Ava Louise Lowinger-contemporary artist @avalowinger-blog-blog - Tumblr Blog

Poster for our exhibition

Artist statement-many sides

Many sides Ava Louise Lowinger

My interests are in body language and psychophysics. I myself am a shy person and tend to hold back in social situations, some more than others. This is shown in different ways, for example the way I hold myself e.g. posture and also the way I talk, for example, tone of voice, speed of speech and involvement in conversation.

This installation demonstrates these ideas. The Installation consists of a table, four seats and four audio pieces. You the viewer are invited to sit around the table with the option to put on a pair of headphones. Through each set of headphones plays a different audio piece. Each audio piece focuses on the same person's voice but from different social situations. The piece forces you, the viewer to become a part of the installation because when multiple people sit around the table you become a part of a social situation. Despite listening to the person on the headphones you will become more conscious or aware of who is around you so you may act differently to how you normally would, this may also be determined by the particular audio piece that you listen to.

#currentworks

Back to my audios

I decided to edit my audio recordings making my voice the main focus. I did this by cutting everybody else's voice from the recordings. So now I have four separate audio pieces focusing on my voice from different social situations. One being from work, another at home around family, another with friends and the fourth being in a more formal situation like in meeting or tutorial.

These are going to be included in a final piece. I also mentioned that I'd like to create an experience for the viewer. Obviously I'd want the experience to be similar/related to the actual audios. My idea is to actually create a social situation. I plan to create an installation that involves the viewers to sit around a table and listen to the audios. The audios will all be different so therefore depending on where you sit you'll have a different experience. Will people actually sit down? How will they react facing one another? And will the audios effect on individuals experience?

#currentworks

Visiting artist-Louise K Wilson-sounding out (sound artist) 22nd of March 2012

Interested in quality in sound. The idea of sound as a physical wave. She started off interested in painting, printmaking and video and slowly over the years has become interested within sound.

Sound absorbing, feeling the sound. She's interested in history and abandoned places. She uses sound to create life. She bounces the sound around the structures.The sound echoes and bounces off the walls and ruins creating a full space, bringing it back to life. One of her recent pieces included a full choir. Their voices projected and explored the structure bouncing off objects in creating a sense of space. Personally my understanding of this artist on her work is not that strong. I like the idea of creating a sense of space through the echoes of sound.

#lectures11

Visiting artist-Robin (film artist) 28th of February 2012

A film artist that takes existing footage and alters it to twist or create a new meaning. Boys beware... Paedophiles-Robin used a black-and-white original footage from an advert with a cartoon over Lay. As the film progresses the meaning becomes stranger and no longer has its original meaning. The voice over is altered by reordering the sentences, this creates a new meaning/context. The use of the cartoon over way creates a sense of innocence and played alongside the original footage and mixed up voice, it becomes rather sinister.

AA2A (artists access to art) AA2A is a funding support Robin uses. He says you have to be a graduate and be out of education for a least two years. The company have given Robin £250 to help pay towards his materials and project.

Roentgen film 111 (1937) X ray ''body can speak, movement can speak'' the original was of people moving whilst being exposed to radiation, the movement was choreographed so was smooth, synchronised and on time. The grim truth is all the people in the film developed cancer due to the amount of radiation exposure and all died early deaths. Carbon dating angels, this is the title of the version Robin made. He teamed up with a music student who created the soundtrack to his version of the film. The film itself, this time was creased with shadows and photocopies, this created a similar effect without the deaths. Robin also change the movements, he created more of a mirror image sequence, today it looks like a type of dance, the flashing lights and flickering images draw you in. The sound of what resembled cracking bones keeps you on the edge of your seat. The Experience from watching the film was exciting but somewhat disturbing, quite like when I found out about all the original cast developing cancer.

Bounded this is Robbins current project. He's not sure what he's doing currently he's just playing around with some ideas. He's playing around with the idea of desire and personal thought. He's using books and mentioned how reading is a private thing as everyone has their own personal thoughts of something. Personally I find Robbins worked rather interesting, I like the way he takes existing material but gives it a whole new meaning. It's unexpected and sometimes shocking. Robin visited us last year. Despite showing us some of the same things, this time he seemed to go into more depth and I got more of insight on what he's about. Also I liked seeing how things progressed into more current work.

