Speakers notes for summative presentation:
The first idea I had for the weird and wonderful brief was to focus on the weird. Knowing the route I wanted to go down I decided that I would do a mind map focusing on the word weird.
Although there were many different paths I could go down I decided that I would look into horror and the use of masks.
Here are examples of masks I found, the first a traditional venetian papier mache mask, second is a clown mask worn in Stephen King’s original film “IT” and the last a picture from Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s “The family album of Lucybelle Crater”.
My initial proposal for the weird and wonderful brief was to create a cinematic type shot inspired by the work of Gregory Crewdson. I also stated that I would like to use masks in work as though capturing a still from a horror movie. For my first shoot I decided to buy a pig mask from the fancy dress shop. A pig mask is just one example of masks commonly found in horror films. I tried to keep the models clothes and props to a minimum for the shoot, as I really wanted to focus on the mask and how the mask created a different persona.
I then looked into the work of photographer Gregory Crewdson, his cinematic stills Have a way of capturing moment powerfully. I particularly like how it looks like they have been taken out of a thriller or horror movie.
I decided to set up a shoot on Bodmin Moor, I took my camera and my drone and my model just as the Sun was beginning it’s decent. I thought the light at this time would capture the scene better, also filming in sunny conditions with a drone can prove difficult. I was really happy with the outcome of these images and the video footage. However the images still didn’t feel as though there was an impact with the mask.
From that moment I decided that I would go down a different route with the weird and wonderful project. In my new proposal I wanted to focus on the mask and the intent behind the mask. I then created a mood board for images I felt that it might link my work together.
Christopher McKenney is a conceptual artist from Pennsylvania specialising in horror surrealist photography. Throughout his work Christopher uses masks and objects that mask peoples faces. Christopher’s work plays a lot with symbolism with masks playing a major part in this. I found the image of the guy wearing the rabbit mask particularly interesting as I wanted to use a rabbit mask myself.
Rabbit is interpreted in different ways in different cultures. In from what I knew personally the rabbits foot is considered to be lucky. In China, it is one of the astrological animals and linked too good fortune and the moon. People born under the Rabbit sign are believed to be artistic and sensitive. The Rabbit is also linked with the goddess Hecate. In some Native American traditions Rabbit is known as the Fear Caller, due to it projecting its fear of those wishing to eat it, and thereby attracting the predators it fears.
After having a lecture in all Gcop100 I was reminded of the work of Tom Hunter and Jeff Wall. I really liked how they use photography to recreate famous works of art. I wanted to incorporate this into my own work in a slightly different way.
Therefore I decided that I would still incorporate the mask in my work but that I would recreate a famous piece of arts wearing the mask. I chose Whistler's Mother as I thought that this would be an easy to recreate. I wrapped my model with a black piece of fabric and added the mask thereby almost removing their personality from the picture.
I then decided that I would edit the mask into the artwork itself and I really liked the outcome. I felt as though adding the mask to an old painting would make the already weird image even weirder.
I decided that I would edit this rabbit mask into other paintings. These are a few examples of the paintings I chose. I wanted to be diverse in the paintings that I chose, incorporating many different discussion points.
When researching book ideas I wasn’t sure where to start. I remembered having a workshop with a tech from illustration, who demonstrated for us different types of stitchings we could use if we wanted to make our book by hand, I found this very useful.
I found it difficult trying to find the right type of book that would fit around my idea. I also had difficulty my book being so few pages. I then decided upon making the book myself. I wanted it to have a handmade feel, like how an artist has a sketchbook.
There were a few companies that I looked at to get paper printed from however I decided that I would go for a company called Doxzoo where I ordered a booklet which had the paper type and feel I liked.
These are images I took of my book making process.
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