Bringing the project to a conclusion

I haven't posted for awhile as I have been busy preparing for the pitch...

However, I think the last week has proven to me how quickly I can pull things together once an idea becomes clear in my head....though it takes me quite a long time to get to that point (unfortunately)!

I decided to make an intro movie for the pitch and filmed my kids galavanting about in George Square to emphasise the play element of the work. All the footage was filmed in just one morning and I came away with about 59 short clips which generally varied from a few seconds long up to a minute and a half. I was really interested in how kids move in such a free, chaotic and unconscious way...which I tried to capture in the footage. Half of the footage was just the kids being themselves, moving in an entirely unscripted way. I also had a definite idea of what movements I wanted them to 'perform'. This part of the movie was much harder to capture than I imagined. I think the saying 'never work with animals and children' came to mind a few times. I think this process also really highlighted to me how difficult it is to give verbal instructions for a movement (especially to young children) and the best way of actually doing it is to demonstrate it. One of the other difficulties was in the filming process in a public place. Being in such a public place meant that people would invariably walk into your frame when you are not wanting it.

As for the editing, I had roughed out a story board for the filming but in the end, I found the footage that I actually got just naturally guided me in the editing process. I wanted the movie to have a definite structure and found that having title cards interposed between different scenes helped structure the movie (I was also influenced here by Mclaren's films and Brinkmann's video documentation of his work Upside Down). Possibly the longest time I spent was on editing the mapping scenes. Rather than taking a large series of frames to create the animation effect, I exported the clip using movie to image sequence settings in imovie to create a number of frames that I imported back into final cut to create the animation. Initially I was just going to use the sequence as it was, but I later thought of drawing on the spots to actually demonstrate the work. Each frame was then worked on in photoshop to create the coloured spot.

I also spent some time experimenting with the different frame rates to create the best animation movement and picture clarity. I the end I chose 2fps as it gave me a more realistic workable number of frames that I could cope with without compromising too much on the movement.  The biggest problem I came across here was that I think the imovie process of converting the image to file sequence causes quite a bit of image compression such that when run in final cut, it appears blurry. I will definitely need to investigate why or how I can get around this. The problem with having this blurry image sequence against the sharp HD movie sequences would mean that they would look out of place, so to get round this I decided to apply a projector effect...which helped make the sequence look more believable as a stylistic or conceptual decision. I chose to have silent movie music score to accompany the mapping sequence because it created a kind of light-heartedness feel to the movie.

In the actual pitch I showed a version of the intro movie without the out takes but I think they are almost as interesting as the movie as they point to the process of getting the movie made. The out takes can be viewed in the video clip below:

In terms of the actual pitch I planned to structure it in a way that would come across as an actual pitch for an art work rather than to go through my whole process as I felt that with only 10 minutes I would  otherwise not have enough time to cover all the key points about the proposed work.

Norman McLaren Talk + Film Screening

I went to the McLaren talk on Wednesday and have come away with some great quotes for reference:

I like movement for movements sake - Norman McLaren

 Dance is movement, movement is life -  Ludmilla Chiriaeff

The Friday screening of his student films was accompanied by the Glasgow Improvisor's Orchestra. The experience of watching the films was definitely enhanced by the music. The orchestra often play/improvise to live performances so I am going to include the orchestra as part of my pitch. I regard the motion of the pedestrians as an improvised 'performance' of sorts so I feel the music would complement the work.

         

I think seeing McLaren's films have given me a better idea of the direction I want to take with the intro movie, that is to create a part-movie, part-animation. I think that the way I am 'plotting the motion' with coloured dots is almost animation-like in a sense, as it kind of breaks down a motion/path i.e. like a dotted line, so making the whole film in that style will give a more cohesive look. I also like the idea of using title cards for the scenes as it helps to narrate the animation.

For the animation I will probably use a combination of stop-motion photography as well as converting footage into quicktime image sequences. The above film was originally shot as a film clip but I converted it into 1 fps files.  I edited out the dropper action so there is a bit of a jump in parts of the sequence, but overall I think it is getting close to what I want to do. 

George Square Filming

I was out filming last night as I wanted to include a short film for the intro to my pitch with a clip of George Square changing from daylight to night. I took a series of short movie clips from 8:40 to 10:00pm which captures the change of light. I think the sequence on its own works quite well to indicate the passage of time...but I'm not so sure if it works with the overall idea of the movie  (which is to set the scene, indicate the subject matter of motion, mapping, relationships between people and give an idea of the process)...

