Outline
The Olympics and in turn Britain, will become the forefront of national
and international focus this year. The Olympics themselves have a rich and at
times controversial history, which takes in and reflect every aspect of
national, international cultural and political attitudes of the time. The
summer project will focus on the Olympics as a theme and as such is start point
for research and exploration for your ideas. There are many angles you might
think about for your research and development, you may think about
controversial, political, idealistic, celebratory, ritualistic, performative
and geographic work, stories both contemporary and historic, personal and mass
observations. Although your immediate focus may be directed by large media
driven PR, there are opportunities to think on an everyday, local level as
well.
- At first I thought that this brief would be ideal for designers, and questioned why was it given to us in Art & Media. So I put off starting this project because of this uninterested view I had, but when I did started researching for it, I became very interested and continually went off on tangents and have thrown myself into various topics; which look like they have nothing to do with the Olympics. I see this as a good thing, as I don't want my Art to become too literal. I only wish I had more time and hadn't kept putting it off (one of my negative traits). I tried to clear my old desk at home to give myself a corner like this:
but that still didn't motivate me. It's not the same as being in the studio, (i've missed it! we've been away from the studio from april-september, too long).
I want to continue our Olympics project in second year, possibly through our workshops if I am given the chance. Yes, it still is difficult to get my head around how to make Art from this topic, but there is such a vast range of topics which I have spiraled into whilst doing my research... that I have actually enjoyed very much. At the moment, I am primarily dealing with photographs (both my own and ones I have sourced), but I do want to create my own work from this and develop my ideas if we are given opportunity to do so.
"Moment to Shine"
(could look at individual's life achievements and why they have been chosen to carry the torch).
When the excitement began. The torch. Passed by my old church and primary school; two minutes from my house, where I walk past every time I go to the town centre. There was a real atmosphere/buzz within our group of strangers gathered that day, from the same community.
*could look at what it means to a community when a celebration is taken part in their hometown; how it brings everyone together. could try creating environmental art - leave it for outside for everyone to see.
*could look at what it means to a community when a celebration is taken part in their hometown; how it brings everyone together. could try creating environmental art - leave it for outside for everyone to see.
My winning photograph... but the flame is no where to be seen.
Some of the kids from Comely Park. Proud parents. Screams and laughter for an hour before the torch arrived. Screaming with excitement even when it was just police officers that drove past. Their excitement filled the surrounding streets and created a real buzz in the atmosphere. Couldn't help but smile.
Erskine Church.
(could look at how the Olympics may have affected Religion in the past.)
Chariots of Fire. The song was played continually throughout the Olympic Games, especially before National Anthems were performed to celebrate the individuals who had won a medal. #Pride.
The main story in the film itself, is about how a guy lost out because he wasn't allowed to take part in the Sunday races due to his religion. London 2012 saw two women from Saudi Arabia take part in the Olympic Games for the first time.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/aug/19/olympic-suffragettes-rights-march-parliament - #feminism/woman's rights.
(My sister and friends taking part in Ready Steady Show - a summer performing arts program that I used to be a member of for years on end.) This year the focus and the story line was about the Olympics and how it used to only be men allowed to compete.
Spent a weekend in Ayr after the torch had past through the town centre during the week. Remains of the flags hanging throughout the town, and remnants of a community having gathered together to celebrate, just like we had in Falkirk.
In relation to Art.. I am interested in the idea of environmental art bringing a community together; eg. Graffiti Art. It's not something that sits in a Gallery where viewers have to pay to see it, but Art which engages a City, which naturally involves the community.
Opening Ceremony
The first hour of the Opening Ceremony I spent thinking how bizarre it was. Undoubtedly, Danny Boyle did a great job of bringing the best of British together, and it was smooth transactions between all the different scenes and performances, but I did find the majority of the first hour very odd. I thought some of it was rather tacky, eg. the giant Voldemort; however, J.K.Rowling certainly deserved a character from Harry Potter to make an appearance!
(Photographs I took when the ceremony was on the telly.)
