Within a research based practice it’s
difficult to understand or decide how much information is appropriate to
present to a viewer. Through this piece of writing I’m hoping to interrogate
the different ways I can display information in an attempt to find a format
that allows the viewer to sufficiently understanding the work.
Over the past year I’ve become engrossed
with the different possibilities of producing a sustainable painting practice.
In order for me to be happy with the sustainability of my practice I set some
stringent ground rules.
My rules are:
1. All equipment and materials used must
either be; second hand, biodegradable or recyclable.
2. Once the exhibition has finished all
materials must either be; returned to their previous owner, re-sold, composted
or recycled.
3. During the exhibition no excess energy
should be needlessly consumed.
4. The transformation process must only use
energy generated by myself or energy from other sustainable sources.
5. All materials must be sourced as locally
and ethically as possible.
6. Any transport necessary in the collection
of materials must be carried out physically by me through the course of
walking, running or cycling.
It’s my aim to make a successful painting
practice that adheres to the rules stated above. In order to achieve this I’ve
had to undertake a huge amount of research, attend a number of workshops and
constantly create experiments. Through this investigation I’ve managed to get
an understanding of ancient and traditional methods of creating
pigment. Through research found in a large array of formats, I’ve managed
to get a greater understanding of the organic matter used to create colour in
the past. Cross referencing this with the wild plants, shrubs and trees
currently found in England, I’ve managed to create a number of well educated
experiments that I believed would leave me with a successful dye colour. Once
gathered I could then transform this dye in to a pigment through a process
called Laking, where white ash is added to the dye
mix to collect and absorb the dye creating a solid vessel to carry the colour.
I’ve also attempted with Artist and researcher Nabil Ali to create a stable
organic pigment without the laking process. We achieved this through the
drying, grinding and sieving of certain organic materials such as; nettle
leafs, egg shells, woad seeds, St.John’s wort branches and madder roots. Whilst
carrying out these experiments I’ve produced a large number of separate
recipes. I've also collected much information on how paper, size,
glue, string and paint have been made in the past. The main problem found
within physical work is how to get all this research across to the viewer
without breaking the rules or overwhelming them with information.
In a Gallery the majority of viewers are
unable or unwilling to dedicate enough time and effort to the reading,
processing and understanding of written information. Due to this, a number of
varied modems for displaying information concisely have been made, interaction
is now a common aspect of display in an attempt to hold the viewers attention.
This isn’t the case for artist and
researcher Edward Tufte
[2].
The majority of his prints contain both imagery and information. Tufte believes
displaying information and imagery succinctly is already evident within many
books. This can be seen in many museums displays and leaflets where it is just
as important to understand the history or relevance of certain objects on
display. When visiting the Natural History Museum, London, it’s obvious that
information and imagery coincide successfully
[3].
As a viewer you initially interact with the imagery displayed, questions
reeling around your head as to why this animal may have certain attributes and
how this will help them. It’s your decision to read any accompanying information,
and, if you wish, you are able to answer these questions. You’re getting a
visual experience which you can leave as just that, but you are also able to
learn something. This works best if the information is displayed as far away
from the image as possible, without being too far away that the viewer wouldn’t
associate the two together. The experience that the viewer may have
pre-information may be totally different to the same experience post
information, and, by presenting the information separately from the image,
you’re allowing the viewer to have both of these experiences.
When in conversation with John Newling
[4],
I asked him how he felt about displaying information and research within his
work. I was asking in reference to pieces such as; Chatham vines, Weight, The
Noah Lab and Peterborough Soil. He told me that when displaying work he tries
to get information across to the viewer visually, apposed to written
[5].
By including internet controlled and viewed videos in pieces such as Chatham
Vines he has passed retrieval of information over to the viewer. This
interaction allows the viewer to build up a type of relationship with the work.
I’ve done a number of live performances recently allowing the viewer to get a
sense of the actual processes involved in the transformation of raw materials.
Through this type of interaction the viewer got a physical and sensual
understanding of the work in action. Sometimes they’d be overwhelmed by a
pungent smell or the heat released etc. Obviously performances can only be
sustained for a limited amount of time; by videoing these performances viewers
can get a visual experience of the transformation process whenever they wish. Sadly
some of the other sensual experiences are lost through the media. That’s why
it’s only in use for the documentation of performances, and not regarded as the
original piece.
Just when it seems quite obvious how to
take this problem forward I am again stumped by the rules I previously created.
