Small room In Situ

Small room. 

Medium – wood, found wood/cardboard, found objects lights and sound

“Jetsam” – discarded objects. I like the idea that one can create something from discarded objects that have been officially labelled as “no use”. The installation has evolved from an idea which was inspired by a German artist named Kurt Schwitters. Schwitters created art he called Merz, which came from the word Kommerz (commerce). After the German revolution, Schwitters found inspiration in the aftermath that surrounded him. "Everything had broken down…new things had to be made from fragments."

Mud map for exhibition.

Small room with studio space to the right.

Side view.

 

Originally the idea for this installation was just a room of about half this size. With a floor space of just two pallets. But after discussing some ideas with one of my teachers at Tafe, I sourced two more pallets from the garbage and doubled the floor space. I added another half size wall and rail section. The small studio space to the right was introduced because I couldn't get to my studio upstairs. I had tied up string from the ceiling and wall as to create a web so it was impossible to enter. As it was an integral part of building the installation, the desk stayed as part of the finished installation. During the entire time I was emersed in the installation, I played jazz from the 40's. This was also included in the exhibition as well my hat and waist coat that I hung up every day while I was working on the piece. 

 



Close up of corner section.

A view of the left hand wall.

Ruth and the "medicine cabinet".

Close up view of the back wall.

The left wall with telephone table and chair.

 

Inside the installation were my flatpack sculpture series. There were sculpture pieces from series 2, 3 & 4. I sold two of the sculptures from series 3. 

Close up of the book shelf and flat pack series sculptures.

Standing piece with swinging button.

Close up view of small studio desk.

Close up view of the rear wall.

Close up view of behind the left wall.

Behind the back wall, note the speakers: Glenn miller got a work out.

At the rear of the installation.



Marcel Duchamp and Chiharu Shiota

Painting with string.

For my final assessment in Painting social contexts. I have chosen to throw out the paint and instead, paint with string inside my studio, ultimately rendering it useless. I wanted to make sure I could not use this area anymore, ending its practicality and therefore forcing me out of the nest.

Conceptual similarities with other artists throughout history -

Modern Art.

In a way it's very similar to what the Dada folks did - Anti-art. Taking something and making it useless. Marcel Duchamp was pretty good at this. Take for example his readymades, in particular his Bicycle wheel, which he stated as having "no purpose".

Marcel Duchamp and his Bicycle wheel. 1913

Bride stripped bare by her bachelors, even. The Large Glass. (1915-1923)

At this time WW1 had shocked the world awake. Not since medieval times had the anyone been subjected to such destruction. Dada was a reaction to this war, they rejected reason and logic. They made the usefull, useless. Infact the truth to dada is quite unclear, some believe it is a nonsensical word, better off in a book such as "The Hunting of the Snark" by Lewis Carroll.

Post Modern Art.

Chiharu Shiota is Japanese and lives in Germany. She is best known for her incredible web like installations. Using black and sometimes red threads she creates webs that cover entire rooms rendering the objects within unaccessible. In one installation she has covered the wall of a building with red webs that are connected to shoes.

Shiota's "House of imagination - concepts" - 2008

When Shiota was a child, a neighbours house had burned down. A piano remained amongst the ashes but had become dysfunctional. The haunting image has stayed with her and has been an influence on her work.

During Sleep - 2010

Post it notes

For various reasons I keep notes. I collect them off the street, out of trolleys and from off the floor. Mundane, interesting, thoughfull notes...

Studio installation for painting class

I'm not exactly how I got it all ok'd but for my final assessment I've created an installation for my painting class. It's probably only just meeting the criteria but I've put a lot into it. The webs have engulfed my studio space, making it useless. At first I said it was a web for every lie that Campbell Newman pushed. But all of the thread in Brisbane would not have been enough for that scamp. I see it as an easy way to say goodbye, an exit from my studio because I cannot use it anymore. Thus shifting my energy downstairs to my installation for the exhibition. I could have taken the webs further but it was seriously getting out of control. The amount of trapeze work required to hang some of the webs was ridiculous. Several times as I shimmied between the wires I had the soundtrack to "mission impossible" running threough my head. And when I tippy toed on the ladder as the thing teetered, I decided it probably wasn't a good idea. It is now Monday and as I write this, I suddenly realised that my work for my assessment today is sitting at the back of my studio. I am able to reach it with some acrobatics skill. Nice work!

