Installing work in the studio

 A few images taken yesterday (29/05) experimenting with how many breeze blocks to use for the stand. I decided that five was nice, as it's quite low so not too invasive. I originally wanted it to be waist height but realised that it doesn't need to be that high for the audience to see it. 

Currently waiting to set the work up properly as other students are using the studio so I don't want to risk damaging the piece if left open. 

Printmaking research

William Kentridge

• Interesting line work and shading, very emotive imagery and accompanying text.
• I love the detail of this work, the text echoes the title of the pieces and is quite haunting in it's appearance.

Jeremy Youngs

The linear style of this work is similar to my own.

Victoria Rumiancevaitės

• Interesting print and book work, I like the piece below which is like several books with different images.
• Innovative the way it fits together to create a larger image, and I like the way it grows out of the wall to meet the viewer.

Jake and Dinos Chapman
Exquisite Corpse

I have always been interested in the work of the Chapman brothers, and have researched them in previous projects due to their sinister and macabre style.

Pictures and Words, by Roanne Bell and Mark Sinclair

An interesting book which includes multiple styles of illustration, I have been using this for narrative research for FMP. This is where I found Andrjez Klimowski's The Dream Depository, which appealed to me due to the wordless narrative. (below).

Fredrik von Blixen's Lost and Found

In this work I really like the intricate style of illustration used within this narrative, since I find this akin to my work. I also like the minimal line of text below the illustrations, which allows the reader to focus largely on the imagery. The text is dreamlike and a little disconnected from the imagery, but reads like a poem with the added dimension of the images. The combination of text and image does not necessarily allude to a strict answer or interpretation, and the viewer is left to consider their personal interpretation. Lost the second part, and Found the final in a trilogy that still requires a first instalment. It's interesting how the parts have been released in this order, I feel it creates an impressionistic air about the work since one would have to rely upon their own assumptions regarding the story.
"It began as an intention to conclude what my notion of 'lost' is" says von Blixen. "However, I'm still looking for it and the moral of the story changes every time... I suppose I lost my head and found a box of 'ifs' and 'ors' that will never stop bothering me".

In Silence by Anna Bhushan

This image is taken from the book We Lie Together which was written in collaboration between Bhushan and fellow Royal College of Art graduate Laura Carlin. The project was to create a book within a book, which upon first reading shows an idyllic domestic environment through Carlin's images with words enhancing this. The book is French-folded, so after reading through the reader can tear open the pages along the folds to reveal Bhushan's images, which completely invert the meaning of the story. The second set of images are silent, like the panel left, and create a heavily emotive narrative. I like the very flat and linear two dimensional style of illustration; it reminds me of my own prints. 

Martin tom Dieck: La FM and Untitled

Left is the silent third part of La FM, which has been left as an enigma by the author. The colour scheme of this work really appeals to me, and I appreciate the combination of painting and drawing. Despite probably being unrelated in context and style it reminds me of The Depository, as it begins with a man sat by his desk who seems to be stuck on something. The contrast of the colours work really well together, and it's interesting to see that only a limited colour palette of red/black/yellow has been used. Through this Dieck creates a very striking narrative.

This story was left un-named in the book, and was originally published in Die Zeit magazine. The dreamlike nature of the story can be attributed to the content of the sequence, which was "built around the moment between sleeping and waking and the attempt to make this moment last". Again his work reminds me of Klimowski's work, but this time it is due to the contrasting black and white of the frames. Dieck uses minimal text to express whimsical thoughts of the character, for instance in the fourth panel "Alas, those old songs," and seventh "What, however, do we know under water?" In the story the main character is shown to be gathering all of his smaller "selves" from his floor, whilst in a hypnogogic state.

Final sequencing of prints

This is the final sequencing of my images, adapted from another sequence with some scenes rearranged to make the narrative more fitting. I devised it through thinking about how I first remembered the dream upon waking; which was the ending of the dream and leaving the island with Anthony and Ross.

From scenes two to twelve I wanted to display a mixed account of remembering being on the island and watching everyone's panic, juxtaposed with just watching these events through a TV. I aimed to make this as logical as possible in terms of how I remembered it, which involved some events taking place in reverse order (for example remembering watching the TV show, then remembering turning the TV on). 

