Examining My Visual Language

Dale hi

thanks for agreeing to be a mentor for my blog - it is part of the small module 'cultural context of drawing', don't know if you remember it?

There was almost a mutiny when we were asked to write this blog as part of the Self Initiated Project because it meant keeping a weblog and the logbooks - a duplication as we saw it!

So it is now moved to ccofd, where it takes the place of the logbook. I'm just getting to grips with what is expecte dof the logbooks but the blog...

If you look at the blog (in reverse order is best i should think) you will see my thinking behind choosing to look at light in art. This is something I've been interested in for some time but only a couple of pieces of work have included light so far, and that was a few years ago. So I want to make work with light. I've done lots of looking and not much making... and myideas are incubating - if that sounds a bit as though I don't know quite where to go with it that's probably about right!

There seems to be a time lag of up to 24 hours when i post info, and the format of it is always a surprise - not much control over layout but it will serve.

the ccofd addresss is http://visual-language.blogspot.com

i look forward to your feedback
regards
lynda

hello linda
i love the idea of drawing with light, david shrigley [see website http://www.mudam.lu/shrigley/shrigley_on-off.htm - Lynda] has a reallyflippant animation on his web site - on/off... not of much use but itsfunny and highlights the ephemeral nature of light and lighting. Dontknow is you have looked at Ivan Navarro's work? [see below] he takes flourescentlights out of their usual environments and creates every day objectswith them - and Richard Box - who planted a whole field full offlourescent tubes under a pilon and they light up - using the power ofthe pilon! - would you consider using a sparkler to create images asdrawing? or spinning a flourescent tube..anyway i am going to haveanother look at your blog over the weekend- and get back to you ifthats ok?
dale

"Echoing the minimalist works of Dan Flavin, Ivan Navarro’s light sculptures subvert the cool detachment of florescent bulbs with their arrangement into recognisable objects. In Homeless Lamp, the Juice Sucker Navarro builds a shopping cart from electric tubing. Plugged in to a replica street outlet, complete with fly posters, Navarro sets a stage where the dichotomies between wealth and poverty convene as a literal and allegorical emblem of power and waste. Basking in an artificial glow, Navarro’s Homeless Lamp, the Juice Sucker exudes a religious aura based in consumerism and corruption. "

Ivan Navarro
Homeless Lamp, the Juice Sucker
2005Flourescent light bulbs, fixtures, wheels, street outlet and electric energy

Ivan Navarro
White Electric Chair
2005Fluorescent light bulbs, fixtures and electric energyAP120 x 70 x 100 cm

Ivan Navarro views his work as building upon the unresolved aspects of minimalism, striving to engage viewer interaction and highlight the social and political factors that inherently lie within formal composition. Utilising the aesthetic purity of florescent light bulbs, Ivan Navarro’s White Electric Chair reveals a chilling menace in its sensitivity as a design object. Modelled as fashionable furniture, Navarro’s sculpture poses as desirable commodity; its fragility and high-voltage threat undermining the assuring and authoritative qualities of its ergnomic construction.

that's brilliant thanks - I'll follow up on the names you've mentioned - I especially like the idea of the fluorescent tubes taking power from the pylons!! sort of parasite, like ivy on a tree - there's a sub-station near us that I've always been a bit wary of (ironically they have sited a children's learning centre at its base) - perhaps I could plant some 'bulbs'?

lynda

hello Lynda,I have been thinking about your project and how lights and projectionare influencing our lives ; wherever we go advertisers and councilsare constantly sending messages in urban spaces using light. Teddy Lomight be usefull - http://www.ledartist.com/LED could be an interesting medium
dale


Hi Dale

Funny you should mention Teddy Lo - I came across his website a while ago - can't remember how I happened across it but I made a couple of led drawings, quite interesting, especially the interactive aspect.

One reason I didn't want to continue with it is because I used to be a systems analyst/programmer and have taught IT for years and feel that I don't want to spend time in front of a PC anymore - I blame computers for my rapidly deteriorating eyesight and even resent the blog a little....

Anyway I prefer to make tangible drawings/works in whatever form rather than virtual/led ones. I am v interested in the Richard Box works and I am going to do something along those lines, whether it works or not it will be worth pursuing I think.

How do you think the blog works? I am quite enjoying posting items because it focusses the mind and provides a record. One problem I see with it is that we naturally start reading from the top, which is ok as long as we are up to date. I've just been away and came back to check on a couple of peoples' blogs where they had posted quite a few items - really I should have read from the bottom backwards, but didn't - then the train of thought is rather disjointed.

Amanda (running the pilot) will be interested to know what your thoughts are.

Thanks for taking the time with my blog - nothing new on there just yet, but perhaps by the weekend
regards
Lynda

hi Lynda
Are you going to continue with the repetetive ryhme and readymade/throwaway objects? Have you been to the Kippenberger exhibition at theTate Modern? i was wondering does your have any links to sound - whenyou mention rythm? Could Olafur Eliasson be useful?
dale


I'm definitely interested in throwaway objcts - I've been saving all manner of stuff to use, especially green bottles! The rhythm aspect of my work really comes into a different module - I have done lots of drawing of hip hop dancers and that filters through into other pieces.

I am looking at the idea of trace and all its connotations for the Self Initiated Project - there is some overlap with this (CCodD) blog of course - particularly the sparkler drawings. Yes repetition interests me too - in fact I find it hard to focus on one thiing and end up looking at way too many areas - at the moment I'm planning on sand-blasting glass - I've always liked working with glass, but am not very technical, but even I can handle the sand blasting in the workshops! So I am trying to work trace into the glass. I can relate trace to just about everything if I try hard enough...

The idea to centre my blog on light came because the CCofD module is meant to place my work, and my manner of working, in context. I have always been fascinated by light and want to include it in my work somehow. So I'm trying to pull all my ideas together in some meaningful way - probably not working yet...

I am only familiar with Olafur Eliasson's sun at Tate Modern, I must look up his other work, and I haven't been to the Kippenberger exhibition - I'll try to get there when I'm back from Northern Ireland (going to the Tower next week).

Sorry if this all seems a bit disjointed - I go away for a few days tomorrow and so I don't have the time to sift through and make more sense of it - I hope you get the gist of it anyway!

Thanks for the tips

Lynda

posted by Lynda Cornwell @ 8:40 pm