Revised and added
SC5STP - Sculpture 2: Studio Practice.
Introduction
Unfortunately, this time was the most tragic in my life. Aside from major personal upheavals, the country in which I was born and raised began a full-scale war. Therefore this course (Sculpture 2) has become for me an outlet and a saving straw, helping me move on and rethink everything that was happening. The course time constraints forced me to move on but due to psychological shocks, everything took much longer than I planned.
Nevertheless, I heard somewhere that brilliant discoveries happen in difficult times. Because all problems and entities are exposed and it is «easier» to analyze the situation this way. It happened to me. I grew up and the veil fell from my eyes.
The main achievement for me became – the scale of more global/higher level of thinking. Now I am not afraid to develop projects (orders) and ideas and make them a reality. Dive into the depths of human essence and shake it, question it, and then reconstruct something new from it. I qualitatively analyzed and delved into the topics of interest to me, and for the first time, I began to really enjoy and be surprised at the conclusions obtained through such a study, as evidenced by my essay and some researches.
From the beginning of 2022 until the end of the course, I had two solo exhibitions in Berlin and Luxembourg, and six Art Markets/Fairs and group exhibitions including Germany, Belgium and Hungary. Unfortunately, it was not only a good experience…
It was an important lesson to learn to take yourself seriously, professionally and believe in yourself and what I do.
Knowledge
Demonstrating a deepening awareness of practical and contextual knowledge, and a recognition of subject knowledge and boundaries.
After the start of the war, I lost the sense of creating art. The first small step in changing my psychological state was the exhibition "Art for no one 1933 - 1945" in Frankfurt. (more info here https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/parallel-project-research-point-exhibition-visit-art-for-no-one-1933-1945) The experience of artists and reflection on World War II prompted me to comprehend what is happening through work in my studio and theoretical analysis (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/parallel-project-war) of the Russian people's behaviour.
I was faced with a harsh denial of everything else if a person supports Putin's war. It made me change my approach to communication through my art. Through the final essay and accompanying research, I developed the idea of an Ecology of Mind. Where, through provocative and/or aesthetically appealing works for "ordinary" people (not involved in art), I discuss elementary everyday issues.
left side view right side view
Warmth, 2023, recycled newspapers, acrylic, water-based fixatives, plaster on canvas, 85 x 122 x 10 cm.
For example (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/project-1-2-political-practice-position), when I recycle newspapers, I involve the material in interpretation by changing the letters to pure colour communication. Moving from one side to the other, the viewer gets the effect of "9 and 6 points of view". To understand the other position, physical involvement is needed. I also question the fact of the overall colour of the work when the person is standing directly in front of it.
On the surface, 2022, recycled wood, paper, cardboard, plastic rope; paint, building foam, golden leaf, plaster, 140 x 70 x 50 cm.
Or more provocative works (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/art-and-ecology-project-1-explore-the-future), where through the rejection of rooted traditions, the chanting of new and progressive thinking, I create images for the development of critical thinking.
So after reflecting throughout this course, I had the hope of working with each individual viewer. By the way, to my great surprise in Europe, there was a large number of native Europeans supporting Putin saying "he was provoked“ or “he had no other choice” ...
This year has been rich in cooperation. My tutor recommended that I take part in meetings and workshops with fellow students. Of the many sessions in which I eventually participated, I want to highlight the most fruitful.
Sound of loneliness, 2022, metal mesh, wood, plywood, paint, sand, canvas, cardboard, screws, metal rod, 152 x 67 x 56 cm.
OCA workshop - Keeping up Momentum - Something Missing? (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/oca-workshop-something-missing) This collaboration of an MA student, a photographer, and myself as a sculptor, became the experience of pushing the boundaries of disciplines for each of us. It was the experience of working in a group, the experience of looking at things from a different discipline, as well as the simple professional joy of communicating and creating together.
Since our cooperation was very positive and productive, I was invited to the OCA Photography Social Group. And this turned out to be one of the engines of my work.
First, I just got involved in the heart of another discipline. How the photographers choose a topic, what motivates them, how the topic is revealed, which camera is better and why...
Secondly, I was interested in the question, which I then investigated in detail (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/project-2-body-of-work-aesthetic-choic ), what makes us react to some images/objects/works and not to others. And I also created several works based on photographs, which motivated the Group to further collaboration and blending of disciplines.
OCA student's photo my reflection on this photo
And thirdly, this experience continues now (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/my-practise-4 ) in a joint project with a graphic photographer. We are working on the “War” project, which we want to submit to the exposition.
Understanding
Selecting, testing and interpreting focused research, and applying developing critical thinking and creativity to produce effective and increasingly individual ideas and outcomes.
Research has always suffered during previous courses, but now, in my opinion, it has become more detailed, deep and personal. I attribute this to the focus that arose from the war. The events that took place affected my family, so the search for answers became my sincere motivation.
For example (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/parallel-project-through-the-relational-aesthetics-to-the-individual-ecology-of-mind ), while researching "Relational Aesthetics" by Bourriaud, I come to the conclusion that this method of spreading art through social experience is dangerous, and we need to strive for individual experience. Because a social group unconsciously takes part in a "performance" that can become a performance of an attack on a neighbouring state. The people in the group are subject to mass behaviour - a lot of people who ate "Rirkrit Tiravanija's Thai Soup" agreed for eating it. No one asked the question that there is a substitution of the goals of the exhibition. I came to perceive art, and here they give me soup. This proves once again that the mass of people does not think about deep intentions, it is driven by performances - "bread and circuses" (с).
