KAB130 Artist Blog

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Bye!

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FINAL REFLECTION

This process proved invaluable, influencing not only my art making, which is my minor, but also enriching my design thinking, which ties directly into my major in architectural design.

I worked within a medium so familiar, and within this familiarity, I found comfort in the work and its anticipated outcome. Perhaps too comfortable, as the usual tension and perfectionism that characterises my architectural design process began to permeate my art practice – a space I had intended to keep alive with creative flow and joy, distinct from the high-tension, high-impact, and highly competitive nature of architecture.

Through the challenges encountered, I was profoundly humbled and, in the best way possible, stripped of this perfectionism. It served as a potent reminder of architecture's roots in artistic self-expression. I am reminded that all spaces carved by humans ultimately emulate the human journey, which, as we know, is far from perfect.

I am thrilled with the practical art-making skills I have gained, the relationships fostered, and the artistic doorways opened throughout this journey.

I thank my tutors, unit coordinators, markers, and peers for this opportunity; the lessons learnt, I pray, will follow me for a lifetime.

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FINAL ARTWORK FOLIO

Completed 3D artwork:

Photoshopped into context:

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Presentation

The presentation provided the best opportunity to solidify and articulate the qualities that made this project so impactful for me. Reflecting on the process, there isn't much I would fundamentally change. The true strengths of this undertaking emerged not despite, but because of the faults encountered and the resolutions subsequently discovered.

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The Vision

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Finalised Location

The winner is ....

Southbank Parklands - Rainforest green

Why?

The site is an open field that still feels enclosed by greenery, with paths leading in from several directions.

It's in a high-traffic area, right by the main path, gardens, and ferry terminal, meaning plenty of people will encounter it.

The highest point of the installation would even be visible from across the river.

Its red colour would stand out effectively against the largely green surroundings.

The location fits well, as South Bank is already known for hosting public art and creative works.

Being close to play areas works perfectly with the installation's tactile nature, inviting interaction from both kids and adults.

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Location Analysis

All spaces were chosen with the following pre-requisites:

Open field

Geographically circle or clear lines of entry/ vision from public spaces

Near or in high-traffic areas

Places of respite for busy city goers - the intended users of the installation

Loc 1: Queens Park - 144 George t, Brisbane City QLD 4000

Loc 2: Cuban Royal Palms - Brisbane Bontanical Garden

Loc 3: King George Square - 87C Roma St, BRisbane City 4000

Loc. 4: Southbank Parklands - Rainforest green

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Final Result

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Pivitol Reflection:

[I have included this at the end of the last post. However, I feel its significance demands its own post]

The preceding struggle with the heart armature, however, proved unexpectedly catalytic. It prompted a critical reflection on my established art-making methodology, which I realised had become heavily reliant on precision, calculation, and a pursuit of near-perfection. This felt increasingly misaligned with the often intuitive, passion-driven nature of artistic creation. As an intuitive individual, I recognised a disconnect developing between my process and my intrinsic way of working, a consequence perhaps of striving for an idealised "perfect vision." The journey to resolve the heart form became, in a sense, a parallel journey back toward my own creative core. A palpable shift occurred: the anxiety surrounding perfectionism receded, making space for intuition to guide the process forward.

Consequently, the final weaving of the threads transformed into an act of creative liberation. With the pressure of exactitude lifted, the focus shifted to the expressive potential of the forms and threads, allowing for a sense of play to enter the work. I believe this shift, away from rigid control and towards intuitive engagement, is perceptibly embedded within the aesthetic and experiential qualities of the final piece.

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Red Thread: Part 2 - The Resolution

While the fabrication of the central "heart" form presented the most significant challenge, the subsequent stages unfolded with a welcome fluidity. Attaching the textile elements primarily involved stripping fabric between the established base points and the outer armatures, secured with adhesive and knotting. This marked a departure from the precise calculations governing earlier steps; here, intuition began to inform the placement and density of the threads, allowing the composition to evolve organically.

The preceding struggle with the heart armature, however, proved unexpectedly catalytic. It prompted a critical reflection on my established art-making methodology, which I realised had become heavily reliant on precision, calculation, and a pursuit of near-perfection. This felt increasingly misaligned with the often intuitive, passion-driven nature of artistic creation. As an intuitive individual, I recognised a disconnect developing between my process and my intrinsic way of working, a consequence perhaps of striving for an idealised "perfect vision." The journey to resolve the heart form became, in a sense, a parallel journey back toward my own creative core. A palpable shift occurred: the anxiety surrounding perfectionism receded, making space for intuition to guide the process forward.