#lectures11

Marina Abramovic (unique experiences)

Marina Abramović an aritist who uses her own body as the subject, object, and medium of her work. Visitors were encouraged to sit silently across from the artist for a duration, becoming participants in the artwork. It seems like a simple idea but really works well. It creates a personal experience, its one to one, even though nothing exciting seems to be going on its the emotions you personal experience during this time of silence. You are forced to look, you are in the presence of someone else, in silence, what goes through your head during the time, what are you thinking and how do you feel? The word to describe this is phenomenology. This word is new to me yet I am constantly trying to explain the meaning. Phenomenology is the experience each unique individual has the meaning it has them.

Phenomenology, (my new favourite word) is important in my work. I want to create an experience for the viewer. My aim is to create something that makes people think. The created something should provoke/push the viewer into relating it back to themselves. So therefore each person has a different experience i.e. phenomenology.

Andrea Fraser-performance art

Fraser is a performance artist. The piece that I am most interested in is 'museum highlights, may I help you?'. In this piece Fraser poses as a museum tour guide.

‘MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTS: A GALLERY TALK. The character of Jane Castleton embodies the ideals of a corporate capitalist. The description of her dress established that early in the performance. Although she reveals herself as a unique individual, her manners of presentation are rather professional and direct. Her explanations of the tour focus mainly on the structure and the functionality of the museum and less emphasis on the value of the art that was being displayed. During the tour she manage to seize the opportunity to do a bit of promotional work. Jane represents the ideological institution of today. Just like museum of today, the tour she conducts for the museum presents an opportunity for corporation to promote their brands. Although artworks in the show are the main attraction that creates the interests, it merely is a device mechanism to attract attendance to the museum premises. http://amirshahlan.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/moma-as-late-capitalist-ritual-an-iconographic-analysis-may-i-help-you-museum-highlights-a-gallery-talk/

it isn't really the concept of this piece that I am interested in its the way she goes about it. I like this idea of being someone you aren't. It's trickery and deception of the public, she pretends to be someone else and deceives the public as they don't realise the truth. Also I like the idea of creating an experience, with a tour people participate as they walk around look and listen. They become a part of something they are involved. These ideas inspired me to do my experiments. My experiments included a sort of trickery, the public were asked to participate unknowingly what they really had to do, what the idea was, and what the result would be. Despite this they still became a part of something, it created an experience for them even if it wasn't the main focus of the experiment. For example the cameras and string, a simple sign was left saying 'take a photo'. The public got involved out of their own will, each had an individual experience from this experiment yet the main focus of this experiment was to read the public's body language highlighted through the photographs. So the participant did not know what was going to happen... I hope this makes sense.

Audio recording

I received an new audio recorder which was initially intended to record lectures and meetings ECT. As I was messing about with it, trying to figure out how it works I picked up general conversations within my household. I listened back to the audio recording and was surprised at how my voice changes depending on who I was speaking to at that time for example my tone was different when speaking to my sister than it was to my mum. I decided to take this further, I used the recorder in various places. I used it at work, uni, during meetings and at home. Each location had distinctive differences that showed through my voice. For example at University, with my friends my voice came across as being quite confident and the audio was full of laughter. In contrast the recordings of my voice during meetings sounded shaky and unsure, I didn't seem to have much import in conversations.

I believe this says a lot about me. There are many sides to an individual and we act differently in different surroundings, these recordings have picked up on this idea. My next step is to find a way of revealing/presenting this idea.

#currentworks

The mini camera/video/audio recorder.

This idea has come from the experiments combined. The Experiments had a feeling of trickery and revealing what may not necessarily be on show so in result a spy camera was purchased.

Why? Spy camera sees things that I may normally miss reveal and record where I go and how long for discovery of who I am How? I'd disguise the camera onto my clothing I'd record, then look back to see things I may not necessarily of noticed when it was happening I'd only use the camera when I move. On the footage there is a time and date in the bottom corner this will tell me how long and when I am in different places my question is, does what I do make up who I am and also what does it actually say about me.

Why? I'd disguise the camera onto my clothing because it won't be as noticeable and it can just film as I move it should reveal what things I pay attention to and what interests me it will document my everyday whereabouts revealing what I spend my time doing and where at the idea is discovering myself identity and how does what I do make me me.

