Sue Bown @suebownpca - Tumblr Blog

Artist Rationale

This body of work was made as a phenomenological response to the Covid 19 lockdown. Inspired by emotional reaction to isolation and cultivated by a subliminal response to product shortages and panic buying. The work was produced examining everyday items and inspiration was taken from the work of Siobhan Piercy. In doing this Bown has created a series of deconstructed artist books in the format of expanded printmaking. The work was made entirely at home by items at hand. Attention has been paid to the creation of form and the use of colour theory as a response to psychological need. The seminal work ‘Xerox Book’ of art curator Seth Siegelaub has also been referenced for this conceptual work. The work is a series of double-sided hand manipulated inkjet prints that have been formed into paper sculptures. These sculptures reveal reimagined landscapes, a possible metaphor for the new reality being faced in the world as a result of the pandemic.

#artist rationale #artistrationale

Position Statement

This has been an existential journey and a huge test of character. When lockdown struck I felt my creativity abandoned me. My original intention for 203 was to further the watercolour monoprint process I researched in 201 and find a way to build structure. Initially, I was unclear how my printmaking practice could continue. At the same time I was writing my GCOP essay, this based on collaboration, which I also wanted to pursue during this module, this too felt impossible.

In January, Cate Rogers and I embarked on some collaborative initiatives, to resolve work made last year. We made a large mixed media diptych ‘Disparate’, inspired by the work of Jasper Johns (Johns, no date) and Julie Mehretu.(Cube, no date) This we entered into the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. As lockdown took hold I looked for ways to collaborate, being in isolation made this feel impossible. It was only when I opted to abandon this idea I found myself free of the conundrum. I began baking sourdough bread, which seemed a ridiculous distraction but I now see it was my creativity coming out in other ways. Shortages of baking supplies and other items were an issue and it was hard to buy flour, eggs and toilet rolls. A briefing at college recommended ‘use what you have around you’, so I started to experiment making hand manipulated prints of these products and packaging on my new printer, in fact I was creating a form of lockdown arte povera.(Tate, no date) I attended Workshop Wednesday sessions looking at artist book making and I saw a method for developing printmaking and investigating form. I researched deeply the demediated books of Siobhan Piercy (Sioban Piercy | Visual Artist - Sculptures and Installations, no date) I also looked into work I had seen at the Venice Biennale 2019, specifically of Suki Seokyeong Kang, whose sculptural installations represent ‘expanded painting’. (Suki Seokyeong Kang | Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art, no date) It was announced that submission work would be required digitally, I had just purchased a new large scale printer, which now would be superfluous. I decided to use the printer to make manipulated prints. These prints have been used as an enquiry into artistic form and inspiration taken from the artist book/sculptural work of Siobhan Piercy. I researched the artist Sol LeWitt, who produced instructions for wall drawings, a form of remote collaboration. (Sol LeWitt’s Instruction for Wondrous Walls - Improvised Life, 2015) LeWitt also took part in conceptual work by art curator Seth Siegelaub, “Xerox Book’,(ARTtube, 2016) this gave weight to the validity of prints made on a home printer. I deepened my enquiry into this process and eventually made a series of hand manipulated layered prints using egg boxes on fine art paper. My narrative of using items from around the home and my lockdown journey. Covid-19 has made me change the methods in my practice, but it has not changed my path. It has forced me to dig deeper into my creativity, be more resilient and helped to understand myself better as an artist. The experience of being part time has helped me to adapt to the new situation and to be more resourceful and self sufficient. I have achieved my goal to develop my printmaking skills further and have discovered new ideas for collaboration. My intention for level six is to continue my enquiry into form by way of everyday objects, artist books and to pick up the theme of collaboration. Also to experiment more with colour and take more risks in colour combinations. I will do this with the theme of ‘expanded printmaking’ and plan to reincorporate painting into my practice.

