Tutorial

In the recent tutorial, I talked some of my latest ideas related to “memory’ and buyable happiness and what I should in the following weeks.

For the installation related to memory, I have planned the setting of the work will be like exhibiting an ordinary object in a box like in the museum and create a story about it. However, I have a few questions to consider more: How to make the audience believe the story? What is the relationship between the object and emotion? And how about the audience?

After doing the unit 1 assessment, I get back to the idea of “buyable happiness“. And I find that there is a connection between materialism and “buyable happiness”. But I still need to have further development to visualise the idea.

Jonathan thinks I’m holding back in my ideas and I have done many art thinking. Now, I should do more in art-making. By making more works to experiment, it may help me to develop the theme of my work. To find the working rhythm, Jonathan suggests me to restrict myself – make 9 work in 3 weeks (i.e ~2 days per work) with the theme of “happy cycle”. Normally, I spend at least a month to make and plan for an installation or do some experiment on materials. So, it will be very challenging for me as the time is so intense and I don’t have much time to think. But still, I will try my very best to finish the challenge and see what do I make in these 3 weeks!

Making Art is Difficult

Last lesson, we discussed 4 assumptions from the book, Art and Fear about making art is difficult. It was a really inspiring discussion.

1. Artmaking involves skills that can be learned
2. Art is made by ordinary people
3. Making art and viewing art are different at their core
4. Artmaking has been around longer than the art establishment

After the lesson and discussion, I understand and learn more about myself. I realise that my work is expressing my perspective. Because sometimes I did interactive works, I didn’t think too much whether the audience like it or not. I just tried to visualise my ideas. And sometimes, when I do reflection, I found the weakness in my artwork and it paralyzes me. From the discussion, I understand that may because of the fear of not producing quality work. But actually, I will feel better when I do new work. I think what I need to do is keep doing art even making art difficult :)! And also I feel like I am encouraged as well! So work hard!

After research paper

Finally, I finished the research paper!

To be honest, I don’t like and I am not good at writing even in both Chinese or English, especially academic paper. So, it was very challenging. I was so stressed throughout the whole process. However, the paper really helped me a lot. It gives me many inspirations for my practice. Although we cannot write any of our works in the paper, I am now able to explain my practice more clearly with different evidence and examples by the research paper. Now, I can use the physicality of emotion to explain the direction of my practice. But at the same time, it also implies that I have to update/modify the proposal again.

When I throw back to the beginning we just received the guideline of the research paper, I was very worried and totally did not have any ideas what I can write. By narrowing down different area and doing different research, I found my topic. I still remember how excited I was when I found the works related to emotions. It is not only just for the research paper, but also for myself. I learnt a lot from the paper. I understood more possibilities in the physically of emotion and different theories behind. Although the process was tough, the result is fruitful to me!

Olafur Eliasson: Happiness

I found an interesting work, Happiness (2011) by Olafur Eliasson in his exhibition, ”Your Emotional Future” on the internet. 

Audiences peer through a long horizontal opening in the gallery wall at eye level. Inside, a surface lit only by ultraviolet light is covered in clusters of drifting bubbles. More bubbles float through the dark space above, appearing bright and iridescent as they catch the light; they collide, merge, pop, or descend to rest on the liquid surface in a continual process of appearance, disappearance, and transformation. Because of the ultraviolet light, the colour of the work becomes blue-purple. By colour psychology, it is not a common colour for happiness. It raises my curiosity to search more about this work. What a shame that I couldn’t find more details about this work. However, I found the interview for the exhibition which made me understand more about this work.

In “Your Emotional Future”, Olafur questioned our relationship to reality in all its social, urban, technological and emotional aspects. In the interview, he said that we think of emotions as being rather intangible in general. The world at large, however, we tend to understand as for the most part being comprised of the rational and the controllable. What remains is a fluid substance from which feelings originate. To talk about emotions is an attempt to be part of this fluidity and via an act of faith entangle it with the rational, thereby allowing rational thinking to also be emotional. He also emphasised that it is about realizing that we want to get on with each other even better in the future, it won’t be enough to rely on systems, dogmas, manifestos, and political ideologies. We also have to rely on other things such as sympathy, sensitivity, empathy, and the fundamental idea of human interaction.”

