THEME: SIMPLE AND COMPLEX
DEFINITIONS:
SIMPLE: easily understood, creating no difficulty. Plain and basic.
COMPLEX: many connected parts. A group of different things linked in a complicated way.
SYNONYMS FOR SIMPLE: straight forward, easy, effortless.
SYNONYMS FOR COMPLEX: elaborate, complicated, intricate.
- Kim Noble(artist with DID, might type a 300-word analysis on her. Complex).
- Charlie and Eddie Proudfoot (brothers who depict how mental health has impacted their creativity, might type another 300-word analysis on them. Complex).
- Edvard Munch(artist that suffered from depression, schizophrenia, will analyse his work. It's presented in a simple way, but the meaning is complex).
Examples of all these artists' work:
Kim noble is an artist and author who was born in 1960. She suffers with DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder. This affects her personality as it splits into several parts with amnesic barriers, which are common for those with DID. Noble had no formal art training but her and her alters became interested in painting in 2004 after going to an art therapist. Each of Noble's personalities have a different art style, colour and themes that they work with.
Kim Noble had her diagnosis of DID after she was a victim of abuse as an infant, had hospital treatments in her teen years and destructive outbursts in her twenties, as well as numerous suicide attempts. One of Noble's alters, Patricia has a 19-year-old daughter called Aimee, who is the dominant alter and more present. As she grew up, Noble's homelife was dysfunctional: her parents were in an unhappy marriage, they were factory workers and they never had time to take care of her, so she was always looked after by friends and acquaintances. Between 1 and 3 years old, Noble suffered from extreme abuse. From this moment, her mind was traumatised and shattered into fragments, which created these different identities. She suffered a lot of memory loss which was a key symptom of DID.
Examples of Kim Noble, and her alters', work:
Links I used for research:
http://www.kimnobleartist.com/about.html
https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/art-2/the-woman-who-shares-a-body-with-14-different-artists/ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/30/kim-noble-woman-with-100personalitieshttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/30/kim-noble-woman-with-100personalities
(the link for this one works when I type up her name but whenever I place it her it doesn't work so you might have to type up "kim noble" to find it.)
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-SilentPrayers/431/4381245/view
Title of artwork: Silent Prayers(made by one of Kim Noble's alters Anon.
Year created: 2018
Analysis: One of Kim Noble's alters Anon created this painting which was created using a pallet knife, so that the paint can be thick. From viewing this artwork, it looks like she created this using acrylic paint. When I first looked at this artwork, I was drawn to how Anon used precise strokes to form two figures. I can see that this is a monochrome art piece, and this could relate to how Anon always paints during the night- the black and white colours used can be symbolic of the night the moon and the stars. Her paintings are often mysterious, but they could also be telling story. This painting that I've used here can have an ambiguous meaning. This could symbolise how someone is praying and worshipping a higher authority . This could also relate to Kim and her alters and how they might be begging to escape from her head.
Research link: https://www.thecollector.com/how-mental-illness-shaped-worksby-artists/
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian painter who was born on 12th December 1863 and died 23rd January 1944. Throughout his lifetime he suffered from depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. He refused treatment for these and claimed his "sufferings are part of (himself) and (his) art". Eventually, he did go to mental asylums from 1905-1909. His childhood was surrounded by loss, health problems and a strict and religious father-this caused Munch to develop anxious thoughts about hell and death as well as a fear of these two things. Munch never married anyone so he called his paintings his children and hated being separated from them; since he was isolated most of his life, he decided to surround himself with his work that would eventually start his career as an artist. His mother suffered from tuberculosis and died in 1868 leaving his three sisters and his younger brother in the care of the mother's husband who was a Christian with extremist views. The death of his sister at age 15, also from tuberculosis, effected him for life, he even painted many aspects of her illness and last few days alive. Not only was Munch suffering from misery but also from his own health problems with tuberculosis leading up to his own death.
