Artists
Analysing key artists, ideas and philosophies that influence my art practice.
Contents
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Unit 1:
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Fiona Hall
Lynn Skordall
Naziah Mestaou
Thomas Hirschhorn
William Morris
Samuel Zeller
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Unit 2:
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Bryan Kneale
Ernst Haeckel
Ellis O'Connell
William Heath Robinson
Sherily Sherwood
Vladimir Kush
William Kentridge
Seana Gavin
Katie Spragg
Jack Fied
Unit 3:
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Michael Raedecker
David Mach
Hieronymus Bosch
Ben Ridgway
Formafantasma: Cambio
Naoyuki Tsuj
Laura Carlin
Julie Cockburn
Unit 1
Fiona Hall Leaf Litter 2000
Fiona Hall's work ‘Leaf Litter’, made in 2000, is a series of botanical drawings of native and endangered plant species painted with brush and gouache on money. Her work is beautifully intricate, with strong links to traditional botanical illustration which prides itself on accuracy.
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The work explores the relationship between the natural and the commercial world, with a focus on how plants form the basis of our economic income (National Gallery of Australia). Challenging the well-known phrase ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’, the work highlights the ‘high price we pay for the overtaxing Mother Earth’. Hall's work sheds light on environmental and social issues surrounding the overuse of natural resources, which damages our environment and widens the gap between the rich and poor communities that rely on them (RO9 Gallery, 2019). Through the use of banknotes in her work, Hall voices her concern for countries around the world, which are traditionally rich in plant resources and yet are often the poorest in the world (RO9 Gallery, 2019).
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Furthermore, Hall’s work reveals her uncanny knack for transforming ‘ordinary everyday materials' into works of art with profound meaning (Hoffie, P., 2005). For example, in ‘Leaf Litter’, the use of the everyday banknote and leaves which we see falling to the ground all the time, give new meaning to materials which may otherwise be overlooked. In defacing banknotes, Hall's work emphasis the high value we should give to plants, far beyond their mere economic value. A strong case for doing more than we currently do to protect plants and the communities that they represent and support.
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From observing Hall’s work, it is clear that the transformation of every day items is integral to her work, as she questions how ordinary items can be re-read in an art context. Hall’s work is particularly effective as the materials used and the images depicted speak for themselves.
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in the Seventh year by Rachel Hogg
The Community, by Rachel Hogg
Through investigating Hall's work I have learned about the effectiveness of thinking about the context of the materials I use and exploring alternative materials as a canvas for my work. For example, this came to the fore when I was researching the role of religious faith in ecological care. First, I created work based on specific biblical texts found in Leviticus 25 and Psalms 23 by writing out the text by hand in ink and circling key words, such as 'rest, toil and produce', to make them more defined. Second, I combined this with seed/womb ink drawings, felt and embroidery, referencing new life, the human form, plant loss and poor ecological care.
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Third, after creating this body of work, I then went on to do a series of charcoal/ink drawings and plant rubbings on leaflets gathered from local community gardens.
I drew the plants from the community gardens on top of the leaflets, with the purpose of developing a connection between plants, the specific places they inhabit and the human communities that are represented by them.
Developing this idea further, I intend to create my own texts using letter press. I hope this technique will give me more control over the positioning of the text and hopefully be able to use the text not only as a canvas but also as a drawing tool.
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References
Lynn Skordal 'Red Rivers' from Embroidery 2011
Lynn Skordal is a collage artist who has created a series of artist books and small works using mixed media, re-appropriated images, paper, and embroidery. Through mixing images with varied significance from different genres, locations and time periods, Skordal is able to 'creating new realities' (Boxall, S., 2013) that challenge the way we see society, the human body, gender stereotypes, key political figures and moments in history.
Skordal’s work tells stories that amuse, startle and provoke the viewer into thinking about current political issues. Using a 'deliberately non digital' approach, she considers the tactile components of her work to be important (Boxall,S. 2013). Skordal's work has a very clean air about it and although it has been created via physical cut and paste, it looks as though it could have been done on Photoshop. Rivalling digital collage with her handmade and yet precise collages, Skordal pushes back against the replacement of handmade arts and crafts by modern digital technology.
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Lung By Rachel Hogg
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References
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(Cut and Paste by Lynn Skordal, edited by Scout Boxall.https://dailyspreaddotcom.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/cut-paste-lynn-skordal/)
In the piece ‘Red Rivers’, which can be found in the artists book Embroidery, Skordal uses red thread, which is often associated with females, textiles, and craft, to map out the veins in the human body. This explores the crossover between traditional techniques in textiles and fine art.
