning we were not marked. Our next project (the largest part of the module) will be assessed.

Tracey Emin - My Bed

Manipulating words

'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels'
'You can never be too thin'
'If you eat like a man, you might end up looking like one'
'Only the ball should bounce'
'Because her boobs are for you, not your baby'
'Want my body? Go vegetarian'
'Cosmetic surgery, the best decision I've made'
'Eat paper to lose weight'
'Make your ex wish he wasn't'
'Lose weight and receive lots of compliments'
'Sugar can be the willpower you need to undereat'
'It's better to be fit than fat - don't eat between meals'
'Warning: It's hard to be a little girl, if you're not'

Online Research

Great articles and info for contextual assignment and studio project:

http://www.thefword.org.uk/features/2009/01/feminist_progre

http://www.thefword.org.uk/features/2008/01/glamour_models

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1972425,00.html

http://feministmedia.tumblr.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/mcmrbt/feminism-and-the-media

http://feminism.eserver.org/real-and-ideal-body-image.txt

http://www.eating-disorders.org.uk/body-image.html

Also: Feminist Media Project

Get real Barbie

Galia Slayen made a life size version of the Barbie doll to send a visual message and spark conversation about eating dissorders.

Self

Photograph: Self Portrait, Struggle with disappearance

Oil Pastal drawing: Self portrait 'Noise'

Oil Pastal drawing: Self portrait

Photograph: Self portrait

Perfection?

Perfection; a desire. A desire that instills the itself in the deepest corners, hidden through shadows that seek for it. Ay, we long to taste perfections beauty, only to find its flavors unpalatable. Perfection is a thirst that leave the mind burning and dry.
It is a flower who's pedals are beautiful, but scent deceitful
It is the sermon of man seeking to walk in heavens garden. Only to find rotting fruit and shadeless trees.
Perfection is a dream, masked in desires nightmare.
It is the the souls army, marching to do battle with itself once more.
It is the hearts magician, and the minds illusion.

Perfection is when one no longer desires perfection, but instead, silently learns about one's imperfections.
Pain is loves shadow forever walking near light. For the deeper pains well draws, the deeper loves beauty is stored.

4am

I wish I could fit on this piece of paper..

First formative assessment

I presented some of my work to my tutors this week, as my formative assessment after the first term. It could have gone better, but then I could say that about most things I do! I lost track of what I was saying a couple of times but I hope I was able to explain the depth behind the art I had displayed. It was difficult to chose only a few items out of all the short projects we completed last term. I chose to focus on a lot of my 1st, 2nd, 3rd world art and a piece based on consumption.

This is colossal

Awesome website with some amazing work from incredible modern artists
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/

'German photographer Markus Reugels. Using large satellite photos as a backdrop and a high speed camera he captures the background’s refraction through water drops.'