Or another example where (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/independent-practice-project-1-developing-possibilities ), through the analysis of Barlow's life path, I realized that I work with building and recycling materials because of my rejection of the imposition of traditions and because of my childhood history of working in my father's workshop.
Or my research (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/project-2-body-of-work-aesthetic-choice ) into the aesthetics of material choice has shown that I am very particular in this selection. This is a special "potential" aesthetic when objects with "potential” become something new with their previous history.
the place where I choose the used materials for my works
Well, and now the most important conclusion (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/critical-review-contemporary-art-killing-the-inner-fascist ) that explains a lot. The culture in which I grew up laid in me the signs of a fascist society. Due to curiosity, love of art and leaving the country, I unconsciously got rid of these signs, but it explained to me what is happening with people in Russia.
The experience with exhibitions made me reconsider what I do. Ordinary beautiful wall objects simply become a decoration in someone's living room. My work is beginning to please the audience and this, in my opinion, hinders the consideration of art in my works but I get access to a wide audience (where I can communicate about the war). Also, commercial galleries are aimed at simple sales, they begin to dictate to me what to do in order to sell more. And this is not how I imagine my art.
Therefore, after the end of the exhibitions, I simply destroyed the "beauty" in order to look at «my correct sense of art». And I was right, my gut feeling is telling me that this is the right path to explore further. I will move on with the idea started in my installation "Homeland". (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/assignment-two-a-monument-for-our-times ) Flesh and blood make the work alive and meaningful, not "lovely beauty".
Unfortunately, the weather did not allow me to physically implement my Parallel Project “Ecology of Mind”.
But I also take it as a sign. Because after visiting now the Niki de Saint Phalle exhibition in Frankfurt, I reconsidered the approach to this work. Inspired by the scale of the artist's work, I will use iron sheets instead of paper (which were planned as a temporary performance project) to create relief graffiti on a street wall.
In conclusion, I do not need to stubbornly follow the planned path - I can and should sometimes look for better ways, and think beyond.
Application
Applying developing personal and graduate skills to initiate and sustain studies and growing practice, and increasingly relevant practical, technical, and communication skills to articulate ideas, and outcomes effectively.
By chance, an eco-company producing detergents and cosmetics became interested in my newspaper recycling technique. The founders of the company are already in their second generation investing in support of endangered species of animals around the world. Therefore, the general idea of sustainability was key in choosing my art. I have developed (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/my-practise-4 ) and implemented more than twenty works, taking into account the logo and the interest of the customer.
Also, one of the construction companies asked me to develop and implement a mural project, (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/parallel-project-installation-ecology-of-mind ) taking into account the historical elements of the city. Unfortunately, the end buyers postponed this project for their own reasons. It was also the first experience where I thought about transferring my technique to the urban space.
For the exhibition in Berlin, I was supported by the International Association of Synaesthesia Journey Through the Senses (https://www.journeythroughthesenses.org/shape-of-color/). They proposed to develop an artwork that would conduct electricity, which would allow Playtronica to create sound by touching the surface of my colour field. I used metals and plated paper for new experiments.
The resulting work (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/monuments-introduction ) became the focus of the synaesthesia experience during the opening night of the exhibition.
I load and drive a truck for an exhibition in Berlin
Gallery search. Open Calls. Exhibitions - It was an experience that could have been better. But I have learned a lot and I perceive this part as significant for my learning (see next slide). Unfortunately, my work turned out to be very fragile for life outside of my studio.
damaged work
For some gallery owners, this caused a low-level negative reaction, while others provided support in the development and improvements, inspired by my ideas and my desire to work and improve. I can say the status of an "emerging" artist is very difficult.
My works in Munich exhibition
Not only, you need to find your unique style, but you also need to adapt it to life "in the outside world" (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/my-practise-4 ). And you also need to be psychologically stable in order to accept harsh criticism and not kill yourself. As a result, I received feedback from gallery owners and collectors, and this is the most valuable thing. Therefore, I modified the substance formula for my colour fields (https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/my-practice-3-deepening-and-nuance ), added frames and earned money, which now I can spend on a professional airbrush kit and set up new working space for this kind of work.
My work in the book about Synaesthesia
During this year, my works were published several times (for example here or here), also in the OCA newsletter, and with one of the works I was shortlisted in the sculpture category in the Visual Art Open UK. – All small, but nice to know that your work is appreciated.
In conclusion, through a personal tragedy, I involuntarily plunged into a new world, first the decomposition of the moral personality, then search for its new reassembly. Obtained in-depth study and testing of the experience gained about the moral choice of a person, aesthetics, personal unconscious experience, collective behaviour, ecology and critical thinking, which I hope you can appreciate in these final assessment materials carefully prepared for you.
Throughout the Sculpture 2 course, I not only worked on assignments but also went beyond by holding exhibitions, creating projects and continuing to change.
At the moment, my working process is in the next creative stage and I’m looking forward to starting a new course at the next level of HE6.
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