Thursday, 10 August 2017

Making (the) subject matter : Illustration as interactive collaboration practise. Luise Vormittag, University Arts London. summary notes

Keywords:

  • Engagement.
  • Dialogue.
  • Relational .
  • Social.
  • Design thinking.
  • Participatory practise.
- Illustration landscape is changing due to media and budgets,' Financial uncertainty' is effecting the different sectors the exsist in the creative industry. bit it still refers back to it ' core values, skills and objectives.'

- In fine art - there have been a number of arms and practises discussed about the topic of social engagement and collaboration. ' New genre of public art.' (Suzanne Lacy.) ' dialogical aesthetics ` (Grant Kester) ' engaging with communities in order to improve peoples lives in a meaningful ways while taking into account complex social , political and environmental challenge.'

- 'Taking responsibility for generating content through outward- facing engagement while also having a stake in the methods of ...' 

- Illustration is having to adopt to meet the increasing demand for digital and social media platforms. 

- Fine art methodologies can be associated with illustration and design practise. 

- 'What desing can do ' - Amsterdam 
- ' Design to improve life.'- Copenhagen 
- 'Design thinking.' , ' Social design.' 'Participatory design.' 

- Expanding individuals practise by doing self initiated briefs, exhibitions and sales makes up for the lack of commissions e.g. Pick me up - Somerset house ' graphic arts.' Criticised by Lawrence Zeegen , 2012 , creative review magazine asks 'weather the work is anything more than 'eye candy'  and 'mere nothingness.' 'Unable to peer over the fence at a world outside it's own garden.' ( Zeegen 2017)

- One conclusion can be that pick me up and similar events , are sales outlets, that there is willingness to create by not having commissions.' But could this energy not be channelled into other directions too ?"

- Reportage illustration. Social engagement practise. Content generated through dialogue and involvement with communities or individuals.

- Rikrit Tiravanija - fine art- constructs hybrid instillations aims to distinguish the difference between institution and social , as well as artist and viewer.

- Food acts as a 'social lubricant.' - Rikrit Tiravanija.

- Tomorrow is another day - Germany.

- Suzanna Lacy, performance artist , created the term ' new genre public art.' Feminist practise as a healing process.

- She mainly tried to tackle social questions . Often relating to women's movements. Breakes the bounderies between activism, art, pedagogical practise and curation.
- The Crystal Quilt 1985-1987- 3yrs worked with a group of 400-500 volunteers- women over the age of 55.

- ' ...Working in a manner that resembles political and social activity but is distinguished by it's aesthetic sensibility ... This kind of art , that communicates with a broad and diversified audience abut issues directly relevant to their lives , is based on engagement .' Lacy - 1995.

- Grant Kester- writer - ' these projects share a concern with the facilitation of dialogue and exchange ... In these projects conversation becomes and integral part of the work itself...'

- Do you prioritise ethical over aesthetic criteria? Is a piece automatically laudable for it's particular political position or intention? Lacy - 1995.

- Is an art project successful if it works on the level of social intervention even though it flounders on the level of art? ( Bishop 2006)

- Bishop criticises artist that form around traditional political activism.' respect for the other , recognition of difference , and an inflexible mode of political correctness.; 2004.

-Ethical and social values over ' aesthetic criteria.'

- Fine art principles cross over with design disaplins:

  • An awareness of the audience and their socio- political background.
  • Considerations as to how and under what circumstances people will actively engage with the work.
  • Collaborative models of production as opposed to single authorship. 
  • Intentionally - the overt desire to achieve a specific aim. 
-What can design do - Amsterdam.

' The conference is about the impact of design .... How design can bring that world further ... how design can help people... what almost all speakers have in common was a genuine really interest in people , in their needs and demands.' ( Van Der Haken - 2012).

- IDEO's - human centred design tool kit,
-Simple project structure : ' hear , create, deliver.'

- In order to create work that actually helps to improve people's lives you have to spend time with them and understand them. This enables trust to be built , so built and trust and empathy. Not sympathy.

- Luise Vormittag - two projects plus colleges Nicola Carter and Patrica Niven.

- Thrown caution to the wind- (2011-2012) brief - to engage elderly patients in the orthopaedic ward in Royal London Hospital and the chemotherapy ward at St Bartholomew's Hospital.

- They spent 30-60 mins talking to each patient and recorded their conversations. End product was a small booklet that contained there stories and illustrations. After a period of time and involvement of new patients, they had a chosen selection of stories that they turned into 3D illustrations, Exhibited at Royal London Hospital Building.




- 2 projects - ' The most powerful cabinet in Whitechapel.' 2012 - A series of activities with staff and patients that concluded in a permanent piece at Royal London Hospital Whitechapel. The brief was to engage people in the hospitals waiting areas.




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