Exhibition Support
STAR
size: 150cm x 150cm
Following on from my previous paintings of modern-day deities, I decided to start of this module with a large painting of the makeup artist Jeffree Star. I decided to use this celebrity as I fall into the trap of idolising this celebrity, despite their wrongdoings.
This is the larges canvas I have painted in this series of work and I felt that it was the best represented one for my theme. I started off using colours which relate to the celebrity and adding geometric shapes into the base colours using tape. I created my own stencil of the makeup artists beauty line logo and used it to add some depth to my painting.
As for the figure within the painting I decided to use two portraits of the celebrity, in two phases in their life. With both figures I drew them into the painting using Posca pens and added gold leaf to create halos and thorn crowns.
Adding text relating to the star’s life has been incorporated into the painting both using Posca pens and newspaper, collaging it into the canvas.
I am really pleased with this piece as it is the largest of my series and it has had the best reception from my peers. It shows exactly what I wanted to show my audience and I feel that the whole canvas really pulled together well.
Exhibition Plans
For my exhibition I would like to create an installation which focuses on how people are manipulated by the media to idolise and worship celebrities, to the same extent to how people worship religious figures. I would like my installation to resemble a modern shrine. To have a crossover of a shrine within a church but with the feel of it being held within a more personal place such as a bedroom.
For this installation I would like to try and make a video piece as the main feature, then using my own art style within my props to pull it all together. Props will include the making of crucifixes, bibles and other artifacts.
1. With my first idea I wanted to paint the back wall of my chosen space in my abstract style and have the video overlaying it, to have that same style as my paintings. With an alter decorated in my handmade artefacts and lit by candles. I would make my own neon crucifix for the walls to add the feel of a modern-day shrine.
2/3. After talking with Natalie Gale she made me think about the handing of fabrics and whether the fabric was to be coloured or not. This made me think about having one large sheet of fabric draping from the ceiling and covering the alter to have the video projected on.
4. With speaking with James Hutchinson, he asked me whether my abstract painting had to cover the wall of whether it could be included in the video. This got me thinking about the presentation of my video. With my installation showing our manipulation from the media I had an idea of perhaps showing my video on a tv. Then videoing my paintings then including them in the video.
I will experiment with the draping of materials and whether my installation will work better with colour on this material or not. I will also try making my own props such as bibles and artefacts. As well as that I will work on other pieces which will back up my making of my exhibition.
Mood Boards
size: A4
To put all my ideas together and to help me with the making of some of my props I decided to create some mood boards.
Bible
size: 21cm x 14cm x 3.5cm
The bible was one of my first religious items I wanted to customise and make into my own handmade prop. For this bible I got inspiration from a video I saw of an artist painting new bible covers as well as the book ‘Holy Bible’ by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. The book shows the bible as a visual argument, featuring disturbing imagery and biblical texts being underlined in red.
From looking at these pieces as inspiration I decided I wanted to use my skills of embroidery and painting to create something visually pleasing. Keeping with my colour theme of; pink, purple, blue, gold and black. I covered the bible in a fabric which had a worn aesthetic to it and stitched in the portrait of Mary. Adding gold stiches from her sacred heart and title ‘the holy bible’ in my own font.
Inside I have chose celebrities who both have had good and bad lifestyles and painted them throughout. Some celebrities have been dedicated to specific pages, where the passage links with them. Adding gold leaf to the bible to help added the feeling of being an artefact.
From creating this prop came the hashtag which I have used throughout my Instagram for this project and have named this series of work.
#THEGOODTHEBADTHEHOLY
With the future of my series I hope to use this hashtag for my audience to contribute too.
Exhibition Trial 1
size: Variation of size
With my first practice of setting up an installation I wanted to play around with:
- what a coloured backdrop would look like with a projection overlaying it?
- what props work best?
- do the props make the installation more interactive/immersive?
With this I decided to make a tester background using various colours and test out using random fabric to get an idea of the size of material needed to create the effect I am looking for.
Fabric Tester
size: Variation of size
Questions I wanted answering during testing for fabric:
-Should I prime fabric or not?
-What fabric is best to use?
-Does it hang/drape well?
-What is the texture like?
-Does it paint well?
Fabric Hanging Tester
size: Variation of sizes
After meeting with Natalie Gale I decided I wanted to play around with hanging different fabrics and seeing how well it drapes. I wanted the fabric to drape to give it that feel of looking at religious robes. From trying out hanging fabric came a mini-series called ‘Sunlight Shadows’.
This series includes different materials painted and unpainted, hung in the sun.
‘hanging it out to dry’ – primed and painted canvas
‘sunshine glory’ – painted cotton
‘ghosted’ – unpainted cotton
‘velvet views’ – unpainted velvet
Exhibition Trial 2
size: Variation of size
Within this trial session I wanted to try:
-Playing around with canvases
-What fabric works best?
-Projection size?
-Props?
-Does the fabric have to be where originally viewed?
From doing this I decided I really liked the thought of having a tv as the source of my viewing of the video and gave the installation that aspect of media I needed. I felt that covering the floor in fabric added a different effect to the whole piece. It made the whole exhibition feel bigger and made the viewers eyes move around the room instead of focusing on one thing. It also made me think about how churches present themselves.
You don’t see religious relics and robes on the floor as it is seen as disrespect.
I also felt that having the projection cover the entire wall was too distracting from the rest of the items in the exhibition.
Collages
size: A4
while working at home I wanted to create something using a different set of skills, that I had not done throughout this project.
I decided to follow on of the theme of the media using celebrities to manipulate us into idolisation and I decided to create some collages / photomontages. Using photos taken from magazines and the internet, I cut and positioned celebrities into unusual yet unique environments. Including cut-outs of imagery resembling to the media and religion.
I am really pleased with the outcome of these collages and think that if I was not to go ahead with an installation these would look great created digitally and framed, for a photo based exhibition.
Panel Painting
Size: 42cm x 31cm and 31cm x 21cm
Taking inspiration from the panel paintings in churches, I decided to create my own using my chosen colour theme and celebrities.
I chose to use a new style of drawing and try some typography.
Mod Rock Sculptures
Size: 34cm x 23cm x 15cm
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Abstract Influences (painting, sketches, digital and objects)
Size: Variation of sizes
Video
size: Digital
After multiple attempts (after loosing my original footage), this video is an experiment of something that I would of liked as the centre piece of my installation shrine.
The video would of been played on an old TV to show how celebrities on TV and the media have a huge influence in modern society. On an alter you would often see a crucifix. The TV was meant to resemble the modern crucifix- something we all worship.
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The video originally had music in the background which has been took out for legal reasons, however, if I was to re-do this I would create my own music to overlay. I would also add more glitching effects and my own recorded clips.
(lost footage did have my own personal videos).
Tipi
Size: 160cm x 150 cm
The Holy Growth Collage
Size: A4
Pots
size: Variation of sizes
For my exhibition I wanted to create my own chalices with my own abstract style. Using clay, I made a range of pots of different styles and sizes. I also experimented with glazes and clay dyes.
Some of the posts didn’t work and cracked in the kiln. However, with the ones that worked I painted the base of them and added gold leaf. These will be used in my final installation.
Experimenting at Home
Size: Digital