Professional Skills & Career Path
After trial and error from unit two, I have built up some different ways of practicing in the means of practice and responding to my research, as I always know there is a strong connection between them on both sides of research and practice, and the syntax is affecting on myself how do I choose to see the context or choosing how to deepen my research throng the topic. Havingan overview of the period of Unit 3, I shall say it is passing so soon and really a lot of great opportunities that came to me, also learning a lot from each chance of participation.
Starting from the inspiration of CY Twombly’s practice, and his reference from poetry, Ezra Pound, then I introduce myself to the world of female writing from Sappho’s fragments, and Anne Carson’s talks and essays. During unit 3, I look deeper towards the linkage that seems to be impactful to me between the characteristic of writing, feminism ,and writing, the similarity of the act of painting, and how it was meant to me through the language of paint. Expanding my interest in humanity, the authority of females and human beings, the act of painting, and connection with nature, in responds to my starting point of questioning how painterliness can stand in the position of language.
Unit 3 Starting with the works exhibited in the Wilson Road exhibition of UAL Camberwell MA Fine Arts students, I exhibited two of my works in the exhibition and that is part of my response towards my research and practice that shows my progress.
“At the time I saw it as just a catastrophe,” she says, “but as they started drying, the colours began to come out, and I realised that I had to start working with nature and not against it. (Armitstead, 2020)
Vivian’s work corresponds with nature, with the surroundings, but not illustrating them, instead, she is attuned to the system around her. The rain, the wind, lives, and changed around. It is the inclusiveness and respect for the surroundings, that she allows the ‘weather’ to stay in her paintings. This is a documentation of time and changes, also her will to remain the nature trace in the works.
More of my thoughts on Vivian Suter’s work: Vivian Suter
Vivian Suter at Camden Arts Centre 2020, https://camdenartcentre.org/whats-on/tintins-sofa#images
I love the way she works outside in her garden, where everything goes insight is actually reflected through her use of paint. It is not only what she portrays the shape of a tree or the water flows. But I can see the flow of the air, the airiness, and the movement and stillness of the space in reflecting in her works, or even the trace of her action on the canvas.
This made me think about my position while painting, not only thinking the way that I apply paint on the surface but also about the place I start the painting, and the surroundings. That made up the journey for me. Later I started painting in the outdoor space of the studios or the corridor, on the floor, and comparing what’s the difference that I made on the canvas which hanged on the wall.
Vivian’s Work and method of art making also inspired me to think of the existence of myself, the environment, and the paintings. Whereas the painting is not belongs to me or anything else, which shall be the co-exsisting subject matter, and that impact in both ends. The article (Armitstead, 2020) also mentioned there was a landslide at her studio space, that was at her garden, a half open space in nature. The paintings and materials were covered by mud and water from the landslide, but after the few day the canvas and paint dried up. “At the time I saw it as just a catastrophe,” she says, “but as they started drying, the colours began to come out, and I realised that I had to start working with nature and not against it. (Armitstead, 2020)
That was amazing process like seeing the growth from nature and how she attuned with the nature event. That it is never a crisis, if we never see it and judge it as a crisis.
In another words this can be a opportunities and a new perspectives. Since then I was thinking about the action of making problem, making a chaos and putting myself in ‘difficult satiation’. And how come this would be a ‘difficult situation’ if I see it as another chance to expend on what is in my thoughts.
And what make things interesting is the imperfection within.
Armitstead, C. (2020) 'Vivian Suter: the rainforest-dwelling artist who paints with fish glue, dogs and mud', .
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A large canvas dries in the ‘laager’. Photograph: David Regen/Courtesy the artist and Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels
“At the time I saw it as just a catastrophe,” she says, “but as they started drying, the colours began to come out, and I realised that I had to start working with nature and not against it. (Armitstead, 2020)
On display at Camberwell UAL postgraduate show, 2022
I have been trying the hanging method that allows the canvas to make a distance from the wall and which it have a movement of floating when the wind blows, or people passing by. Moreover, this looseness of the canvas also allow the canvas not to be totally strengthen, but remain how it was, due to the tension made by rabbit skin glue and the paint. The method of hanging by two rod on top of the painting, and stapled then on top, rest them down naturally.
Knock And It Will Be Open, 2022, 180 x 200 cm , Oil and distemper with rabbit skin glue on canvas
If We Go On You Can Take Me To Afar, 2022, 180 x 200 cm , Oil and distemper with rabbit skin glue on canvas
I also see each of the paintings as part of my practice instead of an individual project on its own. Each of them is linked to each and developed through time. All subject matters are the stream of thoughts and the impact of my reality. I believe everything lives individually but are also interconnected each other, not necessarily to be in chronological time-space, but that sense and feelings could last more than a certain time-space.
Theses two pieces I chose to include in the show ‘Knock And It Will Be Open, 2022’ and ‘If We Go On You Can Take Me To Afar, 2022’ was developed from some small part of my previous painting into larger canvas and this allows me to expend what is the space within the small colour blocks when it is enlarged into this size. Through the action of paint, the motion of my body, I feel like making the feelings true, it is making an idea to be in reality and affirming the feelings in thoughs through the practice of painting. Not only does painting bring me this feeling but the action and process of painting.
By this point, I realised the though is related to the act of writing which I will further explain on my research with reference in Cixous Helen essay The Laugh of the Medusa in a later part of this reflection.
Armitstead, C. (2020) 'Vivian Suter: the rainforest-dwelling artist who paints with fish glue, dogs and mud', .
Birnbaum, D. (2022) 'Daniel Birnbaum on Vivian Suter', (5, 60), n/a.
Suter makes works with, not of, the landscape, she explains: “It’s all around me, and I don’t see much further; it is enclosed, but outside.” (Armitstead, 2020)
The ecology of scenes
Tabita Rezaire/AMAKABA and Yussef Agbo-Ola/OLANIYI STUDIO, IKUM: Drying Temple, 2022. Dyed cotton tensiles, reclaimed pine frame, medicinal plants, recycled cellulose cable ties. Back to Earth exhibition at Serpentine North (22 June – 18 September). Installation view. © readsreads.info. Courtesy Serpentine.
After the practice of the previous paintings and further expand my understanding of my experience with nature I always find it impactful and the ability to open up almost all human senses. To me, it is still a certain mysterious part of nature that draws me closely in connection with it, not only the environment but myself, the inner human being as well.
Inspired by the visit to the exhibition Back To Earth presented by the Serpentine Gallery in London. I was amazed by how it expresses itself in a way to invite the audience to think about the sense and nature.
You may find more about the exhibition in the context part General Ecology: Back To Earth - by Serpentine Gallery
It is more than the physical means of explaining the connection between humans and nature, but what interested me the most is how it linked and expanded our senses in an original way. Our human experience required senses as a source of import simply, but not everyone experiences the same and I was wondering how could we open up the sense to the same subject matter compared with different human beings and in different time-space. This process of expanding the senses I believe will further widen our experience on Earth.
With my previous research on Helen Frankenthaler’s work Helen Frankenthaler Archive at Tate Britain , which expresses the huge influence of the beauty of nature, simply and widely expended on her works and the way of making.