C. Lister
MADA 3
Artistic Statement
The study of energy, motion and time is a vast subject which allows for a lot of different perspectives and interpretations. The artist’s approach and research plays a vital role in the outcome of the finished artwork. Through studying and examining the way other artist’s approach a particular subject creates a dynamic view on how energy, time and motion can be illustrated and presented to the audience. I have investigated into a number of different artists using a variety of media, both modern and traditional, in order to help develop my own perspective.
My art is an enquiry into how energy, motion and time work together in different environments. I am interested in creating an awareness of how beautiful and constant these elements are, and how they are often taken for granted by the mass population. Pattern, shape, colour, form, and line all form the compositions of which energy, motion and time are involved. My main objective is to illustrate the aesthetic value found in this subject matter.
Having examined the work of Futurist painter Giacomo Balla, video artist Bill Viola, and photographer/cinematographer Eadweard Muybridge, I have gathered knowledge based on alternative techniques and perspectives through different time periods and media. Using digital media, I have successfully met my initial objectives, and managed to utilize the technology to enable me to present a collection of still and moving images fused with audio taken from the related imagery.
As I live in Tokyo, an urban environment, I chose to mainly concentrate on how energy, motion and time interact within this type of environment. All three elements have something in common, rhythm.
In Rhythmanalysis, Lefebvre writes: ‘ Rhythms. Rhythms. They reveal and they hide. Much more diverse than in music, or the so-called civil code of successions, relatively simple texts in relation to the City’. ( Rhythmanalysis ) (2004).
Lefebvre indicates how rhythm is active and present in everyday life, appearing in a variety of forms and in different situations. Rhythm is present in movement, time, sound, and is prevalent in modern metropolitan life, which is what I am trying to present throughout my work.
In order to evaluate my work, I would say that I have started to understand and artistically portray the idea of energy, motion and time in everyday environments. I have built a foundation for further research and grasped a number of conceptual ideas relating to the notion of the subject matter.
However, I feel there are a lot more ways of looking at the overall idea, perhaps mixing traditional media with modern technology to create a new type of installation or audience participation. Through further research and experimentation, I feel I could create a range or series of work based on energy, motion and time in a mixture using digital tools.
The virtual environment is the most important factor in the project because it sets a scene in which the audience is invited to feel the energy, see the motion, and become aware of time within the compositions. The work is designed to create dialogue amongst the audience and to get people asking themselves questions about the beauty and complexity of life. The essence of the work attempts to depict my idea and illustration of these aspects in different and engaging environments.
The relationship between the subjects shown, the space or environment they are situated, and the audio has an immediate effect on the environment as a whole. Therefore I needed to carefully choose suitable and impressionable imagery which best represents my idea and perspective on how energy, motion and time are interact within an environment.
Reflection
The aim for my MA in Digital Arts was ‘to capture and present the beauty, complexity and importance of energy, motion and time in everyday life through various digital media’ and ‘to focus on stimulating the visual and auditory senses through a variety of visual and audio digital media’. (Lister 2006)
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The three elements of energy, time and motion formed the basis of my methodology. For each area of the project, I carried out visual experiments, pre-conceived set-ups, experimental filming and fused imagery using photography and video through various video and photographic software/equipment, I spent time creating different drafts, and reflecting on the successful and non-successful aspects of each. Working in such a methodical way helped me realize exactly what I was looking for in terms of a final piece or composition. I have kept all drafts and experimental and work archived for future use or post production.
My objectives for the project were clearly defined and I continuously referred back to them throughout the drafting process. Out of the five objectives that I set out in my Revised Proposal (March 2007), I achieved four of them:
• An interactive digital environment where the audience feels a highly sensitized perceptual awareness of their everyday surroundings.
• High quality photographic images and video footage, to create the digital environment.
• High quality audio throughout the installation to enhance the sensory experience.
• Research based on artists using similar concepts in a variety of media.
