masters project workbook
DESCRIPTION
Experiments, research and progressive analysis of Masters Project. Student n°1307119 GDF752TRANSCRIPT
1
M a s t e r s P r o j e c tC a m e r o n T a y l o rWorkbookS t u d e n t nº1307119GDF752
3
Research: “the uncomfortable”.
My initial progress into the Master’s Project was that of
curiosity and change. I wanted to move away from the
very heavy theoretical based work that I had completed
in strategies for practice 1 and 2.
Wanting to move away from this I started by
moving back towards simple image making on
the most basic level. Using print as a medium I have
kept this focus on the structure of buildings. This gave
me inherent freedom and took my mind off of a certain
direction I was to go into. With this in mind I said in
my previous study plan that I would be looking into the
notion of style/form versus function. This is an interesting
and very broad topic that left me a large space whereby I
could produce work in this realm of thought.
Katerina Kamprani is a designer who’s taken this
argument of form versus function to its most basic
level of argument. She recently completed a project
named “The Uncomfortable” whereby she took everyday
objects and turned them into unusable objects. This
idea itself is so simple but the work itself is executed in
a manner whereby the visual communication of this idea
is understood immediately. These unusable objects have
direct meaning and show how minimal changes to an
object create problems instantly.
http://www.designer-daily.com/designer-imagines-worst-ever-user-experience-44210
5
Katerina Kamprani
‘The Uncomfortable’
2014
Katerina Kamprani
‘The Uncomfortable’
2014
7
Research: “superdesk”.
Kamprani’s line of thought is interesting as the process
of this leads for simple answers to simple questions.
This in turn leads to an easier design solution perhaps.
Continuing with this direction playful outcomes can arise
from seemingly completed design objects.
The ‘Superdesk’ designed by architect Clive Wilkinson
is an example of this kind of playful thinking with design
objects. He created a continuous desk which spread
throughout an office space. “Clive Wilkinson designed the
new office for internet advertising company Barbarian
Group in New York City—the 23,000-square-foot space is
built around an amazing, 1,100-foot-long continuous table
that seats all of the 125 employees.”
The intent of creating this desk was to encourage
collaboration and communication within the office space
creating a large scale communal space.
This kind of design which brings interaction into a working
space is interesting as it is a purely physical interaction
amongst the desk and other people within the office. It’s
a brilliantly excecuted piece of design with numerous
opportunites formed from one object.
http://designtaxi.com/news/363763/An-Office-With-
Just-One-Table-That-Is-Long-Enough-To-Seat-All-125-
Employees/#.UwDIdZ_Wepc.facebook
9
Clive Wilkinson
‘Superdesk’
2013
Clive Wilkinson
‘Superdesk’
2013
11
Experiments: interaction.
Keen on focusing on a level of interaction without
necessarily building a physical object I returned to the
computer as a start point whereby interaction was held
in a sort of no mans land of space (the internet). This lead
me to think in a way by which humans are intent on giving
machine’s more humanity and turning the human more
machine-like. This level of interaction interested me as by
using sound and image we can form outcomes whereby
the interaction is controlled by the user.
Moving forward with this I focused on a program called
Quartz Composer which allows for simple audio, video
and computer based interaction to correlate with
image. This really interested me because the use of the
computer as a sort of link between the user and the final
outcome of the image. These two experiments (p.12 and
p.13) were mainly just tests using quartz composer but the
outcome has formed questions from which to progress.
The intention of using this software was to bring up
questions about the way we interact with the computer
and how it has become a critical tool for analysis, learning
and understanding. The audio reactive revolving cube
(p.12) is interesting as it does not only just react to music
but to people speaking, so when one laughs or shouts
it reacts directly to the scale of the cube. I find this
interesting as an idea and the visual style of it relates
again to this dialogue between style and function. The
overly abstract nature of the revolving shape is beautiful
but has no apparent connection to the function that it
creates. Can beauty overcome function? Regardless the
second experiment was again using audio input and video
input to create a blur when sound is detected. The video
itself is a live feed coming from the computer’s webcam
and every time a sound is detected a blur filter is applied.
In a way this simulates the focus that is required perhaps
while listening to someone and if that sound translates as
boring or not.
Experiments with Quartz Composer
Left: Audio reactive ever spinning cube
ÒRight: Video input and Audio input
linked create blur.
13
Research: visual style.
Interested not only in the intention of creating abstract
interactive design I am also interested in following this
mini side project that I have been continuing throughout
my MA studies. This project is that of the creating a visual
style through architecture. I feel that this is a necessary
release for me not only to be freely creative without
the bonds of having to work within a confinement of
subject but also to let my mind focus on other something
different other than this masters project.
The initial exploration began in Strategies for Practice 1,
whereby I began using lino cut prints to express these
visual styles created by architecture. This then evolved
into a mural being painted of a city with no people
and once people were in the gallery the city became
inhabited. This progression from print to mural really
solidified the idea itself but nonetheless I have continued
creating prints in a much more grided style. Concerning
myself with refining the visual style of these prints.
