Collect
My first thought, and the one that I went with, was to make use of to make use of the various peripheral musical instruments that I have. The ones that I chose are those that I do not expect to use over the coming weeks. In fact most of them are never used. When I think about what unites them, their common language, is that predominantly they tend to be wooden objects that are either blown or hit. The choice of using these is an easy one for me but it is also one that will hold my interest due to my love of music and music making. I wonder whether I should also add guitars and ukuleles but refrain from doing so as these would be too big for the temporary table that I have constructed in my “studio”. This is in fact our conservatory but it is where I carry out most of my artwork. There is a table but this is usually cluttered with my day to day stuff, laptop, OCA course book, notepad, ipad, pens, mobile, magazines and other paraphernalia. There are many similarities with George Perec’s description with objects on his work-table. I guess that this is the same for millions of work-spaces. My work-table was de-cluttered as part of the preparation for part two and I did consider using it. As I write this blog it is fast accumulating more stuff and will continue to do so until the next tidy up session.
Back to the collection of objects for the table the so far I have:
A tambourine, maracas, a violin bow, a harmonica, a kazoo, a drum stick, a red (toy) ukulele, a small African drum, a whistle, Spanish clackers, Morrocan swivel drum, an African bongo and a recorder.
Some photographs.
I have already noted that the pattern on the tablecloth for the table top is distracting. It will be changed.
Make
I made an list of actions in my note book inspired by Richard Serras’ ‘Verb list’
My Verb-list
Next step creating some maquettes, not a word that I had come across before. Using paper, sellotape, elastic bands and wire I fashioned four models to add to the collection. These are photographed before being added to the table collection. The most interesting piece is the wire ukulele, it is very primitive in look but has a bizarre charm. The paper recorder or flute also has merits the harmonica less so.
Arrange
I made a couple of arrangements where I placed the objects on the table without too much consideration as to their relationship with each other or their shapes and colours. The main consideration was fitting them all on the surface.
Having read Declan Long’s article on Uri Aran’s mysterious work-tables and listened to Gabriel Orozco I set about thinking how I could look at the objects differently, how they might interlock and perhaps convey something else. Their size and shape and colours rather than their function. Note that the tablecloth has changed from the patterned cover to plain black. I feel that this helps to focus the eye on the objects.
My first two attempts at some sort of considered arrangement are shown below. For the first I was looking to try to group the objects by shape and size to try to express their commonality and at the same time pick out their differences. It occurred to me that basically I had a collection of objects that were either basically round or straight, circles and lines.
The second attempt was to look to interlock the objects by laying them on top of each other or by placing them against each other.
In both arrangements I became increasingly aware of the edge of the table. In the second arrangement I deliberately tried to extend the arrangement over the edges of the table. The limitations of the table became even more apparent when photographing the arrangements as it was not possible to get a photograph without having at least a hint of their surroundings.
There were aspects of each arrangement that had positive points. The flow of the first vs the cluttered, claustrophobic feel of the second. I considered both by looking repeatedly at the photographs. My next and final arrangement would be to try and combine the strengths of each. To start with a cluttered arrangement which flows outwards. I would also aim to keep all the objects within the frame of the table in such a way as I could get at least one photograph that eliminated the surroundings.
The final arrangement is shown below. Firstly the arrangement from several angles and then two photographs where the surroundings have been eliminated, one from behind and the second from above.
It is noticeable in the photograph from above that the objects have a coherence and create their own object. From behind there is a hint of them falling away and leading into the distance.
To look at the arrangement in a slightly difference way I changed the filter on the photographs to Vanilla. In doing this I was trying to focus on tone, light and shade.
By eliminating colour the shapes are more apparent at there is even more cohesiveness in the arrangement.
Mark Taylor 'Studio Practice' 