Rhianna Thompson

HNC Contemporary Art 

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'Who's Afraid of Conceptual Art' Documentary Notes

While watching the documentary exploring conceptual art and its artists, I took notes on some of the ideas and processes talked about. It was rather interesting.

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Context; Minimalism and Conceptualism

Notes taken during context lecture, including artists, movements and influences.

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Artist Research - Section 2

ERNESTO NETO

Neto is a sculptor, multimedia and an installation artist. Born 1964 in Rio, he attended education at Rio's Escola de artes visuais do Parque Lage in 1994-1997, on top of also attending the Museu de arte moderna de São Paulo from 1994-1996. Ernesto is known for his huge, immersive sculptors that encourage human interaction and are described as a ‘sensory rich experience’. 

“The Body that Carries Me” - “That’ life” 2012

This is a hand-crocheted piece using multiple colour. It is hanging from the ceiling, it is supposed to portray Neto’s idea of life, and its conception of how we come into being. It’s really interesting how it hangs and sags, looking like its about to fall, but sturdy enough to handle people walking through it. 

The Serpent’s Energy Gave Birth to Humanity,” 2016

“We stopped just here at the time” (2002)

A more droopy piece, as with the rest of his work it is crochet, including spices like cumin, pepper etc to trigger out senses.

'Children of the Earth' - 2019

Neto created an environment that envelops the viewer. Using bright, natural colour, smells, materials and sound. Creating this area that resembles a living organism. Visitors tot his gallery are motivated to use their senses to touch, smell and interact with this piece to connect and become one with it. Lots of crotchet has been used, much like his other pieces. There's a lot of weight and freshness to this gallery, it feels alive and almost moving with the different whimsical shapes.

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Context - Pop Art

Taking notes about the Pop Art movement and some of the artists who were a part of it.

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Context - Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism

Notes taken while learning about Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism, how one influenced the other and how they differ. As well the artists who pioneered and joined in with the movements.

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Angus McPhee

Angus McPhee was a Scottish artist born 1916 and died 1997. He worked with outside materials, such as grass, sheep's wool and leaves, weaving them into garments such as the example jumper. in 1946 he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and subsequently spent much of his time in Craig Dunain Hospital. He kept to himself and was known to be extremely quiet, only opening up to his very close friends. During the time he had to himself in the hospital, he would wander around in search of items he could get creative with, of which is how he found wool, grass and beech leaves. He would use these to create the garments, then hide them within bushes. A documentary was made in 2004 dedicated to exploring McPhee's life; Hidden Gifts:The Mystery of Angus McPhee, of which won the Britspotting award the following year. His work became most popular after his death where it was finally given a purpose; art.

Woven Grass Tunic

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Context Notes

Notes taken from context class learning about the Dada movement and the Surrealism movement. As well as a range of artists and how they contributed to the movements.

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Notes - Context Class

Notes taken during my context class, left some spaces to add in more notes if I feel it would be beneficial.

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Friday Artist Notes 22.01.21

‘Untitled’ - 1986

DONALD JUDD (1928 - 1994) - an American minimalist artist, despite . Creating pieces using repeating shapes and patterns, using machine-made materials like iron, steel etc, while keeping it simple. The minimalist movement is the direct opposite of the abstract movement. Judd’s aim when making his pieces, was to make the object the main focus, being able to stand alone, without making reference to any hidden meanings. This has also been called literalist work, as what you see is all it is, the relationship you as the viewer make with it. Judd’s work is a reference to consumer culture, as well as the aim to  make art more accessible to more people as it was simple and comprised of minimalist pieces.

‘Aten Reign’ - 2013

JAMES TURRELL - an American artist celebrated for his work combining light and space. Turrell was a pilot who brought his love for art into his flying, treating the sky as his canvas and material, the space around him being his studio. His work is the light, not to be confused with it being about the light, or how it works, but just the light itself and it’s presence in the area he presents it, is the art. Examples include cutting openings into the walls of a room, and allowing the light to spill in. Turrell describes his work as having “ no object, no image and no focus”, he wants the viewer to be in the moment and experience it as h presents it. There are no hidden meanings to get sucked up in, just your own wandering thoughts to cycle through. He aims to create an experience. 

‘La situazione antispettiva’ - 2003

OLAFUR ELIASSON - is a Danish Sculptor famous for his large displays of which included elements likes light, water, and air temperature. He used this as a way to add to the experience of those viewing it. He was born 1967. During 1995, Eliasson built the Studio Olafur Eliasson in Berlin, which was a laboritory to be used for spatial research.  Eliasson used to be a professor in the Berlin University of the Arts during 2009 until 2014. Since then, he has been a professor in the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in Addis Ababa. His work also aims to portray our role in globalization and enviromentalism. Eliasson uses materials such as moss, light, and reflective metals. Combining the contrasting materials of man-made and nature.  His work aims to present the connection between art and science.

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Context Class - 20.01.2021

Taking notes during context class with Dougie, focusing on Impressionism and Post Impressionism and learning about the artists who were most involved in the movement.

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Artist Research

Hermés Value Meal, (1997)

TOM SACHS - is an American artist who specialises in sculpture, particularly about disposable consumer culture. Born in 1966 New York. Sachs recreates common items using found materials such as cardboard, hot glue, foamcore, plywood, assorted kitchen appliances and more. Tom prefers to leave all the steps of him creating the work open and transparent, meaning the seems and  marks are visible. This lets the viewer feel more connected with the pieces, to go along with the story building of the art. His works, such as his toiler sculpture, are fully functioning.  

