Assignment 3 and beyond

I was disappointed with my assignment 3 presentation as I ran out of time to discuss the work of the chosen practitioner, Alan Fletcher. In taking the time to address research criteria and research methods in respect of my own practice i did not leave the time to discuss individual examples of Fletcher's work. If I had had the opportunity to do this I feel that I could have given a clearer explanation of my selections relating to my own intended work.

However, following my presentation, I have now moved on to some of my own work which has been inspired by some of the practitioners that I investigated through assignment 2 leading to the assignment 3 presentation. The presentation, based on Alan Fletcher whose work I have admired for some time focussed on his later wok which was inspired by his own investigations and not necessarily by client driven expectations. Through my previous career, my design work has been pretty much directed by client requirements and budgets. Therefore I now see my current study as an opportunity to investigate approaches and processes of my choice; beginning with the intention of generating starting points from non digital sources.

Some of the content of Fletcher's creative/experimental work such as his collages has inspired me. (He was obviously a real hoarder of printed ephemera). Equally, through my assignment 2 research I came across Richard Meier, an architect who creates collages from found ephemera whilst on his business travels. He identifies that his work has no intended meaning, but is instead an opportunity to deal with the aesthetics and balance of the work for himself. From these reference points I have been making some small collages from printed ephemera based on themes related to periods/trends during my lifetime. The work mainly concentrates on the organisation of space/juxtapositions although there is some reflection here: My father's ill health and his inability to now make music - he was a talented jazz guitarist and music writer, so there is ephemera related to this. Everyday ephemera; postmarks and correspondence and journeys/travel. I am now considering how I can develop initial collages into extended pieces of work, either digital or further mixed media approaches.

Shelter, Edwina Bridgeman, Victoria Art gallery, bath

Shelter; Victoria Art Gallery, Bath. 13 Mar – 6 May 2010

Following my visit to the show on 14 April:

Whilst the miniature sculptures might be described as charming (public responses in visitors book) I do not feel that the work here necessarily addresses the theme and worldwide issues of “shelter” with any serious objective or effective message. The larger central pieces of stacked doors and elevated beach hut do not seem to fit successfully with the smaller pieces and appear a token attempt to communicate the more serious issues raised by the exhibition theme; in fact I am not convinced that the artist feels ‘comfortable’ with the work at a larger scale.

My overall feeling about the work was that the imagery created in the smaller pieces was descriptive rather than emotive and would be better suited to characters and situations for a series of book illustrations. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the smaller pieces and thought that the artist used ‘found’ materials with ingenuity.

 

 

“Van Doesburg and the International Avant-Garde

Update and more comprehensive eview of my visit to this exhibition back in February.

Prior to my visit to this exhibition I had been somewhat unaware of the developments, links and collaborations forged by Theo Van Doesburg during the early post World War1 period. The ‘Critical List’ in the Sunday Times states: “…The show is devoted to the founder of De Stijl and he shares the limelight with the work of 80 others. The result, though impressive, confuses.” On the contrary, my visit filled in a number of gaps in my own understanding of the transitions in art and design and lasting influences created during this period of the 20^th century.

The exhibition is curated chronologically to show Van Doesburg’s early work – cubism and expressionism - and the subsequent development into the abstract that formed the beginnings of the De Stijl group and his later work up until his death in 1931. The work in the first two rooms clearly demonstrates the process and stages of reduction from figurative to abstraction, right down to the development of the De Stijl typeface with no curves; each letterform inscribed within a square or rectangle. Room four documents his work with architects prior to the beginning of De Stijl; his work with JJP Oud, stained glass windows, building facias and furniture that have clear visual links to the abstract colour work of both Van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian (Van Doesburg’s contemporary and fellow member of De Stijl).

The displays that document his interest in Dadaism and Constructivism and the Bauhaus are particularly interesting to me as a graphic designer. In a letter to Tristan Tzara Van Doesburg comments: “The Dadaist spirit pleases me more and more…”. However, although he was willing to express these views, and link the direction and ethos of De Stijl to other movements, the work that he produced in the Dadaist spirit was hidden under the pseudonym of IK Bonset. The influence that artists such as Kurt Scwitters, El Lissitsky, Lazlo Moholy Nagy had on his work and that of his contemporaries can be seen here; collage, photo-montage and the adoption of the diagonal motif become more visible as his work develops. In fact, it was Van Doesburg’s adoption of diagonal themes (“Counter Compositions”) that led to Mondrian leaving De Stijl.

Van Doesburg had hoped to teach at the Bauhaus to spread the radical ideas of De Stijl. But having failed to secure a post, set up his own private courses where he rejected the Bauhaus’s emphasis on expressionism in favour of objectivity and machine production. Hand written registers are on show documenting these classes that attracted Bauhaus pupils and De Stijl’s eventual influence on Bauhaus teaching. By 1925 Van Doesburg was recruiting artists to De Stijl whose work was closer to Constructivism and his later paintings have adopted the distinct diagonal themes and grid structures, which he states “… eliminate aesthetic speculation.”

In all, there is much to absorb in this show and the influences and developments of that early 20^th Century period still have recurring influences on current design trends.

 

MA Show - current work

In amongst all the research and planning for Assignment 3 in Research methods I have been developing a further piece of work for the MA Graphics "work in progress" show which is being hung later this week. For this piece I have taken forward a further idea from "50 Things" - earlier work from last Semester.

The work relates to the personal set of postage stamps that I developed for "50 Things". It considers the idea of writing a personal message or comment to the person depicted by the stamp. This approach adopts the graphic elements of correspondence on envelopes ie. the address and visual marks associated with the communication. Could this in some way be considered graphic poetry? In addition to this finished piece I have drawn up ideas for the content related to the other 47 stamps in the set, ie. the messages. I feel that in taking this work from Semester 1 a stage further I have explored additional concepts that provide opportunities for graphic representation and associations between myself and events, facts or people during my life. 

Teasemade exhibition

Recent visit to this exhibition gave another insight to a contemporary artist taking influences fro 1950's styles and bringing them bang up to date. Works by Peskimo and Chris Dickason build on characters - maybe suggested by comics, every day life, situations etc. Whilst some work is screen printed much on display were digital prints on archival paper and available to buy at A4, A3 and A2 sizes. It is interesting that with a more recent resurgence of screen printing that more and more artists seem to be adopting techniques in 'photoshop' such as distressing layers to emulate historical effects of the mechanical printing processes

Assignment 2 into assignment 3

Gradually pulling together research into 20+ artists/designers I have become increasingly aware of the chronological and 'contemporaries' links between the practitioners that I have selected. In choosing artists/designers that match at least 3 of my criteria for practice that influence and have made an impression on me I am finding many crossovers; links where one practitioner has taught another or been a contemporary of others. This has given me a greater insight to and an understanding of the work of many practitioners and the developing styles and trends that I have for many years admired.

My 5 research Criteria have now been refined to:

• space/juxtaposition

• period/trend

• type/typography/print

• abstract/collage

• humour

In considering my shortlist of five practitioners and selecting one artist/designer to present a case study on my focus has been on Alan Fletcher. I am able to trace his career history back through influential teachers and contemporaries that have interested me and influenced my style and appreciation of works. Additionally, I find that the choices he made in the latter stages of his career to work freelance (after the major corporate organisation of Pentagram) and consider the creativity in his work for himself inspiring. In my own search for development of 'new' practice I find his interest in design as an ongoing ellment of his life, not just a Monday to Friday rat race inspiring and intriguing.