Research, research, research...

ARGH!! I am well and truly screwed! Theodore Garman, why is it so difficult to find out information about you, that is relevant to my contextual review!? It baffles me that there aren't books after books available on Theodore and his relationships, mental health, etc. Everyday I get closer to this deadline and still can't find as much information as I'd like.
Although I'm stressed to f**k about this, I have found such an interesting writer, Chris Ray, whom suffers from Schizophrenia. He creates poetry, which is documented on a blog, about anything and everything he has an opinion on and wants to express it. I have really enjoyed reading his poetry as he's extremely descriptive, the poems are based on reality, his hallucination and are very intelligent. My favourite poem of Ray's is:

  

It's Your Life
Can you feel the sun?
Can you smell the rain?
Are you in love?
Or are you in pain?

Wherever you are,
whoever you may be,
what you have,
and that you do without,

is part of your life.
You are the one,
the main, the power and force,
of your own life,

and the only one who can change it.
So walk in the sun,
taste the falling rain,
enjoy yourself in love,
and try not to feel the pain...

Another one of my favourites contrasts with his romantic words in the previous poem and portrays a sense of dislike towards a cartoon character. This is comical to a certain extent as Bugs Bunny appears to affect him more than the character would anyone else.

Bugs Bunny is a Fag

Bugs Bunny is a fag,

he's always kissing Elmer,

he thinks he's such a swelmer,

Bugs Bunny is a faaag.... Rabbit!

Inspiration hits whilst watching what I love the most..

This is a video of a clip from Jackass 3D. I'm honestly not just including this for the novelty effect, I want to show it due to the camouflage of Johnny Knoxville. I absolutely love the idea of a colourful and characteristic wall painting, etc with a person or object camouflaged within it. Sadly I cannot find who created this background; it's either not presented, one of the crew has created it or I merely can't find it. If anyone knows who this anonymous person is, I would be very grateful and you'd be a genius :)

Generally messing about with contrast crap, whilst listening to MGMT.

Basically, I have some funky contact lenses that make me look like an extra in the movie Avatar, so I decided to have a little play with them to portray contrast. After watery eyes, freaking myself out in the mirror and several experimental photographs, the image below is my favourite.

In the photograph above I have only put in one of the contact lenses, this is to show the contrast of my actual eye colour and that of the lense. 

Badda bing, badda bong..

Just a few photographs to document what I have been getting up to recently.

This is a photograph of the reflection of a tree. It is the tree I am developing a blog on, with my one-year project. I have became increasingly interested with reflections of objects/landscapes and also shadows. My main influences for this has been Andy Goldsworthy and Naoya Hatakeyama. My favourite photograph of Naoya Hatakeyama's is selected from the River Series.

 I like the colours captured in this piece, therefore I have produced an abstract painting inspired by this. I trickled PVA glue onto the blank canvas and allowed it to dry, I did this to create texture and also an abstract effect. When the glue was dry, I covered the canvas in several layers of oil paint until I was content with what I had achieved. I enjoyed this loose way of working as I was flexible about the techniques.

Below is a photograph I took from on top of a hill at Bradgate Park. I was capturing the sunset, to portray the celebration of everyday existence. This photograph is also important to me, as I was with my best friend at the time and due to me moving away to University, I don't see him as much.

This photograph was captured with a Fujifilm Fine pix JX, therefore could have been a lot better. When I receive my new camera I intend to produce more landscape photographs like this, yet to a greater standard. Shown on a previous post of mine, I have presented a letter I wrote to accompany this photograph. To develop this, I included selected pieces of the letter on top of this image alongside the rocks.

I was going to use ink stamps on this, until I completed a prototype and preferred handwritten text. This is blown up to A3 size, however I would like to experiment with working on a larger scale to add more depth to the viewing of this particular way of working.

First piece of text.

This day was a good day, wasn’t it. Can you remember losing your shoe in the mud? I always tell you to get a smaller size. The same thing happens every year at Download.I really enjoy our outings, especially this one. It’s sad that we are too far away to go weekly now. Watching the sunset, reminiscing memories and singing Bloodhound Gang with you, is what I most enjoyed from this day. From when we first met you always told me that the sky is endless.I believe you; it is. Sneaking out after closing hours was fun aswell.

