MA Journal
This research discussion is centred upon person to object relationships in art with particular emphasis on the role of the artist in mediating that relationship.
These are video resources prepared for the research discussion on 11 February 2020.
The introduction video was emailed to all students and Video 1 played at the start of the discussion. Because of time constraints, videos 2 and 3 were not shown but made available here for subsequent viewing.
For the research discussion I decided to create a series of videos that explain aspects of theory drawn from philosophy, art history and contemporary ideas, centred around subject object relationships and behaviour around art works as though they were living.
There are four videos in total, far too much to be seen during the 50 minutes session. However, making them has proved very interesting and I have developed ideas that not only serve my current practice and feed into the project proposal, but also provide hooks on which to hang a future research proposal should I decide to continue with a further degree.
The videos themselves are in crude form. They are really more like annotated podcasts. However, they provide the framework for a set of videos that include images, animations and videos and perhaps even load up onto YouTube.
In view of the length of the videos, I have decided to advance send the introduction which sets the scene and gives an idea of how the subsequent information came about. I hope that the second video, to do with subject-object relationships, gives sufficient material for discussion. I find it opens out onto various fields and could go in many directions.
I look forward to seeing how the others interpret the ideas, and what might emerge.
In preparation for next week’s research discussion, today I sent out an email requesting some thoughts from my MA peers’ about their relationships with the work they produce. Bearing in mind that 45 minutes can go by very quickly, I decided to leave out a lot of explanatory background information and let the process evolve during the Skype chat. I have some material to input into the discussion but above all my aim is to explore the different ways in which they view the relationship that an artist might have with their work and how they perceive how a recipient might relate to it. I would also like to get some insight into how they articulate the means by which they control, alter, influence behaviours in the planning making and display of work.
I was thinking of framing this in terms of subject-object, the Living-Presence Response and altering behaviours by changing the passive resistance of a work. In view of the allotted time, I decided to not necessarily introduce this complex area although some of it may filter into the discussion.
The process of preparing for the research discussion has, however, proved immensely useful in developing further a theoretical framework which I can use to underlie my practice and perhaps even take further in some future studies.
This is a copy of the email. It is difficult to keep things brief and clear. I am sure it could be said better; experience helps in these matters.
RE: Research Discussion – Tuesday 4th February
To My MA Peers
As a preparation for the research discussion on Tuesday 4th Feb, would each of you kindly send me your thoughts as to the nature of your relationship with your art pieces. This is because in my own work, it is a thought that prevails both when I am making a work and when I think of the possible contexts in which it will be shown.
My research statement was concerned with looking at disparate art practices in an evolving environment. One of the outcomes of having written the paper is an interest in, the subject-object relationship where the subject can be the artist and or the recipient, and finding ways of altering behaviour by changing the dynamics between the two.
Please would you each send me in no more than 100 words your thoughts. As a guide I have written three questions that might help frame your ideas.
You can frame these around your project proposal, the final show or any current work you are engaged in. This is not specifically about your practice but about the relationship between you and the art object or event, and between the recipient and the given work.
I would be grateful if you could send it by Sunday evening, before the Tuesday Skype session.
London based artists are very welcome to respond and or join us on the Skype session at 1pm as Jonathan mentioned. In any case I would be very interested to hear your thoughts.
Thank you
Alexis