Contextual Presentation

POWER/PLAY

Main Issue: Digital Art as the Language of ‘Experience’

Individual Context:

Bill Viola

James Turrel

Collaborative Context:

Gilbert & George

Cornford & Cross

Project Progression

 

Drawing Experiments

Working Structure

Postgraduate Presentation to BA Students

The Work: Power/Play

Current Video Work

Drawing Process

The Experience

Tutorials

Papers

Workshops

Online Coordination

Cross-MA Shows

Working Structure

Installation Sketch

From our discussions, Mosh and I found that coming up with one unanimous or even third screen would defeat the entire purpose of the project. We realized that the opposing screens would be the best way to create the installation. This way, the audience has to focus on one piece of work at a time, though the two interact. Like within a conversation, where one’s focus shifts from one person to the other, so with this work.

Preliminary Methodology

The installation also echoes the preliminary methodology that we came up with.

Interactivity Sketch

And for the interactivity, Mosh came up with an idea of using lasers that intersect, one from each of the work. It will be like the pieces are invisibly connected and once that line is broken, various disruptions take place. We thought of the two lasers so that there could be three variations. When each of the lines is broken, something happens. When both are broken, something happens as well. The pieces will be moving subtly until they are ‘disturbed’, or until one of the lines are crossed.

Drawing Experiments

Drawing Experiment 1

With this piece, Mosh and I just started drawing on a single piece of paper. We didn’t make up any rules, and we just did the whole thing pretty silently. To be honest, it was quite fun to just let my mind keep quiet for a bit. The great thing was that after, we both talked about it…and we noticed how we were both looking at what the other was doing, trying to sort of flow with the other’s technique so to speak. Mosh did the broad strokes and I started with the thin lines. He then started to do the lines as well, though in his own way. I on the other hand, started to shade the large lines and the curves to create depth. Interesting process.

Drawing Experiment 2

With this experiment, Mosh and I started drawing lines on two intersecting pieces of paper. We then started to move the paper around as we continues, creating intersecting lines. Then, we pulled the papers apart and started to draw dots where the same colors intersected. Mine is the one on the left, with the red dots. His is on the right, with the blue dots. We just thought this would be an interesting break from all the arguing;). Strangely enough, it helped. We realized we really are quite different and the best way to create this collaboration is through bringing these out on the same page so to speak. We don’t have to arrive at a unanimous decision.

Combative Collaboration – Investigating the Process of Cornford and Cross

As a creative partnership we do have agreed aims, but we don’t have a set
method or approach. What unites all our projects is that they are developed
through prolonged, intense and often adversarial discussions and debate
(Cross. 2004:p658).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/culture/images/period_eye/cornfordcross.jpg

A Month in the Country October 2003

Cornford and Cross have developed a process that is argumentative. According to their interviews, they create through debate, with one constantly trying to outdo the other’s ideas until one gives up. They both believe in the strength of a good idea, meaning if it withstands critical debate, it’s worth pursuing. When one finally gives up, and agrees that the other’s idea is stronger, they create the work. This image above is from A Month in the Country. It is about the commodification of the image and particularly photographs which they acquired from Corbis, which has the world’s largest stock photography collection. Instead of showing the photographs, they whitewashed it, making the piece into a statement, rather than a product.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/images/2007/09/21/coins203_2_203x152.jpg

The Abolition of Work November 2007

The question that arises is that with debate, one person wins and the other loses. Their form of discourse exists in the opposite side of the spectrum of Gilbert and George. In a way, they always say no, until they can no longer prove that the other is wrong. When defeat is accepted, they both do the project, achieving their aim of a conceptually strong piece of work.

Our practice deals with neither the discourse of Cornford and Cross nor Gilbert and George. To achieve our aim of having the choice to agree or disagree, it is important that two artistic visions are presented. That is the reason why we have chosen within our process to either affirm or negate the other’s techniques and ideas. In presenting two individual pieces that interact, we choose to reveal the negotiations that take place within collaborations, rather than hiding the discourse that takes place.