Reference List

ARTtube, (2016). Seth Siegelaub: Beyond Conceptual Art. Youtube. [Online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XITXYVx8O9I. [Accessed on 19/05/2020]

Cube, W., (no date). White Cube - Artists - Julie Mehretu. [Online]. Available at https://whitecube.com/artists/artist/julie_mehretu. [Accessed on 03/06/2020]

Johns, J., (no date). Jasper Johns. Map. 1961. [Online]. Available at https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79372. [Accessed on 03/06/2020]

Sioban Piercy | Visual Artist - Sculptures and Installations (no date). [Online]. Available at http://www.siobanpiercy.co.uk/index.php/works/books-folded-drawings-constructions. [Accessed on 15/05/2020]

Sol LeWitt’s Instruction for Wondrous Walls - Improvised Life (2015). [Online]. Available at https://improvisedlife.com/2015/08/10/learning-stealing-sol-lewitt/. [Accessed on 25/05/2020]

Suki Seokyeong Kang | Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art (no date). [Online]. Available at https://biennial.com/2018/exhibition/artists/suki-seokyeong-kang. [Accessed on 08/06/2020]

Tate, (no date). Arte povera – Art Term | Tate. [Online]. Available at https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/arte-povera. [Accessed on 23/05/2020]

#position statement

Blue Print - Deconstructed Books - Resolved

This is my final work, it is an exhibit of five pieces of folded print structures in the form of deconstructed books. The pieces reveal ‘reimagined landscapes’ a possible metaphor for the new reality being faced a result of the pandemic. The paper is printed both sides with a Xerox printed image made by hand manipulating items using a photocopier. Each image has been built up with layers. The work is a result of an emotional response to lockdown and Covid-19. This process has been developed and created using items I have available at home. In the absence of access to college facilities I have selected white porcelain items as stands for the work, this in keeping with my narrative.

Blue Print “Sliced 1, 2, 3” Inkjet print on Fine Art 220gsm paper, on porcelain eggcup bases. 33 x 20 x 20cm each

Detail of Blue Print - Sliced

Blue Print “Layers” Inkjet print (double-sided) on Fine Art 220gsm paper 27 x 22 x 16cm

Detail of Blue Print - Layers

Blue Print “Trace” Inkjet print on Seawhite 90gsm Tracing Paper 30 x 20 x 6cm

#resolved #practice development

Final Reflection

Resolved watercolour monoprint from 201 module In BAPD201 module I produced a series of watercolour monoprints. I researched and practiced the process deeply. I produced a variety of sizes and eventually perfected making A1 size prints using the large etching press in college. My intention for 203 was to work further into this process and I began to do this, I endeavoured to cut up the prints and the acrylic plates and attempted to layer them in a collage type of work and aim to build structure and reimagine their potential. It is only now at the end of the module I can see that despite Covid-19 and lockdown, I have managed to stay on the path I would have wanted. The outcome has been very different, but I have learnt a great deal in the process; not only about my practice, but about me too. A briefing at college recommended ‘use what you have around you’, this was very useful advice and I has helped me to build a stronger narrative and concept. For 201 I felt my narrative was weak and somewhat unfocused. I now can appreciate and articulate what I am attempting to say more clearly.

Experiments to develop the process, cutting into the plates and the prints collaging together to reimagine the work.

#practice development

Final Prints - Resolving

Spurred on by Sue Kennington’s talk and advice ‘incoherence is right in art’, also that ‘Artist Statements are not about the work but about what the artist is going to do next’. I felt my blue prints were good but needed something more so I decided to make the prints into Rectangular Turkish Mapfolds, I used my best Fine Art 220gsm Fine Art paper, I found this folded well with testing. I planned to use double sided print and experimented using one side of Blue Print and one side of my Bread Crust print (see Lockdown Box). This worked as the colours are complimentary yet the content has an incoherence, but that allows the form of the folds to be more defined and also acts as a cover to the books. It works too with my concept of using items I had at home and are significant to my lockdown journey. The final print I used the bread print which I folded to be on the inside of the work. My next problem, how to show the work? If I was preparing for an exhibition I would have liked to have made bases for the work in the glass department, following on with the interdisciplinary skills I learnt during Workshop Wednesdays. Instead, I have used white porcelain egg cups and a dish as structures to support the work; this follows the theme of everything coming from home and also egg cups seemed appropriate as the design came from egg boxes initially.

#practice development

Siobhan Piercy

Further Research

Looking for a more finished solution to my folded prints I looked further into the work of Siobhan Piercy. I found an ebook to download which gave much deeper insight into her presentation and process. Ebook ‘Book Works - The Artwork of Siobhan Piercy’ Piercy combines, prints, drawings, paintings into objects/sculptures. These could be referred to as deconstructed books. She sees them as having ‘metaphoric possibilities, building the capacity to work across different communication systems.’ I like the neat ordered manner in which she presents her work. They are sleek purpose built frames that build on and add to the metaphor and concept of each piece of work.

