Saoirse Grogan

sculpture & combined media

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Process of painting over my face cast. I did this to represent the feeling of wanting to blend in and 'camouflage' one's selfhood when feeling insecure.

I wanted to use various reds, yellows and browns to illustrate and normalise the fact that body image can fluctuate and shift each day.

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Taking the bandage I was using on my hand, I decided to further experiment with bandage by creating a piece molding bandage, paint and water together, creating this gross looking work resembling a bandage used for wounds.

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Attaching objects to the skin and playing around with plaster bandage, paint and water. I used bandage as it is a common object used to assist the body to some degree, such as wounds and injuries.

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For the project concept, I began to think about painting a pair of gloves and the idea of eczema, something I've dealt with on and off during different periods of my life. Since my eczema returned during the pandemic, I wanted to relate this project to it to a degree, using colours associated with eczema such as pink and red to imply irritated skin.

I also decided to wash it off the glove, highlighting the want to hide or "wash it away" because of insecurities and shame.

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Artist Research

Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen is a Scandinavian fashion designer and creator of the brand Han Kjobenhavn, who's work focuses on emotions, darkness and creating shapes and silhouettes reflecting these ideas. Davidsen's autumn/winter 2022 show; 'Sculpting Darkness', perfectly represents these concepts, documenting his perspective and outlook on life through a creative format.

'... as a human you evolve every day, and it’s also our jobs to learn all the time and educate yourself.' - Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen

Kjobenhavn's line has inspired my project concept relating to the human form, taking Davidsen's words in a more literal sense of human evolution, growth and development throughout one's life, and perhaps in a sense of self expression by using clothing, accessories and body modifications to relate to and communicate with the body.

In conversation with Jannik Wikkelsø Davidsen, the mastermind behind Han Kjøbenhavn on the occasion of his latest fashion show during Milan

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On Thursday I decided to do a cast of my face using fast-drying alginate. I prepared by putting vaseline on the outline of my face to protect my hair from the alginate, as well as covering my hair with cling film.

The alginate took about 3-5 minutes to dry, and then plaster was layered on top to build up the mold.

I plan to use the cast as a canvas for experiments with this project.

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One minute sculptures from Tuesday involving objects bigger than the size of a head.

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Result of liquid latex & plaster bandage work from yesterday

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Interacting with objects larger than the size of a head & creating one minute sculptures

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To begin this project, I decided to use liquid latex and plaster bandage and I plan to attach the resulting product to my body.

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Initial thoughts and ideas for the sculpture project.

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Ideas Development Notebook

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Mixed media recreation of an ultrasound on acetate. I decided to do work on ultrasounds as I discovered that some of the negatives on acetate from the cyanotypes resembled them quite closely, and also as the process of pregnancy and carrying a child is particularly life changing and a very moving, unique experience.

I found it tough to capture the graininess of ultrasonography with gouache and acrylic, so I decided to wipe some paint off with tissue to get an impression of some grey/black details and areas within the painting.

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Drawings from the me and you workshop from yesterday with @eoinmclsad. We began by doing some 30 second drawings as a warm-up, and then moved on to blind drawing & drawing with our non-dominant hand. I used both compressed charcoal and sharpies for the drawings.

I found the workshop intense at the beginning but very beneficial in loosening up my drawing habits, and in the end, my favourite drawings happened to be the ones I had little control over, the blind & left hand drawings.

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I wanted to further what I had done in the pushing paint around workshop since I had a hard time getting comfortable with the idea of painting myself, I did so by doing another self portrait, tying into the self-reflection aspect of my project.

I started with red, blue and yellow gouache and mixed the colours, resulting in a brownish-black tone, then adding some white to the paint, and adding more white to the third shade of paint. The painting was simply a quick study, but I really liked the challenge of painting another self portrait, as it's not something I do often.

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Research

The first foetal ultrasounds were developed in 1956 in Glasgow by Ian Donald and engineer Tom Brown. The first ultrasounds were based off of systems used to find industrial faulties in ships. By the end of the 1950s, ultrasounds were routinely used in hospitals throughout Glasgow, but didn't make their way elsewhere until the 1970s.

Ultrasonic sound waves echo towards a pregnant person's abdomen and an image of the body structure inside the foetus can be generated in the time that it takes for the echoes to return.

Ultrasounds can be used to detect any issues or abnormalities with the womb or foetus, and can reveal information on how many foetuses are present, what sex they are, or spinal problems.

In the early uses of the ultrasound, only the foetuses head could be detected, but as time went on and the technology improved, ultrasounds proved to be more and more useful and valuable. I hope to use this research to further ideas for my project, and to perhaps make a connection between printing on acetate and ultrasounds.

A new book explores the history of ultrasound in pregnancy, from its beginnings in Glasgow, Scotland, to its ubiquitous use today.

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Work from the pushing paint around workshop on Thursday with @eoinmclsad. I found it quite hard to get comfortable with the concept of creating self portraits, especially with just a palette knife, as I have little experience using them.

I enjoyed mixing the paint to get the three tones of brown, and am pleased with the resulting texture. I had been meaning to do paintings and work relating to self reflection in a more literal sense, and plan to do more self portraits within my project.