Gallery Visits since October '14

Gallery Visits since October '14

I haven't been to many galleries since I've been back, i am more focused on my practical work because this time, i actually have a focus on what i am doing. Last year was more or less experimentation which was a very spread out approach on my practice. 

This exhibition was really helpful to my practice, and toward sky knowledge of Appropriation. The artist that were exciting in this show were all more or less inspired by Marcel Duchamp. Majority of pieces exhibited were all "readymade" objects, what the artists had done was alter the properties and gave new meaning to the objects, they recontexualized. 

One of my favourite pieces in this exhibition was a piece done by Rob and Nick Carter, a piece called "Red 23, 2014". This was a french roulette wheel, that kept on spinning. They had added a motor to it, with its ballbariane inside never landing on a figure, it was interesting to see its original function, functionless. This kind of recontexualising interest me towards my theory and practice. 

This was a small gallery near Brick lane market, where i was doing research for my paintings 

It was helpful in the sense that the artwork captured this street vibe, it expressed the marks on a rough surface. You had the feel of an urban setting. 

Andrew Salgado, his work was very good to see

His paintings varied in different sizes, his paintings of portraits using a wide range of brush marks was inspiring to see. 

It was aesthetically pleasing, i was so interested in his work in fact, i asked for a price list for his pieces, if there was one in my budget, i wouldn't mind investing in one of Salgado's pieces. 

Price list 

Another exhibition we came across when walking about London 

I think the gallery visits so far, haven't been useless but not entirely useful to the subject of Appropriation. 

New "Brick Lane Market" Paintings, 2014

New "Brick Lane Market" Paintings, 2014

These paintings went a lot better. I feel more comfortable knowing what i am doing now in my practice, its been a while since i have created work this fluidly. 

I Dont actually plan what i am going to paint, i look at my research and decide then and there. Colour is a factor when thinking, i tend to choose darker colours now for the background therefore the brighter more vibrato images in the foreground will catch more contrast. 

Somewhat automatic choosing 

"Brick Lane Market #3, 2014"

Not everything is appropriated. I have actually created some things on my own. Like these vomit like patterns. That was my own interpretation of what i thought would look good in this painting. The directions guides the viewers eyes throughout the whole painting. This is good 

This is more playful, makes you happy and energetic. Positive energy is radiated form this kind of painting which is why i enjoy creating it

"Brick Lane Market #4, 2014"

This piece seems rather chaotic  

Lots of things happening, many subjects within the image, especially the foreground with the 5 horsemen riding around the painting, like a tornado of activity and colour overwhelming the audience. 

 "Brick Lane Market #5, 2014"

This piece i actually think went better than the previous two. The triangular patter is a definite positive that went well. It flows through the whole painting which connects everything together, bringing it into one to the audience. 

Colours are bright, like sun like bright. Feeling of it is light. 

Compositions isn't too bad, In this piece, i decided to use more image than text. 

The start with Brick Lane Market #1 and #2, i used around 70% image and 30% text. 

In the others like "Alleyway: and "Berwick Street" i used like 70% text and 30% imagery. 

I wanted to create balance. 

In this i tried to go for a 60% imagery and 40% text 

New Paintings : "Alleyway, 2014" , "Berwick Street, 2014" , "Deptford Market, 2014"

New Paintings : "Alleyway, 2014" , "Berwick Street, 2014" , "Deptford Market, 2014" 

This is the general view of the overall piece

I started doing this with Bricklane Market #1 and #2, and i thought it was a change and made it look very interesting. 

It can link to the streets of London as it has a similar visual appearance to a brick on a wall. 

"Alleyway, 2014" 

I was walking in london and i came across an alleyway that was kind of grim and dirty. No body gave it a second look, which i am not surprise but the artwork in the alleyway should be recognised. I used the images and text in this alleyway to create a painting that will look aesthetically pleasing, hopefully changing viewers minds and giving street art a second look whenever they see t in whatever situation. 

I am rather fond of this piece, Many things worked well in this. The paint splatter gave it this spray can feel to it and freedom of expressing on a surface. 

In the background i started painting texts that i found, then in the foreground i used this symbol. 

"Berwick Street, 2014" 

This was not a market nor an alleyway. It was a street. 

I wouldn't say this piece was very successful but it was good that i did it, to learn what went badly and what went well 

This compared to my other pieces feels less vibrant in colour use. 

"Deptford Market, 2014" 

This piece went the less successful 

Very plain, simple, empty

Feels lost in text and colour 

There is not as much depth in this painting because the background colour is similar to foreground image colours. 

 I will continually paint 

Next will be more Brick Lane market paintings. I feel that this market had a brilliant balance between text and imagery. I went to do research there twice and did a lot of research! 

David Choe : An inspiration towards my practice

CONTINUING WORK - 2ND YEAR CHELSEA COLLEGE 

This is an artist that has inspired me through my new series of work in my current practice. His name ladies and gentleman is David Chow. He is a Graffiti artist that has made a name for himself after his commission with Facebook in which he took shares instead of cash, because of Facebook's success, his shares are priceless. 

His work however are too priceless. 

Ive always loved colour, in these pieces, the overall use of colour and colour combinations creates nothing but positive energy when viewed upon. Vibrant and energetic. 