#research

Sue Kennington - Artist Talk

“Sue Kennington (b.London 1955) trained in London at Goldsmiths College (MFA 2002) and Chelsea College of Art (BA Painting 1994). She moved her practice to Central Italy in 2002 after completing her MFA, and now works between there and a studio in the San Lorenzo district of Rome. In 1996 her work featured in New Contemporaries at the Tate Liverpool and the Camden Arts Centre, London. Since then she has gone on to exhibit regularly in both Italy and the UK. Her work is an ongoing exploration into the use of color as language. Recent exhibitions include: Sue Kennington & Fleur Simon | New Work at Sid Motion Gallery, London 2019......”

www.suekennington.com

Sue gave us one of the most down to earth artist talks I have ever attended. I can glean something from most artist talks but with Sue there was more. She was passionate about her subject, honest and open.

Obsession with colour, she works with the Munsell colour wheel, mathematical.

Joseph Albers too

Studio full of colour swatches

Preplans colour

Incoherence is right in art

(Full notes are in my notebook as there was so much in this talk)

What I took from this talk Sue said ‘Artist Statements they’re always about what an artist is about to do not the work itself’, at this point I had just finished my Blue Prints and was writing my statement about how I would like to take these into making artist books. I had done lots of folds on lesser paper but I felt the prints were precious and not to be spoilt by possible bad folding. Her comment galvanised me into action into pushing this project further and resolving it properly. I also took into account her comment ‘incoherence is right in art’, and reprinted on my best quality paper, adding the bread images to the other side of the prints. Before, the double sided mainly blue prints were overpowering and needed a contrast, using the bread prints helped with adding more natural colours and that balanced the look. Also, by folding the paper helped to see both sides together and brings a visual incoherence that works. This too reminded me of Sarah Hoskins colour exercise, where I had discovered the many more colours possible than I usually use. I tend to stick to the same unmixed colours in my painted work. I am very pleased I attended this talk as it helped me stretch myself come to a better conclusion.

#research

Suki Seokyeong Kang

Suki Seokyeong Kang (b. 1977, Seoul, South Korea) lives and works in Seoul. Kang deploys various media including installation and video to seek “a synesthetic expansion of painting”. Through movement and rhythm, she creates an environment that guides the direction of her painting, which she uses like a visual musical score. Her practice is situated between the abstract and figurative, the organic and geometric, creating a visual language of balance and harmony. https://biennial.com/2018/exhibition/artists/suki-seokyeong-kang

I saw Kang’s work at the Venice Biennale 2019, I was attracted to it by the colour and the painted canvasses that were stacked up to show the drips running down the side. It was the way the drips from each canvas interacted with the next. Kang’s work at the Biennale was varied and an installation of many structures. I like the layering of her work and how the overlaid shapes combine. Also, I can see that the work I am doing is an ‘expansion of printmaking’.

#research

Reflection - 7th June

Where am I?

I have made good resolved inkjet prints using the facilities I have available, with no printing press at home. This is achieving one of the goals of my statement of intent.

I have used my printer to manipulate images to create my work.

I have experimented with folding and cutting paper

The Mapfold book I have made and is not up to standard.

Lotus fold book is good but making the cover lessened the overall effect.

I do not have satisfactory supplies to create book covers to a suitable standard.

What now? Push on and resolve this module, I am not there yet. I have the prints but I have not presented them or applied the folding techniques I have practised. Look at using the fine art paper for making the folded works. Also, more research, maybe try and find out more about Siobhan Piercy and look at some of the installation work I saw in Venice.

#practice development

Turkish Map Fold Book

At this point I considered the ‘Blue Print’ prints I’d made and whilst I am pleased with them, the images are good and I am happy with the process I used. I contemplated if I’d achieved my aim, I hadn't. I had created a series of prints using a method I had available at home, also I’d created the Lotus Fold book, I felt I hadn't fully resolved the project by marrying up the two processes satisfactorily. I found an online video of how to make Turkish Mapfold Books with rectangular paper, joining them together to make a sculpture. Using this method, I made this with two sheets of A3 rectangular tracing paper (Turkish Mapfolds are usually square paper). I made a cover for the double folded paper sculpture with a two cardboard sections and covered this in T-shirt fabric. I used PVA glue to stick it all together. The problem I found was the cardboard was inferior for the job and the glue seeped through the fabric, all of this made the sculpture get damp and pucker (see pics). Not an ideal solution.