I returned this morning to get more footage but the position I had set-up the camera the night before had been taken over by some tents and fencing...so I had to reposition myself. I also experimented with shooting some footage with my minicam attached to my boot to add a sense of motion to the movie.  None of the footage shot on the minicam could be analysed until it was plugged into the laptop so I had no idea what I got.

During the edit, I realised a lot of the minicam footage was just too jumpy and oddly composed to be used with the other footage I shot the night before (which was on a tripod). On it's own I think it can be an interesting way to experiment with filming...but I don't think it helps to convey the idea of the work. I will have to reshoot some of the footage.

In anycase, I decided to put together a very rough edit of the footage I have so far to give myself an idea of how it might work/look. Although I have done a couple of storyboards, I have found that only by actually do the filming and putting it together that it starts to become apparent how and what I need to do next.

After Effects Test 3

I spent a lot of time working on creating different coloured spots in photoshop and refining the movement of the spots in After Effects and I think this video might be a better representation of the movement than the previous one. I had planned to continue with this animation (populating it with more movement spots) so that I may present it at the pitch. However, I have come to a conclusion that I am going to use ink drops to mark the motion rather than computer-generated spots. As the work is very much about people, movement, and creation...I think there is a human, gestural quality of using traditional media which computer-generated imagery lacks. I suppose the time spent on using After Effects is not lost as it has been a great way of learning to use the program and for 'sketching out' motion ideas.

Katy Dove

                 

                                    

Katy Dove works with drawing, abstract imagery, watercolours and animation. I was interested to learn in the video above that she creates her animation by scanning an abstract drawing and then animating it. Camille Utterback also uses scanned in drawings/marks for the Untitled 5 work. I am not sure why I never considered doing this until now...

Much of Dove's work deals with her response to sound and drawing sound and as such she records her own sound to go with the animation. I think sound is definitely something I want to explore at some point as I feel that no exploration of the visual experience of rhythm/motion is complete without looking at sound as an integral experience of the work.

Ink Drawings

Accidental ink bleed marks  

I am experimenting with drawing the imagined motion/path of people across George Square using ink. Initially I used felt pens on chromatography paper and tried dropping water onto the marks as I wanted to create the colour separation as the water disperses the ink. I accidentally came across the idea when I dropped water onto an inkjet printed image and when I turned over the paper, I noticed beautiful ink bleed forms. I have chosen chromatography paper for this purpose as its high absorption and capillary action draws and disperses the ink much faster than regular cartridge paper.

The effect of water droplets on the ink creates an organic and abstract form though beautiful, is not quite what I am after. I want to keep the integrity of the form circular.

Dropping the ink directly onto the paper gives a much better result. I particularly like the transparent overlay effect when one drop of ink overlays another drop. Also, using ink drops from a mixture of two different coloured inks creates a lovely 'halo' effect. 

I like the idea of the drops of ink representing the path of motion of people as this links into the idea of drawing motion as in Takehito Koganezawa's work. This idea of using traditional media with technology also references Camille Utterback's work Untitled 5 where the motion of people is translated as gestural, painterly marks in an interactive video projection.  This idea makes the work become a large-scale collaborative work with the pedestrians in George Square collaborating in creating a time-based, temporal ink drawing. 

Each time a person enters the video-tracked area, they are 'assigned' a coloured spot that leaves a trail of ink drops in the wake of their path. In the experiment above I envisaged the path of a person generating two drops as they move through a space (like footprints), but I suppose this could be just one drop. Depending of the viscocity of the ink and how much comes out of the dropper, a certain about of 'bleeding' occurs. However, using the ink neat (i.e. unmixed with water) gives a much 'better' spot. I like the idea that when two people stand close to each other for a certain duration, or when their paths cross, this can be registered by the blending of ink creating a new dual coloured 'haloed' spot. Standing in one spot creates an ink spot that grows (bleeds) with the duration of the static position. 

Pitch Prep

I am considering making a short video to introduce/start the pitch.

Just a bit concerned that I have not left myself much time...

After Effects Test 3

I did a quick mock-up of the idea that I have in mind for the George Square projection. The video above is a rough idea showing the path of one person walking, standing in position and then continuing to walk. I think the duration of the the standing position will need adjusted (increased) and possibly the track of spots left behind (decreased). However the greater the number of people walking and moving through the square will generate a more complex and colourful 'composition'.