• how-mental-illness-shaped-works-by-artists
• Title of painting: Melancholy
• Year created: 1892
• Edvard Munch is known for incorporating his emotions and mental state into his paintings. An example of this is the painting used above titled "Despair". Like the title suggests, the painting reflects on Munch's own experiences with emotions like despair symbolised through the use of a person mainly painted in black- this juxtaposes with the background that uses bright, warm colours like yellow and orange. This can link to Munch's lonliness and how the rest of the world seems joyous while he constantly suffers.
• -Might combine pages from magazines.
• Will look at books with collage in for inspiration and for a clearer idea on how I want to create my own collage.
• Artist I will take inspiration from: Mira Ruido.
• DEVELOPMENT FROM IT:
• I will temporarily place the cut-out model(s) on black card (will most likely be A2 or A4) and use more shredding on to the paper, I will expand it on to the background.
• I might use different size scales of the cut-out model(s).
For this artwork, I wanted to incorporate and develop my skills on collage. I did this by using an aspect of my work from my final component 1 outcome(the shredded paper part). I decided that the focal point of the artwork had to be the model. I got this silhouette of a model from an old magazine. The process I carried out, which linked to my concept of anxiety, I wanted the strands of shredded paper to symbolise the tension that comes with dealing with anxiety. In terms of composition, I surrounded the model in the shredded paper to show how anxiety can be an overwhelming condition for people to deal with, including myself.
For my first piece of practical work, I decided that I wanted to create a collage. The first artist that captured my interest in inspiration was Mira Ruido and his collage titled "Trunk".
I liked how he used a human silhouette but edited the top part as a tree trunk. I wanted to create something similar to fit my theme of mental health, specifically focusing on anxiety. I used the shredded work that I previously created combined with a cut out of a model from magazine papers. I mainly covered the model's head with the shredded paper, but I didn't fiddle with it too much so that it can slightly cover other parts of the model as well. I did this so it symbolised being trapped within your anxious thoughts and that they're not easy to escape from.
For my development pieces, I decided to work on A4 black paper and combined a larger and smaller version of another model cut out. I wanted this to reflect how one would internally deal with anxiety compared to how signs of it might not be obvious externally.
• Artists I could use as a development from first collage work (visually link) *add one of them as a closer link underneath Mira Ruido.
• Eva Rothschild, could use an embroidery handle to place fabric on, I could place more shredded paper on top of this fabric.
• Abdoulaye Konate, could create a symmetrical piece using shredded paper.
• Examples of both Rothschild's and Konate's work:
- -Could use a technique that will look similar to what I created with the shredded paper but not the same. It will look like an illusion. Instead of using shredded paper, I will overlay an original image with acetate.
- Examples of John Stezaker's work (using for a visual link)
In this artwork, I layered acetate over my original image to create this illusion affect. I enjoyed using this process, because it allowed to me to manipulate the layer of acetate to create a different illusion outcome each time. I wanted this illusion to symbolise how the effects of depression effect how someone sees themself- they'd be so wrapped up in the pessimistic thoughts about themselves and they'd find it difficult to see beyond that.
For this practical artwork, I decided that I wanted to overlay sheets of acetate to create an illusion. I took inspiration from Alma Haser and her project titled "I always have to repeat myself". I was intrigued by how it looks like she overlayed her work to create an illusion. I decided to use this technique that she used but I presented it in a different way/created the composition in a different way. While I was creating this artwork, I wanted it to link to depression, which links to my overall theme of mental health, and how someone may experience a loss of identity, as well as memory loss, due to depression affecting them and their mind. Using an illusion in my works symbolises how someone might see themselves due to their pessimistic thoughts, but this isn't the true version of themselves.
Research link:
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/ brick-brick/202010/depression-is-theultimate-identity-thief
• This non artist research article explains aspects of depression, which is the theme I wanted to focus on next in my work. The article was published online on 29th October 2020 by Michael Friedman from "Psychology Today".
Not only does depression limit how someone feels, it can potentially take away who they once were.
Millions of people suffer from depression and its symptoms every day. Most people use the term "depression" loosely to describe temporary feelings of "sadness"- these two don't correlate with each other since depression can be seen as more than a temporary sensation. Those who are depressed suffer greatly and often can't express pleasure and have difficulty concentrating, eating and sleeping.