I enjoyed this route as the outcome had more weight
than the idea itself and is in contrast with what I have
been executing throughout my MA it juxtaposed in an
interesting way. I want to continue more work in this way
and recent examples can be found on the next couple
of pages. To portray my intent with the notion of visual
style Here are a select few artists in no particular order
which I think really bring value to the idea of a visual
style. Piet Parra is a Dutch artist/illustrator based in
Amsterdam who stands out as a visual communicator with
his work. Alex J Walker is another illustrator who uses his
visual style to produce visual effective communications(.
Contextualising my illustration would be the next step in
informing a visual communicative style.
Visual style is interesting as well with my intial idea to
focus on style versus function in all aspects of design.
These artists mainly produce flat work to be enjoyed
aesthetically or to understand the message that is being
portrayed.
15
Piet Parra
Image from studio
Poster for ‘it’s nice that’. 2012
Piet Parra
‘ Vaso di Culo’ produced in collaboration with CaseStudyo
http://www.casestudyo.com/
17
Alex J Walker
‘Wired’ editorial illustration.’Media Section’. 2014
Alex J Walker
‘Men’s Health magazine’. Editorial illustration. ’Synchronised’. 2014
‘Esquire’. Editorial illustration.‘10 ways to boost your workout’. 2013
19
Peter Judson
‘Town Planning’ Illustration. 2013
‘Plumbing’ Illustration. 2013
Experiments: exploring visual style.
From this visual research into style I have produced
recent work which are A0 lino prints concerning myself
with the progression of the notion of a city. I had a
tutorial with Marion Morrison concerning this line of
work that I have been doing and she explained to me
that in a sense producing decorative outcomes can be
quite introspective and not very full in terms of idea
generation. Wanting to produce that communicates
a message I am interested in producing these city-
scapes into a 3D environment or perhaps mural painting
concerning abandoned buildings or scaffolding around
buidings. In this dimension the work itself has a lot
more depth to it perhaps making a comment about the
situation of a building. The 3D aspect of this could be
interesting, using a 3D printer to achieve this element
of a 3D environment is a nice change from the very flat,
decorative images that I have produced.
As part of this process I produced new prints regarding
the form of architecture. This time round whilst
producing this lino cut print I grided the lino and decided
to use a much more controlled way of producing a print
(p.21). The outcome was interesting and it made me
think of grid systems in general whilst printing. I think the
further I look into griding linos the more different the
outcomes will become using complicated grids to create
concise and though out imagery.
From this forage into grids and Marion’s idea of venturing
into the 3D world I managed to access a 3D printer
and produced a town similar to the shapes used in my
prints(p.22). This outcome was interesting but very pricey
so I would have to think of different means in order to
continue with this idea of producing a 3D environment
out my illustrations.
21
23
Experiments: typographic architecture.
From the 3D printing I’m interested in creating a sculpture
out of my illustrations. Following this 3D route I’m taking
I took to creating reworks of famous architectural
monuments just as general play to see if anything was to
come of it. I think the outcomes are interesting and work
fairly well in a visual way they get the message across
as structures perhaps not architecture as such. These
reworks are meant to have the same effect that a remix
of a song has. Taking the original image and reintegrating
it into a different environment. I’ve only produced three
so far because I’m cautious of how effective they may be.
I think this has legs though as it’s quite similar to Duane
Dalton’s ‘Album Anatomy’ and his exploration into the
art of reduction (p.28-31). In this he uses his personal
response to an album of his choice and represents that
response using a strict grid where all the album details are
portrayed. They are effective and work nicely as a set.
Furthermore I want to explore the use of typography in
these kind of settings and how effective it can be. Using
an abstract simple grid to organise the information about
the buildings these represent, the letters almost become
part of the set which is interesting. I don’t think it’s overly
effective apart from the Barbican one as the information
manages to sit in the grid perfectly. I do like this concept
and maybe by creating a less wacky grid the final outcome
would look more interesting. I will continue with these
experiments as I find them fun to create as well as lending
itself nicely to information and work I’ve created prior to
this with my print work.
25
Villa Savoye rework.
Vil la
Sav oye
P A
R I
S 1931
France
Arc du Triomphe rework.
Arc Du
Trio mphe
P A
R I
S 1806
France
27
Barbican rework
B A
R B
I C
A N
1982 L o n -d o n
UK
Bas que
Sac Coe
ur xel
les 70
Be l g
ium
ili
re
Bru
19
29
Duane Dalton
‘Album Anatomy’
Kavinsky
31
Duane Dalton
‘Album Anatomy’
The Chemical Brothers
Duane Dalton
‘Album Anatomy’
Hot Chip
33
Duane Dalton
‘Album Anatomy’
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX
Research: Felix Pfaeffli + Duane Dalton.
