This week, within my independent work, I began creating the collages.
I haven’t completed the living room yet due to a lack of availability of my flatmates. However, currently, I would say the bedroom is my favourite collage, although the living room audio is my favourite, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that segment of the project comes together.
Truthfully, as stated before, this is something out of my comfort zone, so I’m uncertain about how I feel about the collages as this is a style and technique I’ve never done and have been judgemental of.
Magic: A Gramarye for Artists
“As the philosopher Jason Ā. Josephson-Storm discusses in his book The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences (2017) the monolithic telos of the modern, with its presumptions of scientific objectivity and rational thought, conveniently distorts the ways in which efforts to disenchant the modern subject have continually resulted in eruptions of belief and a renewed desire for spiritual sanctuary. (2)” (Sutcliffe, 2021)
We were given the text ‘Magic: A Gramarye for Artists’ for our tutorial to read and discuss in class. Within the essay, the segment above appealed to me the most and has remained in the back of my mind in the days since. I agree entirely with Josephson-Storm’s point, which relates to me as evidence in support. While not actively practising, I identify as Gnostic, the choice originating from a burst of manic desire and enlightenment upon discovering it that assisted in breaking me out of a metaphorical catatonic state creatively not only towards life as a whole but, to be more specific, my artwork. In the past, I’ve tended to become a more avid practice of Gnosticism when I’ve felt deflated or in a creative rut as a form of finding guidance and removing myself from the monotonous every day and the insistence of ‘facts’ amongst “scientific objectivity” (Sutcliffe, 2021).
Likewise, within this current project, I’ve found that immersing myself in stories of supernatural and paranormal beings, despite being fictitious, had reignited my productivity and passion for my work where I had previously felt a hollow, indifferent and depressed nature.
Activity:
Our activity in class involved ‘spellcasting’ to inspire creativity, consisting of doing specific actions. I arrived late to said class, so I could only watch the groups of two show what they’d come up with. However, I found this more beneficial as it allowed me to reflect on the creative space of my bedroom and the processes I would take in the past before pursuing a creative act, which was helpful as it allowed me to centre in on what had been inhibiting my creative flow and slowing down my work recently.
My ‘spellcasting’ involves lighting incense and playing a video or music I enjoy that doesn’t involve any visual attention to distract me, having a drink and snack nearby to prevent me from moving away from my work and becoming distracted while doing so and sitting on the floor instead of being restricted to a desk space. These actions would have been impossible to replicate in a class environment as the location is a considerable element of the ‘spell’. My bedroom is entirely space; it exists solely as my energy and a place to relax. I don’t even allow my housemates inside. Therefore, it is the main area where I can act creatively without any mental restrictions.
Citations:
(Sutcliffe, 2021)
Sutcliffe, J. (2021). http://www.jamiesutcliffe.co.uk. October 25, 2023, https://www.jamiesutcliffe.co.uk/magic-a-gramarye-for-artists
Hi Jennifer, great to see you catching up with your Online Notebook posts. Well done! Your experimentation with painting and collage is visually interesting, as is your interest in the ambiance and affect of space. Do you know the book Poetics of Space? It might be of interest. How do these experiments relate to your creative project idea? Can you define and reflect on your creative project concept? Do you have a timeline yet – detailing what you’re going to make, by when? You’re clearly a deep thinker, and your interest in magic and non rationalism is clear. Moving forwards, define your key terms – what do you mean by Gnosticis? Can you explain why the quote that staid with you from the Magic reading was so compelling? Your reflection on class activities are good. To develop, can you explain how the class activities informed your thinking and your making? Would you change anything about the sessions? As you develop your creative idea, be sure to document and reflect on progress. I think your placing people inside these domestic spaces is really interesting. What do you want to communicate through this kind of work? How does it relate to the theme site specific sound art? Keep on experimenting, and make sure you think carefully about how your idea responds to the IP theme. Your research is good, carry on researching and including reference to artists who inspire you. Looking forward to seeing week 5 & 6 posts next week. Keep up the good work!