Conclusion..... The footage did not work as it was unclear, the positioning was unpredictable and the shaking from the movement made the footage unwatchable. Despite this the audio was very interesting. Traffic noise, conversations, and general surrounding noises were picked up on the footage. It was strange listening back to them as you don't normally realise them but they do make up the surroundings. I think my next step will be to mess around with sounds and general audio recordings.

#currentworks

Newcastle AV FESTIVAL International Festival of Art, technology, music and film

After a long coach ride to Newcastle we split off into groups to go explore the gallerys. We started at the Baltic Mill. The piece that stood out to me here was 'Wagon stations' by Andrea Zittel. To quote the Balti Today leaflet ''Andrea Zittel is most closely associated with remarkable utopia structures she calls wagon station's which explore what humans need for survival in different ways. Zittel's projects are deeply rooted in her own daily life and delve into architecture, painting, photography, design, textiles, needlework and cooking.''

Here was my notes... Customised to suit its purpose and what is an actual priority for example plates are built into a table, a hotplate we just enough space for two. That is all that is needed. They are catered for the individual's needs so each wagon will be different.

The pieces themselves as in the wagons were interesting to look at, but what really captured me was the footage of the people that lived within these wagons. It brought into life, making it real. People actually got by in these. And they worked, they were suited for the situation. Each wagon was designed for exactly what the individuals needed. I looked at this piece as more of a documentary rather than an installation but I think that is what made me more interested. It created more of a impact, making it more realistic, and fascinating to see. The next place we went shown the works of Torsten Lauschmann. ''His work has been described as too slow to be film, and too fast to photography.'' As quoted from the handout. A whole gallery was taken up by his installations. His work appeared to be continuous with no beginning and no end. In my opinion I wasn't overly impressed I seemed to get easily bored. I could not connect with his work if anything it seemed to me. So I was keen to leave. The next place we visited was a small separate gallery which initially we overlooked walking straight past and getting lost. When we found our way back I was pleasantly surprised. This was a sound piece by Jem Finer. The piece is called slow player. The piece consisted of records playing at extremely slow speeds one record would take the whole duration of the gallery opening times. In result the sound became or resembled that of a animal.

Another piece that got my attention was Marina Zurkow : Mesocosm it was an animated piece of the ''landscape portrait representing the passage of time and the Moors of North East England. One hour of world time elapses in each minute of screen time, so that one year lasts 146 hours. No cycle is identical to the last, as the appearance and behaviour of the human and nonhuman characters, as well as changes in the weather, are determined by a code using a simple probability equation: seasons unfold, days pass, moons rise and set, animals come and go around a centrally located and almost omnipresent human figure. This man with his back to us is based on Lucien freud's painting of Leigh Bowery, the performance artist, designer, and drag queen.'' Quoted from the handout. We found ourselves mesmerised by this piece, we must of spent half an hour looking and watching this piece.

As a whole this day was interesting but a long day. There was a contrast of work some of which I could relate to and others which I just dismissed.

#gallery11

Drawing week (Thursday)

Grant Foster- Final year painting student

Interested in innocence and how it becomes corrupted Artistic influences: Paul Mccarthy and Robert Crumb

Uses images to create the work '' I always have an image first.'' It appears as if he just alters what already exists. I didn't grasp the concept and I am actually unsure if there was one. He did mention how he likes ''things to mean two things at once.'' Maybe he does have a hidden concept that he did'nt wish to share?

Foster also questioned ''what is beauty?'' and likes to involve the idea of beauty and ugliness within his work.

#workshops11 #lectures11

Drawing week (wednesday)

Objects

Unfortunately the tutor was off ill so we wasn't sure what was actually expected of us. So I decided to still use my object and have a play around with some ideas.

My chosen object was a small heart shaped stone. I first thought about the texture: touch/contact cold at first warms to body heat solid, hard and dense smooth surface

I went into trying to mark the paper in some way with the object but it left no marks just a slight indent after applying a lot of pressure. I then moved on to the idea of cold turning hot so I experimented with colours, working from cool blues and greens developing into shades of yellows, oranges, reds and browns. I noticed a pressure increase as the colours became warmer.

This idea of pressure and cold to hot developed into a sexual nature, thinking how pressure can leave marks, scratches, colour red-marks scratches blood. Also skin how its smooth- to create a smooth surface with the colours you had to apply a lot of pressure, again this links in with the sexual nature.

I went on to making large scale drawings involving these ideas of sexual pressure and heat. I used such things as knifes, fire, ink and crushed charcoal.