First Monday

I came across an excellent resource First Monday which is a peer reviewed online journal about the internet. Issue four covers urban screens and the potential for outdoor screens for the urban society. A very interesting and useful resource for what I am proposing to do. 

Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi

George Square Revisted

I had my tutorial with the visiting artist today and it has been very helpful in giving me focus and direction for how I am going to bring the work to a 'conclusion' for the pitch next week. Going over my ideas from the inception of the project to where I am now, the central themes of my interest have not changed and continue to be based around light, rhythm, space and motion. However, what has defined what the work is going to be and what it is about is the site. Reading about Daan Brinkmann's work has made me reflect on why I want the work to be sited in a public place as it is about how people occupy space, specifically urban space, and how they interact with others, with a strong element of play! I keep returning to the idea of George Square as a space for the work as it is an iconic public space in Glasgow, but also has had recent media coverage over its redevelopment plans. The article I came across was on the Scotland Guardian online blog and basically highlights the controversy over the redevelopment plans for the square with critics claiming that priority had been given to commercial interests/uses of the site rather than its use for the people of Glasgow, as 'a park in the heart of the city'.

Photoshop impression of the work

This has really struck a chord with me and created the suitable context for siting the work there. On that basis, I have decided to redesign the idea of the work and rather than have a projection on glass as I had originally considered doing, I want the projection to fall on the square itself. In doing this, I feel it opens up the work far more than having it projected in an enclosed space. I am still going to use the spot as the visual form of the work as it connects with my interest in organic and manmade forms in the environment and the spot itself a universal symbol that has strong art historical links from Kandinsky to Kusama. However instead of spots falling and drifting in a vertical install, the work is generated by  pedestrians as they walk and move through the square. Each footfall will generate a coloured spot that will 'evapourate' in time, whereas a static position will generate a spot that increases in size until it intersects with the spot of another pedestrian/participant. The converging spots will create beautiful overlapping colour and trigger a cascade of coloured spots. The square becomes a 'canvas' for the 'participants' motion as the pedestrians activate the space, whilst also becoming more aware of how they relate to the space and each other in a public space.

    

DAAN BRINKMANN + PLAY

I came across the artist Dan Brinkmann in the magazine DH///MAGA a publication about art in The Hague and I am rather awestruck by his work.


                 
                   

His large-scale installation Upside Down creates a sensory interactive experience in the urban environment that deals with all the areas that I am interested in: light, space, and movement. Moreover, I was intrigued to learn how his practice is greatly influenced by the concept of "Man the Player" as put forward by Johan Huizinga, a dutch historian and cultural theorist in his book Homo Ludens. The book essentially discusses the importance of the play element of culture and society and sees it as an important condition for the generation of culture. 

This idea of play is also central to the work that I am proposing. Whilst at the symposium for David Harding's writings and work, I was really struck by a quote by Chris Crickmay that was mentioned in one of the presentations:

In pursuing this interest I had been inspired by such writers as Marion Milner and D.W. Winnicott, who understood creativity as being at the heart of all human life, not on some rarefied edge of it.

I feel quite strongly about this idea that we are all creative beings and that play is an important part of life...not just in childhood. I guess this is why I feel that the work should be accessible to the public though I am still not sure where it would be sited! 

   

 

Geany

Ok so it is not as simple as I thought to start coding. Turns out I need a text editor called Geany to do this, and the problem is that it is not readily installable on a Mac. There are a few suggestions as to how to do this online but each one seems to highlight a few glitches with the process. As I am really stepping into unknown territory here, I do not think it is a good idea to start tinkering away with my Mac and start unleashing problems that I cannot rectify. I think for a project of longer duration, I would definitely look into the alternatives e.g. acquire a raspberry pi, a monitor and keyboard but at this late stage of the project and given the expense involved, I will need to shelve this idea for the time-being. I think for the purposes on this project, I will continue working in After Effects to create an 'idea' of what the work might look like.

I think I shall be hiring a software engineer for the project!

Python

I am aware that to properly realise the work that I am proposing, it will require creating a software system (in code) that will enable the video tracking of the viewer's motion to be translated into the motion of the coloured dots on the screen.  However my knowledge of coding and software development is non-existent at the moment so I thought it might be an idea to learn a bit about coding and to try (at least) to create the random motion of the movement of the coloured dots on screen. Fortunately I came across magazine Rasperberry Pi that actually runs through the whole procedure of doing this in python.

