Settings Assignment

The starting point for this project was consecutively the material, and the location. The cling wrap came as a result of group discussion and brainstorming possible ideas; this was the only material we all found pleasing, and agreed upon. The location was singled out by assessing the locations and choosing one based on our ideas of an appealing location; the high point, open space, and seclusion was what initially attracted us. It was through the process of experimentation and the construction of the artwork that ideas were formed. Prompting from the outcomes and the fragility and flexibility of the material produced concepts that would apply to the nature of the artwork and the impression it evokes.

From multiple experiments with stretching the cling wrap across a space, and the way it reacted with the surroundings, we settled on using it in a simplistic way to draw attention to the way it responds to the natural elements, particularly the wind. During construction we found that it was too simplistic and didn’t do much to adjust the space. We tried including a bench that was originally part of the space, but it was aesthetically displeasing as it made it look too busy.  We sought to come up with something to include that would remedy this problem. Being inspired by the works of several artists who interacted directly with people, in particular Marina Abramovic, we settled on the idea of performance, or interactive art.

The cling wrap of the finished piece forms an enclosed barrier, within which a person could be situated. The person inside the enclosed space represents the collective ‘individual’, and the cling wrap is the barrier of their perceptions of themselves, within which we are all trapped. The idea is that our thoughts and perspectives, even those of our subconscious, form and shape our physical reality, and our behaviour. Inside our brain, our thoughts are not physical, but they are still physicalised through both conscious and subconscious carrying out of thought.

An example is the effect current technology has on us. Social media is all about self promotion; the mass input of posts that are all about the individual, and what they are doing leads to a very self absorbed way of thinking that our generation has adapted. This mental state in turn influences us externally; it impacts and controls our lives to the point where we our turned inwards mentally, forming a barrier; a limited perception. The physical version of this barrier present in the artwork is transparent like its real counterpart, yet still has the ability to have a profound effect on the individual.

The outcome was as we envisioned, however we encountered some weather related issues; the cling wrap was broken apart by the weight of overnight rain. There were some interesting aesthetic qualities that resulted, though. While a lot of the barrier had fallen down, some still remained suspended in the space, capturing the rain. The collection of raindrops on the plastic was also quite lovely. In this state, rather than capturing the wind, as it did when it was dry, it captured water instead. This unexpected outcome ruled out the possibility of an interactive performance, but provided opportunities for problem solving, and produced an outcome that was more aesthetic than conceptual.