The torch - spectacular, loved the idea of each country carrying a piece of the cauldron. It's a beautiful sculpture designed by Thomas Heatherwick; an artist/designer whose work I have studied before, combining art with science and creating these interesting patterns with fire. "The cauldron was formed of 204 copper "petals" on tall stems that at the close of the Games opened like a flower before coming to rest as a horizontal ring. The ingenious work was a piece of ephemeral kinetic sculpture. A scale model of the cauldron and a prototype of one of the copper petals have been added to "Heatherwick Studio: Designing the Extraordinary", an exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum (until 30 September)." (http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Damien-Hirst-flies-the-flag-at-Olympics-closing-ceremony/27007).
Closing Ceremony/"Roller-coaster of Fun."
Absolutely loved this and wish that I could have been there! Much preferred it to the Opening Ceremony. Damien Hirst, whose exhibition I managed to catch whilst in London this year, did a fantastic job of the floor design; the union jack. The athletes all stood within this and the security staff dividing the athletes were wearing light bulbs on their heads as part of the installation. This was quite amusing.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187413/London-2012-Closing-Ceremony-Eric-Idle-leads-crowd-rendition-Always-Look-Bright-Side-Life.html - super images.
Others were not so amused by the closing ceremony:
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/the-deep-end/2012/08/modern-culture-ugliness-is-compulsory.html
"London 2012 was a triumph. The best Olympics ever. Apart from the closing ceremony, of course. Oh, and one other embarrassment – that twisty-turny tower of bright-red girders that was supposed to be the centrepiece of the Olympic Park. Most of the time, the cameras managed to ignore it, but like the some drunken uncle in your wedding snaps it occasionally stumbled into view."
Kapoor's Orbit outside the stadium - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2025288/London-2012-Olympics-Sebastian-Coe-deserves-medal.html
Undoubtedly, Anish Kapoor is a highly regarded Artist/Sculptor.
I have always been a fan of his work, so I was surprised when I discovered this sculpture at the Olympic park was Kapoor's. It's not that I don't like it, or that I'm not appreciative of it, it is very impressive! I think it is out of context/looks wrong built where it is. It reminds me of a theme park ride; eg. Helter Skelter.
("Like a Japanese children’s toy conceived by Damien Hirst as his next exaggerated, re-imagined folly, Kapoor’s Orbit was nothing less than a huge monument to fun, a roller coaster of achievement, while also on its way to being the biggest piece of public art in the country.")
This thought can be linked with the psychedelic theme dominant in Russel Brand's performance at the Olympic Closing Ceremony; which I did enjoy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19238437
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19288615 - Brand speaking about his view on rituals, ceremony and 'propaganda's';
"not the symbols and the spectacle itself, but what do the symbols represent? What is the real purpose of the olympic ceremony?"
(http://london2012.photos.usatoday.com/gallery/2012-London-Olympics-closing-ceremony/slideshow/Olympics%3A_Closing_Ceremony/0aeN1zJ4dG52w)
[This image reminds me of that juice advert...]
*I want to work with the formations that Spellbound and other dancers can make, and use these shapes to create a painting or sculpture. I could take inspiration from many athletes that took part... especially the high jump, long jump or gymnastics in particular. (However, I would have to partially rely on secondary research; images from the web... like I have been doing too much on my blog. Take still snap-shots of their performances, or watch other's videos for gathering information).
Francesca Woodman, whose exhibition in New York I was taken aback by, has a few interesting pieces of work I see as inspiration for this idea. Her work is filled with movement and energy. She produced an astounding amount of images; both still and video, over the course of her short life. I really was moved by the exhibition. I bought her book and find myself forever flicking through it. "The division between her art and her life was nearly seamless... In Woodman's work, the question of space serves as both a formal challenge and a psychological condition, and the relationship of her body to space became one of her major preoccupations."
Some of my sketchbook pages from the exhibition:
photographs stuck onto these sheets of geometry; and her hand-writing over the top.
"..these things arrived from my grandmother, they make me think about where it fits in the odd geometry of time."
Stella McCartney's costumes for team GB this year proved to provoke controversial views because she removed the colour red from the Union Jack.