The work is almost grotesque as it drips with red blood like thread. The taut lines of mussel, punctured by stitch is uncomfortable to look at, as it emphasises the human form as a specimen to be dissected and studied. The result is a piece of work which feels medical and scientific, far from traditional feminine stitch, indicating that Skordal's work may be deliberately rejecting traditional views of femininity. This can be seen in many of her collages which often involve altering images of women.
Through examining the use of red thread in Skordal's work, I have been inspired to use thread to draw veins and blood into plants, building on the physical connections between plants and humans. The 'tactile' essence of Lynn's work is also important in my practice, as I enjoy being a part of each step of the making. I'm also exploring the idea of handmade processes being used to reference natural reality, in contrast with the artificial and digital world.
Naziha Mestaoui 1 Heart 1 Tree
Unlike Skordal's work, Naziha Mestaoui’s work is all about the digital as it involves projecting real-time 3D video mapping of trees onto famous global monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower. Which occurred during Mestaoui's project '1 Heart 1 Tree', which explored the plurality in the relationship between humans and nature, inspiring viewers to reconnect with nature through technology. Members of the public were invited to plant light projected trees onto famous monuments through projection mapping, with the trees beating in time with their own hearts. This was a particularly powerful way of creating a personal connection between members of the audience and the artwork. Simultaneously, this invited the audience to think about how their own lives are sustained by plants, and to connect with plants as living organisms that need protection.
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(References- Available@https://vimeo.com/169356475)
(https://www.1heart1tree.org/cop21/team)
During the project, for every virtual tree that was generated and projected, a real tree was planted. Therefore, this created a positive environmental impact whilst sharing an environmentally ethical message; demonstrating the power generated when cities work together to help the planet.
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Despite the overconsumption of natural resources caused by the energy requirement of technology, and the disconnect between people and the natural that is facilitated by technology, the project '1 Heart 1 Tree', shows how technology can make a positive difference. Namely, through uniting art and people to rebuild ecosystems. Mestaoui's work inspires the audience to use technology to give back to the environment.
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However, a full ethical analysis of the project would reveal how much electricity it used, and whether or not the electricity used was ethically-sourced.
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Overall, Mestaoui's work is highly effective, capturing a mass audience and actively engaging her audience in bringing about change. From her work I have been motivated to explore how projection could be used to help people reconnect with nature, and consider what environmental impact my work is having on the world. For example, I created a series of plant based drawings which I projected onto the walls of my flat. This aimed to create a sense of being engulfed by nature, referencing the mimicking of plants in our interior design and the innate human longing to be connected to nature and yet distinctively other.
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Yellow Chair by Rachel Hogg
In developing this work further, I plan to create moving hand drawn projections and map my projections onto household objects; using projection to create immersive environments.
Thomas Hirschhorn Foucault Map 2004
Thomas Hirschhorn's heavily political work, designed to be a tool for sharing knowledge and fostering debate, is presented as a 274 x 454 cm mixed media collage. Handwritten and printed text is combined with images and lines that map across the work, building connections between vast references. Hirschhorn uses his maps as a means of ‘clarifying his thinking, creating memorials to inspirational figures and manifestos’, which include topics such as systems of power (Hirschhorn, 2019).
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(References- https://frieze.com/article/thomas-hirschhorn)
In 2005 'Frieze' writer Pablo Lafuente, argued that Hirschhorn's work was not well-suited to the clean white spaces of the gallery, and that the multitude of references were overwhelming and lost on viewers who did not have the time to give the work the attention that it required. Although Lafuente recognised that the work thrived best when viewers took part in the debate surrounding the work, it was clear that the location and presentation of the work was vital to its success.​ The dilemma of location and reference overload, resonates with my own work.
Like Hirschhorn's 'Faculty Map', my work 'Compost' presents an overwhelming combination of references. A variety of mixed media is forcibly combined, including: etching; mono print; letterpress; projection; photography; ink drawings; embroidery; and text. The history of botanical illustration methods of research is represented, along with different expressions of my personal connection, concern, and appreciation for British plants and wildlife.
The connection between humans and plants is highlighted, as is their venerability and the obsessive nature of humans to mimic plants in art and design.
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Compost by Rachel Hogg
However, due to the deliberately chaotic style of Hirschhorn’s work, with mass text and images, it is apparent that Hirschhorn is intentional about making his work overwhelming. In many of his instillations Hirschhorn’s work is all about confronting the viewer; making them feel uncomfortable as he forthrightly addresses socio-political issues in our society. In other words, viewers aren’t supposed to be able to take in all the different references at the same time. Hirschhorn is playing on the idea that in today's society we are bombarded with information to the point of overload, and that, as a result, the real issues get brushed under the carpet or that we only see what those in power want us to see.
As for my own work, I think the overload of references are exciting and engaging, however, I share in Lafuente's concern over what happens when the references are lost and the work is not given space to breath. Like Hirschhorn I have found that my work has been of most interest to me when I have been able to discuss the work and the topics concealed within it. Therefore, perhaps in order to develop my work I need to give more thought about to how to engage my audience in my work. This will naturally include considerations over where I present my work and the space I give to the individual themes in the work.
