Research Documents

Reflected distortions

The text ‘Reflected distortions’ is a 2020 interview of Northern Irish artist Sinead McKeever conducted by Brian McAvera. Speaking on her latest work and the evolution her art has taken throughout the years, since starting her career in Northern Ireland. Brian speaks on Sinead’s “industrial formality” present within her work, highlighting the “balance between the dramatic and the theatrical”. In response to this, Sinead states that when she enters a room she is conscious of “how light travels around it and interacts with the architecture of the space”. I found this quite intriguing as it laid the groundwork for my current practice. I’ve been aware over the past year of how light travels in a room aspect. How it reflects and refracts and distorts. Especially about the interaction it has with the architecture, something which I related to both the physical and virtual aspects of my work. She continues on, describing how her starting roots in her practice began through fashion. The ideas of dressmaking and pattern cutting laid down the basis of how she approached her practice. Construction. Deconstruction. Reconstruction. All of these are tools that she applies within her sculptural artwork to date. I feel that throughout my practice, it is easy to become narrow-minded in my approach to making. That being just construction. Opening up to the idea of deconstructing what I’ve already created and then proceeding to reconstruct it within another format, although it is a very simple and standard concept, it can be extremely easy for me to construct over and over again. Instead of taking my time and “completing” a work. I’ve deconstructed and reconstructed works in minor and major ways, all resulting and taking part in the evolution of my practice. Brian asks “to what degree does trial and error control your working process and how do your ideas form?”. Sinead explains that it is a must to understand the limits of the materials you are working with at hand. By playing with the materials and understanding their qualities, it is possible to manipulate their form and realise their potential. Finally, the mention of how she uses light and reflection within her work is rather interesting. Describing the incorporation of this material, so to speak, as a means to play with the existing architecture and question where the artwork starts in the gallery space and where it ends. I inevitably transitioned into three-dimensional light sculptures (instead of two-dimensional project animation) within virtual reality.

Wheels, Ancient And Modern, And Their Manufacture

“Wheels, Ancient And Modern, And Their Manufacture” is a journal published in 1911, written by Henry L. Heathcote talks about the origins, significance and science behind the wheel. The question that spurs the existence of this text, is that of questioning how the wheel has become the perfect creation. Discussing the origins of the wheel, the creators of lost in time, however, it has been understood that it originated in the East, eventually making its way towards the West. An example of their origins is found as far back as 1700 B.C with mentions of their existence in ancient Indian literature (using them as parts of their vehicles). Although the origins of the wheel don’t necessarily relate to practice at the moment or are all that relevant, I felt that realising my work through light distortion in the forms of wheels, it aided in developing ideas and diverging into different avenues. However, what interested me most about this text was the section called ‘The Wheel and Religion’. It talks about how in India, the wheel became largely involved in native rites of worship. Accounts of a mystic wheel are heavily presented throughout their ancient writings. Symbolising the rotation of the sun and stars, this led to various avenues of worship through “praying-wheels, circumambulation, processions and other “circular” rites”. This idea behind celestial bodies and perfection does indeed relate to my current work, through its calculated geometry, rotation and space-like and voided inspiration, reminiscent of heavenly bodies. During these times, the reference of the wheel and movement of rotation was held in high regard. However, overtime to be likened to a wheel (or a ‘roue’) is uncomplimentary. You’re seen as debauched and a degenerate. These negative connotations evolved from the wheel’s use as being an “instrument for torture”. This is known as the breaking of the wheel, a sacrifice to the Wheel God in 16th century France. A horrible and gruesome form of punishment, in which the culprit would have all four limbs broken, tied together, and then spun on a wheel. To play with both of these ideas of perfection and imperfection can link to how these wheels I’ve created distort, lose form and then reconstruct themselves again, formulating the work I evolved to at the end of the year. The circle is perfection and through its loss of form, is imperfection. I see my work landing in a purgatory between the two, so to speak.

Alchemy & Mysticism: Macrocosm

The Taschen-published book, “Alchemy & Mysticism” by Alexander Roob takes a deep dive into the multitude of mediaeval cosmograms and images embedded within Christian mysticism, the world of alchemy, and the art of the Romantic era through a series of images and texts. The chapter of the book which piques my interest is that of “Macrocosm”, through which it begins with a quote from Timaeus (c. 410 B.C) stating; “For Plato, the universe or great world order was created by God the creator as a manifestation and illustration of his own perfection: and so he formed it as a single visible living thing which was to include all related creatures. By turning it he shaped it into a sphere, giving it the most perfect form of all”. This idea of the sphere is a recurring theme throughout the chapter and its illustrations, which will be explained further. The beginning of the chapter speaks on ‘The World’ with its diagrams depicting spheres within spheres, with each one referencing celestial bodies, stars and/or planets. In some, the innermost sphere is either titled Earth, Purgatory or Hell. It is said that at birth, the soul is to pass through each of the spheres to reach the centre. Upon death, the soul rises and attempts to break through each boundary. The final and uppermost sphere is guarded by Saturn. The god is described as the creator of time and space, “the serpent guarding paradise”. Further on in the chapter, a section titled ‘Genesis’ includes a series of diagrams created by Robert Fudd in the 17th century. Black and white illustrations of the creation of the universe. Spheres that incorporate the four elements and their various connections to one another. I find these illustrations and ancient interpretations of Earth’s origin fascinating and they laid the basis for plenty of virtual sculptural creations throughout the past year. Using the diagrams as a reference and reinvigorate life into previous works hundreds of years old, allowing for the evolution of my work to occur if exploring the relationship of light within celestial bodies and creating monogamy with the ancient world.