An episode of depression can last for years and occur multiple times throughout someone's lifetime; this may cause individuals to struggle with communication with other people.
Those with depression are at an increased chance of suicide.
I developed this acetate outcome by cutting my original acetate work into fragments to relate to fragments of loss identity and memory that can be associated with those who struggle with depression.
This is another development I created from the original acetate work. I decided to use this as a "trial and error", because I wasn't too sure if I liked these. I wanted a lot of darkness to be in these photographs to symbolise easily people can be trapped in depression/depression-based thoughts.
Simple/complex: I decided to create work using a printout of an image and layered it on top of a printed acetate sheet. When I planned this piece, my intention was that the outcome was going to be similar to an illusion. In the end, I achieved what I hoped for and was very pleased with the outcome of my work. I believe I have presented this work in a complex way because I wanted it to link to the complexity of depression and how it can affect how someone might not recognise their true self.
Artist inspiration: While I was creating this piece, I took inspiration from artists such as Alma Haser and I wanted to create a similar, not the same, type of illusion effect using a different medium from her.
Response: When I look at my work, I do get a feeling of being lost, which relates to how I want my work to link to depression and feelings associated with it. Those with depression often feel lost and might suffer some memory loss, as well as a loss of self-identity- this is something I related to in certain moment of my life. The monochrome colours perfectly fit with the theme of depression because those who experience it don't see the world as anything else but negative and dull. The element of my work that I thought was the most effective was where both the acetate copy and the original image were ,combined to create an illusion image.
• -Could move on to new materials like ink but also incorporate acetate (painting the ink onto acetate sheets and either photographing it on the light box so that the complimentary colours merge
• -Could use two different colours to symbolise mood changes/swings, which can link to personality disorders like Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder etc.
- Inspirational artist: Shirazeh Houshiary. Her work is often described as "mystical" and hints that "something spiritual is in play".
**I wanted to experiment with projecting colour, so I first started out by placing colour onto acetate sheets, with ink first but I wanted to paint an extra layer on with watercolour to make the acetate sheets as bright as possible before placing them onto the lightbox. I'll then use a projector to project these coloured acetate sheets onto a mannequin, I will merge these so the outcome will be a variety of colours put together. I wanted this to link to emotions and relating them to colour, but not stereotypical colours e.g. red= anger. I wanted to merge them all together to symbolise how someone might be overcome with too many emotions or they feel overwhelmed. This is another "trial and error" practical I wanted to do so I may/may not keep this in my digital sketchbook.
**For this second part of my artwork, I experimented with projection and projected the previous acetate sheets I painted on onto the mannequin. As mentioned before, I decided to experiment with colour relating to emotions.
This is a digital attempt at me overlaying two different colours that were projected onto a mannequin. As stated before, I wanted this to symbolise how someone is experiencing so many emotions to the point where they might feel overwhelmed- they can't focus since there's a lot of emotions that they're trying to process.
• Title of artwork: Mind and Matter
• In this practical artwork, I decided to experiment with colour similar to the work of Shirazeh Houshiary, the artist I took inspiration from in terms of the way she applied colour to her work. I was fascinated by the use of colour in this piece titled "Mind and Matter". Instead of using shades of a similar colour like she's done, I decided to use multiple colours on separate acetate sheets so that I could merge/blend them and photograph and develop another outcome from this. While I was creating my work, I wanted it to relate to mood swings, but I avoided linking colours to stereotypical moods e.g., red being anger. The viewer themself can interpret the different moods from the variety of colours I used.
"Ghost Whisperer" by Eva Charkiewicz
"At the Bottom of the Anxiety Swamp" by Jayoon Choi.
Before exam: take slow shutter speed photographs of a model WILL EDIT IN THE EXAM.
Combine found imagery e.g., from magazines . Elements of paint and college
3x A4 outcomes (triptych) photographed, edited resized printed on photographic paper.
Either text or model from slow shutter speed overlapped on acetate prints.