Following up the mini experiments into reworking
architectural monuments and Duane Dalton I began
venturing into the realm of illustrative and decorative
design and I came across the work of Felix Pfaeffli who
is a Swiss designer. His imagery is interesting and is
executed in a very pristine manner. I feel as though his
work emulates the idea of fearless creativity whereby
he makes a poster for an event and the event is then
essentially branded with this poster.
This kind of work focuses a lot on the visual identity of
a poster and I find that this is generally hard to achieve
but Pfaeffli’s work succeeds in that. It is reminiscent of
international style and Armin Hoffmann’s work with a
modern twist. The intention of this kind of research is to
find something whereby my designs can answer the same
problem that it has seem to have caused. Because of its
decorative nature it does not serve anything else but an
image whereby people observe it.
35
37
Research: toy design.
Intent on portraying a certain style with an aspect of
functionality is my final goal. I have developed the style
part of this through my illustration work and I know need
to form this crossover in order to create something that
has a perfect balance of the two.
With the 3D printed model I could see a new outcome
forming other than me creating a visual. I saw the
possibility of creating mini sculptures, chocolates or even
toys. This playful aspect could help bring my work out this
very stale state that it seems to be in at the moment.
With the idea of creating toys I want to go back to
Case Studyo who produced some toys for the artist
Andy Rementer called “People Blocks”. These “People
Blocks” are characters designed by Rementer and are
interchangeable with each other. This idea sort of brings
the notion of style and function closer together.
Developing styles that essentially begin in a very flat 2D
state into the physical realm is what I want to focus on
more.
With this I could see my illustrations of buildings
progressing in the same way perhaps having set pieces
that are independent of each other that can lead to
the user having control of where they put them. This
style of having essentially a blank canvas and allowing
the interaction between product and user to give the
product value. Another example of this is the “Munny
Toy”(p.40) produced by limited edition toy designer’s
‘Kidrobot’. This idea is interesting as it’s sort of a call to
open source playing. I’m unsure if they would work in the
same way as “People Blocks” or “Munny” as they seem
quite stagnant as vessels for creativity and don’t really
offer a direct outcome as a durable toy. LEGO is a great
example of a durable toy that defies time essentially and
that everyone has a connection with because it has a
solid design platform which can add current themes to it.
http://www.kidrobot.com/
http://www.casestudyo.com/
39
Andy Rementer
“People Blocks”
2013
41
Andy Rementer
“People Blocks”
2013
Kidrobot
“Munny”
43
Kidrobot
“Munny”
Painted by ‘Cacodaemonia’
Experiments
I need to think more about the intentions of what I want
to create and try to focus on how to bring this notion
of style and function together. Once I find this I think
my work will progress accordingly and become much
stronger.
Other than this I have been messing around with the
notion of structure as well creating grid systems on
Processing and creating simple outcomes which focus on
alignment and play with that idea too. Understanding this
use for grids in order to make something look contained.
These experiments are essentially taking the minimal
aspects of how a straight square grid and pushing the
boundaries of how the overlapping of circles can produce
abstract outcomes. I’m not too happy with them to be
honest, because they don’t involve typography. I want
to focus a bit on the introduction of typography in my
experiments and see how far I can push it.
Here’s the code I wrote to achieve this.
size(800,800);
noStroke();
background (255,255,255,0);
float x = 0;
while (x < width) {
float y = 0;
while(y < height) {
fill(random(00), random(0),random(255), random(100));
ellipse(x + 10,y + 10,70,70);
y = y + 40;
}
x = x + 15;
}
save(“overlap13.png”);
45
47
Research: Wolfgang Weingart
Wolfgang Weingart is a graphic designer and typographer
who is seen as the godfather of New Wave and Swiss punk
typography. Coming through with Armin Hoffman and Emil
Ruder he deviated from the constraints of International
Style and Swiss typography that was being produced at
the time. His experimental and expressive approach to
typography created a very interesting style that formed
the foundations for New Wave design and maybe even
postmodernism within the realms of graphic design.
Weignart’s work is very interesting and quite relevant
to the progression I’ve made throughout my Masters.
I looked at the relationship between architecture and
design as does Weingart. His use of type to create
abstract imagery also interested me and the use of
letterpress in an unconventional manner to produce
more visual prints using typography rather than
communicative pieces.
With this I decided to take my work in a more typographic
direction focusing on the message that type can bring but
also the strong imagery it can produce.
Wolfgang Weingart, Weingart: Typography -My Way to Typography, Lars Muller Publishers, 1999, Switzerland.
49
Wolfgang Weingart
“My Way to Typography”
1999
51
Experiments: re-visualising time.
Rather than researching various styles I could explore I
am always drawn to a very ethereal side of design. I want
to pick up the notion of impossible design and visualising
the invisible for example. I attempted this last year with
gravity and now I want to with time. Initially I wanted to
create a blend of the lino printing I had been undertaking
as a side project to all my current experimentation and
work being produced throughout my masters. I wanted to
prouduce 24 different lino cuts of different cities situated
in different time zones throughout the world. This would
therefore produce a visual standpoint whereby time could
visualised all over the world through these 24 different
images. In creating this idea it felt very shallow and I
attempted one A1 lino print of it (right) and soon realised
that the idea had to have more depth behind it.