His point of view also makes me reflect on the way I look at the world, emotions and artworks. What is true that we always want to understand something within our logic or perceptions. At the same time, it is also limiting our minds and also imagination. The world is too big and we understand too little about everything. It is not everything have their own definition or it is really important we have to “understand” it. Emotion which is essential to us is already a good example. By doing the research paper, I am trying to find the definition of emotion. However, I cannot find an exact or single meaning of it even in different areas such as psychology or philosophy. Although the work, Happiness (2011) is abstract, it shows the fluid of emotion and how delicate it is. At the same time, it widens my horizon on how I look at the world and emotions as well.

Interim Show – Reflection

Time flies that the one week – summer show has finished! I am glad that I have received many positive feedbacks. It’s good time for reflection!

To be honest, I did not think I could make this project, “There Is No Art To Find The Mind’s Construction In The Face” on time for the interim show. Although I have started this project few months ago, I had spent many time on experimenting and testing different materials and the result still failed to get the ideal result. I was quite frustrated when silicone and wax faces turned out did not look good. Even though I have learnt from mistakes in every trial to a better effect. I was still thinking maybe it was better not to exhibit this time. As I would like to spend more time to make a better result I want instead of exhibiting the work I was not satisfied with. However, I was very struggled because I did not want to give up this exhibiting opportunity at the same time. It was a hard decision for me as the interim show was like a sum-up for the first year. Therefore, I decided to keep going to test different materials until last minute.

Now when I look back, I’m really grateful and happy that I persisted and did not give up at last. Although there were many obstacles throughout the project, I learnt a lots from it. I am familiar with 3D printing & 3D scan now. I knew nothing about them few months ago. The technician needed to teach me step by step. But now, I can handle all the steps by myself. I really appreciate for their help. Without their help, I am sure I cannot finish the project. Apart from learning new skills, my stress resistance have been improved.

“Courage is grace under pressure.”– Ernest Hemingway

Under the tight deadline with unfinished work, I was really stressful. I’m thankful I have the courage to keep going and finished the work at last. Although the outcome is still imperfect, I’m glad that I can make it at last. I really look forward to next year and hope that I can create some good works in the final show as well! And well done to everyone, especially to second-year students! I have seen many great works throughout the show! 🙂

Afterword – Is She Easy?

Recently, David travels to Hong Kong again. This time he visits Hong Kong with another pickup artist, Explorer Nick. He posts videos of himself approaching women in countries throughout Asia has brought his controversial dating techniques to the streets and malls of Hong Kong. They tried to get the contact of local girls who in front of their boyfriends. They even set up a fundraising website called, “Hong Kong girls love white guy” showing their video clips in Hong Kong to earn money. Many Hongkonger including myself feels a strong antipathy towards their videos and actions.

Even a few years later (i.e now), the stereotype is still here. They even make money or make themselves become famous by creating this kind of topics and videos. It also shows that they have a group of audience who agree with them. Although everyone has their own choice to do what they want. I hope they can respect each other. It also makes me realise I did my work, “Is She Easy?” is correct even though it just like rather than a passive way to “fight back”. Moreover, I participated in a competition, the FiLiA Prize for Emerging Female Artists 2018. I am glad that “Is She Easy?” is entered one of the nine finalists. I hope people can break this stereotype one day and respect each other.

Screenshot of the video

Screenshot of Explorer Nick’s fund-raising website

Face – Material Test

Last week was a challenging week. My mould is ready and I can play with different translucent materials to make the sculpture now! And so here is what I have done last week:
I tried to use silicone to make the first layer and then put another facial expression, which made by 3D-print, inside as the inner layer to make the sculpture. I found that the silicone layer was too thick that it is not transparent enough to see there was something inside this layer. Besides, there were many bubbles insides. I tried to put some light at the front and also the back, the effect was not satisfied.