William Morris Leicester Wallpaper
The British textile designer, William Morris, was associated with the British Arts and Craft movement and famed for his ability to bring art, design and architecture together in harmony. Morris aimed to bring art into everything and to all people; ‘Cutting across barriers of class, race and wealth’, challenging traditional positions of power by trying to transform everyday things in society with the beauty of nature represented through art (Smarth, A., 2014).
Morris’ work was mostly enjoyed in middle class Victorian homes and did not widely reach poorer people, but in transforming everyday item into beautiful works of art, Morris’ work demonstrates that art is all around us and can be found in the ordinary. Of course, Morris was also well known for writing poetry and literature, designing tapestries, wallpapers, fabrics, furniture, and stained glass windows (Tate, 2019).
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Morris was a strong advocate for artists being involved in both the processes of design and making, believing that artists and designers could not be separated from each other (MacCarthy, F., 1994). He himself was known for being incredibly talented and knowledgable in many different areas of life. From his work, I learned the importance of taking on the challenge of learning new skills myself and not just delegating the making of my work to others.
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As well as promoting the importance of creating and designing handmade crafts, Morris created many of his wallpapers directly drawing from plants (rather than from images of plants). This has challenged me, as I previously found it easier to work from photographs. I know place real importance on having the real item in front of me (such as a conker).
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​In developing my work further, I would like to have more confidence in my ability to create interesting designs for contemporary viewers from plant life, using old school methods and marrying up fine art and design. I started this exploration by learning the method of screen print and creating my own floral wallpaper. I would like to experiment with taking some of my designs and printing them onto other materials and objects.​
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Wallpaper by Rachel Hogg
References
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https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-morris-388
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MacCarthy, Fiona (1994). William Morris: A Life for Our Time. London: Faber.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-reviews/11164836/William-Morris-National-Portrait-Gallery-review.html
Samuel Zeller
Samual Zeller is a Swedish photographer whose work 'captures the strange beauty of exotic plants' from botanical greenhouses all around the world (Huber, F., 2018). His photography has an illustrative, painterly, and watercolour quality. The clash between the world of the indoors and the world of the outdoors is revealed; the tension between the real and the artificial.
Some of his most artistic photographs take advantage of the steamy habitat of the greenhouse, grabbing the viewer's attention with a vibrant splash of colour as exotic flowers peer out of the mist.
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References
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Botanical by Friederike Huber, Photo's by Samuel Zeller. Published by Hoxton Minipress, 2018.
Unit Two
Bryan Kneale- b. 1930
Giraffe, c.1987 in Conte Crayon on paper
Exhibited at Nature unwrapped Kings Place Gallery curated by Pangolin London Sculpture Gallery
Bryan Kneale is best known for his sculptures which illustrate his interest in the way different forms are joined together (Tate, 2019). Alongside his sculptures Kneale creates a number of sketches which are not seen as an end result in themselves but a stepping stone towards the creation of many of his sculptures (Tate, 2004). A number of those sketches are part of a collection called 'bone drawings' of which 'Giraffe' is one of them, a study based on animal skeletons from the natural history museum in London. This selection of sketches focus on the delicate forms of animal skeletons and the way in which the bones and joints fit together. The use of soft crayon on paper and fleshly colours chosen in creating Kneale's work bring a sense of beauty and life to bones which in reality are dead and often associated with the grotesque. Additionally, the contrast and overlapping blur of the dark purple lines and paler skin tone rubbings, produces a sense of movement in the static image. The elongated frame to display the drawing creates the sense that these drawings might be life sized.
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'Acacia' by R.Hogg
In my own work I have been exploring the medium of soft coloured chalk pencils on black paper. This work plays on the role of the kidney in the human body to detox and remove waste and excess fluid, which is similar to the way in which plants act as a filter for our environment and detox the air by consuming CO2 and releasing life giving oxygen. Which is vital to our survival and is under threat due to deforestation and forest fires.
This drawing was completed shortly after the mass fires in Australia. Which is why the flowers depicted in this drawing are significant because they resemble the flowers found on native golden acacia trees in Australia. These trees usually give life and beauty in the Australian landscape and yet due to fires many will have been destroyed.
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Through the investigation of this medium I found that the coloured soft chalk brought a soft vibrancy to my work, enabled me to draw detailed and beautiful images that stood out against the black background.
Ernst Haeckel- 1904 Lithograph of an ophidian, a type of echinoderm similar to a starfish
Ernst Hackel was a German zoologist, naturalist and artist among many other things, working between the 19th and 20th century. He became known as the Darwin of Germany and famously discovered, described and named thousands of species.