For example, due to the third rule: During
the exhibition no excess energy should be needlessly consumed, I am unable to use cameras, video and
sound, or any other electrical implement within my work. These rules are more
important to my work than anything else, so it’s vital that I find a way of
displaying sufficient information without infringing them. There’s a
possibility of allowing my work to bend the rules i.e. I can use electrical
equipment as long as I equally offset the Carbon created because of its use.
Through this I would be referencing a very modern way of dealing with carbon
emissions; instead of changing the process of creating I’d pay for someone to
plant a couple of trees, equating to a ‘less bad’ carbon impact. I do not wish
my practice to sit within this contemporary mindset. I take a much more archaic
way of dealing with the production of artists’ materials, in doing this I am
referencing a very historically traditional way of working, and therefore a way
of dealing with carbon emissions that existed before the large amount of
emissions did. This can be seen in some ideals viewed within the arts and
crafts movement, ideals such as those that describe the dignity held within the
hand crafted object. Instead of asking how
I will display information, I should ask how
I can display information; using the word can because the information
displayed must still adhere to these rules.
As seen in Simon Starlings work
[6],
through the transformation of the physicality and functionality of the materials
I am using, I am describing the journey, not only that I take, but also that
the materials are taking in order for them to be used within a painting
practice. Starling uses only a title and a list of materials like a recipe as
information to accommodate his work. I’ve tried this and it really didn’t get
the type of reaction that I wanted or expected. I went on to discover that
Starling as with Newling released an accompanying article with his work, and it
was the information held within this article that was passed around viewers
through word of mouth and online. I believe that Starlings status and the
interest and knowledge viewers have in regards to the story behind his previous
works have allowed him to supply such a little amount of information alongside
his static practice. When seeing a piece made by Starling the viewer, almost
immediately asks, “So what’s the story?” Someone viewing my artwork for the
first time would have little or no knowledge of the context behind my current
practice; therefore I must display more information alongside my static
installation. It would also be very difficult for me to produce and release a
physical article to accompany the piece as it would have to adhere to the rules
stated earlier. I could release an article to be accessed online, allowing the
observer to view and read it at their pleasure.
Since my practice is so heavily led by the
rules that govern what I can show within an exhibition I must find a way of
sufficiently displaying the correct amount of information without breaking
these rules. I must dismantle the research and testing I’ve collected, cutting
this down to lose any unnecessary writing. This filtered information will be
that which I believe is most successful. I must then find a suitable way of displaying
this information in a more aesthetically pleasing manner, in order to hold the
viewers attention. This is, quite possibly, the most important aspect of my
exhibited work. What’s the point in displaying a beautiful pigment that I’ve
spent months researching and testing in order to create if the viewer has no
idea of its origins?
When talking to Nabil Ali about the
history and research he’s done in to some of the paintings, pigments and paints
he uses and how these are displayed, I told him; “You should release an article
or display some more information with your paintings. What you’ve just
described to me about the history and great interest you obviously have with
regards to the origins of these paintings and what they represent is extremely
interesting, but how am I to know all of this if all I’m shown is the painting
alone? Without the knowledge you’ve shared with me, the majority of the
meanings that this work references would be totally lost, and that would be a
great shame.”
[7] Although I was saying this to Nabil,
there was a part of me that was saying it to confirm the views I had with
consideration to my own work.
As discussed earlier, I believe I should
write and release an online article that considers the work on show in more
depth. This could also be followed with a number of research blogs and
articles, created by myself, that allow the viewer to get an understanding of
the depth of research carried out. These could be interpreted as teaching
documents, where, if the viewer followed the steps presented, they could also
create certain pigments. The openness of knowledge and research will hopefully
lead to a community development of some of the techniques discussed. But, due
to any possible restraints of space within exhibitions and in order to hold the
viewers attention, any information provided alongside my physical installation
must be as concise as possible. It’s important that I try to find ways of
showing this as aesthetically pleasing as possible whilst not losing sight of
the rules keeping my practice sustainable.
[1] 1557, The Badianus Manuscripts: An Aztecs
Herbal of 1557, Vatican Library. Translated Emily Walcott, 1940, The John
Hopkins Press, Baltimore.
[4] Newling J, 2012. Interviewed by James Wood
at Nottingham Trent University, Bonnington Building. 14/03/2012.
[7] Nabil Ali, 2012. Interviewed by James Wood
at Nabil’s studio in Colchester, Essex. 23/03/2012.
