- Reflecting on my practice more effectively – to include analysis of what I have created and how the essence is revealed. How is the essence ‘to be’ revealed and how does it relate to my research questions? The analysis of the essence might be considered from a number of perspectives.
- The camera’s place in my practice?
- Positioning my work in contemporary art practice
- Experimentation in my practice
- Experimentation in the presentation of my practice
- References to follow up
The Place of the Camera in my practice
My supervisors suggested that I consider what part my camera plays in being aware of being, as the camera is largely absent from the knowledge and thinking of many of the philosophers I draw upon. How does the lens see the world in a way that I do not? In what ways do I rely on the camera? The question of the presence of the camera and practice of photography needs to be addressed in a critical way. How does the camera enable or convey the embodied experience, the feeling of Skye?
Broadening my Research and Positioning my work in Contemporary Art Practice
In terms of broadening my research, my supervisors suggested that I need to map out my territory and make connections, evidence expanded research and make things.
I need to do a research piece on Skye. What is the history of representation on Skye and what is the current art practice on Skye? I should not assume people know what the postcard vernacular means. I should be clear as to why I am I seeking to move representation away from this. I should support my work with research. My supervisors suggested I could interview people and ask them about their embodied understanding of Skye. What does Skye mean to them and how might I change that perception? I should speak to writers and poets on Skye and ask them about how they experience the land.
My supervisors encouraged me to do more to be able to position myself in the art world. Who else is doing similar or different things? I should broaden my research on models of practice in contemporary photography and look at other theses in photography. I should look at the extremities. I should also consider collaborations with other artists such as sound artists, film makers or poets. I should make contact with Atlas and other photographers who work on Skye.
I should consider landscape photography v art photography – what do these terms mean? I need to be clear about the differences and how they relate to my practice.
I also need to research the philosophy of photography (including Walter Benjamin, Roland Barthes, Susan Sontag and Vilem Flusser) and look at contemporary film practice.
At the end of the first year of broad research I will then be in a position to focus on what I wish to take forward to the second year.
Experimentation in Practice
My supervisors suggested that painting is ‘attached’ to the artist whereas the camera is not. I should consider taking images in different ways and use my recent practice as the basis for experimentation. I should conduct experiments and use different techniques for producing images and without control such as remote cameras, using different cameras and trying pinhole photography. I should not use my practice to describe how others’ thinking might be relevant – do not illustrate somebody else’s thinking.
I should look at processes of manipulation – photography is more than shooting the image. I should consider different ways of abstracting from the landscape through a series of experiments.
My supervisors encouraged me to consider using the sounds from the landscape in my work. What are the sounds surrounding me? How might I use them in my work? Will audio recordings provide alternative ways to capture the essence? Are there other ways I can capture the essence? They also suggested I think about embodied capture and archive and experiment with sound.
Experimentation in the presentation of my practice
I should expand my practice to include different forms of capture, installation and archive – that is making an artwork from photography. I might look at rephotography, reprinting, and collaging. The essence might not come from a single image. I should consider the materiality of my photographic work. Is it entirely digital?
I should also consider collaboration in the presentation of my work – for example on a particular theme.
References
Atlas on Skye
Sean Campbell
Marcus Coates sound recordings
https://www.marcuscoates.co.uk/projects/68-dawn-chorus
Lux Collection
Zoviet France
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoviet_France
Wolfgang Tillmans
Chris Watson – Sound Artist