In a time before photography his art work married art and science, as he created incredibly detailed and accurate illustrations of small sea life creates. Documenting his discoveries and sharing information about evolution, the world under thee microscope, capturing the beautiful symmetry and order of nature. It could be argued that in many ways his art works demonstrate why artists are obsessed with nature and are forever attempting to mimic their form and shape. As Haeckel's believed that “Nature generates an inexhaustible cornucopia of wonderful forms, the beauty and variety of which far exceed the crafted art forms produced by human beings" (Ernst Haeckel). His artworks are exquisite and feel fantastical and yet they are illustrations of real things that Haeckel's observed. It is the bridging of fantasy and reality in the appearance of his work which gives it defining style. Many of his works exhibit a variety of bright colours, whilst others are gothic in black and white.
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In my own work I have tried to exhibit some of Haeckel's attention to detail. One of the challenges I faced in creating this etching on steal was that it was difficult at first to make the background a different tone from the drawing. In the first few prints that I made the drawings just blend into the background.
However, I was able to overcome this challenge by using aquatint, which enabled me to create a much deeper and even black over the surface of the background causing my drawings to really stand out and pop out of the darkness. If I was able to take this work further I would like to explore using lithographs to see what difference that made to the quality of my prints.
Biomimicry by R.Hogg black etching on steal
Ellis O'Connell 'Starfish' 1953 Ink on hand made paper. Exhibited at Nature Unwrapped at Kings Place Gallery curated by Pangolin London Sculpture Gallery
Ellis O'Connell is a large scale sculpter, usually known for using stone, rubber, steel cord, metal and feathers and sewn fabrications. With many of her "inspirations coming from a wide range of sources including archaeology, architecture or found objects"(Pangolinlondon, 2020). With a particular 'interest in forms that confound the natural and artificial, for example geological structures which are often confused with fossils'(Pangolinlondon, 2020).
In the Nature Unwrapped exhibition O'Connell displayed a number of water colour and ink drawings, which illustrate the natural forms that inspire her sculptures. The delicate simplicity of her drawings capture the beauty and vulnerability of the natural world. They have inspired me to think about the quality that is found in simple well drawn images working together to convey a message. As well as the importance of presentation, as the good quality of the paper really adds to the value of the drawing and communicates the importance of the subject matter.
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Therefore, in my own work I began to create drawings using Indian ink, a bamboo pen and Somerset printing paper, instead of average cartridge paper. This made a real difference to the visual quality of my own work, it gave the work more value and a more professional and finished look.
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William Heath Robinson
The work of William Heath Robinson who lived 1872- 1944 as a British artists, satirist and illustrator, has been a great inspiration in the development of my latests drawings. Robinson who created the majority of his art work during world war two, was best know for his drawings of “absurd, ingenious and over-complicated makeshift devices”(Oxford English Dictionary). Which helped to build the moral of the British troops as they provided light relief, humour and an alternative world for the troops to escape into. Of his work Robinson believed that "our sense of humour played a greater part than we were always aware of in saving us from despair during those days of trial.(Robinson.H.W. quoted by Solon. O. 2016)”.
As a viewer I’m drawn to the world that he has created as the only limitation it has, is the limitations of the artists imagination and not the logistics of reality because they are not based on reality. In studying his work I been inspired to create my own alternative and inventive world of plants of the future. Following Robinsons lead I hope to use humour and charm to engage my audience in the heavy topics that surround climate change and the current threats to our environment. Whilst offering an alternative and more hopeful future. Whereby nature rises to the challenges faced by climate change and reveals its amazing capacity to adapt to any environment.
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touch-me-nots ink drawing on paper by R.Hogg
Satellite ink bamboo pen drawing on paper by R.Hogg
Shirley Sherwood Collection Modern Masterpieces of Botanical Art Published 2003
The Shirley Sherwood Collection which can been seen exhibited at Kew Gardens is a beautiful collection of contemporary botanical artists who have mastered 'infusing accuracy with artistry' (Sir Peter Crane, 2019, p.vii). It is argued that Sherwood her self has played a huge role in " triggering, energising and influencing a transition from renaissance botanical art to contemporary botanical works" and has paved the way for exploring botanical art works a fresh.
Each work in her collection highlights the strange yet wonderfully complex world of plants by honing in on each leaf, petal and stem of the individual plant. The level of detail put into each artwork speaks of the value of the plants being studied and the level of knowledge gained by the artists observation. Which has inspired me to think about the dedication, detail, time and accuracy that I give to my own work, as I try to communicate the high value and beauty of plants in my own work.
Additionally, the composition of each the works in the collection is sticking and enable the viewer to focus on specific areas of the drawings. The uncluttered and centralised composition of the works allows the work to be visually communicated very clearly, referencing the way in which botanical illustration has been historically used to share information about plants. In my own work I intend to develop a new twist to traditional botanical illustration in the way that I depict plants, whilst explore some of the more traditional botanical compositions.
