Proposals - Summer Show and Research Festival

MA FA exhibition space planning pro forma - summer 2023

Name: Carmen Van Huisstede

Pathway: MA Fine Art Sculpture

Title: All That is Contained, 2023


Proposed exhibition view of All That is Contained, 2023

Proposed exhibition view of All That is Contained, 2023 (natural light, ideally a large room); One of the boxes of stories – detail



I will exhibit a mixed media installation, a continuation of the Bargehouse exhibition work.

 

The installation comprises two intertwined parts: a sculpture and a video element. The sculpture is a cluster of five connected metal cubes that each contains a box with objects. Four cubes are directly located on the floor and the fifth one is situated on one of the other cubes. The box in the raised cube will contain objects that can be handled by visitors. In the same upper box will be a live camera that streams a live video feed to an Ipad in one of the boxes below (see drawings). It is a direct live stream without being recorded.

 

Dimensions: Each cube is 50 x 50cm, Length 150cm, Width 100cm, Height 100cm


Drawing of installation All That is Contained, 2023



Sketches of boxes/cabinets, metal frame



Metal frame - recycled metal from previous work Constricted Freedom, 2023 for the Bargehouse Show. Recycling material from previous work is an important part of my practice as I am strong supporter of circularity of materials.



Sketches of boxes/cabinets, tactile objects originally inspired by works of Paul Neagu (Romanian-British artist)



Samples of found objects and other objects that will fill in the boxes. These objects are made of plaster, 3D printed plastic, bronze, wax, porcelain.



References

Paul Neagu, Box, Tactile Object (Receptacle), 1972


Paul Neagu is a Romanian-British artist who relocated from Romania to the UK in 1970. My interest in his work comes from experiencing a similar upbringing to him, growing up in a communist regime. This influenced the way we communicate ideas. He created a series of tactile objects around 1969 that exhibit a combination of materials.


The cellular partition in Neagu's creations and drawings plays a crucial role in highlighting the connection between individual parts and the whole, the unit and the system, and the cell and the organism.


The tangible objects he created are intricate constructions featuring movable or hinged components, intended for physical interaction by viewers. This inspired my idea of having the upper box containing replicas of objects that can be handled by visitors. 


The handling of the objects is filmed and can be viewed by other visitors watching the live stream of the IPad located in another box. The visitors handling the objects will not be able to see their own live-streamed video as the boxes will be on the opposite ends of the installation. This creates the disconnection I’m looking for.

Sarah Sze, Seamless, 1999


Sarah Sze’s fascinating installation at Tate Modern is made of objects that create universes. Similar to her work I aim to create a universe of past, present and future through objects associated with my past, present and future encased in boxes and cubes. 


I am particularly interested in this work in how the sculpture penetrates the walls of the ‘white cube’ gallery. Adding the ‘surveillance’ video element in my installation I intend to penetrate the cube barriers and go beyond the walls.


In her work, Sarah Sze use of the colours red, blue and yellow which are reminiscent of modernist art. I am also shaped by these colours, growing up in a communist regime surrounded by constructivism and social realism art. 

Mona Hatoum. all of a quiver, installation view 2022, Kesselhaus, photo: Jens Ziehe


Mona Hatoum made this work, on show now, a site-specific installation for Kindl – Center of Contemporary Art, Berlin. It takes advantage of the towering height of the historic boiler house (Kesselhaus). My interest in her work is in her inquiry into construction and deconstruction. Hatoum's work alludes to the rapidly changing dynamics of contemporary times and our inherently fragile and uncertain human condition This bears witness to the unravelling of established systems and endeavours for rejuvenation and rebuilding.

Ai Weiwei, Marble Take Out Box, 2015, Marble, Glass Take Out Box, 2022, Glass, Still life, 1993 – 2000, Stone


Ai Weiwei created this work from collected late Stone Age stone tools that he found cheaply in flea markets. They carry within them a geological layer of forgotten history. My interest in his work lies in his approach to history which forces us to question what we value in an age of production and consumerism. 


His interest in the tension between the past and present, precious and worthless, construction and destruction, are key themes of my work. Similar to his work I aim to transform apparently useless everyday objects into valuable and precious items, forcing the viewers’ attention to their real value. 