Consequently, the final weaving of the threads transformed into an act of creative liberation. With the pressure of exactitude lifted, the focus shifted to the expressive potential of the forms and threads, allowing for a sense of play to enter the work. I believe this shift, away from rigid control and towards intuitive engagement, is perceptibly embedded within the aesthetic and experiential qualities of the final piece.

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Red Thread: Part 1 - The Challange

The final fabrication phase involved integrating the red textile with the completed armatures, which required iterative testing and refinement.

Preparatory work:

Initially, tensegrity was intended to maintain the suspended thin fabric strips between the armature and pre-nailed base points, reflecting early sketches. However, the pronounced curvature of the central 'heart' armature caused the strips to slip, failing to cover the form despite preparatory work.

This technical issue proved to be a challenge - a pause and strategic revision of the method was needed under this pressure.

Consequently, the approach shifted to wrapping the armature in a continuous fabric sheet, secured under tension to the base points. This was effective and ultimately led to the final outcome. After several undocumented configurations (prioritising creative resolution over documentation due to time constraints) the desired form was achieved.

Elements of the original stripped fabric were then reintroduced for conceptual continuity. A pleasant surprise, the core structure intended as a locus for reflection, ultimately manifested a clear resemblance to a heart shape. This sparked a resonance, suggesting the 'Red Thread' journey was intrinsically one towards the emotional core, circling back to the concept's metaphysical origins and the original intent.

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Part 2: Foundations

Part 2 is where we joined the now created and refined armature frame to its base - its foundation.

The finalised armature form was fixed to a 800mm x 800mm base board foundation. This was sourced from the workshop, the base material itself being cut from a peice of wood preused and loved

Placement guides were then marked on the base using a circle-drawing tool for accurate frame positioning.

I then ran into an issue - a material constraint meant having to use straight nails and bend them into position instead of using nails specific to the task. A very minor problem in the grand scheme of this project.

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Part 1: Joining

Following the shaping process, the next stage involved constructing the final form by joining the individual wire armatures.

This step of creation proved to be a valuable opportunity to apply skills I had learnt in Assignment 1.

Initially, the joints were secured using a spot welder, adhering to safety protocols with appropriate PPE and under supervision.

Any excess wire at the welded joints was then trimmed using tin snips, followed by refinement of the welds with a grinder for a smooth finish.

Finally, a bending bracket was then used to smooth the curves to form precise bends

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Bending

My next step was to transition the design from 2D to 3D by bending the wire armatures.

I hand-bent the armatures with the help of my partner, ensuring they adhered to the planned shapes and circumferences.

While bending, I meticulously checked against the 2D template to ensure the planned circumference was maintained in the final 3D form.

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Planning

I started by brainstorming scale and size for the installation: 1:50 scale, 30m × 30m.

I then created a temporary “board” to brainstorm structure and measurements.

Measurements used for circles: R = 275 mm r = 212.5 mm r = 150 mm r = 87.5 mm r = 25 mm

I then drew out the circles, which helped to understand the dimensions, widths, and heights of the installation.

I then bent the wire to roughly the same circumference as the circles drawn on my temporary board so I could shape the wire later.

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Presentation: W10 Catch up

Slides:

Reflection:

I felt really positive being able to solidify my ideas verbally and receive such encouraging feedback. Despite experiencing anxiety and self-doubt beforehand, I now feel happy and confident in my concept.

I’m excited to move forward with the creation of this installation. There are still aspects of the work that remain unresolved, for example, how the textiles will be tied and arranged and I look forward to exploring and discovering these solutions through the creative process.

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Idea elaboration!

Concept:

The idea is to create a textile installation or pavilion that forms a built experience, guiding participants through a space that is both encapsulating and enticing. The concept draws inspiration from a water droplet breaking the surface and the sacred, esoteric shape of the circle, representing creation and transformation.

This circular form is morphed and influenced, mirroring how we, as humans, are shaped by our environments and experiences. The installation is intended to lead visitors on an introspective journey, transitioning them from extrospective awareness of the outside world to a deeply introspective encounter with the self.

As an architecture student, this concept allows me to honour a key part of my practice in an artistic and experimental sphere, blending spatial design with personal reflection.

Materials:

Aluminium wire (for armature and structure)

Wooden boards

Nails or fasteners

Textiles with varying tensile properties (to explore texture and 3D form)

Creative process:

[moment for reflection later: how well was this process followed? what was discovered?]

Begin with aluminium armatures, bending and shaping into dynamic structural forms.

Use principles of tensegrity to attach and stretch textiles across the frames, creating surfaces that interact with light, texture, and 3D space.

Experiment with form, tension, and layering to evoke a sense of flow, movement, and transformation, mirroring the water droplet and circular motifs.

Iteratively adjust structures and textiles to enhance the introspective journey for participants, balancing aesthetic, tactile, and spatial experiences.