Vladimir Kush- Arrival of the flower ship
Vladimir Kush is a Russian surrealist painter who uses metaphors and symbols in his work to enable the view to see the world differently and challenge our perception of reality. His works are incredibly imaginative and inventive full of hidden images. Influenced by different cultures, greek mythology and the unexpected. Kush aims to "awaken the viewers artistic nature", "create connections between things that are seemingly different" and "reflect the world in the mirror of the metaphor"(Kush.V, cited Bates.J.2019).
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This painting titled 'Arrival of the flower ship', made in 2000 with oil on canvas. Depicts a famous botanical venture in history. In 1787 a ship called The HMS Bounty left England to go to Tahiti, to collect breadfruit plants to plant in England and feed slaves who were working in the fields. However, the ship was delayed in Tahiti and whilst it was there the crew fell in love with the tropical paradise and did not want to return to Britain, which led to mutiny.
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Within his work there is a clear interest in nature and the association and symbolism humans give to different forms in nature. Plants and animals are often at the centre of the metaphors and symbols Kush uses.
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It is the relationship and union between the common world of humans and the wondrous kingdom of plants and animals, shown in Kush's work which sparked my interest in his work. As many of his works remind me of biomimicry and the way in which plants and animals surround us in the everyday. Kush's work has inspired me to consider how I can inventively combine plants and objects found and used in the everyday to communicate to the view how plants disperse their seeds, pollinate and evolve to different environments.
In my own work I'm interested in developing the idea demonstrated by Kush in drawing a connection between two things that are seemingly different in order to challenge the viewers perspective of the world. In particular I want to change and recreate the viewers perspective of what lies ahead in the future for our planet, the plants that we use and love and the environment we live in.
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https://highexistence.com/the-sacred-art-of-vladimir-kush
-35-visionary-paintings-that-will-awaken-your-artistic-soul/
William Kentridge- On Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris. 1989. Music by Duke Ellington.
William Kentridge is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings and animated films using charcoal and ink. Many of his works focus on telling narratives which explore the years before and after apartheid, exploring colonialism and capitalism. He creates his stories by retouching images that he's created in charcoal, changing the images again and again in order to create movement from film stills. Many of his charcoal animations are part of a series titled 'Drawing for projection', 'On Johannesburg,2nd greatest city after Paris' being the first in the series.
This animation is created using twenty five large scale drawings which depict the devastating landscape of Johannesburg and the winning community there. A landscape which has been destroyed by mining and landfill. The drawings themselves are 'expressionist in nature' (Marian goodman gallery),it is argued that 'the remnants of successive stages remain on he paper and provide a metaphor for the layering of memory'(Tate, 2019). The layering may coney the complexity of colonial history. It could be said that with the stark contrast between black and white in the materials used to create his work reflect that of the segregation within apartheid and the hopelessness caused during those times.
In my most recent work I have begun to use a very similar technique using the stop motion app to take photos of my work and bring them together to create short animations from charcoal drawings. I find this technique very easy to use and incredibly satisfying. Each video takes along time to create become each movement in the video needs a number of different drawings to create a smooth transformation from one position to the next. However, charcoal is very flexible and is easy to rub out so helps to make the process faster.
Animation Preview by R.Hogg
https://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/49-william-kentridge/
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https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kentridge-johannesburg-2nd-greatest-city-after-paris-t07482
‘Mushrooms, the art, design and future of fungi’,
‘Mushrooms, the art, design and future of fungi’, an exhibition spanning across three rooms, exhibiting 35 artists, curated by Francesca Gavin, on show at Sommersethouse from the 31st of January to 26th of April 2020. This show was set up to “celebrate the legacy of the mushroom (Sommersethouse.2020)” and “immerse visitors in the incredible kingdom of fungi”(Sommersethouse.2020). Whilst using a variety of media such as; sculpture, video, drawing and collections, to explore “the promise mushrooms offer to reimagine our relationship with the planet(Sommersethouse.2020)”.
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The show demonstrated the role and responsibility of artists to ‘explore and rethink human relationships with nature’, through taking visitors on a journey of exploring three key topics, such as ‘mycophilia, magic mushrooms and fungi futures”(Sommersethouse.2020). Whereby visitors discovered the relationship and history between humans and mushrooms, how mushrooms work, what humans use them for and what they look like. A journey which changing viewers perspectives of mushrooms and built awareness of their role within society.
