Context Semminars 2016-2017

1.The Politics Of Collage

It got me on a road of the thought provoking and often manipulative way collaging certain imagery together can be. Since the lecture I have watch Hypernormalisation (Adam Curtis), and it reafirmed the dangers of layering imagery and in this case voice over the create a third meaning between them, I am aware of being subconiously convinced of a message when I am not actively disecting imagery. It felt similar to a piece shown in the lecture; Atomic Bomb

Collage uses the powers of individuals preconceived notions and collectively learnt asociations with images, sound and moving pictures. Whether intentionally or not, someone using contrasting imagery together to display idea is also calling on the viewers history with the images.

I personally cannot decide if it is a blatant missuse of context or the most direct way to get certain meanings across. Although you may have ease of access to imagery, you also create many holes for yourself to fall in when it comes to plagirasim and ‘originality’ surrounding the work.

‘An image viewed often enough , becomes part of collective memory’ exerpt from Oliver Laric’s ‘Versions’ 2009, on the subject of internet mixing with media.

The later part of the lecture, touched upon memes, such as the John Travolta ‘confused’ meme, where the image was repeated constantly and collaged into to different scenarios. This example reinforced my opinions of online cultures taking the lead in meaningful content compared to certain areas of the art world. Art is meant to communcate ideas, but can it do better than a Reddit or 4chan thread involving hundresd or thousands of people? This is a pondering question I am coming away with. Not to throw out the art world, but also to never shrug off these new constantly emerging style of visual communication on the internet.

the piece of writing http://eipcp.net/transversal/0608/steyerl/en

3.Africana Unmasked—Kimathi Donkor

A large portion of the lecture was dedicated to Kimathi Donkor’s painting ‘The Rescue of Andromeda’ (2011), which did act as a good catalyst for the whole lecture. Something that I took away from it is the structure of his research, the pulling of classical work, looking at his contemporaries and humour in the lack of content that he wished to explore himself. It made me question the push and pull of racial issues in big institutions, through history.

I did not enjoy how Kimathi skirted the naming of racial issues, too much delicacy, felt patronising at some points. Lectures can do this sometimes as a result of being so used to their own subjects, they can disregard and leave holes in their own realisations. I am not sure just eluding to points is enough at times. On the other hand Kimathi’s paintings deal with racial issues and issues of continued missinformation in history in a direct arguement with historical collections in galleries such as the Tates, but doing so in the same game.

I think the opening in my work I could take from this is not perhaps the direct subject matter but more the integral investigation of miss information and forged history that permiates the history of art. As the ‘writer of history is the victor’, but who is that now?

3.Cult Fiction: Art & Comics – Kim Pace

I think my problem with the more counter culture/youth culture topics that were covered here is, growing up I learnt and heard about punk movements and counter cultural movents throught out the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s to late 80’s in documentaries aired on the BBC. A good example of preconcieved notions impregnating my current outlook on a subject. It felt as though the empowerment and reverent out look the speaker had washed over my head in way, I wrote in my notes ‘are they trying to get us to go to protest much’. Definitly a very English look at the ‘underdogs’ against ‘privileged artwork’. I do not wish to convey that I believe the art world is a slick machine providing equal opurtunities for everyone, I agree it is not working all the time, but then ‘low’ are is percieved as the ‘high’ art in a twist of fate, money is fickle. Being ‘cool’ is so very important in this climate/leisure industry.

For instance, the ‘Cult Fiction’ exhibition was for Hayward Gallery. A clash of ‘high’ and ‘low’ art, sure. I found this talk to be a bit ironic.

Then again, I want to contridict myself insaying I agree with the strong inclusion of comic book art and illustration into needing more credit in serious contemporary art conversation. As gallerys accept more art like the current favourite Rachel Maclean’s ‘Wot U 🙂 About?’, social satire is becoming more colourful and twisted into online informal art. The border between art and meme has shifted, in my opinion.

Although the comic Maus by Art Spiegelman was brought up, which is such a beautiful combination of simplicity and deep solemnity. It made me think about relative imagery and how childhood is connected so deeply with the need for understandle imagery, comics and illustrations. We must bring that through to adult life, a need for simplicity and visual expression of such complexity. ”Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff” – American Spelndor: Film and underground comics.

Rules:

1. In what way did the ‘context’ presented in the session provide an ‘interpretivemodel’ for your own studio practice?

2. Critically describe an aspect of the session that you did not agree with and explain why.

3. Did the context seminar open up an area of interest for you? If so how might you

expand on this in your own terms?