The youtube video below also explains how to do this on my macbook.

New Site Idea - Fleming House Underground Car Park

Images from Counter Flows Website 

I am thinking this might be a possible site. It is a hidden, fairly unknown and obscure setting for art, but the interesting aspect is that it might offer an enhanced sensory experience of the work. The setting is naturally dark so for a projection piece it does mean the work would stand out more. Although my initial idea was to have the work in a room that has natural light and that the quality of the work would be altered by the change of lighting, I will need to forfeit this aspect if I do go for the space. I suppose viewers will only really get one experience of the work at a specific time so this idea of the changing quality of natural light on the work would probably be lost anyway. 

I also like the rough, edgy quality of the environment...a space that is a about function and not aesthetics becomes a space for aesthetic experience. Perhaps it is also less inhibiting than a white cube space..but the problem is that it is MASSIVE. I have been to exhibitions in this space before and the space does seem to go on forever. I suppose I could wall-off an area to make it smaller, but I am wary of the space overwhelming the work. Also the point of translucency might be lost in a dark space. Finally, the idea of projecting on glass might also become a health and safety issue. If the setting is too dark, could someone inadvertently walk into the edge of the glass?       

SITE-RECITE presentation workshop

For this workshop, Jamie, Josie, Lachlan and I chose Claudia Comte's video piece Nightscape (2013) as the subject of our presentation. We decided to deliver the presentation using the same medium as the work we were discussing as we felt that it would re-invoke the audience's experience of the work as well as enhance the message that we were conveying about the work.

We shot footage around Glasgow and then created the film in Final Cut Pro using the kaleidescope effect.

Mental Block

I went for a little walk around George Square today and I have been thinking more about the work, the site and the context and feel like I have reached an impasse. Although I had thought about George Square as a possible site, I am now not sure if it is appropriate as I am not sure the work has a strong enough contextual link to the site, nor do I feel the work is right in its current imagined form for the site.

Reasons for:

• I want a public place that public can engage with the work unintentionally and therefore break with the rhythm of their day
• The square has historic connections to a public gathering place, a place for rest, play, entertainment and commerce
• It is already a site for public sculptures/monuments albeit traditional sculptural work
• The play/performance aspect of the work links back to the site's original context as a park/place for leisure/enjoyment and siting the work there reimagines this function
• The work is very much a direct sensory experience and one that can have universal appeal without prior knowledge of the subject matter so it should be in an accessible site

Reasons against:

• It is almost too obvious a place for work (yes this contradicts my first reason for!)
• There is a showy aspect to having the work in such a glaringly public place, and that in some ways it contradicts the subtlety of the subject matter and work (yes this also contradicts my first reason for!)
• The subject matter (light, rhythm) though universal, does not have a direct referential link to the site 

I am not ruling it out as there are still more reasons for than against...however, I do feel that the idea of having the work in a glass structure will have to change. If indeed the work is to be accessible to the public, creating a glass structure can create an exclusive experience that automatically excludes some people from accessing the work. In some ways I realise that I might've taken a wrong approach to the work...for a work that is intended for a public place, I should have considered the site first! I do not want to do exactly what people find most abhorrent about public art, simply plonk a bit of art on a site without considering the context!

I suppose my option is to go back to choosing a site first and then creating a work that is site-specific and arises out of the site...or go back to reconsidering this work in a gallery setting. I know that for the former, I am running out of time...

Public Art/Socially Engaged Art Practice Symposium

Today I went to the 3rd year symposium on public art, socially engaged art practice (SEAP) and the discussion of the works/writing of David Harding and it has been very informative and interesting on many levels. Some of the issues that were raised include:

• The difficulties of evaluating SEAP as art
• The lack of critics in Britain that are writing and critiquing SEAP 
• Apart from Praktika - Deveron, there is a general lack of opportunity for mature artists engaged in SEAP to get together to critically analyse work in order to progress and development this field of art
• There are less opportunity for artists to be involved in large-scale public artworks than there was in the 60s e.g. The Apollo Pavilion by Victor Pasmore, with architectural organisations taking on public commissions e.g. Phoenix Flowers  
• Artists are often an afterthought or come in at a very late stage in large-scale urban projects 
• The relevance and importance of context in public art for community engagement with the work
• Debate on the professionalisation of artist
• Changing nature of public artworks from permanent works to increasing number of temporary works and the difficulty of permanent works to remain critical 
• The authorial role of the artist vs the community in SEAP