 I’ll never forget the guitar cloud you made up. Honestly, it really didn’t look like a guitar, but I didn’t want to break it to you. I still have a mark on my back, from where you made me climb over the fence. I don’t think it will ever go. Another scar, another story. We need more days like this.


This is my first attempt at text within my practice. It is influenced by a photograph I took of a sunset, whilst at Bradgate Park with my best friend. It is almost a letter to my friend expressing how much I enjoyed the day, however it wont actually be sent to him. I have changed the font and size of each word, as I wanted to portray a busy effect which is influenced by the work of Theodore Garman. The lack of pattern and repetition is due to the mind and well being of Theo, as he suffered from Schizophrenia. It's also influenced by looking at his inscriptions and statements. The reason why I have the last line in red, is to portray contrast as shown in the film 'Schindler's List.' I want to enlarge this and have it as a piece on it's own, a component within the photograph it was inspired by and maybe embedded in a textbook of my own.

Ed Ruscha.

Within my practice I am currently engaging in text. Alongside Richard Long and his textpieces, Ellie Harrison and her blog; I am also inspired by the work of Ed Ruscha. I like the piece above of Ruscha's as it's quite a poetic statement. Below is a photograph of some experimentation with text.

I created a sunset on a piece of cardboard with oil paints, as it is what I have currently been exploring. To then add text to this piece, I used metal stamps and ink to engrave with. Although the ink isn't abrupt, I like how it has merely left indents within the paint.

This is a quick video of an interview with the man himself.

http://youtu.be/LEvG4d_VkDI

First draft introduction for my contextual review.

Has Theodore's mental health been influenced by his relationships within his family?

Theodore Garman was a troubled person, who suffered from the mental illness of Schizophrenia. I was greatly influenced by his inscriptions within textbooks, as they were dark, sinister yet intelligent. I will be looking at the relationships Theodore had with his close ones, especially his father, Jacob Epstein, the inscriptions he made in textbooks, the letters he wrote to his mother whilst he was in Italy and the mental suffering he endured. This will allow me to further understand if his mental health was influenced by family relationships.

Three ideas to further my research.

These are the three main ideas that I will be thoroughly researching, in Monday's library session.
1) The relationships of Jacob Epstein's with his children. This is relevant in my research as I'll be able to see the difference in his relationships among his children.
2) The relationships of Theodore Garman's. I want to further my knowledge on his lack of relationship with his father, yet his love and commitment towards other family members, especially his mother.
3) The meanings behind the words of a schizophrenic. I want to try and understand the ideas, thoughts and mind of someone suffering from a mental illness, as it may allow me to analysis some of Theodore's inscriptions.

Two interesting videos from Bob and Roberta Smith

The Life of The Mind.

This following link is an interview with Bob and Roberta Smith about his exhibition in The New Art Gallery Walsall. It touches on relationships and mental health.
http://youtu.be/gydYveqUE0Q

This following link is a short film on how Bob and Roberta Smith produced 'Theodore; the sculpture of his son that Jacob Epstein never made.' I find it relevant as he is exploring the relationship between Epstein and Theodore.
http://youtu.be/JN1PpKdb_ew

A bit about Schizophrenia for my contextual review

Schizophrenia is a long term mental health condition. It causes; hallucinations, delusions, muddled thoughts and changes. It is a psychotic illness which has no apparent cause, yet scientists believe it's caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It is one of the most common mental health conditions and affects 5 in 1000 people. There's no pattern within gender, therefore it is equally diagnosed in men and women. There are many misconceptions of schizophrenia. Schizophrenics are believed to have split or dual personalities, however research shows that they actually only experience dysfunctional and disorder. They are also thought to be violent people, which isn't any more so than usual. There's a link within the illness that has been exaggerated.  Those suffering schizophrenia can't tell their own intense thoughts, ideas, perceptions and imaginings from reality.
Initial data found from http://www.mind.org.uk/

High intelligence and creativity accompany mental disorders; schizophrenics can produce unique works of art, that are highly worshipped. Some artwork produced by schizophrenics can appear emotionally distant and intellectual. Adolf Wolfe and Heinrich Auton Muller are among the many schizophrenic artists that created works of art within mental instituions. Their work involves a great use of bold, bright colours which appears popular through artists affected by mental illnesses. A lot of works are also very busy and have several components, which is similiar to my study, Theodore Garman. Van Gogh and Paul Gosch are also a good example.
Initial data from http://www.tree.com/

A funny thought due to Judith Cowan.

