Evaluation

Beginning this final outcome for my component 2, I had the plans of producing a piece that represented my vision known as Stereoblindness, the inability to see the world through two eyes at the same time. Hence, making me unable to ever see the world in 3D or be able to view 3D images. However, I am only capable of knowing of the existence of the 3D surrounding through the acknowledgement of shadows and movement. I found through experiments the best medium for presenting this was photography. 

I started this piece, by arranging and deciding on the angles and locations of each canvas before applying anything to them. Through my final outcome design, I had the idea of where each would be located. After deciding, I marked on the ceiling the locations of where I would be drilling. Each pair of hooks intentionally had the same distance apart, so reduce any problems from happening.  

In my designs, I decided that I would be producing three A3 sized canvases and one A4 sized canvas that would all be suspended using metal wire and hooks. I have intended on using metal wire throughout the whole piece, so it seemed suitable for holding the pieces in the air as well. When I visited the IKON gallery to view, Roger Hirons’s exhibition, I found the ‘untitled 2014’ piece inspiring. I found the hanging of objects from the ceiling within his piece appealing. The composition created through hanging the objects was interesting and led me to in cooperating it within my final outcome design as made evident within these images.

Afterwards, I began applying the composition I had planned on producing, which consisted of photography folded and bent in a manner that created an illusion of three-dimensionality. Through my experiment’s I the planned on creating the once 2D monochrome photography of structures located around my home town (Nuneaton), Birmingham and Coventry into forms that had a three-dimensional quality. The bending of the photography was inspired by the artist, ‘Lucas Simoes’ with his continuous collage pieces, that involved the bending of architectural photography to form water-droplet shapes in a continuous nature. This challenging of the ordinary, through transforming a typically flat medium into a possessing a 3D quality, was further developed through my preparation work. I interpreted the idea as linking to my concept of ‘Stereoblindness’ through the fact that the eye has to focus on shadows and movement of the buildings in order to pick up that it’s three-dimensional. Furthermore, the buildings are folded and bent in a way that challenges the ordinary, due to having overly exaggerated curves and perspectives that wouldn’t be found within the real world. 

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From the start of this final outcome, I intended on applying colour through the use of abandoned everyday objects, such as Coke Cola and Pepsi cans for the recognisable red and blue colours present within the logos and packaging. I intended on only having these colours present within my final piece, because of the recognisable link to 3D glasses and photography. From past experiences of not being able to view 3D films, due to my vision impairment I felt the requirement to present this in the form of objects that have been impacted by damage. To represent my feeling of anger towards never being capable of enjoying these little things, most people take for granted. On looking back on this piece, the objects didn’t emphasise these two colours as much as I planned on. So, I could have improved this outcome through editing a few of the photographs to have a washed blue and red coating, similar to what I have already used within my preparation experiments.

I was inspired by Roger Hiorns and Robert Rauschenberg, to involve the use of abandoned, everyday objects such as metal cans. Hiorns within his installations, such as the Untitled 2014, used dismantled parts from vehicles, such as cars and motorbikes. I decided to use lighter weighted abandoned objects that the everyday person of my age group recognises and uses. I had to consider what I could collect a lot of. I came to the conclusion of cans, due to their similarity in shape, however, dissimilarity in packaging on it. 

Roger Hiorn’s Untitled 2014

From my preparation work, I had come to the conclusion that using a sewing needle to pierce the both the canvas and photography twice, so that the metal wire could be pushed through both, in order to fix them together. I used metal wire instead of typically used PVA because the force of the bending created a large amount of force that couldn’t be held in place using PVA. After pushing the wire through both holes, I tied the wire. This method is similar to how products are typically held in the packaging of toys.

Around each canvas, acetate was applied to break up the monochrome photography and create more diversity within the composition. The acetate reminded me of the transparent film used within 3D glasses, however, due to my decision on creating focus through colour on the small combine pieces made up of cans I determined that black and white acetate would be most relevant. However, on looking back on the final outcome I could have improved it with printing onto coloured transparent acetate and then applying it to the outcome. 

The collection of acetate was made up of photography focused on nature and close-ups of details found within the urban area, such as pebbles, leaves, the green man on traffic lights and flowers. I further made the link to my vision through the use of photos of my eyes on the acetate. The transparent qualities of the acetate, supported the perspective illusion through the layering effect and bending of it.

To create negative space within my final outcome, I decided to pierce the canvas and rip open areas, like the example above. This negative space changed the difference between 3D and 2D dimensionality. During my preparation for the final outcome, I came across Lucio Fontana, who inspired me to create negative space through this process. He produced slices within canvases using the method of Tagli. This method aided in creating a perspective illusion, because the building within this piece seem to be falling through the canvas. This supports my concept of changeling perception because the world is represented in an overly empowering and exaggerated curve manner. To improve this method I could have photography of structures present behind the canvas to create the same feeling Fontana has where it’s a mystery of what is occurring behind the canvas. Furthermore, the negative space could have a void feeling through a black sheet covering over the back, similar to the artist who inspired me to produce this.

Lucio Fontana’s example

No Lighting used

Lighting used

After finishing my final outcome, I decided that the lighting is important to make visible my concept of needing to focus more on shadows so that I can pick out the 3D nature of the world. The lamp further aided in emphasising the shiny metal, the presence of the piece. 

Suspended Abstract Combination

I came to the conclusion within my last experiment that to further develop on this idea, I should try suspending the work from a frame. This idea was inspired by Roger Hirons Untitled 2014 piece. I began this piece by cutting and crushing both Coke Cola, Red Bull and Pepsi cans for there use of the colours red and blue. 