Upon this realisation and new direction of exploring time
many ideas relating to relativity and other metaphysical
problems began popping up. I had been reading Slavoj
Zizek’s book ‘The Event: Philosophy in Transit’ which
explores some interesting ideas based upon the notion
framing and that of framing the event. The notion of
time is self is a man-made construct whereby we have a
quantified the passing of events with numbers so we as
one unit can all work universally. This realisation that time
is essentially incomprehensible is interesting because we
seem to put so much of our value on the basis of time.
With relativity it deems that space and time are
connected and that time itself is merely events
happening that we processed to have passed while
present or absent.
53
Cam Taylor
‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print.
2014
Time as a universal man made entity is interesting
because with the progression of humanity and technology
it’s allowed time to become an ever more important part
of our lives. Researching into chronemics (the study of
time and nonverbal communication) the importance of
time in the modern world made the notion concrete. In
chronemics it separates time into two systems: mono
chronic time, which is the quantification of time into
seconds, minutes, hours etc and adhering to these rules
of time. A poly chronic time system is where many things
are allowed to happen at once and the importance of
managing time is not as present as mono chronic. These
different systems allows the observation of how different
cultures may value time and by which essentially form
stereotypical ways of living.
The ideation of time itself is so important to the world
because of the way people succeed financially or able to
move forward with their lives etc.
I’m interested by time and it’s ability to diversify itself
across different platforms in the way we interpret it. We
have a cultural way of looking at time (chronemics), a
religious way (linear aspects of time) and a very scientific
method of understanding time. These 3 ways of discussing
time allows for a more rounded view of not time itself but
of how humanity and the consciousness seems to work.
It seems the closer you look at the it the less there is to
look at .
On the following pages are some experiments executed
with the intention to explore the way we perceive time. As
such these are merely ideas but it has helped me solidify
the idea that time is a man made object if I am able to
convey the message of time through imagery.
Experiments: typographic time.
55
Cam Taylor
‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print.
2014
57
‘Signifier’s of time’
Typographic experiments
As mentioned previously time is a man made perception
whereby it made into a quantifiable procedural entity
so we (humans) can work as a unit without constraints.
This is good on the level of interaction but this does
not define what time is. The perception of time is a very
interesting idea where one must struggle to understand
the definition of quantifying time. Visualising time is
something that is impossible as it cannot be contained in
a certain frame as it is always changing. The beauty of this
is that time is the period of conscious understanding that
humanity has, as long as one is alive. “Time and space are
modes by which we think and are not conditions in which
we live.” - Albert Einstein
All these entites that are near impossible to comprehend
scientifically like time, gravity, consciousness and our
mere existence all become relative. In an idea put forward
by Jeff Liebermann (scientist, engineer and artist) he
talks of an idea of a psuedo-conscience being inside the
mind leading us to use the future and past as areas
whereby high levels of negative thought lies. Being
anxious for our future might hold and looking to gain
fullfilment out of things that could happen. Using the
past as a tool of regret and nostalgic discourse. If we
disconnect ourselves from this kind of thinking and look
at the human body in an objective scientific way we see
that we are only made up of trillions of cells and past
that even more atoms, but once see past atoms we are
nothing but energy. Energy that has been present since
the beginning of the universe and that will be present
past the lives that we live. This idea that we are all part of
this continuous energy that flows as a constant regardless
of whether we live or die is interesting and is essentially
spiritual enlightenment.
This tangent is to show the intent and perhaps flawed
view of how we percieve time. The notion of decay and
progression and where the fin line is concerning future,
Research: perception of time.
59
past and present.
The ways that time affects us not only temporally but
psychologically is very interesting. Believing that things
hold more value over time or don’t. This is the perception
of time on a shallow level but it relates to the way we
think as humans as well.
Concerning myself with trying to visualise time has
become an interesting power struggle whereby the
ontological values of time and trying to understand them
objectivley rather than subjectivley, has made me move
towards more aesthetic/shallow driven outcomes. Moving
away from thinking of time and consciousness I began
delving into the notion of time and space relativity.
From what I understand of the theory of relativity put
forward by scientist Albert Einstien is that space and time
are linked and that gravity affects time (put simply). After
some thorough research I found it very hard to wrap my
head around this but was open to its ideas nonetheless.
In terms of seeing how the perception of time was
managed in relativity I came across the idea of a ‘light
cone’. Encompassed along with the notion of spacetime
and relativity created by Einstein and Minkowski the
light cone was a description of describing how an
observer might perceive time as a passing of an event.
This happening is described in relation to space as well
concerning the movement of light in relation to how
we observe it. On the following pages is a visual which
describes this idea in a more simple way.
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxCambridge-Jeff-
Lieberman-on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_cone
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-experience/
Research: light cones.