Last weeks visiting artist was Judith Cowan. I liked what interested and influenced her into producing art, however the main idea that I enjoyed the most was the capturing of a conversation she had with a taxi driver. This came to my mind again last night, as I had a comical taxi driver who stated "Everyone has to appreciate boobs, I mean I love 'em!" Thankfully I was in a taxi with 5 others and we were in the middle of a conversation about boobs in films, but this really made me laugh and made me think how taxi drivers engage in many strange conversations daily.

A few photographs on the subject of Anorexia.

Here are some photographs of a friend of mine. I wanted some typical, raw, snapshot images of the body to suggest the illness that is anorexia. Some of these are emphasised, in order to capture a successful image. I photographed areas that to me are the most effective on a human body, due to the obvious structure of the skeleton.   

Irony within anorexia.

After a lot of thought of what path I'd like to go down, I have decided to include an ironic aspect into my work. Firstly I shall be looking at irony within anorexia. I will also work with some recycled materials, as that's what I enjoyed the most from my current practice. One of my favourite pieces of artwork that is ironic is by Banksy; a British graffiti artist. It's called 'I don't believe in global warming.' Obviously the reason why I like this is because of the blatant irony implied and how effective the statement is in it's context. 



Anorexia Nervosa:

Anorexia Nervosa, also known more simply as anorexia, is a mental illness and potenially a life threatening disease. It is characterised by self-starvation and exessive weight loss. Usually, a person with anorexia has 15% less body fat than usual. Extreme weight loss can cause dangerous health problems and in some cases death. 

A lot of people believe that those who suffer with anorexia are self destructive. This however is not always the case. Some people enduring an anorexic lifestyle, merely can't allow themselves to eat. As earlier stated, this is a mental illness and can progress even if weight is not an issue. 

People with anorexia nervosa often use food and eating as a way to gain a sense of control when other areas of their lives are very stressful or when they feel overwhelmed. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, anger or loneliness can also contribute to the development of the disorder. Others affected by eating disorders may have troubled relationships, or have a history of being teased about their size or weight. Pressure from peers and a society that equates thinness and physical appearance with beauty can also have an impact on the development of anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia plays a huge role in many people's lifes. To me it is an interesting subject and I want to approach it from a different perspective. This is where I will include a ironic aspect.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

A potential path to follow.

During my mini-photography project I have become interested in the idea of irony, contrasts and juxtaposition. This was after I photographed an old-fashioned car on an abandoned street in London; it looked out of place. The way this idea links in with what I already have produced, is by the way I used a subtle idea of decoration within a practice of nature. I also like the idea of recycling, which I've already involved, therefore I may further this.

   

Analysis of Exhibition.

After the initial 'Holding on; Letting go' project, I then produced a second life for it. I developed my practice from changes within nature to the concept of time. Alongside my Second Life Exhibition, I have created a blog which documents the changes of a tree through time. Each week I will photograph the same tree and present it on a blog. This is a one-year project, therefore it will portray the effects and development throughout seasons. 

For my exhibition  I researched several artists interested and influenced by similar subjects. Andy Goldsworthy, Nina Katchadourian and Tehching Hsieh are among the most important in my project. During my researching process, I experimented with guerrilla gardening, photography and shadow work. All of which help me express time and evolvement.

My first piece is 'Mud balls.' Basically myself and some friends went on a walk across some fields and I collected all of the mud from the bottom of our shoes; where I then created balls of mud. Instead of presenting them solo, I decided to accompany them with a dustpan and brush. I changed the dustpan and brushes surface by spray painting and scratching away, to suggest time and worn out. I removed every bristle in the brush and replaced them with twigs, to create the effect of recycling and re-creating. This is similar to the work of Nina Katchadourian and her spiderwebs. The concept of this piece was the journey we endured and the documentation of changes. 

My second piece was a cup of flowers. Again I involved the aspect of recycling, therefore I placed the flowers into a cup and covered it in spray painted paper. I didn't spray the cup itself, as I wanted to achieve a manufactured effect. I produced  the flowers and painted them silver and black to suggest decay. To link both pieces together, I also took the pebbles from the first piece and included them into thee second. The concept of this piece is to show the decaying of nature through time.

Harvard Process.