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‘Mushroom and the future of fungi’ engages the audience through educating them about the mushroom, the art provides the viewer with more information about a single subject. The exhibition re-enforces our connection with nature by offering a friendly atmosphere created by the cozy curation of the show.Certain works within the show presented alternative aways in which to tackle sustainability by demonstrating the immense possibilities for using mushrooms in design to create sustainable materials. The numerous cultural references in the show encouraged views to feel connected to mushrooms by highlighting its familiarity in the everyday. For, example, making reference to well known children’s books (Beatrix Potter), the British countryside, foraging and phycodelic club parties.
Seana Gavins work in particular explores our relationship with nature by morphing human and mushroom forms together creating personified mushroom protagonists in her mushroom galactic world. Which ‘transported visitors to a fungi filled world” (sommersethouse.2020). In my opinion her mushroom filled futuristic landscapes promoted the idea that mushrooms were vital in the future battle against environmental issues and that plants in general were a vital part of our future and would out live us.
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Bibliography
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https://032c.com/golden-teachers (includes an extract from the exhibition catalogue)
https://monocle.com/radio/shows/monocle-on-culture/434/
https://www.framelondon.com/journal/fungi-at-somerset-house-francesca-gavin-interview
https://www.wallpaper.com/design/mushroom-art-design-exhibition-somerset-house-london
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/mushrooms-somerset-house-exhibition-art-design/index.html
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Interview with Seana Gavin
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1. What inspires your work in general?
Seana Gavin: I generally create fantasy landscapes and environments using found old photographic material form old books and magazines. My work is inspired by Science Fiction, the supernatural, Surrealism, Hieronymus Bosch, mythology, dreams and different states of consciousness where the rules of reality don't apply.
Another major contribution is my childhood spent in Woodstock, Woodstock was a magical place. I have memories of seeing strange unexplainable things that filter into my collages. The town was built on an Indian burial ground and there was a curse that white man should not build on the sacred land. I think that is why there are a lot of sightings of unusual things in the area such as UFOs. I think that is when my interest developed in aliens and life beyond our planet.
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As well as feeling connected to the towns creative and psychedelic history.I was also obsessed with my fathers collection of visual Science Fiction novels, comics and visionary art from the 70s. Often my work combines ideas of past, present and future worlds co-existing which makes them time less.
What inspired you piece at Somerset House Exhibition?
Seana Gavin: With the artwork currently exhibited at Somerset House ‘ Galactic mushroom highway’ I made this piece specifically for the show. It includes references of new mushroom related technology and thoughts of fungi and mushrooms as a multipurpose inspiring material for the future of our lives.
I have always appreciated the Natural and botanical world which also has an impact on my work. My preferred and most inspiring locations to visit in London include Kew Gardens, the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park, and the JG Ballard-esque conservatory of the Barbican centre. I also in recent years have fallen in love with the architecture of Cesar Manrique. Whose creations are physically integrated into the natural environment of the volcanic island of Lanzarote.
Mushrooms have regularly appeared in my collages since I began. I have always been drawn to them aesthetically, they come in such a never ending variety of shapes and forms. I guess we have all grown up with mushroom forms featuring in Childhood stories such as Alice in wonderland- they have a fantasy association. I often like to change the scale of them which immediately gives them a surreal dream like feel.
3. What do you hope an audience will take away from viewing your work?
Seana Gavin: My intention is that the viewer will feel as if they are physically entering an alternative reality or fantasy world. I also want to make people smile, creating my work gives me joy and want people to feel this when they view it.
4. Do you hope to engage your audience in any current environmental issues? If so –how and why?
Seana Gavin: I guess so, but not necessarily intentional. Some of my works have been inspired by natural disasters and depicts post apocalyptic lands. And a recurring theme is ‘Man versus nature’ and our relationship with technology.
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End of interview
Following on from my research and interview with Seana Gavin in my work I began to create collages exploring an imaginary futuristic world in which plants are scares, our world is changing and plants have grown to be even more weird and wonderful than they are now. Inspired by Seana's imaginative and intriguing collage combinations and focus on scifi, I created my own works using clippings from magazines. This process helped me to my own world's in which to tell narratives about the qualities of plants, our relationship with them and their plea of survival in an ever changing world threaten by climate change.
Plants of the Future No'1 by R.Hogg
These collages led me into exploring stop motion animation and using collage as a means of telling my own stories. I began to create animations where I explored how plants adapted to extreme environments created by climate change and human activity. I created plants with character and brought a deeper sense of emotion and personification into the work, with the hope that the personification of the plants would help views better identify with them. In using collage I was able to playfully explore our relationship with plants by combine plants with other objects, such as technological equipment or human body parts and bring the morphing plants to life.
