Sonia/gs1

SESSION 1 - 12 September 2019

https://pad.xpub.nl/p/SoniaFeedbackSteve

Graduate proposal guidelines Word count 1500 max.

Artist statement (essence)
I define myself as a photomedia artist. Guided by my fascination with the physical properties and ethereal qualities of light I explore concepts of journey, place and ecologies of time.

1 What do you want to make?

Exhibition of large scale (or mixed scale) photographic prints accompanied by a moving image element or elements and/or immersive installation component.

2 How do you plan to make it?
PRINTS: Producing a combination of unique prints in the darkroom as well as editioned digital reproductions of images. Undertaking at least one journey to take more photographs.
MOVING IMAGES: Producing short moving clips on a loop – to be displayed on screens alongside the prints or in a separate darkened space.
INSTALLATION COMPONENT: ? The least certain aspect as to which form this will take. I feel that my work will always be a response to the space in which it is shown. Should I follow the route of an immersive moving image piece or light installation I expect it will be separated (in space) from the other work. Should it be a light installation I expect I will incorporate various light altering materials and surfaces e.g. plastic film, mirrors, lenses, water, etc. moving in some way through mechanical means.

3 What is your timetable?
Rest of 2019
- Testing phase in the darkroom for large scale work.
- Experimenting with more moving image work. Use the Eye project as an opportunity to develop these ideas further.
- Learning how to make a simple rotating motor and experiment with 3d printing in order to facilitate the mechanical aspects of installation work or for carrying out darkroom interventions at the printing stage.

4 Why do you want to make it?
To give form to the ideas I am exploring in my work. Those relating to interrogation of process, the physical properties of light, the medium of photography/photomedia, exploration of journey.

5 Who can help you and how?

Menno Boer- Image and Sound station regarding some technical restraints and how to best manage the darkroom workflow especially when I begin to work with a 76cm wide roll of photographic paper.
Peter Svensen - artist and director of Aap Lab in Amsterdam in case I want to produce some larger scale works in the darkroom. I am restricted to 80cm wide at the WdKA. He also has great tips for colour balancing and contrast control when working with colour.
Javier Lloret - For incorporating screen-based work or installation components that require animation through motors, Arduino/Raspberry Pi, etc.

6 Relation to previous practice
I view this as an extension of my previous practice and builds upon the work undertaken in first year. While prior to this course I worked largely intuitively I believe I am more aware, am building a vocabulary to discuss my work and am able to contextualise my autonomous arts practice in a more cohesive way (though there is plenty of room for improvement here). Through my practice-based research in the darkroom I feel I now have a better understanding of the possibilities available to expand my methods of working.

7 Relation to a larger context
I situate my practice within the expanded photography field, what I am referring to as Photomedia. There are many artists working with analogue and experimental photographic processes within stills photography and moving image. My practice is situated within and influenced by the Bauhaus, Abstract Expressionism and a wide array of photographic artists practicing today. (Refer to my wiki for list of artists)

8 References

McKenzie, Jai. Light and Photomedia: a New History and Future of the Photographic Image. I.B. Tauris, 2014.
Zylinska, Joanna. Nonhuman Photography. MIT Press, 2017.
The Photograph as Contemporary Art - Charlotte Cotton

HOMEWORK

Theme Thesis
My thesis should serve as an in-depth artist statement whereby I interrogate and attempt to deconstruct the methods, processes and motivations of my artistic practice. I plan to situate my practice within a broader social and artistic context referencing texts on contemporary (expanded) photography theory and other artistic practices. Presented in a photo book format I would like to have chapters that investigate different aspects of my practice (analytical language) interspersed with autobiographical entries (informal language) supported by a lot of visual material. Although I am attracted to the idea of producing a purely analytical essay I ultimately feel that a report on my research and practice will serve me better and be more useful for my short-term future aspirations.
Possible chapters:

Duration & Time
Journey & the Landscape & being Elsewhere
Photomedia (Light-Space-Time structures, expanded photography and the rejection of Post-Photography)
Materiality and beyond the analogue/digital binary

Annotated bibliography with 5 key texts (synopsis)

Zylinska, J., 2017. Nonhuman photography. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England.

Nonhuman Photography is a theoretical text which looks at three types of "nonhuman" photography

Cotton, C., 2007. The photograph as contemporary art, Reprinted. ed, Thames & Hudson world of art. Thames & Hudson, London.

The Photograph as Contemporary Art features reproductions of works by contemporary photographic artists separated into a number of (non-conventional) categories. Each image is accompanied by a description and critical analysis of the artist and/or their featured work. As a whole the publication serves as a document which gives a good overview of contemporary photographic practices.

McKenzie, J., 2014. Light + photomedia: a new history and future of the photographic image, The international library of visual culture. Tauris, London.

Light + Photomedia proposes an alternative to the term photography and instead defines all media that incorporate light in some way as light-space-time structures and more broadly as photomedia.

Campany, D. (Ed.), 2007. The cinematic, Documents of Contemporary Art. Whitechapel [u.a.], London.
Solnit, R. 2005. A Field Guide to Getting Lost. Canongate Books Ltd, 2005.