He always has a main subject composed into the image, but surrounded with other visual elements 

His style is so free, variation of movements and use of colour interest me

He is the main artist i have been looking at at being inspired by his work i have decided to create some of my own. 

I continued doing what i did from my last piece. Concentrating on the Graffiti/Street art in London Markets and also unnoticed places such as alleyways, corners and remote locations. 

My first piece was "Bricklane Market #1, 2014" 

Personally i think these pieces work really well. There is a strong depth in the image, and colour use is strong and vibrant. Very aesthetically pleasing to the viewers because it catches their attention. 

 These two pieces i made at similar times. They have a similarity through the use of colours and composition of images, and the balance between text and imagery. 

Examining Everyday Notes

Examining Everyday Notes

I started to collect notes that other people had written

This is a very common form of communication, whether its a note on your bedside, note on the fridge, note on a kitchen table, people do this on a daily basis. 

I was interested to see the variety of ways people had written the message, graphology and examining the motion of text

This i enjoyed, people tend to write important messages using CAPITAL LETTERS, however this person didn't, using someone's things without permission is frowned upon, but using small text, she/he is saying it softly. Like a gentle friendly request more than a command.

This was drawn by my cousin when staying up at Scotland. This got me interested. If i had more time, i have an idea for a project. 

I would go to different chains of hotels and accommodations in the UK and collect any doodles or markings drawn onto the bedside notepads. I would then display them, trying to find if the drawings or marks differentiate depending on the location, class and reputation of the hotel. 

This was a message left behind by someone in the kitchen, "Eat me" with rolls of bread next to it. 

Capital letters state importance and feel like a command, slightly takes away the kind gesture in sharing food. 

This was obviously not "Kirsty" who wrote it, but someone her actions enough to compliment her to everyone else. Underlining "Kirsty" shows significant importance towards that person and is the main subject in this message. NOT written in capitals so its a friendlier message. Date is stated, this could mean they had a schedule, and someone else is next.

 :) indicates happiness that they now have items to clean the kitchen, stating it could have been a mess beforehand. 

These 3 were written by the same person i presume. I had gotten these in the same location. 

Writing her name at the bottom means that she wants people to know that it is her that is "FED UP", her as an individual not so much everyone is "FED UP"

Her thinking was obviously rushed, she misspelt "Clean" and wrote "CLAAN" to begin with but obviously cares about spelling mistakes and went back to correct it. 

Also the tear of the paper needs to be examined, this is an A4 paper that comes from a pad, usually they can be removed neatly but these are not, which suggest she ignored the removal function of the pad and ripped it with slight aggression which compliments the message too, time could have been an issue too.

Misspelt "Clean" again, defiantly same person writing these messages and due to the same colour, i would say all written alongside each other, one after the other. 

I love this, the end of this message has a sense of sympathy towards herself, she wants to use the sink but unable to due to its condition. Her psychology may have changed near the end, to a softer side, she didn't use capital letters for "that" so she must have has a period feeling upset or tired of this action repeating, generally upset. 

This is my favourite note!

This person took his/her time to decorate it with another colour.

At the start, the font style of overlapping scribbling may have been intended but after realising how time consuming it would be, he/her stopped and went back to smile writing. 

" ? ! " This is both a rhetorical question and a command

I liked examining these notes, i think i will continue to collect these, from everywhere i go. Show them to you at the end at a gallery space and see what you think about them and about the person who wrote them. 

Automatic Art - Subconscious Painting

Automatic Art - Subconscious Painting

During my last year in high school i wanted to end it with a bang. So i looked into my work more intensely. Analysing my past artwork and my uses of colour i reached deeper into my thinking and wanted to create a series of work based on the topic of psychology. 

Through research and reading it soon lead me to the topic of Automatic Art or in other words Subconscious painting. 

Subconscious painting was by far themes enjoyable yet difficult project I've worked on for quite some time. It was about painting without making decisions, how can you do anything without making a decision? The piece above i remembered, i was painting and then suddenly i snapped and grabbed a charcoal and forced it onto the painting. 

I tried to make subconscious markings with unplanned decisions. 

Its so much harder than you'd think. 

Imagine me thinking, "i want to paint towards that direction", after i thought that i had to force my head to move my hand in ways i don't plan to. I had to argue and fight against myself to accomplish this task of subconscious drawing.  

Random notions of PVA glue spilling and then sand 

Did i want to use these mediums...no, but they were here and i just did it. 

I started to work on larger scales 

These next pieces i decided to use two mediums, Charcoals and white acrylic paint. 

Looking at these are so interesting because it makes you think, what on earth is going through my mind when not processing information consciously.

Are these visual representations of the empty spaces in my mind?

There is no doubt that there are features of the conscious mind in these artworks but mixed in with the subconscious it becomes unusually appealing. 

I moved onto even larger scales, acrylic paintings. 

One feature that i find captivating are the shapes created by my subconscious. 

Why do they have pointed edges and corners, what does that say about me? 

Towards the end of my series there was an exam that i had to take. I think i had 16 hours to create a work of art. I wanted to create the masterpiece of all my subconscious doing. 

After the exam this was my completed piece. 

16 hours of automatic art, 16 hours of subconscious actions generated through me. This is as personal as it gets, this is me, this is like the inside of my brain. Its activities its moving pattern. 

Heres the final outcome.