There was one objective that I was not able to achieve, which involved the presentation being of a large scale, on multiple screens. For my final show, I plan to utilize the given space and create an impressionable piece of art specifically suited to it.
I feel the most important achievements of my MA course have been:
1. A vast amount of video material that I have gathered on the subject of energy, motion and time.
2. A collection of photographs that I have gathered on the subject of energy, motion and time, which are to be archived for further use (research or exhibition).
3. Archived original and edited audio related to imagery within the context of the subject.
4. A paper on how mediums manifest different ideas or types of time.
5. An installation which was exhibited at a major Tokyo art show.
6. An understanding of various hardware and software used to create the project.
7. A greater understanding of research techniques and visual investigations related to the subject.
I have come to the following conclusions of the subject and how my work reflects ideas related to this:
1. Collecting, recording, drafting, experimenting and presenting are all crucial aspects in creating digital art.
2. Flexibility is an important factor when discussing work with colleagues and tutors.
3. Experimental approaches to the same idea create new and exciting possibilities in the work.
The way in which the projection is curated is an important factor in the decisions made when creating the final piece. Although my original plan was to project on multiple, large scale walls was not realistic for the space given for the show at Camberwell College, I want to create an impressionable and engulfing virtual environment. As the space will be a lot smaller than planned, audio will be overwhelmingly present and the projection will be on a single screen. I intend to fuse various compositions together over one screen with relevant sounds at a loud volume.
The audience will be confined to a designated area where they can experience the work. The reason for this decision is to heighten their awareness of the virtual environment and audio aspects related to the imagery by standing in the centre of the projection and speaker set up.
During this project, I feel I have met most of my original aims, but there are also possibilities for future inquiries and projects based on the idea of energy, motion and time. Some ideas could include collaboration with other artists looking at the same subject. There would be a lot of potential for a large collection of work both digital and non-digital, which would include a variety of perspectives and ideas surrounding energy, motion and time. I would also like to have the opportunity to create more large scale installations, where the audience could interact with the virtual environment in some way. I
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would be careful to avoid any actual animation based navigation, as would like to try and keep the same enigmatic and disorienting atmosphere within the work.
I would like to expand on the amount of environments and countries involved in the footage in the future development of the project. Although I used scenarios based in several countries, I would like to include more snapshots and linked imagery from different cultures and landscapes, to further enhance the audience’s aesthetic experience.
I am satisfied with the amount of drafts and visual/written research I have collected over the project, and feel more aware of how other artist’s approach a subject or idea in so many different and often complimentary ways. I plan to keep everything I have created and researched for future development and analysis. I would also like to expand on the type of media used and attempt to somehow link traditional and digital in order to create a series of perspectives on the idea of how energy, motion and time are illustrated in relation to our perception and interpretation of our reality.
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Working Title: Visions of Energy, Motion and Time
Aims
The purpose of my project is to capture and present the beauty, complexity and importance of motion and time in everyday life through various digital media. The work invites the audience to physically
‘feel’ the energy within a collection of still and moving images, and consider their own individual awareness of time, motion and energy in their everyday existence. I propose to continue developing the idea of recording motion and time, and to focus on stimulating the visual and auditory senses through a variety of visual and audio digital media. I will concentrate on capturing images of figures, urban/natural landscapes, and natural/man-made objects. I will also investigate different ways artists have shown the concept of time and motion in their work, focusing on both digital and non-digital artists. Another important factor in my work is to create an environment where the audience interacts with the work in the form of an installation. The digital environment would ultimately have a huge impact on the audience, creating a sense of disorientation and confusion of time and space.
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Objectives
The work will include:
•
An interactive digital environment where the audience feels a highly sensitized perceptual awareness of their everyday surroundings.
•
High quality photographic images and video footage, to create the digital environment.
•
High quality audio throughout the installation to enhance the sensory experience.
•
Research based on artists using similar concepts in a variety of media.
