14th October 2019

Drawing and Painting

After Pecha Kucha, I have focused on distorted views that contemporary people experience. So I have tried to make drawings that can represent distorted views. For example, the shape itself has a distorted shape or the process of being distorted by something. Of them, to explain the latter in detail, I have drawn drawings that remain the same but are viewed differently by perspectives. 

17th October 2019

Group Crit with Yvonne Feng 

The above-left picture shows the new EXIT. The exit points to the right, but the black arrow points the opposite direction. So, when viewers look at this, they cannot eventually decide the direction they have to go. As I mentioned in the conceptual development, I think such confusion situation represents the contemporary people. In a flood of information such as the filter bubble, we face ourselves that can't decide anything. In addition, above-right work is an experimental work that expresses the shape of the echo chamber.  

Feedbacks from my peers and Yvonne meant that I have to rethink the overall process. Because one is figurative, but another is a form of installation, they said that the direction of both works is the opposite. So, they suggested seeking a specific direction. In addition, they recommended that the bigger scale gives impact to the audience and wondered whether I want to keep using the newsprint paper or not. Due to the difference of texture about paper and canvas, they advised using the canvas material inserted my drawing into this.

I also agree with their opinions. I just tried to create work in which I express my thoughts. Although using newsprint papers is just an experimental work, I decided to try the abstract painting to recognise and understand the shape of an echo chamber.

After the group critique, I tried drawings on canvas like above. And I installed it like the form of an echo chamber room. Through this work, which is an experimental level, I have come up with abstract shapes. However, I think if I expressed something from a symbolic thing, it would be clear what I wanted to convey. After this practice, I can look back and reflect. I depended on the feeling, so I easily lost the direction. Therefore, I think I have to apply abstract forms of something, such as the text and symbolism.

29th October 2019

Conversation with Geraint Evans

It is a kind of the echo chamber called the reverberation chamber, which it is a room designed to create a diffuse or random incidence sound field.

When I saw this image, I thought that it has the essential painting elements such as point, line and plane in a particular space. To be specific, the mics, the wires and wooden-papers can be point, line and plane each. I am interested in it because I want to make installations by using these painting elements. Namely, I intend to create a combination of painting and installation.

Accordingly, I did the experimental work below by referring to previous work in which I made by newsprint papers(below-left picture). The below-right work was dyed by acrylic in order to seek the chance-effect. And before painting something more on the canvas, I experimented with hanging it from the ceiling to express my attempt at making an image like an echo chamber.

Geraint showed an interest in an echo chamber image. However, after seeing my experimental work(above-right picture), he mentioned that when I make the installation, I have to think about the properties of materials I use. When I paint on the canvas, the shape of the canvas was already complete, so I do not feel worried about the quality. On the other hand, in the case of the installation, it should be considered in its edge, shape, and quality. Also, he advised thinking about meaning and reflection. I should think about what I want to do and exactly establish the intention about what kind of reflection I want the audience to have.

"What do you want the audience to see, understand and realize in your work?"

He told me Susan Hiller's 'witness' and Kurosawa's movie called 'Rachomon'. These examples showed specific stories. So he suggested to include more metaphorical things such as text and sound in my work.

Also, he said that my overall concept is related to 'Post-Truth'. Having read ‘Post-truth’ by Mcintyre Lee (2019) in which he recommended, I found the chapter related to my concept.  “post-truth” as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” We are living in an era of 'Post-Truth'. In the Post-truth era, we accept what we believe is true rather than the objective facts. 

Furthermore, I looked for images related to 'Post-truth' via Google. I found 'Post-Truth' is relevant to my experimental work as 'new EXIT' (17th Oct 2019). I have to read more and study this, and I will use this theory into the based concept of my project.

After the tutorial, I should step my project in a calm and orderly way. If I do ambiguous and experimental works, I could lose the way in the process. Therefore, I will find a kind of single words as a first step. The text has involved their own meaning, so the audience can easily interpret it and reflect their opinions. With regard to this, I am going to put texts into painting.

In addition, I will combine screen-printing and painting for my future project. I will express texts and symbolic objects by making screen-printing and focus on finding an unintended effect of the abstract painting. Still, I think I have to do more of finding an object such as text and metaphorical images related to my concept.

‌‌2nd November 2019

'Text' Study

FACT / FAKE / FICTION
REAL / UNREAL
POST
RIGHT / LEFT
LIE
BELIEVE
FEELING / EMOTION
ARROW / POINT
ONE WAY / STOP
POST-TRUTH ERA

I have studied a kind of single words and tried to find the cases that the meaning is the opposite but similar shape or connected word. As I mentioned before, I want to put the elements as point, line and plane in my works. So I have tried to find metaphorical objects of these elements.