61
Concerning myself with this idea of light cones, I took
it in a different way than intended. I saw this as an
interesting way whereby the signification of an event
made the realisation of time happen. In this moment of
the present there is a pinnacle area not quantified by
seconds, minutes or hours but a state of consciousness
which allows for the observer to be 100% present. This is
what interest me is deeply as this is a visualisation of time
which manages to alleviate itself from the constraints of
consciousness and looks more at how future, present and
past are linked rather than separate.
In turn my investigation into this very theory heavy
almost spiritual way of thinking has allowed me to find a
visualisation of time which is appropriate and that can be
translated nicely through the vessel of graphic design.
I want to portray this idea of the light cone in a book.
Whereby the two cones connecting in the middle to form
the present. I want to relief cut this so there will be an
empty void within the book (an example of what I meant
by relief cut). Using the book as a tool in order to
describe the light cone works perfectly I find and will
allow for a very interesting final image.
In terms of executing this idea, it might become difficult.
I have ordered paper and I now need to work out
dimensions and the maths in order for this too work. All
the circles to form the void inside the book will have to
be laser cut so this might take up some of my time. I plan
for my masters project to be a collection of experiments
which revolve around the notion of impossible design
(time, consciousness, existence etc) or visualising the
invisible. I touched upon this investigation throughout
my BA degree but I feel more confident to produce final
outcomes in this manner now.
‘Light Cone’ diagram
Anna Mincho
‘book of dimensions’
CSM graphic design degree show 2010.
The idea of my light cone book allows for a narrative
to take place without image or text. This can be
achieved purely on the basis of how we perceive time
chronologically or in a linear fashion. With the notion
of light cones and applying it to the book is that the
interaction is based upon the idea. As the pages turn the
closer you get to the point of now. In can be seen as a
sculptural piece which should stay at the point of now or
a progressive documentation of how we perceive time.
In terms of taking this idea out of context with relativity,
I did this is in order to find a way of understanding time
differently as to how we are taught. Linear and cyclical
time are the two which we find most common in as linear
is the notion of 24 hours, 60 minutes, 60 seconds etc
which is the easiest way to maintain order within our
scoiety. Cyclical time is a very religious stand point on
time, thinking that there must be a start and and end. A
good example of this is was the ancient civilization of the
Mayans in South America forged a calendar that said the
world will end on the 21st of December 2012. It didn’t.
This is an example of this notion of cyclical time that we
have as well. I want to challenge this perception and ask
questions of this. As my research into time will progress
more experiments will arise to show the context of time in
different areas of life.
Research: time, continued.
63
In light of the aesthetic way my light cone will look I’ve
researched into ways this could be done and it seems like
laser cutting it to get a more precise cut will be the only
way. In terms of how it might look like or essentially trying
to find visual reference to what this book might look like a
friend of mine put me onto an artist called Bianca Chang
who’s paper sculptures are absolutely stunning. They
use a very well known medium in a very unconventional
way, Using minimalist ideals and visuals in her approach
to creating a final piece each finished artwork is a
mathematical and visual masterpiece.
I’m looking for this very seamless organic shape to arise
from the light cone throughout the book. The sculptural
form that paper takes on is very interesting I find and
using the book in a different way which still instils the
notion of a narrative is exciting. These works lie within the
sort of typographic, minimalist area of design using very
graphic shapes and movements to arrive at outcomes.
http://www.biancachang.com/
Research: Bianca Chang
65
As I have one experiment undergoing completion I have
decided to produce more work and research as a means
to progress my initial framework of working. As I have
done a lot of research concerning heavy subjects over
the past year I have taken the master’s project a bit
lighter in terms of research and used it as a means to
produce more visual work. Along with the idea of my light
cone book I have been producing abstract outcomes that
correlate more to how time could be perceived without
the quantifiable measurements like seconds, minutes
and hours. More as a graphic documentation to how time
feels in certain situations. I feel as well by visualising
these ideas in a typographic perhaps more graphic way it
will help me deduce what my build a body of work which
has a larger scope than that of time only.
On the right is a the visualisation of the interior of a light
cone, the visualisation of an event.
On p.66 is a minimalist approach to representing the light
cone with some rough visuals concerning time dilation
and the idea of gravity affecting time. Following these
more current experiments to do with relativity and space
time I have produced some more lino prints trying to
work the idea of impossible design into these. I want to
produce 5 prints to coincide with my light cone book.
These prints will work in the idea of impossibly geometric
shapes along with the city-scapes I have been producing
throughout the year.
Experiments: spacetime & impossible design.
67
69
71
Phillipe Decrauzat is a Swiss artist who’s work really
resonated me whilst producing visuals in correlation to
time dilation. His clean cut graphic style and emphasis
on form allows for multiple meanings to seep out of his
work. I especially to a liking the pieces (‘Lanquidity’) on
the right. It’s essentially life size aesthetic driven graphics.
