Workshop- Hybrid

Beginning 6th December

Hybrid

Originally chosen to expand involvement, understanding and practice concerning social interaction art and therefore activism. Further reasons concerned lack of confidence with technology but a desire to use multi media production to fully round my practice.

Project outline:

The Hybrid induction is a combination of practical exercises, technical inductions into various digital workshop facilities and short seminars and screenings introducing a range of artists’ practices. It is intended to help you form an understanding of fine art practices that engage with forms such as performance / live art, sound, moving image (e.g. film and video), socially engaged and participatory practices, context-specificity, digital/internet, text and spoken word.

The practice of everyday life.

-Girl chewing gum- John Smith 1976-Focus on the mundane and everyday, the voice over emphasizes dissociation between controlled direction and the everyday. Filmed on a busy street in Hackney (London) interaction with the everyday is documented regardless. An interesting aspect is the stories behind each individual filmed into this work. They become almost actors in a world created for them and removed from individuality.

-The discipline of D.E- Gus Van Sant 1982- links to Buddhism and self-control, the everyday being emphasized to the point of understanding. The aspects of self awareness involved were of great interest due to my own work regarding more conscious living. The mundane everyday is an aspect that is linked undoubtedly with my own work to allow a heightened consciousness.

-Massage the history- Cameron Jamie 2007-2009- The everyday within this work becomes surreal and misunderstood as the viewing becomes so closely related yet so far from the happenings. The use of the sonic youth soundtrack resonated further due to the fact audio is a vital aspect within a media piece. Similarly to silence, contrast would be interesting to explore.  

-The call of the wild- Spartacus- Overriding sound within this work does not allow the viewer to see the images and footage as they would desire. This technique would work within my own concepts to almost force something upon the viewer as this work does. This way the footage, no matter how nice or calm can be overpowered by reality.

-Stephen Johnstone

Introduction//Recent Art and the Everyday  (extract read within the workshop)

‘Mostly I believe an artist doesn't create something, but is there to sort through, to show’

The workshop progression lead to footage in relevance to the ‘Psycho’ Shower scene audio. After collecting footage in groups I remembered why I avoid group work at all costs. Differing input was hard to overcome and creative differences showed. The group progressed with the sound of water to start thinking of how natural that sound is. The contrast therefore comes through the unnatural and dramatic turn within the music to murderous rings. The sound seemingly pollutes the air when viewing the scene. This lead a lot of our work. Shapes was also highly focused upon due to the natural hand shape scraping down the sharp lines of the tiles. Therefore shape was important along with natural imagery and elemental themes.

The image above is a still from the film produced as a result of the workshop working with the audio from ‘psycho’. Our concept intended to extended past the well known scene and really focus on the sound and the imagery that could metaphorically convey a meaning. This particular still shows the river shot that had panned up from the water. The opaque overlay is a burning receipt. Not only does this show pollution in a very basic way it deepens with irony of it being overlaid onto the river directly. Pollution is usually much less obvious and actions aren't directly linked to pollutants, however showing the two aspects directly adds an honest overtone.

Most of the footage taken was based along the river, with a focus upon the chains and the pollution already present. We also focused upon natural objects already within the water to contrast the unnatural pollution. The soundtrack worked well with this when editing as we flashed various shots within a longer shot to deliberately interrupt the peaceful water.

The image at the top of the page is the original still from the first footage edit made within the hybrid workshop. Similarly to the first image, it shows burning paper overlaid with another footage cut. The overlay is zoomed to distort to the subject, therefore the viewer is less aware of what they are viewing. This adds and ambiguity to the work and the overall film. The second image, is an edited version produced after the workshop  with a great interest in distorting the image further. This deepens the metaphor due to encouragement to question the sight. This reminded me of the earlier aspect of the workshop discussing the ‘everyday’. Due to the fast pace of the workshop within one day. The items used and the footage gathered, could be deepened very ‘everyday’. However, with editing and distortions, the outcome can become unrecognizable.

‘A turn to the everyday will bring art and life closer together’

Influence from this book encouraged me to generate a re-worked text version of the first few pages of the book. The randomly generated poem depicts feelings brought to life throughout the workshop and my own development of concept regarding the everyday.

Species rework

Vast reservoir of or normally unnoticed trivial and repetitive actions

Not trivial

Vast

Repeating the normally

Vast depth

The reservoir of normal depths

Untouched

Not trivial

Actions no lacking that

Vast actions. Hope

Realms of the popular  and the democratic

Vast repetitive realms

Not actions

Normally popular and democratic  

Dignity of ordinary behaviour

Dignity

Reservoir of dignity and democratic popular

Vast vast dignity of normally

Trivial dignity

Trivial ordinary behaviour

Further screen grabs from the film developed from the workshop.

Both of these stills use the same colours due to the overlay being upon the same footage section. Analysis of these images lead me to contemplate how image impacts regarding lack of colour and presence of colour.