Overall, the symposium has widened my perception of public art and what SEAP might be. Moreover, it has also made me consider a few key areas that I need to reflect on more in my current project, namely site and context. So far I have spent much of my time researching and understanding what the work is about and how it will look, but I need to consider the work in the context of the site. Although I did briefly consider the gallery as a possible site for the work, I realised that the work would be best sited in the public domain as I hope this is where the non-gallery going public might 'bump' into the work and engage with it. Although it might be later moved to a gallery or a different site.

So I have started my research on the site, focusing on George Square, probably the most public of public places in Glasgow and the significance of town squares.  I did some preliminary online research on the site but I think it would make sense to go and walk around and maybe even speak to a few people!

Initial Sketches

Work in situ in a public space 

Started doing a couple of sketches of what this glass structure might look like and where it might be. I am thinking more along the lines of a public space like George Square

Plan view

Side elevation

Initially I thought about the glass structure having an internal wall to create two spaces.  The viewer would enter the structure in the first space (which would be unlit during the day but lit at night according to light sensors), where they would experience light coming through the perforations in the interior wall. At night sensors would activate the light to create a glow that would emit from one side of the structure. 

However, on more consideration I think this idea would overcomplicate the work as it is essentially creating two works in the one space. Also, having walls would effectively make the structure more apparent and no longer 'blend into the environment'. Therefore I will put that idea aside and reconsider the structure as one unified space that can be viewed right through at all sides. I also considered a glass structure in a circular shape...I like the idea of the form of the structure echoing the form of the coloured light dots but the projection would probably be distorted on the curved surface of the glass wall. 

An alternative to projecting on the wall would be to project onto a glass screen inside the structure...however this would also change the dynamic of the work so this idea was also scrapped. I think the last sketch below is more or less what I envisage for the work. A simple glass 'box' that does not make the focus of the work the architecture of the structure but serves a functional and complementary role of creating a space for the work. The work only begins when it becomes activated by the participation/engagement of the viewers. 

Just realised after doing the first sketch that the tarmac at George Square is no longer a fiery red but a more comfortable shade of grey!

Testing Materials and Concept

Although I would like to project on glass, I decided to test other materials as well in case I am not able to get the film for the mock-up of the model and to explore other material possibilities.  The first test below was the projection of the after effects video test 2  on a very thin plastic dust sheet... 

As you can see from the photo above, the material was not opaque enough as the projected light went through the material. However as a material it was very interesting as it is so thin and has a very ephemeral quality, plus in comes in a very large sheets from the pound store.

The second test was on a 3mm thick polypropylene light diffuser disc. This gave a better result but would mean sacrificing translucency. I suppose as a inexpensive material it could be used and transported easily. Moreover, it could create interesting shadow effect of the viewers inside the space for the viewers outside....but I think it would change the work and would require a different consideration of the space and the context it would inhabit. 

Finally, I tested the concept of the work by projecting the video animation directly onto a white wall and filmed my interaction with the light. 

I think the scale of the the dots will need to to be reduced and the quantity increased quite considerably. However, as a test piece I think it does give a good suggestion of what part of the work might begin to look like (obviously without the interactive element and translucent wall!).. The test projection was roughly 40" wide but for the proposed artwork, the whole projection would need to be scaled-up to fit the size of the entire glass wall. I need to research this a bit more as I think the projection size is determined by the projector so I would need to work out how big the structure would be and the number of projectors I would need to fill the wall. 

Temporary Glass Structure

Nomiya Temporary Restaurant designed by Laurent Grasso as posted on www.archdaily.com

Dan Graham's Pavilions

Dan Graham, Pavilion, 2001 as posted on Art Observed 

For the actual work, I would really like to project onto glass as the translucency of the material is an integral part of the work. Glass has an illusionary quality of being a physically solid material, yet also give an ephemeral experience of not being there. As the work is to be sited in a public place I see that the quality of it being there and yet not overtly present important. I want the structure of the work i.e. the part of the work that 'houses' the projection to almost blend into the environment and not stand out offensively (interestingly this was also a point made by Vanessa Billy in her recent talk about her choice of using glass in a public art piece). In fact the structure is part of the work and the viewers that go into the structure also become part of the work. One side of the walls of the structure would form the screen for the projection. The glass would be coated with a film that allows the light from the projection to fall onto the glass without going through it. Viewers on the outside of the structure would see viewers inside moving about, reacting to the work and becoming part of the work itself. 