- Point: Speakers, Balls
- Line: Wires,
- Plane: Wood, Metal, Paper, Canvas, Mirror
- Channe-act: Sound, Brushstroke

4th November 2019

Painting Practice

‌After researching a sort of single words and objects in terms of 'Post-Truth', I was afraid to create the installation. However, time was running fast. So, I habitually planned to make oil painting on linen. At that time, I wanted to explore the real process, not an experiment. However, as I went on with this process, I continued to wonder if I was right to express it this way.

The reasons are :
Firstly, I decided without specific purposes to make a painting. I discovered I was habitually painting. Even if I wanted to proceed by stages on my whole process, the painting was like material without meaning. Second, I had a fear of looking for my specific material in a short time. Because of this fear, I tried to seek the method in a painting I've been doing it for a long time.

Ultimately, I realised it essential to study how to find a material that could effectively use elements. So I will try out screen-printing.

7-8th November 2019

Silkscreen Printing and Wood Workshop

‌In the above pictures, objects represent 'Post-Truth' each; On the top, there are four cuboids. However, in the lower part, these can only be seen as three. Also the arrow on the middle points the word of ‘FAKE’, but the word of ‘CT’, which is connected to ‘FACT’, points in the opposite direction under the arrow. In that direction, we can find the arrow of 'ONE WAY’. That is, these elements allude that truth can be changed depending on the angle we see. I intend to study the metaphorical objects of 'Post-Truth' by the screen-print method. Also, I am making series that are painted by oil paint on it.

Also, I made the wood frame, such as the image. This image is connected to the reverberation chamber. I am going to create an installation by using the wood frame and screen printing. Using a transparent paper, I will make the picture that can look at both sides of forward and backward, and put a mirror under it. When the audience looks at the mirror, they can see objects and their reflection through the mirror on the floor.

21st November 2019

The process of silkscreen and painting

The above works are combined with silkscreen and painting. As I mentioned before, these works involve metaphorical objects and texts. The study is related to different perspectives by the viewing angle. 'Like' and inverted 'Lie' show similar shapes, but having opposite meanings. Also, ‘6’ or ‘9’ are the same shapes, but it is differently shown according to turn it over. Also, the sentence, which is in 1984 by George Orwell, is a code. Even though it is the real sentence “In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.”, but it becomes code so we cannot read and understand it. These elements become a sort of tricks.

Through these works, I found motifs for the next installation. I will combine these elements into it.

15th November 2019

Conversation with Anna Bunting-Branch

Today, I discussed my works and project proposal with Anna. She is interested in my various experimental works. However, when she read my proposal, she told me that she did not understand I say which direction. My research questions were too broaden, and contents also involved too many things. She mentioned that I have to keep the focus because my proposal was entirely a broader view. She emphasized the importance of a specific direction. So I have to pin down my particular concept such as ‘Post-Truth’, tricks and installation. I agree with her opinions. I have to determine what is the truth and where I should stand at a position.

Also, She suggested various relevant artists: 
- Bridget Riley who has studied Op-Art
- John-Baldessari who introduces texts and sentences in painting as conceptual art
- Lee Bul who creates the installation by combining with mirrors and texts
- Michelangelo Pistoletto who uses mirror and reflection 
- Hans Holbein who shows hidden stories from different perspectives 

22nd November 2019

The Process of Artwork

I created a new work combined with using symbolic objects, texts and coded sentence. It has the composition that combined with silkscreen printing and painting on a transparent paper.

It will be displayed hanging from the ceiling, and the mirror paper that can be reflective will put on the floor. As the above pictures, the audience can see their reflection from the mirror on the floor. Thus they can read and interpret these images as a post-truth society between them and their reflection and also think these meanings and their present state. As the first step, I made the space where it can be interactive with the audience. I aim that they experience and realise through their interpretations.

In these processes, I found I have been interested in the unfixed form. I have constantly expressed the form in previous works and experimental works. I need to think about how I can apply such interest to my work. Also, I depicted a direct study about my concept this time, but the next work will focus on a combination of the issue and my emotion.

24th November 2019

Conversation with Tim Johnson

Today I discussed method and material with Tim. After installing my work, I felt 'Should I need to use a wooden frame?' He also asked me why I use this wood frame because he thought it seems to be an existing canvas frame. If I want to get away an existing painting, he advised using a different way of material. So, He suggested metal materials such as mesh because this material is easy to handle and to create a shape.

I asked him about painting on a transparent paper as I have a question about using oil paint or acrylic on it. He didn't know the correct methods about it. However, he suggested experimental methods with the fixative. In other words, it is to use oil paint or acrylic or to use these paints on a transparent paper that sprayed the fixative.