Ideas and experimentation

Idea and thoughts behind the madness

The idea behind my art is one I have been working on for years, which is disfigurement and flaws, everybody has at least one thing they don't like about themselves. This usually starts from a young age because of what the media and society enforces on young minds. I find peoples self perception of their imperfections or disfigurements intriguing, I think we should be able to embrace flaws and feel comfortable in our own skin, rather than hide them.

experimentation 1 

I have asked a few of my fellow art students what their flaws or body hates are, it ranges from torso, noses, index fingers, knees, legs, arm fat, face to finger nails. Each person gave a reason for why they picked that body part, although their reason seemed insignificant to me, to them it meant a lot. I have decided the method for capturing these flaws is casting, using alginate and plaster, as this will make detailed casts of the body parts to be displayed how I wish.

First persons cast.

The body part that Hania hated was her two index fingers, the reason she gave was because they are bent and crooked. I ended up doing two casts of the fingers, as the first one wasn't the depth I wanted, so for the second casting I used a bigger tub. To get the casts of these I mixed the same amount of alginate to water in a tub that would fit Hania's hand and fingers in. When the mix was ready I asked her to wet her hand, then place it in the alginate and wait for the mixture to set. After it was set, Hania movement her hand about to remove it from the set alginate, once removed I mixed the plaster and poured it in to the mould. Then I sat a waited for the plaster to set, which is usually a twenty minute wait, so once it had cooled down, I hack away the alginate. Only to find that with my heavy handedness I had broken the fingers off the base, luckily they were just what I wanted.

Second person

The second person I cast was Kiran, she didn't like her wrist bone because it protruded. Although the cast is really detailed, I'll have to do another cast, as I am not happy with the results because the wrist bone isn't visible. The way I could change that is a different hand position and a longer tub, I cast her hand the same way I did Hania's, with a tub and alginate mould, then plaster for the cast. 

Third person

The third person I chose to cast was Jo, she had issues with her finger nails, The reason that she gave was they are short and she can't grow them because it effects her daily life. I used the same method as above to make a mould but with less quantity, as it was a smaller cast, I also dripped the plaster in so it would just fill each finger. I ended up using the mould twice, as the fingertips came out nicely without destroying the mould.

Four person

The four person was Eoin, he doesn't like his torso because he is slim and not muscular/ripped. I used a different method for doing the mould and he kindly shaved himself for this, so I didn't have to use any vaseline. I had him lie on the floor while I spread thicker alginate over his chest and stomach, then after the alginate was set, I placed mud rock over the top of it to re-enforce the mould. Once the mud rock had set, I removed the mould, to find that the alginate had ripped a little. I was a bit disappointed but there was nothing I could do, next time I'll make sure the model keeps still and the alginate is a bit thicker. I then flicked plaster all over the mould and used mud rock bandages to create the cast, when set I removed it from the mould to produce Eoin's torso in plaster form. 

Experimentation 2

After being told by tutors that I need to experiment more with my idea and go down more avenues, I decided to try take photographs. I have the idea to draw surgical lines or diagrams on my fellow students to highlight the parts they don't like about themselves.

My first tempt at this was Lauren, I don't think it's turned out 100% like I wanted but new things take practise. So with washable pens I drew on her arm lines, arrows and then named what she hated about it. I think this really shows what she dislikes and is clear in the picture, I have also edited the photo's by lighting and adding effects to them.

Experimentation 3

After taking photographs of a fellow student, I have decided I want to try something different while working with photography and collaborating with a level one photographer, who is also doing a similar concept as me, on body image. I want pictures taken of me, with signs or a projector projecting negative words, that I think are associated with me or what others have said in the past.

So, I  have now started this project and experimenting with it, there are things I would like to change and experiment more with, like different environmental settings etc.. But that will all be arranged in time. I have also had a few more ideas on this subject too, like maybe trying positive words as well.

Unedited

Edited

Ideas for framing

I've been thinking about and playing around with framing my photographs lately and which would be the best way to focus in on them. I had a thought of having them in long boxes, so the viewer has to look down it, as if the viewer was already judging by looking down on them. I may also have to put lights and mirrors up so they can be seen, also this will make the pictures more of a focal point. I may even make a Kaleidoscope tube, so it is even more interactive, people can hold it up to the light and see my photograph, I will do this by printing them on acetate. Also I got some magnifying boxes to place smaller images of mine within it, for the viewer to look through. Another thing I was trying was using coloured bug-eye glasses to look at my images.


Magnifying boxes

Bug-eye glasses

Kaleidoscope

Final piece idea

After experimenting this year with photographs and framing, I have decided I want to have a plinth with Kaleidoscopes on for people to interact with, I find this the best and most fun way for displaying my piece and for the viewer to judge and be more hands on in my work. I'll also have a clipboard with a question sheet attached to the plinth, for the viewer to write down their judgements on the piece, Eg... How it made them feel? What they see in the image? Etc...