#workshops11

Drawing week (Monday)

Above is some images from Robert Luzar's workshop

Preparation: large paper stuck onto wall or floor read a set of the instructions prepare your paper with masking tape (if stated on instructions) blind fold rub hands into crumbled charcoal perform 3-5minutes (based upon the instructions)

The instructions were some of Robbert Morris own from his own pieces.

It was funny seeing how people approached the drawings. The rules differed so everybody's approach and outcomes were different, but still it was strange how some people appeared as if they were straining in comparison to others who appeared to be happily stroking the walls.

My favourite to watch was the playing card drawing. The idea was to drop the card and then find it, searching with your hands. As you were rummaging around the floor your hands will be leaving marks from the charcoal so you'd be left with these marks and smudges that become the drawing.

I like how being blindfolded makes other senses more alert. Your more aware of the feel of the paper and the motion of your hands. Your hearing also becomes keener, you become aware of the sounds of the paper as your crushing and smoothing it. You also start to realise were you've already worked as the texture changes. The outcome is still supprising as you still don't realise how it will physically look.

#workshops11

Axis (Tuesday 24th Jan '12')

www.axisweb.org

The online resource for UK contemporary art

What is Axis = Leading online directory of UK contemporary artists

Axis programmes-Artists + curators art talk art scene resources Membership £28.50 pa (early career £15)

Useful to see how other artists talk about their work and how to write statements at a professional quality.

Benefits-Exposure paid opportunities e-bulletins high google search

app process: statement of intent; support statement; evidence of art activity; critical awareness how practice relates to wider contemporary visual arts; contemporary not modern.

Axis is something i'd probaly consider in later life as it does sound uselful as its a good way to get your self out there as a artist. Also as you do have to go through an application process it is'nt just a case of letting anyone apply so you automatically have a certain level of respect if you are a member.

#propractice11

Position statement (March '12')

Ava Lowinger-position statement

The psychology of body language and how people reveal things subconcoiusely is a huge interest to me. I am fascinated how people try to hide things about themselves yet often let things slip unknowingly. I have tried to capture this idea through audience participation. I have looked into such artists as: Andrea Fraser; Marina Abramovic; and Rirkrit Tiravanija . I have also briefly looked into the 2010-2011 ‘Move choreographing you’ exhibition and the ‘Stanford Prison Experiments’. They all have that experimental feel that relies on participants. The results differ and are dependent on the participant’s reaction and approach.

I have recently been setting up public experiments. These experiments rely on people participating in some way in order to get the results. The results were then organised categorically and put onto display in my studio space. I then used the results, analysing and developing them in different ways to see what I could get from them and what direction they could lead into.

The experiments have worked extremely well, more people than initially predicted had gotten involved. The results themselves show a contrast of varied personalities, so I am very pleased with this. I do think that I need to start focusing on one area as the experiments feel as though they could be unending, which I would be happy doing but I wouldn't be focusing on an outcome.

My plan is to start narrowing down, concluding and begin thinking about an outcome. The next step of my project is ‘project spy cam’. The idea of this has developed from the previous experiments as they have all had a feeling of trickery and unknowing. My experiments were set up in addition people participated unknowing what the results would lead to and be used for, furthermore they didn't really know what was expected of them. As I mentioned the results had been ‘displayed’ in my studio space, they had been anglicised, focusing on what they may reveal rather than what the participant was actually doing. As a result, I have bought a mini spy camera, which will, hopefully, highlight or reveal things that go unnoticed on a day to day basis. I plan to do this by using the camera for a week as I go about my daily routines, I will then use the camera for further week, but this time in different country. This should show a contrast maybe revealing how things/ people may be affected by their surroundings; hopefully this will conclude my ideas and develop into the outcome.

Experiment three-Blackboard portraits

An experiment where people were asked to draw how they see themselves. Despite the fact that they were all art students the drawings they produced were rather terrible although they did give little things away about their personalities. For example there was one drawing that did not resemble the artist although the way it was drawn said a lot about them. She spent a long time on her drawing rubbing out and correcting the mistakes, this suggest she is a perfectionist. The finished drawing had a scratchy haziness to it, this can be interpreted as the artists to be insecure and maybe shy away.

Similar to the 'cameras on string' experiment I went on to analysis each of the drawings.

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Ava Louise Lowinger-contemporary artist