I thought the linear wave pieces linked in quite well with
the notion of space time and event signification with
the unforeseeable future always moving and changing.
Decrauzat’s clever use of creating pieces that look like
they’ve been conceived in a digital medium and bring
them into the physical realm also attracted me to them
as well.
After seeing this kind of work I really feel the need to
execute my light cone book as Decrauzat’s outcomes
work so well on a larger scales or even the cross over
from these very cold linear pieces they have a certain
humility about them because they have been produced
physically and hand rendered.
http://www.praz-delavallade.com/artists/Philippe_
Decrauzat/selected_works.html
Research: Phillipe Decrauzat.
73
Jan Baetens is a Belgian photographer/professor who
wrote a book called “Time and Photography”. This book
contains many essays talking of the relation between
image and time. Mostly focused on photography and
showing the differences of and similarities of how
time and space seem to engulf photography, there
are interesting ideas based in here. “The more you
press on space, the more the notion of time will return
with a vengeance...” (p.7, Time and photography, Jan
baetens,Leuven university press, Belgium, 2004?) this
observation has served quite true throughout my
research as one seems to need to the other to work.
Another interesting query in this collection of essays is
David Green’s investigation into the temporal aspects of
minimalism and how time is an ever present entity that
forms the aesthetic and ideological base for minimalism.
He goes on to say that the photo documentation of
minimalist works cause a problem whereby the
line is blurred between the image and an image of that
image. What becomes more prominent, the piece itself
or the image of that piece? This is an interesting idea
I find. As with the documentation of work the image is
sometimes thought differently to that of the photo of
that image.
After discussing my ideas about time with Ronnie he put
me onto this book which contained some interesting
ideas on how time and image work together. He talks of
how time can be directly represented within the image,
as photographs represent “slices of time”. The discussion
that seem to arise in the second part of ‘Time and
Photography’, “ReturningTime/Memory/Order” is about
this notion of “slices of time”. The temporality that we
struggle to find in our memories seem to be fixed in the
image that has documented this area of time. Baetens
quotes Roland Barthes saying that “cameras... were
clocks for seeing” this sentence is very interesting as
Research: Jan Baetens.
p.10
75
almost reaffirms the idea of what an image is or what it
isn’t. The notion of the image is that of a snapshot in time,
a period where we cannot go back to, a mere memory
which can document a time and become timeless.
Another way of think about the image and photography is
in a more subjective way perhaps, allowing for the image
to perhaps dictate what may happen in the future by not
strictly just taking an image of what is naturally there, but
by altering the image of the world we have to portray
something that isn’t there.
This temporal shift within photography is very interesting
as it can occupy all aspects of time. In relation to the idea
of the light cone book. I find that the inherent sense of
freedom within photography and time and the control on
a visual level can relate to the idea of a light cone. The
light cone is not a method of foreseeing the future but
more an image to help understand the notion of time
without seeing it on a clock and the way Barthes puts the
use of cameras in relation to time solidifies that idea.
The idea of the narrative within past, present and
future is very prominent as this is the foundation of
story telling essentially. The idea of progression within a
narrative and time is also another more theoretical way of
understanding the use of photography. This though is also
present within the idea of my light cone book as there is
potentially a crossover between past, present and future.
I think this will form a simple and effective way of not
understanding time but perhaps realising there are other
ways to feel and see time.
The event and time is a prominent feature within this
research and the attempt to visualise this. In relation to
this research there are some beautiful photographs by
photographer Fong Qi Wei which attempt to tackle this
idea of a temporal shift within photography.
‘underconstruction magazine’
In terms of temporal relation and how that impacts the
notion of the image, we live in a world now where our
awarness of visual culture is flooded by different mediums
with the internet, magazines, video games, television,
social media and other virtual and real experiences. In
this world “images are promiscuous, shaking off loyalty to
original context and moving freely from screen to screen,
eyeball to eyeball. Such virally circulating free agents
of visual language wield a potent ability to influence
perception, collapse time and distance, trigger reactions
and hold sway over our psyches” (p.202)
This dissemination of visual culture and image seems to
allow for time, distance and other related entites to fade
and portray the true nature of the image rather than
worry about the context of it. This implication can be
positive or negative allowing for more knowledge to be
acquired withouth much effort into understanding. I’m
talking generally but this idea is interesting as we are now
flooded with information everyday, we have very little
time to think to ourselves or take that in.
This idea of context in relation to the image fits in quite
nicely with what I was researching in Strategies for
Practice 2 and post-structuralism. This level we are at
now in decontextualising information is blurring the line
of what natural categories are. “Post-structuralism’s
emphasis on the openness of meaning has been
incorporated by many designers into a romantic theory of
self expression: as the argument goes, because
signification is not fixed in material forms, designers and
readers share in the spontaneous creation of meaning.”
This sentence solidfies what is being said about the
dissemination of visual culture be it photography,
design, art or architecture, we have arrived at a level of
interaction and communication where everything is
Research: time, space and context.
