The Ready Made

'An everyday object, selected and designated as art' (Encyclopaedia Britannica) 

The term ready made was originally coined by French Artist Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp created the first ready made 'Bicycle Wheel' in 1913. Through his ready made works, Duchamp attempted to destroy the notion of the uniqueness of art and subsequently a new controversial definition of art emerged, that had more of an intellectual as opposed to material focus. 

How this has influenced my practical development and project concept

I have been influenced by the theory of the ready made, in that it has made me consider not just using found materials to draw from and take casts from, to produce work, but how they can also be used as part of the outcome intrinsically. Considering this I have revisited the proposed mapped rout within my proposal, being mindful of the everyday sights that are often overlooked. I particularly noticed the street signs and how they they have become so familiar to me that I no longer read the words and letters, yet am still aware solely by the context what the sign means. With this, I have decided to move away from the casts and relief moulds that I have been working with, but returned to the patterns and textures from the environment, thinking about how I can incorporate these with found objects from the environment. 

Developed Idea

This is a piece of work that I have developed, working from my drawings which I have used to create my drypoint plates, that focus on the textures and patterns found within the urban environment. I think that the text adds a three dimensional perspective to the overall image, drawing the viewer in by the familiar lettering and format that they recognise. The viewer becomes more focused on the familiar object as the purpose has been changed, giving it a fine art context, in the same way that they ready made forces the viewer to analyse an object by changing its context and putting it into a gallery. 

Arte Povera

Throughout this project I have been working with found object from the urban environment, constructing collograph plates, taking rubbings, relief mould, photographing etc… 

Similarly, during the 1960's an art movement aroused called Arte Povera, otherwise known as impoverished art. The term Arte Povora was coined by Germano Celant in 1967, for the group of Italian artists whom during the late 1960's attempted to break down the dichotomy of art and life. This was mainly achieved through the creation of sculptures and 2D relief works using everyday materials. 

How this link to my ideas and concepts

The materials used by the Arte Povora group were largely pre-industrial materials such as earth, rocks, clothing, rope, and anything that they could find in their day to day environment. These artists saw the potential in these everyday objects to be beautiful. Supporting my concept that beauty can be found in everything and is loved in everything. 

Giovanni Anselmo- Torsion - 1968

Development of Silicone Prints

Silicone Print with Inks 

Silicone with Collage and Screen Print 

These are developed silicone mould prints. I prepared abstract screen print backgrounds, to add a depth to the prints, as elements of the colour from the screen print is drawn through the negative space of the silicone print. The bold colours of the screen print, juxtapose the dark shadows of the silicone mould, highlighting the intricate lines and patterns of the surface texture. Collaged tissue was then added to conceal elements of he print, with shapes cut away to mimic those outlined by the silicone mould. I think that these prints are successful in that they emphasise the intricate lines and textures, and draw the viewer in through their soft mottled and fractured lines. However, to develop these further, I think that a series of varying silicone moulds should be constructed, to create a sequence of prints mapping an urban area and the aesthetic beauty that can be found within it. 

Printing with the Silicone Moulds

I have developed a series of prints using my Silicone mould. I inked up the Silicone mould and run the plate through the press. A very abstracted organic shape was created, full of juxtaposing lines, tones and textures. It is unrecognisable what the print is of, which allows the audience to pay greater attention to the formal elements. 

The print has areas of greater intensity which are then juxtaposed by large areas of negative space, guiding the viewer around the image so that it can be observed intensely. To develop, I would like to experiment by adding layers of collaging or perhaps even drawing into the print, as I think that this will add a depth and an additional layering to the print, forcing the viewer to search through the layers, in the same way that in order to observe the aesthetically beautiful within a mundane environment, it is essential that the viewer uncovers layers and pre conceived contextualisations to reveal the real beauty. 

Silicone Outcome

Silicone Outcome 

Silicone Outcome 

Tactile Silicone Relief 

Silicone Profile 

This is the silicone outcome that I have produced. It has moulded to the cracks, patterns and textures of the surface, making it have a very tactile and abstract aesthetic. I think that it could be presented as a series of silicone reliefs, tracking the suggested rout that I have mapped in my proposal. Alternatively because of its flexible and subtle make up, I also think that it could be used to develop a series of abstract relief prints, emphasising the potential beauty in everything. 

Silicone Relief Construction

After researching Jorge Otero Pailos, and his works with latex, I have decided to experiment with more industrious materials.

After much consideration and experimentation, I think that Silicone will be an appropriate material to create impressions/ reliefs of a surface. In theory the silicone should take the mould of a surface, whilst at the same time be able to dry solid, whilst mainintaining a flexible, rubberlike posture. I am hoping that this will mean that the mould can then be used to develop a series of relief prints. 

To make the silicone mould, I covered the chosen surface with concentrated washing up detergent to work as a lubricant to stop the silicone from sticking to the surface. 

Silicone was then squirted and pressed firmly onto the surface to ensure that the silicone was pressed into all of the cracks and markings of the surface. I then left it to dry for a few hours before removing .  

Silicone pressed and left to dry

Grayson Perry

Today I have been listening to some brilliant radio broadcasts of interviews with Greyson Perry. There are a series of four lectures called the Reith Lectures produced by the BBC.

click here to listen to the radio lectures with Grayson Perry

I have found these lectures fascinating to listen too, and they have made me reconsider my use of materials and indeed how I have gone about my investigation into the beautiful.