**could draw a visual sketch of the outcome
**apply thick layers of paint, think about colour pallete
I WILL EDIT TH ESE AND PLACE THEM ON MY DIGITAL SKETCHBOOK. (If it's possible I might develop this outcome further )
MAIN MATERIALS: thick acrylic paint(colour pallet might consist of colours like dark blue, black, dark green), 3 sheets of a4 black card (changed, I will NOT be using acetate)then photographed and printed onto photographic paper, glue, shredded paper
**some ideas have been changed from slide 33**
The main message of this 15hr outcome is being emotional overwhelmed , supressing your emotions until it becomes too overwhelming, causing you to breakdown and release everything (similar to an explosion, factors keep building up until something finally explodes).
My work will build up in stages, hence why I decided to do a triptych, with each stage deteriorating and the last stage will be the most impactful.
1. Slow shutter speed images: Main focal point, being lost in emotions/feelings in your mind and not knowing how to control them. The fact that I will multiply these images shows how this will deteriorate. I will use these images in all three of my A4 outcomes.
2. Shredded paper: Will be used in the first A4 outcome. This will symbolise how someone might constantly feel trapped in their mind having to experience these uncontrollable emotions. I chose to cover paper with cut outs of eyes(from magazines) since your mind and your eyes correlate with each other, from research "the eye can give insight into what might be happening in your brain and body". ***could develop this into a separate piece
3. Acrylic paint drops: Some paint drops will mainly appear in the second A4 outcome. This will symbolise how emotions are gradually escaping from someone's mind after they've held them in for so long/bottled them up.
4. Sgraffito technique: I will use this in my third A4 outcome and I will cover it over one of my slow shutter speed images(I will create multiple versions of this for each image). This will symbolise how emotions have been bottled up for so long it not only causes someone to feel overwhelmed but also quite tense from holding in so much.
• The same:
• Black A4 card but I'll be using it in a landscape way instead of portrait.
• I will use a glue stick to stick anything on to the black cards.
• Shutter speed images in black and white, since I believe it looks sharper and more defined.
• Acrylic paint, I just need to figure out a colour palette. (might create a colour palette diagram). ***I've now sorted this out.
• Will still transfer them onto photographic paper, which I will deal with after all my A4 outcomes are complete.
•
Change:
• I decided using magazine cut outs of models' eyes would work out, the meaning behind this is on the previous page.
• The size of the shutter speed images will be smaller before I print them out so that I have enough space to work on when using the three A4 black cards.
• Slow shutter speed photographs for exam(not edited)
• Materials: acrylic paint, pallete/paint knife to place paint onto my three pieces.
• Visual idea and examples of colours I'm likely to use(might even blend some of these colours). ***decided to change this, I will stick to using mainly grey and black because they will blend well with the black card I'm working on.
• Inspirational artists:
• Naama Arad's shredded paper outcome
• Hannah Hoch's 'Boquet of Eyes'
• Darren Macpherson 'Piero' ***added this artist because it links to how I decided to change my ideas for my third 15-hour outcome.
• Ideas for sgraffito outcomes(outside of the exam):
• Could link it to feelings of distress/stress through me creating rough/scratched patterns in my work.
• Main subject matter will be from magazine cut out(I feel like my work is the most visually effective when I use magazine cut outs but the outcome of my work is different each time so that it doesn't look like I'm repeating what I've already created).
**added skinny black borders but some of them show up quite faint on here*
I experimented with using sgraffito in my work and the patterns I created are meant to symbolise nerves in your body and how they may react to stress.
For this practical outcome, that I completed outside of my 15-hour exam, I decided that I wanted to create a piece using the sgraffito technique, which was created by me using oil pastels. The artist I took inspiration from was Darren Macpherson, who used similar media in many of his art works like "Half man, half Basquiat". The way his art used contrasting colours with oil pastels intrigued me, since it makes the work look bold. After looking at Macpherson's art, I created something similar so it could fit with my theme, but specifically focused on the feeling of stress someone may experience. I used a varied colour pallet and the sgraffito technique to create distressed/rough patterns in my work. I wanted these patterns to replicate the veins on our body that show up a lot when we experience stress.