Ellen Lupton (2014) Deconstruction and Graphic Design
- Ellen Lupton Available at http://elupton.com/2009/10/
deconstruction-and-graphic-design/
(Accessed 28 January 2014)
FOAM magazine, issue #38, ‘Underconstruction - New
positions in American photography’,Betapress, Netherlands,
2014.
77
possible and fast. So has this new wave of communication
sort of paved the way for this deconstructivist idea to
take place? I believe so, there will always be a need for
structure but these new mediums by which we obtain
information (internet, social networks, smart phones etc)
become new structures with different ways of acquiring
information. The epistemological values that were once
set in stone through education are being tested I find.
For example with visual platforms on the internet such as
instagram, tumblr and pinterest have let large amounts
of people access information and images that they
would not know about without it. As in you encounter it
because someone else likes it. This method of acquiring
knowledge is on a very shallow level as people take an
image on an aesthetic level through these platforms.
The decontextualisation allows for these very image/
knowledge based platforms to become suspended in a
temporal time frame where past and future don’t really
matter as the image is being seen in the present
regardless of where the image comes from. That causes
another problem ontologically as all the photos and
information on these websites are set in the past as they
have been posted in the past but are constantly being
seen for the first time by users in present time.
“Images must be explained or told, because as with
every mediation between man and the world, they are
subjected to an internal dialectic. They represent the
world to man but simultaneously interpose themselves
between man and the world (“vorstellen”). As far as they
represent the world, they are like maps; instruments
for orientation in the world. As far as they interpose
themselves between man and the world, they are like
screens, like coverings of the world.”(p.92)
(Flusser, V., Novaes, R. and Zielinski, S. (2013). Post-
history. 1st ed. Minneapolis, MN: Univocal.)
Investigating temporal fluxations within contemporary
culture is interesting as the relation between the two is so
strong and important. Looking at time in a non scientific
way is refreshing as well and by looking at the two from
both angles there’s a correlation between epistemological
understanding and time. They are both man made entities
which crossover to produce history essentially.
Vilém Flusser was a 20th century Czech philosopher who
focused predominantly on ontological problems relating
to the image and photography. His work discussed the
relation between the image, photography and history in
an ontological manner. By reading extracts of his book
“Post History” in a chapter called ‘Our Images’ he talks
about the dialogue that appears between image and text
and how one explains the other. He argues that Western
society is separated into two levels; that of the illiterate
(who live magically) and the literate (who live historically).
This can be seen as the level of image and text.
“The invention of the printing press and the increase
of general literacy through compulsory schooling
dramatically modified this dialectic. Texts became cheap
and accessible, first to the bourgeoisie and then the
proletariat. Historical consciousness became accessible
to Western society as a whole and was superimposed
onto magical consciousness. Images were expelled from
everyday life into the “baux-art” ghetto. Historical images,
and above all the scientific ones, became unimaginable.
Texts became “purely conceptual.” Thus texts betrayed
the intention that created them: they no longer explained
or demythologized images. They were no longer de-
alienating and started to follow their own internal
dynamic, which is the linearity of the discourse.”(p.93)
This extract highlights what I’ve been trying to explain
in this area of research. Revolving perhaps around the
notion of time concerning the image, if we compare it
with text, there is a shift between the two.
Research: Vilém Flusser
79
“Texts, as all other mediation, including images, obey
an internal dialectic. They represent the world and
conceal the world, they are instruments to orient but
form opaque walls in libraries.” With the linearity of the
discourse, text lost it’s function and allowed for man to
act in function of text. An example of this are political
ideologies. The inversion of the link between text and
man sums up our last stages of history. “Thus historical
consciousness gradually lost the ground that supports
it, the contact that the texts establish with the world of
concrete experiences.”(p.94)
After this statement Flusser then proceeds to talk about
the invention of photography and proclaims that the
different mediums that came with photography such
as video, films, holograms etc allowed for turning the
messages of texts imaginable. He calls this the ‘technical
image’ which allows text to become what it was originally
intended to do.
“Texts were originally aimed against images, in order to
turn them transparent for our concrete lived experience,
with the aim of freeing humanity from hallucinatory
madness. Technical images have a similar aim: they drive
against texts with the aim to turn them transparent for
our concrete lived experience, in order to free
humanity from conceptual madness”. (p.94)
This deconstruction essentially of how image and
text correlate with one and other. Using history and
photography as a medium Flusser has essentially shown
how time and mostly progression affect how culture is
transpired. This off shoot of research is interesting and
does not directly link to time but is another way by which
can be looked at in a more historical way in which we can
relate too, other than describing how time is not linear,
cyclical or in anyway controllable. The man made entitiy
that is time has allowed for progression in humanity to be
documented chronologically.
