«In Part 5 you present some highly effective work, which demonstrates a developing creative voice. You build on the successes and creative exploration of earlier sections and the work presented demonstrates an expansive, confident and far-reaching formal and material exploration intertwining sculpture, painting, drawing and video. As discussed you recognize your sculptural exploration as occupying a field of possibilities rather than following a singular and linear path. (OCA Tutor)
I saw the problem that I could not decide on my favourite material or the most important direction in art. But somewhere in the middle of this course, I read an interview with Richard Tuttle. Where he describes his experience as a student remembering the herding of artists to define their noticeable style. He felt as if that was training to find the end of something when he was and remains interested in finding the beginnings. (Richard Tuttle, Staying Contemporary interview on Art21, Online At: https://www.green-coursehub.com/research-blog/yuck-yuck-fun-richard-tuttle (Accessed 29.11.2020). Also, it was around this time that I reached Jerry Saltz’s Step 40. Don't define yourself by a single medium. And somehow this problem was resolved for me the blood ran through my veins faster and more cheerful. So really exploring sculpture has become for me more than simple tests with plaster or clay.
« As you acknowledge, the contextual aspect of your research needs development and as you approach assessment you do need to pay attention to developing depth and breadth here.” (OCA Tutor)
I am already working on this, and filling in the gaps; so that at the time of the assessment, there is enough evidence of my depth and breadth of the contextual research.
«…you have to keep pace with its timescale and make decisions quickly. …You do refer to time as you reflect on the work and its processes and it seems to me that this consideration is an important constituent part of your process.» (OCA Tutor)
Yes, the time spent on the production of the work makes me think about the accident. I have noticed that a lot of good finds happen by chance. And the frequency of these "accidents" increases in proportion to how much I have studied, or read, or thought, or practised. It seems to me that in these short intervals a channel with the subconscious opens and in a matter of seconds everything that is in me is analyzed, knowledge, feelings, values of everything-everything, and a decision or idea is made.
I thought here could be made a parallel to the work of one of my favourite choreographers, Sharon Eyal.
She notes that in the moment of creative work, a kind of "letting go" is happening. At this point, essential are feelings and spirit and not consciousness, which is also happening to me.
So I need to see how it will work with a painting. At which moment, there will be accidents and how I can record them and reproduce.
«I thought it was interesting that you started to refer to the fact that some work is in a sense incomplete because its method or means of display is not yet resolved. … can the object itself reveal to you how it wants to be, and where it wants to be? Could this be determined by its weight, its natural state of balance, how it is made? We discussed durability and how it might be possible to work with the fragility of a work – including placing works on the floor! » (OCA Tutor)
The presentation of the work and/or place of the work is an integral part of the work itself.
So, for example, if we imagine that Yoko Ono's "Ceiling Painting/Yes Painting" would be placed on the wall, and not on the ceiling, then the viewer would not have to climb the stairs and make an effort to look at the work, which was an essential experience of this art piece. And so, the place of the "Yes Painting" turned out to be highly effective as the impression of it made John Lennon meet the artist.
Yoko Ono by Graham Keen modern bromide print from original negative, November 1966 [Photography] At: https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw280178/Yoko-Ono (Accessed 12.01.2021)
Indeed, sometimes the object or material itself suggests the place of their presentation. For example, in Part 2 Project 3 “Online prayer” iPads needed to be in the middle of the room, and they would need to be in a vertical position.
So The solution with the easels was just right. And more than that they enrich the installation because they remind of the structure of a human’s body and the wooden cross.
But for some works and materials, it is not always easy to determine the right place. So, for the piece with plaster and root, I could not decide - to hang it on the wall or put it on a pedestal. Difficulties arose because of this difference, in the interpretation or perception of this object in both places was very subtle. And if I would place this object on the floor, it would be the third meaning. But, since I saw intercourse in this work, and I wanted to show the plaster line in full, I decided that representation on the wall would help the viewer to think in the direction I want because the end of the root and hanging part of the gypsum would refer to a particular part of the men’s body.
«In the mesh pieces you seem to be looking for a way that paint and colour can exist without a support. … The mesh as a fine support seems to occupy an important
space here – how could you develop this line of enquiry further? » (OCA Tutor)
Yes, I continued this direction and tried to introduce the third element.
Read further here: https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/critical-appraisal Or, in short, I added stone as a base for the sculpture in order to understand if the additional element would interfere with the poetry of colour. In my opinion, it doesn't disturb but rather change the meaning.
Now it more looks like the concern about ocean pollution. The colour and the stone remind me of seawater and mesh doesn't belong to this environment. Yet my research was about the colour itself, therefore, I think it is a wrong direction. As a development of this line of enquiry further, I would experiment with building foam, try to use it without support, and probably cut it, that from the shape it would not be clear which material is in use. I also want to apply it on the dry plaster powder as I did it with hot glue. It could allow me to shape it better. So I'm planning on researching synesthesia. How did Kandinsky translate colour and music into shape? Explore other artists who see colour in volume and shape.
«We discussed how you might give yourself some space in the work by really focusing in on a particular set of sculptural concerns; perhaps setting up some limitations or non negotiable aspects of the work. » (OCA Tutor)
This is exactly the kind of limitation I set for myself when reworking work 1 "Composition with space and balls" Part 5. More information here: https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/research-for-object-section The need for such a restriction arose due to the fact that in the first version the work was overloaded with unnecessary objects and meaning was lost. Therefore, the focus on balls and space became my limitations.
I tried to extend the space of holes onto the canvas. It turned out that when the light changes, the dark spots of space and paint are combined and perceived as one.
It's the same with the balls, I played with the illusion of the real and the drawn, but I tried not to be tempted by other shapes anymore.
This turned out to be a good lesson, for me, and close to my understanding of "less is more".
«Could these actions (activating work by video projection) be developed beyond the documentary and translate into actual work perhaps offering an opportunity for audience interaction? » (OCA Tutor)
Oh, yes. Of course, I already tried this idea in Drawing 1 course where the viewer would need to paint on the iPad the face of the lady which would be a part of the drawing.
If this course did not end there would be no end with new works ;)
I've already thought about combining this practice with my glitch boxes. It will look rhetorical - the viewer will make his own mistake (glitch).
«As mentioned above this aspect of your work does need more breadth and depth.
You talk about a list of favourite artists whose work you hold in mind as you work, and whose work and approach, in some sense guides you. Could you go into more detail, here to articulate how and why this is the case? » (OCA Tutor)
Yes, full research is available here https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/research-my-list-of-favourite-artist
«you may wish to investigate the work of Gabriel Orozco and Michael Dean (sculpture/writing).» (OCA Tutor)
Bibliography and references
1. Saltz J. (2020) How to be an artist. Riverhead Books
2. The Guardian. 2014 Yoko Ono show at Guggenheim shines light on pioneering conceptual artist online At: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/mar/13/yoko-ono-guggenheim-bilbao-conceptual-influence#:~:text=When%20John%20Lennon%20climbed%20up,magnifying%20glass%20to%20read%20it. (Accessed 12.01.2021)
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