Mira Schendel and Berwick Street

Went to see Mira Schendel exhibition at Tate Modern this weekend which I enjoyed very much.  She was interested in transparency and text from a philosophical and religious point of view.  Her work was in monochrome or organic hues.  She  used rice paper to work on because it was cheap and plentiful.  Her work included swirls (see left), squares, circles, Perspex, hole punching, oil paint, shadows and asymmetry.  
I found it most interesting that she used 'stick on' letters, which don't necessarily form a word, some of the work is just scrawled words or letters - here I am labouring over stitch and meaning and craft and layout.  I guess some of this goes back to the conversation Nick and I had about the difference between design and fine art - design needs a 'why' or a 'what'.

Generally, I found her work inspiring.  I loved the large scale installations of hanging threads and the hanging words in Perspex (which could be viewed from either side).

The picture on the right shows the rice paper (her medium) scrunched and knotted. 

A visit to Berwick Street Market for materials was not very productive but it is always good to have a look around this area which is so close to the glossy all-embracing commercialism of Oxford Street whilst retaining the appearance and air of scruffy, specialised trade.

better today

Life gets in the way sometimes.   

So, to jumpstart me into action I've booked to go to Tate Modern on Saturday to see the Mira Schendel exhibition which I know will be inspiring.  Everything I have read about it has resonated with my current studies - embroidery, visibility and text. 

I have been researching graffiti embroidery and came across embroidery artist Richard Saja.  He embroiders onto traditional toiles using bright colourful threads.  His blog is http://historically-inaccurate.blogspot.co.uk/


I particularly enjoyed his interview with Sweet Paul magazine available at http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/richard-saja-embroidery-artist/  His work is bright and funny and irreverent.  

I also identified with his method of working ie in front of the television.  He acknowledges that he is not 'technically accomplished' and that doesn't faze him all.  He uses a limited number of stitches (he too favours the French knot).  He also acknowledges that it is labour intensive - 'with absolutely no time savers' (music to my ears) and that it is 'meditative and rewarding'.  All refreshingly honest, but above all I like his work. 

into the unknown

 

After cross stitching onto cooking foil I remembered a piece in the Cloth & Culture Now exhibition.  It was an old watering can which had been embroidered (see right) by Lithuanian Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene.

One piece of text I am keen to use is 'Older women turn to God or gardening'.  I have a weather beaten wreck of a watering can, so I set about fitting the text to the size and shape of it, then the tricky job of drilling the holes.  It was far more difficult than I had imagined so I reduced

the number of drilled holes.  Luckily I have been experimenting with raised cross stitch which requires fewer piercings of the textile (or in this case the metal).

I had carefully measured the spacing for the drilled holes but the battered can was a mass of different angles, thicknesses and levels of rust. The holes will not be precisely positioned. 

The inside needed sanding to remove jagged edges.  The holes themselves made an interesting pattern - from the outside and, more especially, from the inside with the light shining through.  

Comfort Zone

Simon Periton limited edition print on glass

I have further researched the use of text in textiles - different fonts, fabrics and yarns/threads etc.

I have a developed a process for co-ordinating the above options and using them for my work.  However, I am also aware that this unit is about processes and materials and I need to think about using materials other than fabric, yarn and Photoshop fonts. 

I have selected these images from the research because the materials - glass, printed paper and freehand drawings give edge and energy.  It is also interesting tto note the impact of black and white images, the third image is also black and white but overprinted with  red.

Elizabeth Price Risograph on paper limited edition



Henrik Oleson limited edition print



cross stitch on ohp film

stitching onto transparent materials - cross stitch, running stitch and chain stitch.

Focussing

Further to the last tutorial and in preparation for the SWOT analysis, I have been focussing on the objective of my project and what I am trying to say.

Objective: To create designs which reflect my research into how older women interact in society.

What am I trying to say: We live in a youth oriented society.  I don't want to act the part of a ditsy old girl by way of apology or embarrassment.  I definitely don't want to be treated as a ditsy old girl.

This project is about how women redefine themselves as they age.

Sometimes, when I try to describe the project I can see that people don't understand what they see as 'my problem',.  To help me to define the concept, I have decided to write a brief research report which will evidence the documented research around this existential phenomenon.  

Meanwhile, I have also defined how I will progress with design and technique.  I will stitch text which relates to the research. 

I have been looking at the embroidery work of Bella May Leonard.  She often uses transparent Perspex backgrounds, embroidering with different threads, tape, rope etc.  Wonderfully free and colourful.

notes from tutorial today

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• reflective blog should clearly evidence thinking and decision making - in some depth
• make sure any evidence submitted on a USB stick is navigable by using headings
• contexts (LO1) - DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PRODUCT.  Think about concepts eg 'how the work reacts with light'
• LO2 - evidence thinking , processes
• LO3 - what am I trying to say, what is it all about
• LO4 - textile design.  what I am doing using stitch in different ways.

Important to include thoughts and plans on how the work will progress.

I will need to submit a quantity of materials work showing progress, critical analysis and showing links which progress the work.

Plenty of work ahead but I feel positive and excited by the prospect.

TUTORIALS - it isn't expected that I should have resolved work at tutorials.  The way forward is to prepare work and some will  inspire further work, some won't.

• prepare SWOT analysis for this Thursday