After learning from mistakes, I tried to use silicone again. But this time, I printed a larger face for the inner layer to the outer layer can be thinner and more transparent. Moreover, I mixed the silicone as gentle as I can in order to reduce the number of bubbles. The outcome was better than the previous one. Although it still has some bubbles inside, it is much less than before when compared. I can see there was something inside without the spotlight. However, as the inner layer is larger than before, the light was hard to pass through silicone. It is still not the effect I would like.
Therefore, I tested to make my face sculpture with wax and see if the result will be better. The result of wax was quite good (no bubbles!) except it was not transparent. I can barely to see there is a face inside. In the coming week, I will keep on trying different materials, such as glass wax and epoxy resin. Although I still not get the best effect yet, I am glad that I am getting closer to what I want by keep testing and learning from mistakes. In addition, the process of making a sculpture is completely new to me. I really enjoyed I can keep learning, especially learning a new technique from making a new project. So, The coming week will be another challenging week but I look forward to it to test other materials. Hope that I can make it before the show!

Face – Reflection after tutorial

After a week, I eventually digested all the information about the tutorial and found the direction. I clarify the concept of the work of faces again. The main concept of the work is using facial expressions to represent different emotions in order to reveal components constructing ourselves in a mental way. We are constructed by different emotions. No matter it is a positive or a negative emotion, they are all equally important.

Meanwhile, I start to think of the way we use our facial expression. It is one of the most direct and simple ways to express ourselves. But at the same time, we always use our facial expression to disguise our actual feelings. Why do we need to hide our feelings from other people? If everyone hides their actual feelings in communication, what are we going to express in the conversation?

When we try to hide ourselves by faking a facial expression to the others, are we, at the same time, lying to ourselves? When disguise has already become an indispensable part of our lives, will we be fooled by ourselves or feel lost eventually?

Therefore, I would like to present my thinking by using faces to reflect ourselves. I plan to make the face installation into 2 layers. The outer layer will be translucent. But the audience can still see there is something inside but not exactly know what it is.

 

The 3rd Tutorial

In the tutorial, I showed the draft in the previous post and also the 3D printings which I have printed so far to Jonathan and explained what I would like to do with these different facial expressions. Besides, I also explained the difficulties I faced with the material. Jonathan pointed out the draft I would like to make may mislead people to think the human core is a certain emotion, such as angriness (from my draft). I didn’t consider that before and that was completely not I would like to express through my work. As I would like to explain emotions are part of ourselves and we cannot take away or ignore some of them at the beginning of this project. From the tutorial, I found that I was lost because of the limitations of transparent materials I can use at school. Jonathan reminded me that the material is a medium helping us to present and explain our concept instead of being a barrier. I admitted that those technical problems made me started to confuse what I would like to do at first and it was a really good opportunity for me to reflect and find my direction again.

Theatre mask

Jonathan also told me about the concept of theatre masks which might be related to my practice. The actor in Greek ancient time will wear the exaggerate mask to present their emotion of the audience who seated far away from the stage. Moreover, he suggested different ways I could play with those facial expressions, for instance listing out all the layers separately instead of putting them in one face together. Projecting different facial expression on the face could be another way I could play with. I thought of using the one by the 3D scan which did not have fine details and that will be good enough for projecting different emotions. Besides, light may help the transparency for the printings.

I got many ideas and inspirations I can work with after the tutorial. I am glad that the tutorial just like saving me from the lost. There are so many information and things I have to digest. But the very first thing to do now is to clarify the concept of this project (I don’t think of the title yet)in order to redirect what I really want to make and do not let the medium overcontrol the concept and make myself lost again. Besides, I will try to film the process when I am shooting (scanning) my facial expression as it will be interesting to see the change in the facial expression when holding in a long time.

Moreover, we went through the strength and weakness we discussed in the last tutorial again. I found that I have improved in some weakness. But still, need to work hard to the others and turn them into my strength!

My first 3D print

After 3D scanning my face, I tried to edit the extra part of the model in Recap Photo. As this is my first time to use it, I don’t know how to edit the model in detail. But still, I did my first 3D print to see the result. Today, I got the printing and the result is better than I expected. Although it did not have as many details as the 3D model, I can still see the face clearly.

And there is some improvement I can do for the next printing, for example, I can spare more space for the forehead and cheek in order to get a larger face cast and also the sharpen more details. It is an interesting process and I learned a lot from it such as learning a new software and learned how to edit the model in the software.

First 3D Print