Despite the controversy about the Olympic posters this year, commissioned by high regarded artists through the Tate, this one I actually enjoy. Descriptive and captivating language. There are so many quotes I could take from this to give me inspiration and develop an idea...
"Eyes landscape blue, black like records, flickering.
Locked on an empty space.
Toes curling, all shadows pouring into one.
Solarised line of back, one calf bulging muscle, other a sci-fi bone..."
Only half way through do we discover that this is referring to the paralympics. I like that this fact isn't revealed at the very start of the poem.
"bulging muscle"
This is a bold statement and makes me think of analytical drawings; da Vinci being a prime example...
(http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Art-review-da-Vinci-drawings-at-Legion-of-Honor-3184254.php#photo-2321565)
*developing my views of the paralympics poem.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187413/London-2012-Closing-Ceremony-Eric-Idle-leads-crowd-rendition-Always-Look-Bright-Side-Life.html - super images.
Viewers that are familiar with Hirst's work can tell that this floor design was created by him as his painting style is dominant here.
[Damien Hirst-beautiful cataclysmic pink minty shifting horizon exploding star with ghostly presence core. (Taken from the Tate website). These pieces are so powerful; it struck such emotion from one of my friends that they were brought to tears.]
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/the-deep-end/2012/08/modern-culture-ugliness-is-compulsory.html
"London 2012 was a triumph. The best Olympics ever. Apart from the closing ceremony, of course. Oh, and one other embarrassment – that twisty-turny tower of bright-red girders that was supposed to be the centrepiece of the Olympic Park. Most of the time, the cameras managed to ignore it, but like the some drunken uncle in your wedding snaps it occasionally stumbled into view."
Kapoor's Orbit outside the stadium - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2025288/London-2012-Olympics-Sebastian-Coe-deserves-medal.html
Preview:
BBC news.
Undoubtedly, Anish Kapoor is a highly regarded Artist/Sculptor.
I have always been a fan of his work, so I was surprised when I discovered this sculpture at the Olympic park was Kapoor's. It's not that I don't like it, or that I'm not appreciative of it, it is very impressive! I think it is out of context/looks wrong built where it is. It reminds me of a theme park ride; eg. Helter Skelter.
("Like a Japanese children’s toy conceived by Damien Hirst as his next exaggerated, re-imagined folly, Kapoor’s Orbit was nothing less than a huge monument to fun, a roller coaster of achievement, while also on its way to being the biggest piece of public art in the country.")
This thought can be linked with the psychedelic theme dominant in Russel Brand's performance at the Olympic Closing Ceremony; which I did enjoy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19238437
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19288615 - Brand speaking about his view on rituals, ceremony and 'propaganda's';
"not the symbols and the spectacle itself, but what do the symbols represent? What is the real purpose of the olympic ceremony?"
Spellbound/Francesca Woodman
Spellbound is an acrobatic team of individuals, discovered by Britain's Got Talent, who use there talent to create extremely risky yet impressive group performances. Reality TV is critised more often than not, but the likes of Britain's Got Talent genuinely gives real people the chance to show off and be respected for their unique skills. Spellbound were fortunate enough to win a couple of years ago, and that was them getting the chance to perform at the London 2012 Closing Ceremony. If it weren't for reality TV, they would have never been recognised.
[This image reminds me of that juice advert...]
*I want to work with the formations that Spellbound and other dancers can make, and use these shapes to create a painting or sculpture. I could take inspiration from many athletes that took part... especially the high jump, long jump or gymnastics in particular. (However, I would have to partially rely on secondary research; images from the web... like I have been doing too much on my blog. Take still snap-shots of their performances, or watch other's videos for gathering information).
(another picture I took whilst watching the telly.)
Francesca Woodman, whose exhibition in New York I was taken aback by, has a few interesting pieces of work I see as inspiration for this idea. Her work is filled with movement and energy. She produced an astounding amount of images; both still and video, over the course of her short life. I really was moved by the exhibition. I bought her book and find myself forever flicking through it. "The division between her art and her life was nearly seamless... In Woodman's work, the question of space serves as both a formal challenge and a psychological condition, and the relationship of her body to space became one of her major preoccupations."