I then pierced the cans using a hammer and nail. The thickness of the metal couldn't be pierced using a sowing needle, however this method worked well. After the hole was created metal wire was pushed through. So that it could then be rapped around the top part of the frame to hold the cans in the air. After completing this piece, suspending it first before creating the combine, made producing the piece twice as hard. The cans were only held up from the top, so continuously moved when applying new materials and media to it. In addition, I had to find a method of holding the frame upwards. I've learnt from this experiment to create the piece before suspending it. 

Within this piece, I wanted to focus on creating texture and experimenting with the majority of materials and mediums I had already worked with. 

This piece was meant to represent everyday objects, such as plastic bottle and cans from a different perspective through them being combined and altered. 

Working off a Canvas

After the previous piece, I wanted to find out the outcome of solely working onto objects. I started by fixing together Red Bull cans using metal wire and PVA. I decided to use the metal wire to my advantage by not only using it for the purpose of fixing together materials, but also creating line within the piece. 

Over the top of the can I applied a stretchy plastic material that was applied with PVA. Whilst the PVA was still wet, I begun to apply blue ink to emphasis the colour, more than it already was with just the Red Bull cans. 

During the process of making this piece, I was inspired by Roger Hirons piece known as Untitled 2014 for its combination of objects that were suspended from the ceiling. I remember from the trip to the IKON having a fascination towards the texture the foam left after drying up. I wanted to create a unique texture on this piece, through the use of the plastic, PVA and ink. 

How I might improve this piece, I could have applied red ink to make a clearer link towards the 3D effect. Red could have also been applied with transparent film which I experimented with in my previous piece. Furthermore, I should have worked on this piece, whilst it was suspended from fishing wire or metal wire from a frame or the ceiling. 

A lack of photography is present within this piece. So I might improve this piece by forming the 3D illusion I have been experimenting with in my sketchbook. I could bend photographs and acetate around the cans. 

Development on Transparent Coloured Film

After looking back at my last experiment, I found the transparent coloured film and the combination of the plastic created a unique composition around the bottle. So, I decided to develop on it, by creating a experiment that focused more the on that combination. The bottle, within the previous piece didn't fit in with this composition was that why I decided not to use it. 

I found this piece, had similarities to Robert Rauschenberg's combine pieces because of the bizarre and chaotic nature of the composition. 

I decided within this piece to not only burn the transparent coloured film, but also the photographs. It reminded myself of the scenes I typically seen within films where the film for the projector would set alight. The combination of the photographs and the transparent film created the feeling of when I went the cinema to watch a 3D film, and found myself being unable to watch it. This was due to my vision. The burning reminded me of my frustration and never being able to enjoy this experience.  

Transparent Coloured Film

I decided that to bring more of the red and blue into the composition, I could use red and blue transparent film, a medium similar to acetate. 

I continued to focus my work in the centre of the canvas, with the intention of maybe expanding it. I began with producing the combination of unusual materials separate from the canvas, inside part of a coke cola plastic bottle. I filled the interior with photography, in hope that it would be visible from the exterior through the plastic. From the outcome this wasn't achieved. However, might have if I hadn't worked around the exterior of the bottle. I then applied more parts of plastic bottle cut outs as well as a can parts. 

I fixed this composition to the canvas using metal wire again, because its so far been reliable and easy to work with. Afterwards, I applied the transparent coloured film around the outside because it was transparent leaving visible everything inside of it. However, after applying heat with the heat gun, the material started to burn quickly. Consequently, this led to the once transparent material to become dark and no longer transparent. 
Furthermore, the colours were lost. 

I tried improving the piece, by applying red and blue ink around the collection in a expressive abstract way. The disappoint from the transparent film, led to aggressive application of ink. 

The transparent coloured film is the same material that is used within 3D glasses at cinemas, so that's the reason why I made the choice of using it within an experiment. 

Polystyrene Base

Within this experiment I decided to change the base from a canvas to a square of Polystyrene. I first decided to apply ink to the surface of the Polystyrene to alter the typical white colour and to find out the outcome. The ink seemed to emphasise the bumpy texture of the individual balls that had been compressed together to form this square shape. 

The Polystyrene is a flexible and easy to cut material, so I tried to fix the can into the material by pushing them into it. However, the looseness of the material meant that after awhile it began to fall apart. I tried fixing it using PVA, but it didn't seem to help. I decided in the end to continue fixing the cans and other mediums to the base using the metal wire, which seemed to work effectively in the previous experiments. 

I applied a plastic sheet over the top again in the hope that it would shrink holding the piece together, like the vacuum forming process. However, the heat from the heat gun made the situation worse, by Polystyrene having a low melting point than the plastic sheet and cans, it quickly melted into nothing within seconds. Through this unsuccessful experiment I will not be using Polystyrene again as a base material. 

Burning and Melting Plastic

I decided that after my last piece, the composition could be further developed, through the addition of a new medium.

I began this piece, with the same method, I fixed photography, cardboard to the canvas. I felt the previous piece was too spaced out, so I decided to focus it in the centre. From the outcome, this development was successful. 

I used a Red Bull can again. However, this time I applied more photography to the piece, as the photos have been a focus throughout this investigation. I used edited photographs that had been emphasised in a certain colour using photoshop, such as the yellow photography of branches of a tree. Roger Hirons work, had a concept of opposites, such as dead and living. I was inspired to use a similar method within my own work, the man-made and the natural. The man-made being the Red Bull can and plastic bottle and the natural being photos of vegetation. 

This piece was a development from the previous experiment because I decided to use plastic to make the piece seem like a whole, instead of separate pieces. The plastic was applied over the top of the whole piece and then using a heat gun melted down. I found from this experiment that a lot of plastic should be used because the heat makes the material shrink down to nothing very quickly. 

To improve this piece, I could further apply a new medium of ink, to emphasise the red and blue that doesn't seem used a lot on the mediums, such as the can printed packaging.