A couple of prints were kept in their original order like nine and ten (the top two in the above image, 'going into' the TV) which I felt conveyed the pivotal moment in the narrative when the dream completely switched realities, and if displayed in a reversed order I felt this would not be clear.

Images thirteen through to twenty-one show me leaving the group of island survivors to explore the island, and finding Anthony and Ross which led to leaving the island on the bridge. I continued the method used earlier in the sequence; of switching  the chronological order  of the dream according to the order it was remembered.

The last image in the sequence was originally the first image; sat talking with friends before beginning to watch TV.  I chose to put this last after reordering the sequence since this was the last thing that came to me after remembering the dream; almost as a clarification of how the dream began. The second to last image was originally the last image in the sequence, and I think it was good to place these two images together since it sandwiches together the beginning and end of the sequence, and creates a sense of overall unity within the narrative.

Updated Degree show proposal

Final piece: a concertina book which will measure 19cm x 24cm page size, and 6.24 metres in length. To be presented in an open format, on a long and thin table which measures 83 inch long by 12 inch wide. An example of the space and how it will be arranged.

Materials: Either wood or perspex plastic, which can be made in a workshop. Will be supported by wooden studio trestles or discreet table legs.

Preferably in the dark space with some overhead lighting to emphasise the piece.

Concertina book research: displaying and presenting

Research for displaying the concertina in my original idea of a star shape. The above layout would be more appropriate for my design, as it allows for all pages of the piece to be seen. The fastening of the book in the lower image doesn't allow for some pages to be seen, so would not be ideal as a method of installing. However I really like the design and colours used in this piece, especially displayed against a dark background.
For this display the prints on the inner pages are quite hidden, which would create difficulty for the audience when viewing the piece. 

The open format, which is my current idea for display. This will make it easier for viewing, as the audience can see all off the images clearly. The table will be made of a thin plank of wood, and supported by breeze blocks to be in keeping with the degree show theme"Grit".
The viewer will be able to see each print in close detail now, and with more ease so this display is much more appropriate for my work.

 Researching other artists books displayed in an open format, a common background colour for the work is white which doesn't detract from the piece.


These books are largely printed on one side, which is easier to display from one angle.

This is the piece of wood I'm going to display the piece on, today (21/05) I cute it down to the right length, and sanded the edges and surface to give it a nice finish.
I've decided to not paint the board as I was considering to, since I think this will also be fitting for the theme of the exhibition.

Sequencing of dream narrative: arranged in first concertina

I decided to try arranging the prints in a non-chronological manner, and experimented with various ways of organising the narrative of my dream. I tried to arrange it in a similar manner to how I remembered the dream- in spurts of information, usually starting with the last thing that happened, and with the rest filing back into place like a jigsaw. 

Only after that do I try to make sense of the dream, and arrange the events into a logical narrative with a beginning- middle- end point. For this reason I felt it would be relevant to arrange the narrative through this method, and allow the viewer to actualise the piece in their mind, forming their own conclusions based on the information provided.

This is the first narrative where I attempted this:

The second sequence arranged.

Print not working- Decided to not include in final piece.

This plate hasn't been printing well; most of the prints have been faint in areas and having been printing clearly. I think it's because some ink might have become stuck in the lines of the etch, and the grooves of the etch can't be felt. I've re-etched the image twice and tried printing again, but the prints still remain very faint and become fainter with each print. 

This setback has made me think about the image itself, and the event of meeting someone in the dream. In the dream it was the instant where I met my then boyfriend, and because of recent events I feel like not including this scene, and instead leaving a blank space in the narrative. I want to now create the blank space as a fragment which has been forgotten. Also when I remember the dream I recall that this scene didn't actually happen; as I was alone initially and only realised he was there much later when finding our other friend. It was like he had just stepped out of my shadow.

As can be seen from the left image, the prints are very hard to make out. Eventually I gave up on the etch due to frustration of it not printing, despite attempting different techniques like applying more ink or ensuring the paper was not too wet/dry (it has to be soaked prior to printing).

I also decided to not include this print, for the same reason as it includes my previous boyfriend. It shows me walking with him along the island, but since this also didn't happen in the dream and I was wandering alone I felt it was fitting not to include.