Dan Graham, Penultimate Curving Pavilion, 2010, as posted on
Art Observed

The idea for my art work shares some of the ideas that are present in Dan Graham's pavilion works.   Graham's works have been sited in both gallery and in public settings and involve using glass, reflective glass and steel structures.  He creates 'pavilions' in which the viewers become aware of looking and being seen. Moreover these spaces are 'heterotropic' in that they create a kind of neutral ground for people of different backgrounds and social class to mix...a kind of playground for all people. I really like this idea of making work that people of all backgrounds, can access and enjoy. I feel that the concept underpinning the work (colour, light, motion) is a universal idea and that this further lends itself to the work being accessible at a sensory level, even if it was not understandable at an intellectual level.  

AfterEffects Test Videos

I decided to recreate the concept of the video projection work in AfterEffects as it would give me more control of the way the coloured lights move. To do this I created the coloured dots in photoshop and then imported them into AfterEffects to animate the motion. The edge of the dots were 'feathered' in photoshop to emulate the effects of the lights in the traffic video. 

In the first test video, I experimented with movement and opacity settings. By adjusting the opacity settings and reducing the opacity to 0% at particular durations I could create a flashing effect as seen in the bright blue dot. 

In the second test video, I worked on creating more dots and tried to refine the movement of the dots. The overall effect is really quite a rough idea of what the actual work might look like. I think the motion stills needs work and that there needs to be A LOT more dots, emerging as a constant stream. From my research into Camille Utterback's interactive work e.g. Text Rain, Abundance and Untitled 5, the work was created by coding. I think this is really the direction the work would have to take so that I can define the 'rules' of the motion, the colours and how the interaction of the viewer would affect the dots. For example, the dots would flow downwards in a constant stream from the top of the screen but the motion of the viewer walking across the screen would create a current that would 'disturb' the flow of the dots. The dots would also land on objects in the space e.g. a held up arm/hand, shoulders, heads.  The viewer could physically direct the motion of the dots by waving their arms, holding the dots etc. Although I have no experience of coding, this is an area that I would like to start exploring so I will look into doing this on Codecademy an online site for learning different coding languages.

Camille Utterback

Oskar Fischinger, Len Lye, Norman Mclaren

GOMA Install Sketch

Quick sketch of a possible install in a GOMA. I like the scale of the main hall in GOMA and the fact that the room has windows along both sides to allow natural light in. The problem however is that the ceiling is very high and ornate. The projection glass screens will either need to be attached to steel rope using the pillars (similar to the set up at Aleksandra Domanevic's show) or as freestanding screens. Each screen will also need a video-projection system. Again, the difficulty here will be working out where to hang the projectors. There is a danger of making the overhead structure too complicated and untidy looking.  Also, ideally I would like the work to be somewhere where the public might happen across it and not just museum goers.  I need to consider other gallery spaces that are more 'open' and viewable by the public i.e. that have glass fronted spaces?

Psychic Derive Walk

Belinda Guidi, L'Avventura, 2005

Iain Kettles & Susie Hunter, Ladder, Fruitmarket 

Glasgow City Council, Nelson Mandela Place, 1986

Part social history, part art history, part pub crawl. A very informative introduction into some of the temporary public art works created over the last 25 years in Glasgow. All in all a fantastic way to spend the evening!

Ross Sinclair, We Love Real Life Scotland, 2005

Jim Colquhoun, Erection Piece, 2001,
George Square

Art & Architecture

I have been looking at architecture and how this discipline shares some similar features with art. Architecture can be seen as a form of public art albeit on a major scale that is generally of a more permanent nature. I really like the work of the architectural practice Klein Dytham. The images below are of Heidi House, a project which essentially involved designing a low-cost studio and office space. The building structure comprised a steel and glass structure with an internal plywood wall structure with cut outs to stream light in and out.  

All images from Klein Dytham Website

I have been looking at architecture because I see the projection work inhabiting its own space, as the work is also about creating a kind of constructed environment that interrupts the 'natural' environment.