Concrete-Neon: A Paradoxical Alliance in Modern Sculpture

The journal article ‘Concrete-Neon: A Paradoxical Alliance in Modern Sculpture’ written by Alain Buscarlet speaks on two topics of interest within my practice. The first is the materiality of concrete (In its permanent nature), and the second is light. What I believed to be an utter analysis of his personal work, turned out to be more so of an instructional guide towards the usage and application of the two materials mentioned. Speaking on his personal motivations, Alain describes his desire to work “with the interplay of volume and hollows, shadows and luminosities”. Further evolving in his practice to no longer set his chosen materials against “simple shadows” but instead against light, described as an “anti-matter” or “pure energy”. Upon understanding and executing this desire, it was a matter of picking the most “banal materials and playing with their contradictions”. In this case, the banal material is concrete, and the contradiction is what was discussed, light. Although this idea of concrete was not explored within my practice as of recently, it become a translatable material that could be represented in other ways with the virtual. I feel that it’s present with the literal physical matter, as well as what’s been described as the “anti-matter” (light and luminosities) throughout my work. I quite like the term “anti-matter” as well when describing light. The journal article further speaks on the various techniques and applications of concrete and light. Alain describes concrete as a material that can be infinitely varied from its initial fluid form, to create and produce enormous and monolithic works. Replicating that of natural stone, it binds the connection between the natural and technological environment. The use of different moulds also dictates its finish once solidified (i.e. wood moulds create a grain-like finish) it will in most cases take the form of whatever mould it is set within. Alike to Sinead McKeever, Alain echoes what she says about light as a material. “Light assumes two forms: the light in the surrounding space and the light that is part of the object”. This text is the more materially translatable out of the multitude I have read through and analysed, with its attention to detail through the application.

Asimov’s New Guide To Science

Although my primary practice doesn’t exactly incorporate science, “Asimov’s New Guide To Science” written by Isaac Asimov does pose interesting questions and fascinating facts. Everything from the universe, the elements, particles, microorganisms, the human mind and everything far and few between. In a section named “Empty” Space within the “Universe” chapter, Isaac gives great perspective to our limited vision of our own galaxy. As astronomers are focused on the objects within the universe so frequently, the area forgotten too often is that of the space between the not-so-empty, and the empty. He says that the hardest galaxy to view right now and most likely for a very long time is that of our own. And so we are imprisoned within it. We don’t know what our home looks like in reality. The best way that Isaac verbalised this idea is to imagine you are standing on top of a roof of a low building in the middle of the city. You understand the surroundings but do not understand the full picture. However our home is not in the middle of the galaxy, we are way off, and “lie in a spiral arm clogged with dust. In other words, we are on a low roof on the outskirts of the city on a foggy day”. I find it quite melancholic to think about. Through creating celestial bodies, aligned to stars, galaxies and nebulas, it couldn’t reflect our own home. However it was never my intention to, nor will it ever be. It’s more of a contradiction to the alchemic text previously referenced. This voided-like environment presented is what I wanted to encapture throughout my works. However, I wanted it to be done in a format that creates tension yet comfort and ease.

Reflektor Distortion by Carsten Nicolai

Although my practice throughout the year has not been relying on the foundations or inspirations of other conceptual artists, Carsten Nicolai is an exception in this case. The work “reflektor distortion” is a sculptural piece that manipulates the light of a series of white neon lights hanging above a basin of water. The basin rotates and various speeds and vibrates and different frequencies. Through this, the reflection of the neon lights in the basin of water bend, ripple, shake and distort in a multitude of ways depending and the avenue that the basin takes with its rotations and vibrations. Carsten describes that “the function of the mirror is hereby eminent: the mirror surface is the medium that reveals reality as distorted reflection”. I’m drawn to the ability to simplify the materials used and create a complex variety of results in the mirror’s reflection. The usage of three components is what inspired a lot of my works throughout this past year, within the virtual realm I had been experimenting in. Light, surface and movement. It’s more than surprising to me the malleability in results that can occur with these components. The ability to create hypnotic-like visuals and images is what spurred the affinity I have had for light. What is also inspiring about this work is Carsten’s ability to simply and poetically explain his work. As he writes; “rising the question of the observed and the real image the installation plays with the artist’s thesis that we all have a permanent distorted perception of reality”. Tension is built throughout his work. The distortion within the reflection of the water becomes somewhat separate from its reality.