(1) 'The life and Work of Theodore Garman.' Publsihed by the New Art Gallery Walsall.
ISBN Number: 0 946652 740

(2) 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.' Authored by Hunter S. Thompson.
ISBN Number: 0 679 78589 2

(3) 'People Should Smile More.' Written by Newton Faulkner.
Hand Built by Robots.

Art, beer and too many people...yes, London time!

3rd November 2011.
After a long, ridiculous strategy of handing out tickets, we all managed to get on the train before it was too late. The train journey...standard. I tried to sleep whilst a business man bragged to a stranger how successful he is. We arrive in London and go to our hotel, Royal National Hotel. Checking-in appeared to be an impossible task; it was too hot and unorganised, but a Twister ice lolly made everything better. After a good hour, it was time to start the day. We strolled the streets in London to the train station, where myself and a handful of others were separated from the rest of the team. (The photo is of Louise telling her Dad how we were already lost).

This was due to the hectic London lifestyle and a certain someone walking straight into a lamp post (not mentioning any names....Graham). We decided to take it upon ourselves to follow the so-called itinerary, yet didn't manage to find anyone until the Whitechapel Art Gallery at about 5-6ish.  As Newton Faulkner says, 'People should smile more.' The staff in the Whitechapel Art Gallery took themselves too seriously. Vyner Street Galleries and the First Thursday entertainment was amazing. I loved walking up and down this street full of hundreds of people, appreciating the artwork...with a beer! :)  One of my favourite artists was Anya Red; a BA(Hons) Fine Art student who created work around the fascination of high heels. Her question was 'Do they provoke a sexual thrill or show a woman's desire for power in the Man's world?' After working up an appetite a few of us went to an Italian restaurant, where of course I order more than I can manage. Louise and I ordered a starter of garlic bread each which turned out to be as big as a large pizza. We demolished that easily and was applauded. Then when our huge portion of lasagne came, all I can say is I almost exploded. I don't like to be defeated. Louise was managing more than I was, so tactfully I made her laugh to ensure she wouldn't be able to eat another mouthful. Genius! We then all separated and did our own thing.

4th November 2011.

After a few snoozes on the alarm, we went for breakfast at 9am. Again we ate too much. A bowl of cereal, a bowl of fruit and three pieces of toast. How I hate my competitive ways. Anyway, as we'd pretty much covered all of the galleries on our own the day before, we departed from the group and went shopping in Camden. Self explanitory really; it was amazing.

We explored Tate Britain and Tate Modern, before heading back to the hotel for 6pm to collect our bags. We got our bags at 6.20pm! But all was cool, because we finally spotted our first celebrity. Well some guy out of Emmerdale but hey, we were at Euston Station after all. 7pm got on train and had an amazing little nap. Thanks Mark and Dave for photographing me whilst asleep...very grateful! haha 8.30pm we arrive back in good ol' Stoke.      

Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas...

I'm currently re-reading one of my favourite books, 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.' Alongside the surreal text, I'm in love with these gnarley illustrations. Ralph Steadman = genius!  

Photography and Fine Art.

I am currently producing a mini photography project alongside my other work. From analysing several ways of working with photography, I narrowed it down to two responses; Intervention and Landscape/Location. Due to many reasons these interested me the most, therefore I had to again narrow it down to one. Below is my thought process on both topics.

Intervention:
Wim Delvoye, 'Out walking the dog' 2000. Civic typography. Grand idea. Mixture between public and private. Can use photo manipulation. David Shrigley, 'Ignore This Building' 1998. Adam Chodzko, 'Better Scenery' 2000. Finchley Road, London. Describes how to get to the Arizona sign and vice versa. Offers an escape. Nina Katchadourian, 'Mended Spiderweb #19' 1998. Responding to natural breakage.
Landscape/Location:
Naoya Hatakeyama, 'River Series/Shadow #050' 2002. Interested in urban spaces, especially at night. Sets camera looking down onto Tokyo river. Light on water. Poetic like. Almost painting in itself.  10 minutes, same spot and rephotographs it. Andrew Gursky, 'Untitled XIII' 2002. Large format, negatives. Scans to manipulate. Viewer far away from subject. We feel God like. No focal point. Immaculate consistancy. Richard Long, 'Walking in a line in Peru' 1972.

Although both ways of working are relevant towards my general practice, I have came to the desicion of basing my project around 'Landscape/Location.'