Some of my sketchbook pages from the exhibition:
photographs stuck onto these sheets of geometry; and her hand-writing over the top.
"..these things arrived from my grandmother, they make me think about where it fits in the odd geometry of time."
"Zig-Zag"
This piece in particular is inspiration for my project - movement, shape & outline. (athletics and gymnastics).
Controversial Artwork
Since I'm known as the tape girl (from a project last year), thought this piece of work was definitely appropriate:
by Artist Cody Hamilton.
As well as Anish Kapoor's "roller coaster of fun", there was quite a lot disappointing British art and design linked with the Olympics:
Posters by British artists for the Olympics via Tate Modern:
The overall general opinion is that the viewers are not happy with these posters. I like a few of them:
and Fiona Banner; (if you scroll further down, I discuss her poster in greater detail.)
However, there are some that are very displeasing; Bridget Riley for example. I enjoy her work and have seen many of her pieces in various galleries, however this painting is no different than her normal work, and really shows no relevance to the Olympics, other than may be the colour scheme:
"The red has been removed from the red white and blue of the Union flag, and used instead to provide an emphatic trim to necklines or as a striking block of colour in shinpads and shoes."
Despite McCartney stating that she respects and admires the Union Jack, in some viewers' eyes she changed it too much so that it has become unfamiliar and does not effectively represent GB.
McCartney said: "it is one of the most beautiful flags in the world and it was important for me to stay true to that iconic design but also to modernise it and present it in a contemporary way."
However, from what I have read, professionals seemed very pleased and excited about her slick costume designs, which have been very well made and thought out.
Even the Olympic logo for London 2010 has caused some controversy. It isn't... polished enough, it appears a bit sloppy and rushed (which of course it wasn't). I'm not a designer, but my opinion it doesn't really seem up to scratch. and pink..?
Wenlock and Mandeville
Just throwing this out there... the couple of one-eyed mascots named 'cockney Wenlock' and 'punk Mandeville'?! Why are they cycloptic? (Yes, it's a bit of fun for kids and yes, the eye is the camera, but what does this one-eyed character have to do with the olympics or London? Why not one of Buckingham Palace's body guard's for example.) They look like some sort of alien/characters from Disney Pixars' Monsters' Inc. <- my original view. Now, having looked into this bizarre design, I am hesitantly beginning to understand the couple, but to all the viewers watching the Olympics, what a strange pair these mascots appear to be.
This Christian orientated view explains that:
"Drops of Steel with cameras for eyes (Wenlock and Mandeville) - the series called "Olympian Trinity" on this site reveals more of the subject. The very nature of these two are sorcery and paganism. Alpine Chamois (Yoggl) - the Antilope Chamios was mentioned in the Christian Bible, in Deuteronomy. Some say this animal never existed. Its name is a translation of Zemer. Latain and Greek in origin, is a combination of Leopard, and Camel and indicates a Giraffe. Many covens use different animals as their totem. This was/is one."
Basically, they are supposed to be ancient animals called "Antilope Chamios"; originated from Greece (relevant to the Olympics) but haven't been proven they actually existed...
I do however like the concept and idea of having sculptures dotted around London. "They are said to have been fashioned from the last drops of steel left over from the final support girder of the Olympic stadium when it was made in Bolton." It promotes healthy activity by getting around London on foot instead of taking public transport. This is the sort of concept I was thinking about when expressing my view on how there should be more public art to spark excitement following the Olympics now that they are over:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175911/The-Olympic-mascot-masquerade-Wenlock-Mandeville-invade-London--fooled-bizarre-disguises.html
"The two-metre tall figures are part of Stroll, six individual discovery trails around the city, with the aim of encouraging Londoners and tourists alike to explore the capital on foot.Each outfit represents a different element of the capital's culture."
"In the 1940's, Dr Ludwig Guttman came to the hospital (in Westminster) to set up a new spinal unit to help former soldiers suffering from spinal cord injuries. Looking for ways to inspire those in his care, he encouraged them to take up sport and the Stoke Mandeville Games was formed, widely recognised as a forerunner of the modern Paralympic movement." I therefore find this to be the most important of the 83 sculptures dotted around London in teaching us history of introducing the paralympic games.