•
A 3D interactive multimedia display/presentation
Rationale
Interactivity and the digital environment
The project concept stems from my photographic work, which has been developing over the last 7 years. I originally focused on capturing motion and time using still images, to create vivid interpretations of a variety of environments. I moved onto using the moving image to create work that would have more of a direct and interactive impact on the audience. Through interactivity and immersion, the digital medium of video combined with photography and sound creates a wide range of possibilities in terms of creating a digital environment for the audience to participate and experience.
Examples of capturing time and movement through still photographs.
The moving image creates a more direct experience for the audience, in terms of being part of the digital environment. The installation will consist of an area dedicated to viewing surrounding projections of still and moving images accompanied by sound. Playback speeds will vary; slow motion and high-speed effects will be used to enhance the aesthetic attributes related to the theme. Sound will play a large part of the environment, as this will intensify the sensory experience of the audience.
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Energy, motion and time themes
Artists have investigated into how energy, motion and time can be documented, illustrated, captured, reflected and portrayed throughout history. However, I am particularly interested in how painters, photographers, video artists and digital artists explore this theme. I will explore the ideas of various artists, who used a range of media while exploring this theme, and discover how digital media can create unique and high quality work based on the same theme.
Artists will include Giacomo Balla (Futurist paintings) , Eadweard Muybridge (timeline/photographic sequences), Bill Viola (video) David Rokeby (sound/installation work) and 2005 Turner Prize nominee artist Darren Almond (photography/installation work).
Why digital?
Digital technology creates new opportunities for an artist in terms of tools, results, quality, presentation
(from galleries to the internet) and interactivity. I plan to use these tools to create an engaging and interactive work of art. I want demonstrate the full potential of new media, and reflect on how digital technology can be effective as an artistic medium.
Outcomes
On satisfactory completion of this project, I will be able to demonstrate:
•
An ability to create an interactive digital environment/installation
•
Practical skills in creating high quality digital video and photography
•
Practical skills in computer editing and techniques
•
Practical skills in organizing and curating an exhibition from concept to reality
•
An ability to research in an appropriate way according to the context of the project
•
Knowledge of other artists, both digital and non-digital, using the same subject matter in different ways in their work.
Media
I will use the following hardware and software for the visual and auditory aspects of the project: digital
SLR Camera, digital camcorder, projector, scanner, speakers, amplifier, DVD player, PC (with software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere, Encore, Microsoft PowerPoint,
Cubase, FL Studio, Logic), Fostex MR-8 Digital Studio, condenser microphone, and Internet.
Methodologies
I will conduct various types of research in galleries, libraries and through the Internet. I will be experimenting with various video and photographic techniques including drafting and post-production work. I will combine the use of traditional and digital approaches to photography and video work. This will include computer editing and a variety of calculated set ups and recording environments. I will record sounds and edit them to create compositions, which are relevant to the images. I plan to produce an installation consisting of still and moving images merged with audio, to create a unique digital environment.
Risk Assessment
The risk assessment for the digital environment/installation piece I will create needs to be carefully thought out. There are a few concerns regarding the actual physical set up of the work. There are a few options available at this point of time in the development of the work. An area consisting of one, two, three or four screens will be projected in a confined space, creating an isolated space dedicated to the digital environment. Wires and safety regarding the position of the projector, speakers and DVD
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player need to be addressed. Directions and instructions for the audience in terms of how to enter and interact with the work need to be clear to prevent confusion and over filling of the space.
Timetable
December-Researching and experimenting with SOUND, TIME, MOTION and ENERGY.
January-Project Proposal drafts. Research into time lapsed photography.
February-Drafting and collaboration of still and moving images.
March- Drafting of sound effects/compositions related to imagery.
April- Continued drafting of sound and imagery.
May-New material, visual research.
June-Continued drafting, visual research and mixture of media i.e. still and moving.
July-December-Research, experimentation and investigation into new media and how it can be used to create interactive and meaningful art.
January-March- Construction and curation of final installation.
April-June-Presentation and reflection of final show.
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Bill Viola: The Eye of the Heart (2005) Directed by Mark Kidel, BBC, 59mins [DVD].
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