Eva Gold, City of Rooms (Part Two), 2023


Gold's artistic practice uses story-driven methodologies adopting various elements such as objects, writing, materials and spatial arrangements. In these, individuals find themselves in a peculiar position, observing others being observed. As a result, they are not just passive viewers, but rather put in the discomforting role of being voyeurs. Also, in these spaces, they are detached from their original contexts. 


As our society increasingly means we have dual roles as both producers and consumers of visual media, we end up reproducing ourselves incessantly. Additionally, we willingly contribute to the continued growth of surveillance technologies. So, we become both architects and prisoners of this state of constant observation and control.

Do you have any other specific requests?

e.g power supply, a corner, floor space, a darkened area? Does the work have the potential to ‘interfere’ with other exhibits (sound etc)?

 

Worked will be installed by myself on the floor, ideally in the center of a large room (preferred room C216-217). Natural light will be preferred but not essential.

 

Power Supply: I need one power outlet/plug to connect one iPad and one camera.

 

Extension Cables: I possibly need a long extension cable based on where the installation will be located.

 

No sound.

What are the health and safety considerations?


Use the space provided here to list hazardous materials: No hazardous materials.


Use the space provided here to describe the installation method: Worked will be installed by myself on the floor, ideally in the centre of a large room (preferred room C216-217). Natural light will be preferred but not essential.

 

I will provide the key for building the metal frame. No ladder necessary.

 

Digital Equipment worries – must be kept away from physical contact and potential liquid licks.

 

Visitors could trip over because of the power cable– I will cover the cables with warning/easy visible tape.

 

Visitors that handle the objects in the upper box my drop them on their feet/other people’s feet. Warning to handle with care will be attached to the box.

 

I will have all electrical equipment PAT tested.

Ethical:


There will be a life stream of the camera located on the upper box of the installation. It will be unrecorded. I will use a warning sign for visitors.





Research Festival


· A printed publication (zine, magazine, artist’s book etc.)

Self-published, intertwining image and text.


· Workshops: working with your peers or on your own to give a workshop

You could work collaboratively with your peers to stage a workshop, practical or otherwise, that develops your research interests and that is open to fellow students and/or external participants.



Zine


I have a strong desire to produce a Zine for the upcoming Research Festival in November. I am particularly drawn to the captivating visual appeal of this medium. As someone with dyslexia, I have faced challenges in effectively conveying meaning through writing. Instead, I have always found solace in expressing myself through drawing, building, and collaging.


Furthermore, having a compact publication will prove to be beneficial in practical terms.


My intention is to delve into the history of Zines and explore innovative approaches to craft a unique, captivating, and pleasantly surprising form of Zine.


Examples I’m looking at starting from in top left going clockwise in the image above are:


Fig. 1 We call it love: An Oppositional Screening by Kelly Lloyd, works on paper. I am interested in the small shapes, grouping, stacking.


Fig. 2 Created by Mira Malhotra that explores the concept of how Indian women in Saree are associated with modesty and tradition, and yet they also have been sexualised very often in pop culture.


Fig. 3 Sabrini the Teenage Witch by Jordan Reg


Fig. 4 Remi Germaine created these mysterious zine little bottles from found objects.


Fig. 5 Trevor Yardley-Jones’s zine tells a story of a crime scene at an apartment, the reader can “unfold” the crime scene by opening the pop-up zine to study each room in the apartment and the floor plan layout.


Fig. 6 A salt and pepper kind of form, paper form, origami.




Workshop

 

I am also passionate about organising a workshop centred around the concept of object transformation, circular recycling, and environmental awareness.


The workshop's title will be Reinventing Meaning: Unleashing Creativity through Sustainable Recycling that will aim to inspire participants to tap into their creative potential while fostering a deep sense of environmental consciousness.


During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to breathe new life into small objects they wish to recycle by transforming them into meaningful creations that hold personal significance. Through collaborative discussions and hands-on activities, attendees will embark on a journey of reinvention, employing techniques like painting, remodelling, casting, and employing paper/magazine collaging to revitalise their discarded items.


This workshop will serve as a distinctive platform for artistic expression, sustainability, and the exploration of personal narratives that resonate with my artistic approach.