Public Private 2.0

Public-Private

Initial Thoughts

First Week

It is a completely wide open subject – with very little boundaries. It should be fun to explore ALL the possibilities within the allocated time of 5 weeks. I’m currently thinking of video work, which seems to be steam rolling its way through my mind.

The possibilities are endless.

Listed ideas

Public:

Bench, terminal, bus, bus shelter, path, pavement, road, shops, cinema, museum…space.

Private:

Toilet, bathroom, shower, bath, bed, bedroom…space.

What are the measures of privacy and public space?

Visuals in my Head

Recording: people’s reaction to a camera being placed in a public space. Guaging the level of interference it would create.

Recording: a phone conversation or conversations. Playing it back in a looped effect, exploiting private thoughts and expressions.

Recording: a fake biohazard situation with the image of men/woman in a head to toe white saftey suit. Advertising rather than art, I believe I would investigate text and make it humourous.

Recording: interaction between different sets of people and a park bench. Analysing their reactions to each other, looking at comfort/discomfort.

Trying to concentrate on a non artistic audience is difficult, I suppose that is the one boundary I can NOT cross. Or can I?

Space Between Strangers

Bus Journey

I have been paying close attention to the space that people occupy amongst each other and their surroundings. From what i have witnessed and documented, a lot of people prefer not to “cross paths” unless it is forced. Even then there is some minor discomfort. In particular on buses.

There seems to be an unwillingness in people to being supposedly subjected to sitting next to a stranger on the bus. Causing noticeable tension. When a bus is empty and only a few occupy the space, tension subsides. Perhaps we just like our own space.

On a short bus journey, which I have documented, I was the first to get on the bus. I sat further back to observe proceedings. Next to get on was a girl, she sat just ahead of me by 2 or 3 seats. Then another girl, who sat opposite the first, but 1 seat back. This was a personal choice of both girls to distance themselves from not only each other but from me as well. But, it was me who made it difficult for the first girl who then in turn made it difficult for the next.

By spacing themselves out, it made things more difficult for the next potential passenger to choose a seat. Although, it also directly narrows down the choice which technically makes the choice simpler. This is something i have always noticed, but I never believed I would ever recieve a brief or project that would enable me to realistically research and develop my ideas beyond the initial understanding. Fortunately I was wrong.

Documenting my own Movement

Whilst recording my own movement, I noticed that there was a substantial space between others and myself. Almost as if they didn’t want to invade my personal space, or they didn’t want me to invade theirs. I was in a very crowded area of the city, so I found it strange for such a bustling surrounding to be alomost empty of people. Perhaps I was recording in the wrong way.

I contiinued to record my own path, I quickly realised how important the composition of this would have to be, if I wanted to capture my ideas and thoughts combined.

It was much more successful giving a slightly longer scope of proceedings in the further development of my ideas. The videos explain exactly what I mean.

Gradually more involvement of the publics shadows were being cast upon mine and my own movement. This was beginning to show that although there wasn’t any actual, physical contact there was still some contact being made. Whether or not it was casting shadows, to matter or shadow to shadow etc, etc… there was still definite contact being made.

This was something that struck me as being quite an important discovery within the ideas I had about public and private spaces.

Documenting the Movement of the Public

I have noticed something pecuilar from both still and moving imagery whilst researching movement amongst people. Even though a person may not interact with a stranger physically, there is definitely contact from another potential part of them, their shadow.

Shadow movements can be quite unpredictable, they are created or manipulated by either a natural or unnatural light source. I spent some time filming and recording the movement of people and their shadows, which seemed to be more involved with each other. Using negative film, I was able to pick up more undeniable and identifiable detail of shadows being more of an entity than anything else. Acting upon there own “desires”.

I believe that the idea of your shadow having a will of its own is an intriguing thought. I believe I can carry this on with further research so I can fully develop the idea.

Further Investigation

After looking back at my initial research I noticed that when more bodies came closer together that there was some confusion in identifying who’s shadow was who’s. There seemed to be an almost dancing motion between the shadows. As if they were trying to communicate with each other, unlike their owners.

Drawing, Painting and Video

I have begun drawing and painting from my video research, by pausing at random intervals to capture a clip from the moving forms. From this, I have been experimenting with the difference in both line and tone in identifying structure.

I am currently working on square panels of mdf. I thought that square compositions would be appropriate to replicate the size of the video clips. Therefore, I have been scaling the images up. I have been using a mixture of sketching to get the initial composition correct, and light brushes of ink and acrylic paint to give a base colour to build upon.

Continuation of Relative Research

Second Week

I have been looking at sculptural forms that relate with the use of surroundings, but more importantly, shadows. In particular the work of Edward Tufte has been quite influential for me, looking at the use of space with the focal point or relevance of shadow in his work. This has made me realise how something that appears to be quite manufactured can in fact come across as organic or natural. At least in a very vague sense.

At this stage of the project, I feel confident that I have exposed exactly what I want to look at, and why. It seems to be more a question or task to in fact get the work done in a professional manner, and make the project as successful as possible.

Intermedia or Tapestry?

I was involved in a talk with the head of Intermedia Studies, Dean Hughes from ECA recently. His talk really HIGHLIGHTED for me how much I would love to go back to Edinburgh to take on this varied art form. It really focuses on what kind of art I like – it can be anything!

I was hoping to talk to Dean longer than I did, however he had a strict amount of time available to him. Fortunately, he was kind and trusting enough to leave his emal address: d.hughes@eca.ac.uk.

Must remember to email him.

Must remember to do that…now!

Filming Returns

I retraced my footsteps by recording more footage. I recorded from a different position, in fact from the opposite side.

 

MORE LATER