However there is another reason for not including, as I accidentally made the concertina book with one page too short, so there wasn't enough room to include 22 prints and keep a cover/back page. Since I wanted to leave these pages available I decided it was best to cut this print also, and leave no blank space in the narrative.

Also aesthetically I don't like this print too much, as the figures of the etch are lacking detail. I think it would have looked better if I hadn't shaded the entire area in, and drawn a similar level of detail as I had in the other prints.

Final crit, 16th May.

Discussed:
-Displaying in a long thin format, on a table or shelf.
-Develop research around display, try out different methods of presenting.
-Material/form of display relating to narrative? Or neutral and in keeping with exhibition aesthetics?

Decided to display on a long table, and have practiced arranging the piece in an open, stretched out format. Example display below, will need to adapt statement with new requirements. Also need to research concertina displays and presentation further.

Title for the project

Brainstorming some title ideas:

I wanted the title to be quite clear and concise which would sum up the narrative and link to the theme of dreams, but still remain "other-worldly". 

Some ideas so far

• I dreamt...
• The Dream
• The Dream Place
• Dreaming
• The/A Lost Dream (since the dream took place within the TV show "Lost", bit cheesy maybe)
• The Dream Experience
• The Day's Residue
• A January Dream (dreamt in January)
• Being/Feeling Lost (links to dream content, also general feeling of the dream- it's about being lost and trying to find something).
• The Other
• An Other Place
• The Dream from An Other Place
• Dreamtime
• Dreamscape
• The Place from Another Dream

 I have been researching a few other artist's who have done a similar 'dream book' project for inspiration, my favourite artist title so far is Klimowski's "The Depository: A Dream Book". I think I've been trying to come up with something similar to this for my project.

I wanted to convey the sense of an abstract narrative, one which the viewer can examine and reach their own conclusions after viewing. Hopefully leaving confusion in it's aftermath, much like after waking from a dream and only half remembering the events.

I decided to title the project/piece "The Place from Another Dream", as I liked this alteration of my original title "The Dream from An Other Place". My reasoning for this title is that I feel it sums up the theme of a dream narrative, yet remains somewhat shrouded in mystery so doesn't elaborate on "what happens" too much. I didn't want the title to give away what was happening or what does happen in the dream, as I think it would be interesting to leave this up to the viewer.

I like "The Place" aspect also, as it creates the impression that this is an unknown and potentially non-existent place, which only exists in the dream as The Place, creating more mystery as to where these events take place. I'm hoping to disengage the viewer from any preconceptions involving "where" or "what" and hope to just land them in the midst of the narrative, which will hopefully lead them to reach their own conclusions.

Final prints

A selection of the final prints which I will include in my concertina book. I think they turned out quite well, after lots of practice prints I became better at the technique of applying the ink to create a clearer print, and feel this is nicely demonstrated through the prints.

I decided to print in blue finally, as I wanted an appropriate colour which wouldn't seem too out of place (e.g. like red would have) with the entire presentation of the piece. The tones of the prints remind me of the sea; which features at the end of the dream, with the dream taking place on an island in the middle of the ocean. I feel that due to this the chosen colour addresses the nature and content of the narrative. Also I think that blue is quite a spiritual, calm colour, that compliments the dream and sleep themes of the project.

Finding Anthony on the island, he told us of an exit we could take.

The original first print of the sequence; beginning to watch TV as I sat talking with friends.

The plane beginning to crash.

Leaving the island on the bridge, with Anthony and Ross.

Walking with Ross, exploring. Decided to leave some details a bit basic for the figures of some of the etches; to create the effect of some aspects being forgotten/hazy in memory. In other scenes these details will reappear, which I hope will construct some continuity for the viewer.

Being shown the statue by Anthony, which 'marks' the exit of the island and the bridge.

Watching the group of survivors as they settled on the island.  The details of these people have been left a blank as due to memory and the dream I couldn't remember exactly what they looked like; instead drawing them and indistinguishable shadows.

Watching the survivors panic as I sat calmly; no one could see me apparently in the dream so I just observed.

Trying to call out to someone who could not hear me, and was also preoccupied with the disaster.

Watching the show, tried to convey the sense of my being drawn in by the crash and feeling like I was the only one in the room watching TV.

Literally being drawn in by the TV, and sort of diving into what was happening.