Degree show piece

Time has been impossible to manage in creating this piece which has in part effected my final piece for assessment. And problems appear to just keep jumping out of the pipe work with it. The problems I have had is primarily with the rubber in my mould. Because the mould pour hole is only 27mm diameter it doesn’t work well with the Vinamould which is gloopy. I have also had to use hollow metal aluminium rods to add as reinforcement, so only the tops of the railings flop. The Problem with this is the rods end up piercing the Vinamould from the weight of the gelflex on the bend. to over come this I have had to (reluctantly) bend the rods in a flop to prevent the Railings to tear. This has worked well in the ridiculous amount of time I have had to do my piece. All that is left to do is make post tops (which will slide onto the frame onto rods. The frame itself had no problems in fixing to the floor, this was a simple case of wall plugs and a good drill, but screw heads are yet to be painted over. All in all I need to create 12 more railings to be slotted in first thing Tuesday morning. Then a black silicon to secure all railings in place. The detail of the rails themselves I am happy with, even more so that the black of the vinamould and the black from the frame math well. The detail on the rails needs a tiny amount of work but will be sufficient I feel for assessment. I am annoyed that I wont be able to submit any photography of my final piece for assessment due to lack of time. And the same for with my Aluminium bollard which was due to the lateness of the pour. The piece is yet to be de-shelled and welded. but this is not something to be done after assessment.

Frame for Degree show final piece

This frame has been agony in making, many problems have risen in making it. First of all sourcing the right metal has taken its time. but the trickiest part has been drilling the 25mm holes for the railings to slot into. This was made hard by the drill bit of that size has been hard to source. The black paint is an oil based paint that would be used on real public furniture. 

Michael Foucault – Power

Foucault’s theories on power, more importantly how power is everywhere I find interesting. Primarily because in part I disagree with his bold statement of saying that power is everywhere and come from everywhere. This is true for the best part admittedly but I think what my work is addressing and focussing primarily on is the passive and coercive nature of public ‘furniture’. and how such objects/passive divisions coming under Foucault’s idea that “power is constituted through accepted forms of knowledge, scientific understanding and truth”. I think what he is saying here is that power of objects such as railings and bollards are objects of authority because of their tradition and acceptance through frequent encountering

“Hayward’s focus on power as boundaries that enable and constrain possibilities for action, and on people’s relative capacities to know and shape these boundaries” 

When talking about my objects and their function and defaulted attached power I understand that for most authoritative objects this comes with reason. Power in this instance according to Foucault is not negative but rather a necessary, productive and positive force in society.

“We must cease once and for all to describe the effects of power in negative terms: it ‘excludes’, it ‘represses’, it ‘censors’, it ‘abstracts’, it ‘masks’, it ‘conceals’. In fact power produces: it produces reality; it produces domains of objects and rituals of truth. The individual and the knowledge that may be gained of him belong to this production’ (Foucault 1991)

I suppose the question to ask myself when reading about Foucault’s theories on power and the politics related is why am I focussing on such a small part of that social control, and manipulation? I suppose I find the subtleties of public furniture interesting in the fact that its so small in the grand-scheme of things and how its completely overlooked. And I see the potential for manipulation into something striking an easier (and to me, logical) progression. I Want my viewers to be shocked. Foucault discusses that because power is so embedded within every aspect of our everyday to practically generate change is impossible. I don’t expect my work to make miracles I merely expect my work to shock the norms of my object and acting as a funny safety valve for the audience to drop the “proper” engagement with the said object.

Reflection

Reviewing work in preparation for portfolio I find myself wondering what I have made this semester. To my count I have 3 pieces in total in which I have constructed. these are; my black rubber bollard (which I sold), my bent aluminium bollard (which in wax work took 2 weeks, and have have waited 3/4 weeks for aluminium to come in to be able to pour. My  piece which has been better known as ‘Rabbit’ which was the image below which has not worked successfully at all. but with time pressing I fear I wont have time to fully complete the piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And my current degree show piece (which has taken 1 week to make the mould, 1 week to make metal frame and will take 2 weeks to get all 25 casts in rubber out. Also I have had many problems with how floppy the railings came out, which should now be solved with metal beading). All in all I feel like this new chapter of looking at the carnivalesque in line with my investigation into public passive divisions/control is really beginning to develop. My only fear is that I wont have enough time to complete all the work I have begun.

Elisabeth Ballet

This is the work From Elisabeth Ballet, What I find fascinating about these works is that desire to manipulate the participants. Like my work she uses imagery we associate to the public realm, but projects them with a feeling of entrapment. perhaps this is significant to themes within my own work of control portrayed in a much more direct fashion.

Umberto Eco – Frames of Comic Freedom

Interestingly I have been looking at my use of carnivalesque to parody objects with the role of passive division in a slightly naive manner. I have been thinking all about what I am trying to communicate (taking the piss) and have neglected the reason for doing this in the first place – It subconsciously was a problem for me which aided my decision to choose my objects, so surely my intention should be to ultimately create recognition to these forms of control? Umberto Eco in his essay ‘Frames of Comic Freedom’ says that the carnivalesque idea of equality of false, as in parodying rules it reminds us that there are hierarchies and authorities keeping our day to day in check.

 

“reminds us of the existence of the rule that is symbolically and temporarily flouts. Carnival ‘parodies rules and rituals’, he argues, ‘but to be understood, rules must be recognised and respected’. Carnival is aligned with comedy, which should be distinguished from humour.” 

When next asked why I am using the ideas of Carnivalesque I intend to use this quote which is think sums it up beautifully!!

“Carnivalesque art is inevitably less light-hearted than the Carnival of the streets; it does not seek to escape but to confront, reminding the reveller of his mortality and the citizen that all is not right with the world” 

I particularly enjoy the ending of this quote where it gives a question in an answer which I hope to translate to my viewers in the degree show… something is not quite right with this world.. I don’t wish to enforce paranoia but rather enforce an enlightenment on the state of control is subtitles such as; railings, grass, bollards, signs, road markers.