#practice development

Blue Print Series- Resolved

A series of four A3 Inkjet Prints on Smooth Fine Art Paper 220gsm. These prints are made using a hand manipulation technique, a collaboration with photocopier/printer. This would would not have come into being without the Covid19 Lockdown. They were created using items available at home and relevant to the circumstances. Inspiration is from the work of Sol LeWitt and Seth Siegelaub.

#practice development #resolved

Paper Folding Experiments

I experimented with folds and cuts to the paper, this was inspired by the work of Siobhan Piercy, I tried to see how some of her pieces were made. I found the paper reacted differently to the different folds and cuts. Not all were successful. I tried arranging them in layers and seeing how they photograph together. They make interesting photos, using composition and colour. Also, they could be used to create paper sculptures, providing I can find an armature to use to display them. Siobhan Piercy uses specially made forms and bases for her work, I will struggle in the time and the tools I have available at home but this is something I can look into for the future.

#practice development

Lotus Fold Book

This is a lotus fold book made from 100gsm photocopy paper, it is folded in a lotus fold which has been covered with a cardboard cover. I made the cover from a dog food box and made the canvas cover out of an egg design which was printed on canvas in my printer.

I am pleased with the results and I am surprised that the canvas went through the printer.

#practice development

Printer/Paper Experiments

I experimented widely with different papers that I had at home. Results were varied as detailed above. I am now more familiar with my printer, even though I have used a lot of ink and pushed it to its limits, I am sure there is more to discover. As mentioned earlier I bought the printer prior to lockdown to help me complete my studiobook as it seemed physically attending college was going to become tricky. With the news that work would have to be submitted digitally I thought it was going to be useless to me. However having spent time working with it and discovering the possibilities, I have found its uses are endless with a project like this. I was spurred on by the research I did regarding Seth Siegelaub and Sol LeWitt and found a history of Xerox prints in modern and conceptual art.

To sum up my work it has been a collaboration with my printer!

#practice development

Moving on with Xerox Printmaking

My initial Xerox prints made with everyday items were interesting and could be considered to be resolved. They could be pubished in a Xerox book in the style of Seth Siegelaub, researching his work gave me confidence in using inkjet prints as a credible format for work. Utilizing the process of layering as used by Julie Mehretu, I fed the egg box prints through my photocopier a couple of times more and manipulated them to see how repeated images would look and build. Also, by chance I had acquired a blue egg box. Here was my opportunity to add a new colour into the prints. I changed the settings of my photocopier to remove background colour and the blue built up.

I printed this on regular photocopy paper and printed the images, borderless and on both sides.

The results were a delight to see, I’d brought back a wider range of colour and on 100gsm photocopier was perfect for folded work, especially having an image on both sides.

I felt the images are a resolution in themselves, they could be printed on fine art paper and framed.

I wanted to push this on and work on folding techniques.

#practice development #resolved

Continuing Xerox and Paper Experiments

In an effort to progress on from ‘Lockdown Box’, I spent a great deal of time making other Xerox prints, trying different weights of paper, pushing my printer to see what was possible. I made cut out sheets, I traced over sheets, I used food wrappers/containers and flour bags, all collected during lockdown. These I have cut, folded, shaped, got a feel for and practiced with. I have a pile of paper on my dining table and to be frank there are too many experiments. I won’t go into detail, suffice to say I have endeavoured to become familiar with my medium. I am keeping them to review to potentially move on, but I don’t see these as contenders, unless they become part of a book about bread.

#practice development

Lockdown Box - Resolved

Inspired by my printing with bread I used some inks and turmeric, choosing colours that I could link to bread. All of the inks/items I had at home to continue my intention to use what I have to hand. This is a series of twelve 10x10cm prints/paintings made either with bread printing or writing the word bread. These are stored in a box made from a bread crust printed card (printed on my printer), I made the box from a template of a box I had at home. I am pleased with how the mini paintings turned out, yet I do feel this is a ‘revert to type’, familiarity and not a conclusion of the process. The prints are ‘sandwiched’ by printed sheets of bread on tracing paper.

This is resolved piece of work. I could tidy up the box and make something more sturdy, but it represents the feeling I had having to stay at home whilst recognising the creative effort I put in to making my own bread, which I’d taught myself to do whilst at home. The box represents my home and the prints and covering sheets are slices of life I had experienced.

My research has been around form, folded work and artist books, I am not there yet. I will push on.

A series of twelve 10x10cm paintings that are contained in ‘Lockdown Box’

#practice development #resolved

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