Personal artwork Anal yesis

Flatpack Sculptures (series 2)

Object 1.

Object 2.

1. Simple shapes made of squares and rectangles. The colours come from a limited palette. I like creating objects that are restricted to two or three colours. The materials used have both smooth and rough surfaces.  Because the objects are quite small the space plays an important role, at this size I hope they become intriguing. Everything else seems to dwarf the little fellas. They are humble pieces that shy away from making any bold or awkward statements. Whimsical perhaps but never trivial. They seek to engage the viewer.
2. The objects are formal. The subject matter is about the insignificant, common material, the colours, the form and structures. They are intimate pieces. 
3. The materials are mostly discarded materials. I like the idea of jetsam floating on the streets and I’m rescuing it to give it a new life. From the odd buttons I find, to the cardboard I tear from boxes that are pulled from bins.  I like tying objects together using thread and eyelets. It seems the tidy thing to do. And it is respectful to the injured materials I have rescued.
4. They are presented on miniature plinthes made from the offcuts of pallets I have dissected for another project. They are close to other 2D artworks that reflect the same minimal form and colours. They sit upon my desk, which is slowly being consumed by an installation made of webs. The actual presentation for these objects will take place in several weeks, where they will find themselves on the street.
5. The artwork is abstract, minimal and once set free will be ephemeral street art. It may also contain traces of constructivism (Whilst being an extremely complex movement which the exact meaning was debated vigorously within art institutions, has origins based on angular shapes and simple colour schemes), suprematism (Geometric shapes in limited colour scheme), de stijl or neoplasticism (which only allows non-colours and shapes such as squares and rectangles).

Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Reitveld (De Stijl)


6. To access this work, you may need some understanding of art using found objects or assemblage. Street art. Modern art, minimalism. Architecture in the 20th century. The use of cardboard and the recycling of materials.
7. Design and architecture from the modern era. Recycling of materials has had a big influence on me. The idea but also the need as I am too poor to afford materials.
8. I grew up in a home with a low income. Although I was not made aware of this until I was older. I guess mumma and pappa did a good job of hiding this from me. We did a little recycling and the lack of toys at my disposal brought about the urge to create things to play with. I recall wandering the streets of Kingscliff searching for paddle pop sticks or junk that I could use to make cool things with.
9. Recycling, reclaiming and reusing is something that we've been doing for centuries. From the recycling of Bronze in Roman times 400BC to recycling during economic slumps such as after WWII. But this is more of a global thing than simply something that happens in the Western world. People have been reclaiming wood and materials to fashion new items in villages in Africa and India for years.
10. Artists who create this kind of art include. Richard Tuttle. Eugene Carchesio. Gareth Donnelly. Madonna Staunton. 

Richard Tuttle. Light and Colour 2007. 



Eugene Carchesio. Silence is Golden. 1994-95


11. Technology will play a vital role in my work. Having made the decision to display these works on the street under an anonymous body of artists. I am able to document with a camera and blog about later.
12. The first series of flatpack sculptures were displayed over at the conservatorium of music on a small rotunda. The reason I feel it is important to bring artwork of this kind to the street is for the people that do not subscribe to the cult of galleries. I was considering the type of folk that would invest in my artwork at a gallery and the very few that would come to enjoy it. I believe by placing such a work on the street, not only am I exposing my art to a different audience but I am enlightening people to the joys of a different, less obtrusive kind of street art.  

BEK Flatpack series 1. Displayed at QLD conservatorium of music.



Installation progress (part 2)

The installation is now gathering momentum. I've tested my art and objects within the space and they look great. I've just doubled the floor space and will now move into the area for the remainder of my time at Southbank. I will update with photos of the extended floor space in the next post. Here are some photos from the last couple of weeks...

I have Nate working hard. He put in 5 screws and wants overtime. Sheesh! =0P

Early on I had used some ex students artwork and tin signs, but ended up

removing them due to copyright issues. ha!

XXXX YOU!

Back of the installation.

Interesting shapes within the installation.

The installation all walled up with BB & XXXX removed.

Here is the medicine cabinet built from a small pallet and

below this is a book shelf, also built from a pallet. Insect displays

top left will display my prized jetsam.

The smaller wall with the jamjar light I made from found objects.

And below this is a shelf made from pallet off-cuts.

Close up of the jam jar light.

Me being awesome.