Projection Materials

I would like to project the video onto glass but without any film on the glass the projection would simply go straight thorough. However, I came across a material called holographic rear projection film that can be applied to glass and would allow the projection to to be seen, whilst remaining translucent. It is quite expensive so I have bought an A4 sample to see how it fares. In the meantime, I will also experiment with other materials like tracing paper, plastic and fabric dust sheet to see which gives me the best results.

I found this video on youtube, showing the holographic film applied to a very thin screen. As this is a static projection, having the projection come from that back will not pose a problem. However, the project I have in mind involves an interactive element and so far the projection set-ups I have seen for this involve a front video-camera projection to capture the movement of the viewer. I am not sure how this will affect the projection so I will just need to see if the material can be projected on the front and back side or if there is another film that can do this.

Traffic Video Edits - 4 & 5

Traffic video 4 with tri-tone filter only. More colours registered i.e. blues, reds, white. However, background is still dark with shadow imagery showing up. I would like more colour so it might be the case of colouring each individual light spot or experimenting with creating my own animation using Photoshop and Aftereffects. I have also scaled-up the video to remove the vertical black bars present in video 2 & 3.

Video 5 was inverted in Aftereffects. Gives an improved background, in terms of lightness, but still registers shadows. Also, colour palette of the light spots is still limited. The overall effect is not far off from video 3.

Traffic Video Edits

Traffic video 2, clip rotated 90 degrees to change orientation of movement of lights spots. I think this works better than the landscape layout, there is more of a flow to the movement. 

I would like to create a white background for the light spots so that when the video is projected on glass the coloured spots create the illusion of actually drifting down in the space rather than being a video projection.  To experiment, I applied the x-ray and tri-tone filter to the video 3 in Finalcutpro. Although the background has changed to white, the dots have turned blue. I want them to stay coloured, so I will need to try a different approach.

Light Leaks

I came across an informative article on a guide to projectors in interactive installations on the website Creative Applications Network. The website itself is a useful resource on digital art. The work below was created by the digital artists Kyle Macdonald and Jonas Jongejan using three projectors directed at a pile of disco balls and computer mapping. 

                                     

This work reminds me of Kusama's Infinity Room but has the added element of motion and duration. The final work has the effect of a dramatic light show with the motion of graphical elements featuring in the work. I think I like the idea of the light effects having a more natural motion and for the movement of the lights to be 'interrupted' by the movement of people in the space. The room is also very dark so that the projected light really stands out. In fact most of projected light works I have seen  are set in relatively dark spaces but I am quite keen to have the work affected by the quality of 'natural' light in the setting of the work i.e. during daylight the work is very subtle but as the level of natural light falls the work become more pronounced. 

The Problem with Sculpture

Today I went to the talk 'The Problem with Sculpture' which was an event held in conjunction with 'The Second Life of Sculpture' exhibition at the Briggait. Unfortunately I only made it to the second half of the talk as my meeting with my 4th year overran...nevertheless, it was fascinating listening to the curator Patricia Fleming talk about her experiences working with artists and commissioning bodies, and then hearing John Calcutt summarise the problems associated with sculpture. The key problem areas he identified centred around the production of sculpture, the identity of sculpture and the issues relating to the exhibition, circulation and reception of sculpture. The discussions that ensued were also very relevant to the thoughts I have been having about my current project, specifically the kind of sculpture I want to make...do I want to make a permanent or temporary work? How will the project be funded? If it is publicly funded then to what extent should I be involving the public in conversation, especially it is a permanent artwork and if I do not do this, how would it be received? I suppose these questions are important but maybe because this is just a pitch for a hypothetical artwork it does not need to explored as fully.

According to Patricia, it seemed that despite Glasgow being a place that has a thriving experimental artistic community, it does not have the best practice model for commissioning public art. She also talked about how artists were losing out to architects in the public art stakes, with an increasing number  of architects getting in on the act. In this tough economic climate, artwork needs to show a 'return on investment' and just perhaps it is a bit easier to reconcile spending money on work undertaken by a professional body than an individual artist, never mind the £5 million public liability insurance that would preclude a lot of artist from being considered anyway.

Despite this slightly depressing note, it did get me thinking about the place of multi-disciplinary practices in art. In this increasingly amorphous world that we live in, surely it makes sense for different disciplines to work together to share expertise, and develop best practise models together. I like the idea of working collaboratively with different disciplines so I am considering how this might be taken forward in my own project and how it possibly might overlap with architecture and software engineers.