Formative Assessment Exhibition Process

The ideas for this exhibition came spontaneously through sketchbook notes which I then made decisions about in regards to concept, staging and material. I created the painting Look Look Look Look based on an anxious thought scribbled in my sketch book, using a repetitive phrase to insight mixed emotions in the reader - anxiety or excitement? It also creates doubt in the audience about whether to read the floor piece below; it does not ask to Read but to Look suggesting an emphasis of looking not reading, creating a boundary between artist and audience both metaphorically through the use of language, and physically through the complex geometric patterns layering the writing and the floor piece obstructing the space.

Acrylic on Canvas (40x 49.5x 3.5cm)

My work is in a constant state of flux. This means that what I display at any period of time will relate to my recent experiences and immediate surroundings. This painting incorporates the use of text and pattern (See: Patterns) in a way that fills the canvas with contrasting blocks of colour and creating a visually overwhelming image.

The written board piece of the exhibition materialised from discovering a long piece of wood that was discarded in the studio. I often work with recycled or scrapped materials as a way to reflect with the immediacy of my work, which sometimes produces work on unusual surfaces such as skirting board or a section of door (See: Spontaneity). Ordinarily, I start with the material - canvas/board/sketchbook paper- and the work takes shape from there. The long stretch of wood reminded me of Fionna Banners Nude paintings - expanses of writing that detail her observations rather than drawing them, using written word as a form of imagary. (See: Fiona Banner). Rather than writing overheard, everyday conversation as a separate entity to inner monologue and confession, I decided to create an amalgamation of these forms into a running piece of text. This creates an obscurity of authorship and subject matter, inviting the reader to be curious and reflect on the open-ended narrative

Pen and Emulsion on Board (30cm x 244.5cm x 3mm)

Image Gallery of Text in Detail:

With inspiration from Sean Landers work (See: Sean Landers), as I occasionally do in my sketchbooks, I involved thoughts during making that considered the piece of art itself, the material and the process of it, whilst writing. The floor piece also references the painting above, writing LOOK LOOK LOOK LOOK within, creating a link between the two artworks, reflecting the interconnectedness of all elements of my practice no matter what the medium.

Due to the diarist aspect of my practice, I used overheard conversation compiled over the previous fortnight to reflect my immediate surroundings and experience. The use of recent recordings kept the immediacy that writing in my sketchbook holds, whilst making a larger scale, planned piece for exhibition. During this process, using phrases gathered from around me lead to a personal response which are interspersed throughout, often confessional, that balances out with everyday and mundane conversation.

Staging

Similarly to the choice of solely using black and white in this exhibition, I wanted to stage the two works in a uniform, uncomplicated manner, as to not distract from the written word. I hung the canvas at just above average eye heigh, central to a plain white studio wall, with the floor piece laid flat, central to the canvas.

The positioning of the floor piece keeps the audience at a distance from the canvas, forcing observer to walk around the board in order to view it, leading to a congregation around the floor piece rather than individual observation, encouraging a group reading environment. The length of the writing appears as an overflowing line of thought, being both a space and time-consuming object to read. This, alongside the act of reading stolen and confessional language in a public space, (See: Private made Public) makes for an uncomfortable experience that aims to reflect anxiety and attempt to insight reflection of every-day experience in the reader.