In the beginning stop motion animation by R.Hogg
A drop of rain by R.Hogg
Other artists which have inspired my use of stop motion animation include Katie Spragg who uses clay and Jack Fied who uses ink and correction fluid to adapt his drawings and create animations. As i continue my exploration into animation, I hope to explore both of these materials. I was drawn to Katie Spragg's work in particular because of the similarities between her subject matter and my own. Her work captures the delicacy and beauty of plants and brings them to life in this animation, demonstrating their determination to survive and thrive in a variety of environments. Additionally, Spragg's who is primarily a ceramic artist is a good example of how animation can work along side and enhance an artists practice by providing the artist with the opportunity to work with their materials in a new way. Katie currently teaches at the RCA and is part of a residency program at London's garden museum. I recently had the please of interviewing her about her work and intend to go and see it in person as soon as lockdown is over.
Katie Spragg
Fied's work on the other hand is rich in detail and is extremely fast pass, his work is an inspiration to me as it is high quality and really brings together the skills of detailed and interesting ink drawing and the process of stop motion animation.
Jack Fied
Unit 3
Michael Raedecker 'Shout it out loud' 1963
Raedecker work which is characterised by the combination of paint, embroidery and muted colours depicting a moody and barren landscape. Landscapes which have inspired me to consider using embroidery in my collages and stitching plants into urban scenery. For example, stitching tangles of shrubbery hanging from the windows of modern houses. Another aspect of Raedecker's work which I find particularly interesting is the faded unfinished ascetic of the buildings he paints. The buildings in Raedecker's paintings are a mere outline emphasising the importance of the 3D plants and natural environment stitched into his paintings, as they are more prominent in the paintings.
In this image I have created a scene in which nature and plants reclaim human habitats. The image is made from a magazine clipping which I painted over with gouache and then stitched into to create a world which sits somewhere between a quaint but over grown garden and post human apocalyptic world in which nature is thriving.
by R.Hogg
David Mach. 'Noahs Ark 2' Collage 2011
David Mach who is well known for his ambitious and dramatic sculptures using a variety of materials such as coat hanger and car parts. He is also known for a selection of large scale creative collages.
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These hand cut collages are incredibly ambitious in size and complex in composition. As each person, animal and object is carefully and deliberately placed to create an image which is buzzing with activity and drama. There's a great sense of narrative within his collages which draws the viewer in and captures their imagination as they wonder what will happen as the drama unfolds. Each collage is like a photograph still from an action movie.
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These large scale collages reimagine well known events, landscapes and religious stories such as Noahs ark in the Old Testament. This collage on the left is of particular interest to me because of its original biblical narrative which has religious importance for me and is a story which has been read to me thousands of times as a child .
I think the artists ability to reimagine such a well known story and breath new life and interest into it is very clever. The retelling of well known narratives in collage and animation is something I would like to begin to explore, especially as there are many religious and mythological stories centred around plants and animals.
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I've begun by trying to create my own worlds in which animals, plants and human dwellings come together in reimagined ways using cut and paste collage.
'Big Moth' by R.Hogg
Hieronymus Bosh. 'The Garden of earthly delights'
This tryptic created by Bosh clearly depicts the religious christian narrative of the fall and Bosh's religious beliefs evident from the first panel which represents creation, the second representing sinful earth indulging in worldly pleasures and finally hell or Gods judgement and purification. Interestingly their is no heaven or redemptive salvation in this retelling of the fall of humankind. There is a clever use of perspective within the work is draw the viewers eyes to different aspects of the painting and assist in telling this biblical narrative. The composition of the work and focus points of activity and drama draw the eyes from the top of the image where the sky is blue and calm down to the busy caios of the earth. As well as causing the eyes to travel from left to right telling the narrative of the fall from eden, to sinful earth, to hell. The complex and busy composition of Bosh's work is like a collage and is able to tell a narrative whilst holding the events and images on the same canvas. The separation of the three wooden panels is almost unnoticeable and unnecessary when visually seeing them all together. The work is so full of life and activity that you could easy look at the painting for a long time and never see everything that is going on. It is the drama and narrative within the painting which inspires my own work. I would like to be able to create collages and drawings which were pact with life and drama but in away which was easy read by an audiance.
Formafantasma: Cambio
To see the video created by Formafantasma which inspired me please visit- https://vimeo.com/394232651
Andrea Trimarchi (1983) and Simone Farresin (1980) are Studio
Formafantasma, an Italian designers duo based in Amsterdam,
The Netherlands. Their designs focus on sustainability, local culture and the role and importance of objects in culture.A recent project created by Formafantasma for the Serpentine Gallery was called 'Cambio' which in latin means 'change and exchange' and explores the historical and current movements of the timber industry. In 'Cambio' Formafantasma present a variety of objects and videos with many references to the timber industry and interesting and informative stories behind them. The exhibition presents the timber industry as an art unveiling the beauty and necessity of wooden made objects as well as highlighting the environmental issues engrained within the industry which need to change. There work is both interesting as an exhibition of art and culture and yet is deeply educational providing viewers with a deeper appreciation and understanding of the timber industry.
