I keep foregetting lto log this reflection in this online journal. Sometimes its embedded in the WIP. So I'l catch up here to the present.
My supervisor had seen stills or the the draft edit of the video (letter 2) and commented I should incorporate my stencilling. I thought I had in video as making the stencils is the most consuming part of the process.
I am thnking of incorporating this medium by making titles in the style that suits the artist. Text. This is essentially known as 'tagging' although that culture is kind of more to do with how high you can get up or something moving from one end of a city, like a train. So the majority of people see it. And of course it is illegal. But I have also noted to ask why theis is so interesting? What is the rationale for incorporating this extremely time consuming medium simply as a component of the project? My undergrad lecturer (the more 'conceptual' lecturer) in 3rd year said this. To actually make the photos (the making, comparatively, a vey short process) then stencil the photos (min a week full time work to draw and cut a images stencils, depending on how many layers. Then is you mess up the spraying on, say, layer 6 or 10, you have to go back to scratch...you cant just paint over the layers below as its more of a 'revealing' process). Its just not something you have the luxury of time to experiment with where to incorporate it, if at all.
My suprevisor also mentioned layering the videos like my example experimental video I made last semester. Look, its always benficial to consider things, but as I am appropriating the video of a chosen song and this is relevant to the letter as a reponse and the all of these things tie me to the next letter & artist, I think its important to not stray to far from / stick to the format of the video I am appropriating.
I want to do possibly deconstructive montage for the 4th letter visual. Or maybe just compositing. Or a hybrid, one might say.
My supervisor pointed me towards Pippilotti Rists 'i'm a victim of this song' which would turn out to be one of the most helpful weeks of artist research in this degree.
I am starting to think about my final presentation and we talked about contacting the program co-ordinator, Alison Bennet about space alotment etc. Turns out the grad exhibition is already planned to be online. I am very disappointed as the parts to each work are quite tangible, even the letters are physical objects, and standing in front of them is important. This week we discussed how this could work. Maybe I photograph a person in each work as well as having the works separately. Maybe I read the letter whilst the video is playing and the still or installion is in the background. This week we talked about virtual platforms.
We talked about feminism and my issues with labelling my work from that camp. I realise it actually is my issue that has roots in the undergrad degree and SA arts in general. Female stuff, talking about the body, using it, deconstructing it. It was all the rage in SA 2015-17. I was so over it. Its was so 1970's to me and I'd always thought, just frigging do it (as in, art, or anything you want) and stop focusing on 'being a female'. If it had anything to do with the female body...which is also kind of based in Feminism, you'd be more likely to win a grant or prize, or accolades of some kind. So I feel by placing myself in this community of practice I feel I am somehow sort of 'selling out', or choosing something 'popular' so I'll be more successful. When actually, this project totally chose itself as I was so over men getting away with bad behaviour in (my) workplace. And I realise I love and admire all the artists I am researching. And they are all feminist. So I am happy to admit I belong to this camp now. Phew! That only took almost 4 years to work out.
The only other thing we talked about was the next assignment, the plan for the final written assigment. I really have been so tired, mentally and physically last 2 weekends I just struggle with understanding stuff, finishing it, judging it. Yet I had a Vit B shot and feel way better this Saturday. I also finished full time work yesterday and that was part of the problem. Working all week at a really hard profession, your mind is tired by the weekend. I think my problems withe the assignment are mainly to do with working 7 days a week, most of them very long. I'll give it another go today.