FUTURE MAKERS 2011 - Deserved break

After our first assessment I felt I needed a break. I went to see this fantastic exhibition. It is a pity that it did not have a better advertising and that it was so short. Worth to see, indeed... enjoy.

Project 4: SPLASH OF COLOUR

At this stage I considered the Project 4 almost finished. For me it worked, the silver cubes were moving the way I wanted, they only looked a bit cold. I thought that maybe a bit of colour would make a difference. I just did not know, how to make silver cubes coloured. Well, they pretty reflected anything that was around them, why would not they reflect colour as well? I went to a craft shop, bought few sheets of coloured paper and put it on the floor under the installation:

Then I recorded a new video. I like the result when each cube reflects the colour depending on the actual sheet below:

As the last step I decided to make the elastics of different length just to see what difference it will make to the movement of whole piece. I did not want to move them in complete chaos and I created some kind of pyramid:

The video shows that the length of elastic has huge impact on the actual movement of each cube. They do not move simultaneously and that is why they tangle very easily:

I prefer the movement of cubes when they are in the same plane. It demonstrates the movement of birds more graphically.

After the last experiment I finished working on this project. It was a success and there was time to move on something new.

Project 4: SHOW TIME!

After the hard work, there was time for a bit of fun. With a help of my digital camera and software for editing movies ( iMovie) I created few videos. The first was taken from below the piece and I hope you will enjoy it:

The next video was taken at night time with a spot light to emphasize the movement of the shadows:

I am also attaching this video. It shows interesting movements of shadows appearing on the paper wall from behind:

Project 4: WAVING BIRDS

The next project was based on a video that I recorded in Kilkee (apologies for the quality, I did my best). I liked the move the birds did - escaping the wave, they only popped up and returned almost at the same spot:

I did some further research on youtube and found this fantastic piece, created for BMW Museum, Germany:



I loved the choreography of the balls and the smooth movements on each piece. My idea was to create some 3D installation that would imitate the move of the birds in Kilkee, using similar elements as per the fabulous BMW creation.

I made an acrylic painting to investigate how the birds actually move:

Then I made few sketches of how the elements (birds) could be assembled together:

I decided to use cubes instead of balls - for the further investigation of reflection of light that flat sides of cubes might create on the around walls. The cubes are made of ‘mirror’ silver card (with a plastic ice cube inside) and there is a piece of elastic attached to each cubes. I choose elastic instead of thread - to emphasize smooth movement of the cubes:

and more cubes (81 of them)...

Then I created a frame where the cubes would be put on...

and with a help of a friend - we together set up the big frame (thank you Irene!)...

... this is proud me with a final product:

To be continued in the next post.

Project 3: AMAZING INTERSECTION OF FLOCKS

In a process of investigation on behavior of bird flocks I came across this video on youtube. I fell in love with it instantly. Immediately I knew that this was exactly what I was looking for. Also I realised soon that there was no way that I would record any video that would be even close to this one. That is why I borrowed it and based this project on observation on this masterpiece. It was recorded by Dylan Winter in Otmoor near Oxford. The music was composed by Johan Pachelbel, German composer of 17th century and was performed by London Symphony Orchestra. Enjoy!



After several viewings of the video I made few sketches on actual movement of the flocks...

... then I made few sketched in colour (thank you, Mary, for the brush!) trying to divide each flock from each other for a better explanation what was actually happening in this fabulous performance...

... then I create ‘blocks’ of flocks in coloured paper collage...

... and another one:

I tried to create some intersection effect using coloured cellophane:

Then I felt that there was time for some kind of 3D visualisation. I made few sketches of intersection of few free shapes:

I draw a picture of the shapes in colour that I wanted to use.

To create these shapes I choose a thin foam, usually used for craft:

Suddenly there was a space for playing with these pieces in my ‘BOX’. Here are some samples arranged with a white background...

...and here are some used with a black background:

I would like to say that I really enjoyed this process and would like to thank the cameraman for doing such a great job. With my limited knowledge of nature I would not even imagine that such a beautiful choreography happens!

Project 2: FLYING QUOTATIONS

This idea was based on quotations on movement presented by significant   personalities. I have chosen two quotations: "ALL CHANGE IS NOT GROWTH AS ALL MOVEMENT IS NOT FORWARD" by American Novelist Ellen Glasgow (1873-1945) and 'NEVER CONFUSE MOVEMENT WITH ACTION' by American author and journalist Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961). 

First I made few sketches...

...then I created 'quotes'. I cut black stripes and created the text using letters that I bought in a craft shop:

Finally I installed the stripes into my BLACK BOX. I was trying to create some kind of 'flying effect':

To be honest I have found this idea somehow over the top - maybe I just tried to be too smart. I do not like the result. It just does not work.

After all it seems that Ellen Glasgow was right: "ALL CHANGE IS NOT GROWTH AS ALL MOVEMENT IS NOT FORWARD".

Project 1: TAMING CHAOS

This footage was taken in Limerick at Arthur's Quay:

At the first sight the birds are moving quite chaotically. When you look closer, they rather move the same direction (in circles), formating some uneven lines. My intention was to create 3D visualization and formate birds in more 'tamed' lines.

I made few sketches...

...then I created the "stage" (from now on called BLACK BOX)...

...and finally few "bird lines' using paper and black marker to blackout the gaps between individual birds.

And here is the result - few options of "tamed birds" installed in the black box:

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BIRDS!

Hello everybody,

So here we are. After the first hint of excitement (you know: “HOORAY! I have MADE it into Art College!”) we all had to face reality: BRIEF! PROJECT! I was excited: “Movement and Motion”. Such a beautiful, broad and after all: average theme. Everything moves, everything is in motion. Just to have a look around! It looked easy to choose. I like nature, I like water and I like BIRDS! Birds move. They move their wings, they move in a space, they migrate. Well, I decided, it is going to be about birds.

After few days of research I was getting a bit frightened. Birds move, they do a lot of things... but what should I do with them? How to implement these small creatures into MY project? I knew the first step is the most important. So I took it:  “The best defense is a good offense” has became my motto. After all, much bigger and braver men in our history had to deal with these freaky animals covered in feathers. For example: Alfred Hitchcock.

I just needed to make few changes to the original poster to advertise the beginning of my project:

The next step was to buy a decent camera with camrecorder and go out to search for my birds.