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‘After’ - 1998

UW84DC #12 - 2001

RICHARD DEACON - is a Welsh Sculptor born 1949. Richard is famous for mixing human elements with his materials of choice; wood, metal and occasionally plastic and many more as he has used a range of materials over his career. Richard warps the wood to create these interesting shapes, using methods like steaming to warp and bend, then using joining techniques found in engineering. Deacon prefers to be labelled as a fabricator rather than a sculptor. His work is rooted by the mass production work of the world, showing the contrast of mass produced items and items that were handcrafted using easily accessible materials. Showing the love and effort that goes into items, how that those emotions have been lost to mass production. 

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‘Spin Dryer with Bicycle Frame Including Handlebars’ - 1981

‘The Beekeeper’ 

BILL WOODROW - is a British sculptor born 1948. Woodrow was a part of the international contemporary art scene of which did not include many British sculptors in the 1970s. His materials revolve around what can be found in his area, such as items from scrap yards like used car parts. In the 80′s, Woodrow began to experiment with casting items in bronze instead of his previous manipulation of items. The meaning behind his pieces can be illusive, leaving it up to the mind of the viewer. 

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Compare and Contrast

‘Endzoneboogie’ - Painted and chrome plated steel, 1988. John Chamberlain.

Leaves laid around a hole, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 1987. Andy Goldsworthy.

These sculptors are both very talented and source their material from what is around them. This is something I admire as to rely on what you can find, from a source that is ever changing and random, must make the pieces hard to create. Despite this similarity, they use opposite materials. Goldsworthy focuses on the natural items, sticks, rocks etc, while Chamberlain uses discarded man made materials.

Both sculptors use bright and attractive colours in their works. Sticking to the natural colours of the items, while making them stand out and contrast with the area around them. This makes the sculpt eye catching. Also, within their works, there is the consistency of leading lines. Whether that be the eye following the leaves around the circle in Goldworthy’s, or the sharp lines and corners of Chamberlain’s work. 

When it comes to meaning within their art, Chamberlain has less of a goal. He prefers to create, and just let his heart guide him. He stops when he feels as though he enjoys the presence of the piece. Goldsworthy, has more a goal. He aims to show his appreciation for the art that is nature. He also likes to reference the history of the land he is working on, so it is very much an educational journey as well as an outlet for his love for nature.

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Artist Research - Andy Goldsworthy

Screen , 1998

‘Stacked Whalebones’ - 2001. Complete skeleton of a beached pilot whale.

Sycamore leaves surrounding the roots of a sycamore tree - November 2013

Winter Weekend Series 

Andy Goldsworthy is a natural sculptor who uses the natural world as his tools to create new, interesting compositions. Andy grew up in Yorkshire, working on a farm when he was out of school. This lane of work unearthed a deep love for nature within Andy. Goldsworthy attended the Bradford School of Art (1974–75), and at Preston Polytechnic in Lancashire (B.A., 1978). However while he was studying art, he found that he didn’t enjoy being stuck in a studio to create, he felt the outdoors was more appropriate for his goals. Putting down the studio tools and picking up stones, sticks, leaves and more.

I like his whale bones piece. This one stands out as there won’t be many pieces that involved the bones of a beached whale. Once again using what is at his disposal, this is less than once in a lifetime opportunity which really pays off in his work. 

I enjoy Goldsworthy’s art, bringing out the beauty is nature that we sometimes forget is there. His work is arguably challenging as he only has what is in front of him, at the location. This makes his process long and tedious, to find exactly what he needs to create his work. This makes his art so much more special as it’s all rests on chance of what’s at the destination. 

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Artist Research - John Chamberlain

‘Nutcracker’ -  painted and chromium-plated steel, 1958.

‘Hatband’ - 1960 painted steel.

Untitled, ca.1961. Mixed media relief.

‘Mezzomangle’ - 2007, painted and chromium-plated steel.

John Chamberlain sitting amongst his work in 1962. Chamberlain was an American sculptor, who focused on the genre ‘junk art’. Taking junk parts and twisting them into something more. He was born April 1927 and passed away December 2011. While young, John spent the majority of it in Chicago. When he finished serving the U.S. Navy during WWII, John went to the Art Institute of Chicago (1951–52) and Black Mountain College (1955–56). After this, John moved out to New York, this is where he began creating sculptors using the scrap-metal he found. Here is also where he found his inspiration of the Abstract Expressionists Willem de Kooning and Franz Mine. These artists inspired John to involve the 3D volume while capturing the gesture and uncontrolled nature found in their pieces, and then in Chamberlains too. 

The first two examples I find particularly enticing. I like that you can still see some of the details of what the scraps used to be, as well as the rustic and true to life colours that John has used. John uses discarded car parts, and I feel this is obvious in his pieces, especially the first two. 

I like John’s approach to art, using the old and discarded to create something new and interesting. This is something I think fits well with my theme. 

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Sound Manipulation

Visit Original Link

Taking my sound clips from the start of section 2, my film stills, I have chopped them up, changed the volumes and melted them altogether to create one sound.

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Final Piece

Final Photoshop Manipulation Piece

My final digital piece, using my favourite bits from my experiments. I've used my folio 1 still film pictures, theme pictures and pictures of my fabric manipulations that I made previously. I used a range of techniques to manipulate and combine them together to almost tell a story. I think it overall represents my theme well as my fabric, in the background, looks like vines. As though they are reaching out over the machines and rubbish to grow past them, just like my theme of mother nature overcoming the trash we leave behind.

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Photoshop Experiments

These are 6 manipulation experiments I have made on photoshop, using various tools.