'Reclaim' by R.Hogg
After watching the videos created by Formafantasma I was inspired to consider a wider variety of ways in which I could display my work, sparked by Formafantasma's creative use of the great out doors and green screen. I was also drawn to the idea of telling a creative narrative through narration and video documentation, something which I hope to further explore in the future.
Additionally, I was inspired by the multi media aspects of Formafantasma's' video's, such as footage of Ikea furniture being built or the narrators hands coming into the shot to places different images on to the screen. These creative ways of displaying information through video encouraged me to consider a wider variety of materials in my animations. For example, paper cut outs, objects and using my hands as active parts of the animation.
Ben Ridgway -Xenomycology
Ben Ridgway started off making quiet simple black and white Scifi animations in which he created charming new worlds with strange plants and aliens. These works are weird and wonderful with a certain charm and beautifully drawn. His more well known more recent animations however have advanced into being more 3D and digital. Ridgway's works are still very much rooted in Scifi, technology, beauty and the organic as many of his animations resemble bionic alien plants, micro-organisms or cells. The transformation in Ridgway's work over time inspires me to keep pushing the boundaries of my own animations and to keep trying new and experimental techniques, as it is exciting to consider how the work will develop over time and what direction it will take.
Cosmic Flower Unfolding by Ben Ridgway
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This animation called 'Cosmic flower Unfolding' draws the viewer in by its hypnotic repeating floral and geometric shapes which slowly pulsate to the beat of the meditative music which feels as those it could send you into a trance. The work has strong associations with shapes and patterns found in Asian Hindu and Buddhist traditions which adds to the meditative atmosphere created by the music. The seamless dance and flow of the shapes keeps the viewer entranced by the video and although the shapes certainly imply a flower, the flowers in this work are not flowers as we known them, which makes them even more interesting to observe. In my own work I want to explore the use of pattern to reference known plants and objects but not as we know them, to make them more interesting and captivating for the imagination.
Naoyuki Tsuji - 'Looking at a cloud'
Naoyuki Tsuji's creates hand drawn charcoal based short stop motion animations. The animations are projected to a large scale onto plain white walls in gallery space with white box benches for people to sit on. Tsuji's animations are drawn in a simplistic and innocent style with a hit of Japanese anime. Many of his animations feel as though they are exploring Spiritual Japanese folklore and have sinister underlaying themes. The way in which Tsuj stop motion drawings transition from one scene to another is very smooth, leaving behind the material evidence of charcoal and shadow of former drawings. The smooth transitions and shadowing of past scene's help to keep the viewer visually interested the world of the animation.
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' Oz' by R. Hogg
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In this version of 'Oz' I have begun to experiment with adding music. I'm not sure at the moment if this is the right kind of music for this piece as I don't think it fits the mood of the piece but Tsuji's and Ridgway's work have both encouraged me to consider adding music to my animations and experimenting with the different moods music can create within the work. Tsuji's piece 'Looking at a cloud' as particularly sinister music which works well to combine Tsuji's innocent and simplistic drawing style with the more sinister themes and story lines behind his animations. I don't think I want my work to have a sinister mood but I do want to find ways of bringing my own innocent and childlike drawings together with the more serious and worrying issues faced by the environment many of which I try to reference within my work.
Laura Carlin
'A world of your own'
Illustrator Laura Carlin's work is playful and charming often dipicting both mundane daily life and the whimsical. She is well known for her illustrated children books and painted ceramics. She creates identifiable and enjoyable characters for her books through drawing and repurposing household items. I'm really drawn to her beautiful and child like drawings as they bring back memories of childhood games and the wonder of discovering the wonder from the eyes of a child. Her work has helped me to consider new ways in which I could use 3D objects within my animations just as she has used rocks and a clothes peg in this illustration. Blurring the lines between the drawn world and the real 3D world. Additionally, her work has helped me to better place the simplistic drawing style of my animations within an art context and has helped me to consider future options for developing my animations. For example, I could turn my animations into children's books or videos used in an arts setting alongside educational workshops teaching viewers about the environment in a fun and engaging way.
'King of the sky'
Julie Cockburn - 'Mountain lake'
Julie Cockburn draws with embroidery and stitch to embellish vintage photographs of people and landscapes with simplistic shapes. Cockburn's drawings transform the images into modern works or art which have a pop art ascetic. The method of using embroidery and stitch to draw into paper and embellish images is a technique which continues to grab my attention. The neat and charming work of Cockburn perticularly stands out to me as it looks as if the stitched shapes are seamlessly placed on top of the image. Her work has inspired me to explore simplicity, shapes and drawing with stitch on top of magazine clippings and photographs to add something new to the image. I am beginning to play around with stitching plants back into urban landscapes and human dwelling places into the few remaining environments left to the wild.