I find Beijing's mascots effective:
"All shadows pouring into one"
Despite the controversy about the Olympic posters this year, commissioned by high regarded artists through the Tate, this one I actually enjoy. Descriptive and captivating language. There are so many quotes I could take from this to give me inspiration and develop an idea...
"Eyes landscape blue, black like records, flickering.
Locked on an empty space.
Toes curling, all shadows pouring into one.
Solarised line of back, one calf bulging muscle, other a sci-fi bone..."
Only half way through do we discover that this is referring to the paralympics. I like that this fact isn't revealed at the very start of the poem.
"bulging muscle"
This is a bold statement and makes me think of analytical drawings; da Vinci being a prime example...
(Going back to the history of art lectures that Louise taught us in first year; comparing da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo.)
Michelangelo
"one calf bulging muscle, other a sci-fi bone..."
These drawings combined with science and new technologies, would effectively illustrate my mental image of this quote.
A student whose work I came across while scanning images on the web... http://www.behance.net/gallery/Deskinning-muscle-study/3907185
This is quite clearly a beautiful (toned and muscular) woman who has suffered a tragic accident. This is an interesting article I have come across while looking at this topic of art and science crossing paths. This article talks about how doctors in Australia are to perform a world first operation of fusing a bionic leg onto living muscle. It will therefore become "a natural extension of her body". #Perfect Appearance v Truth.
Bringing it back to the paralympics which this poster is advertising for...
The behind the scenes filming for the paralympics advert (channel 4) is an interesting read, about how they made the video, the narrative and also the technical skills.
“There’s one shot of a swimmer diving in to the
pool with a camera strapped to her back – we had to invent a rig that allowed
the camera to not only go in the water with her but to be sufficiently
separated from the rest of her body so that you could see the whole of her back
and head and arms as she made her way in to the water.”
*strap a camera to someone’s back or head, make them run
or cycle or whatever. Could be myself. Or cousin lewis for
example.. the energy and the flexibility you have when you are young changes..
like my stiff/sore back for example.
A friend, Rachael Simpson from
Telford College, had made a film about two different people running towards each other from a
long distance and putting the video side by side so at the end you realise that
they are running to meet each other:
Other Notes...
Flash Mobs
I think public/environmental art should be used in Britain to keep the excitement from the olympics alive; the news are saying they are worried our nation will come out of this celebration and go back to normal. Art should become part of the solution, or performance art such as flash mobs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mLeCsC_ztY - London 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ie_xbrDx0&feature=fvwrel - this one is brilliant! university of East London performing outside Buckingham Palace. Don't think anyone from the public joined in but it was still fantastic and exciting progressive dancing.
My friend is actually organising a flash mob to take place on the first take back of uni, in a secret location in Dundee... I would have happily took part in it if I was able. Hopefully it will be recognised and appreciated!
Sponsors
Consumerism (coca-cola); branding; sponsoring of the olympics. this year the 2 main sponsers are coca-cola and mcdonals - contradicting the healthiness of sport and what we are actually celebrating through the olympics + how britain is being lectured about how the population is becoming overweight; yet these are the two main sponsers, which is promoting that fatty and sugary foods are OK. and also, the majority of the country are watching the olympics by sitting on a couch watching it via the television. a lot of contradictions being made. #Perfect Appearance V Truth.
Brief Summary of my ideas which I could continue with...
*could look at what it means to a community when a celebration is taken part in their hometown; how it brings everyone together. could try creating environmental art - leave it for outside for everyone to see.
*I want to work with the formations that Spellbound and other dancers can make, and use these shapes to create a painting or sculpture.
*developing my views of the paralympics poem.
*strap a camera to someone’s back or head, make them run or cycle or whatever. Could be myself. Or cousin lewis for example.. the energy and the flexibility you have when you are young changes.. like my stiff/sore back for example.
*could document someone sitting in a living room, and what is on the television is a projection of themselves being lazy - a wake up call, or just plain ignorance to which they cannot see.