Jan Baetens is a Belgian photographer/professor who
wrote a book called “Time and Photography”. This book
contains many essays talking of the relation between
image and time. Mostly focused on photography and
showing the differences of and similarities of how
time and space seem to engluf photography, there
are interesting ideas based in here. “The more you
press on space, the more the notion of time will return
with a vengeance...” (p.7, Time and photography, Jan
baetens,Leuven university press, Belgium, 2004?) this
observation has served quite true throughout my
research as one seems to need to the other to work.
Another interesting query in this collection of essays is
David Green’s investigation into the temporal aspects of
minimalism and how time is an everpresent entity that
forms the aesthetic and ideological base for minimalism.
He goes on to say that the photo documentation of
minimalistic works cause a problem whereby the
Research: Fong Qi Wei
81
83
The notion of entropy is based around physics and
the laws of thermodynamics. What is interesting about
entropy is that it requires a direction of time which allows
for the decreasing of quality of energy. To understand
this we have to get a grasp of thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics is the branch of physical science that
deals with the relations between heat and other forms
of energy (such as mechanical, electrical, or chemical
energy), and, by extension, of the relationships between
all forms of energy. Having previously looked at this
notion of decay in energy in my undergraduate studies,
I came across Erwin Schrodinger who wrote ‘What is
Life?’ which is essentially a deconstruction of life and the
living organism throught the lens of a physicist. Having
revisited this a lot to get through and a struggle to fully
comprehend. In the televsion series ‘Wonders of the
Universe’ presented by Professor Brian Cox he portrays
this information a little more simpler.
He states that using entropy or the second law of
thermodynamics (an expression of the fact that over
time, differences in temperature, pressure, and chemical
potential decrease in an isolated physical system, leading
eventually to a state of thermodynamic equilibrium) we
can see that the universe is gradually falling apart due
to the lack or ordered or useful energy. Time and the
amount of ordered energy being produced eventually are
transferred into heat but this lack of useful energy (heat)
leads the universe towards absolute zero or death. This
has been happening since the beginning of time and this
paradox of the universe falling apart and dying whilst living
organisms undergo several thousand stages of evolution is
astounding. Through the second law of thermodynamics
though this paradox is somewhat solved. Living organisms
take in this ordered or chemical energy (from the sun for
example) and transform it into heat a disordered energy.
But because the conversion levels of chemical energy
into heat are so high (humans generate 6000 times
Research: entropy.
Wonders of the Universe, Brian Cox, BBC, 2011
What is Life?, Erwin Schrodinger ,Cambridge University Press,
New York, USA, 1967
Pauken, M. (2011). Thermodynamics for dummies. 1st ed.
Hoboken, NJ: Willey publishing, Inc.
85
more energy per kilogram than the sun) life out does the
gradual destruction of the universe.
This idea of entropy or equlibrium that is formed in order
for life to live due to the transfer of different kinds of
energy is interesting. Taking thie notion of decay and
progression and the temporal aspects that come with
them both, entropy and thermodynamics is an interesting
way to portray that the need for something to decay so
that porgression may take place be it physically, mentally
financially etc. Thermodynamics shows this notion on a
different level of human understanding, comprehending
the potential death of the universe and that we thrive in
it now due to the transference of disordered energy, is
mind blowing.
This is all happening along an arrow of time that is forever
moving and the eventual demise of the universe will come
but not for billions of years. I find this equlibrium within
this elongated arrow of time relevant to how insignifcant
this makes the relationship that we have with time on
earth. Our lives are follow this same path perhaps of
progression and decay that entropy allows in the universe
but on a much more basic level. We have externalities
which are apparent within our lives which is what we
derive meaning of to live but on a much more basic level,
we function on the basis of the transference of energy
and the reogranisation of it. We can link this to Jeff
Lieberman’s idea (p.58-59) about the statement he makes
that we are all part of this continuous energy that flows as
a constant regardless of whether we live or die. This basic
view on how to view life outside of our conscious mind is
hard to grasp but interesting nonetheless.
Slavoj Zizek is a Slovenian philosopher, culture critic and
psychoanalyst. In his book ‘The Event’ he discusses the
notion of an event and the ramifications of this in relation
to reality. His discussions mainly look at the idea of an
event in an ontological way, using modern examples such
as novels and films to portray this outcome.
“This shift in our undersranding of motion, from impetus
to inertia, changes the very basic mode of how we relate
to reality. As such, it is an event: at its most elementary,
event is not something that occurs within the world, but
is a change of the very frame through which we perceive
the world and engage in it.”(p.10)
This general overview of how the event is perceived
through our own reality rather than this universal
happening. There would be no event without us. I’m
delving into his ontological view on the event because
I feel it is an interesting way to sort of merge all the
research I’ve been calibrating on the notion of time,
photography and our conscience. In his first chapter
‘Framing, Reframing and Enframing’ he talks about
how the relation between truth, fiction and the event
is apparent in novels such as ‘Othello’ and the movie
‘Melancholia’. He then describes the disintegration of
this frame of reality that we perceive events happening
through. In turn the general progression of the
investigation of an ‘event’ by Zizek allows for a dialogue
to arise between truth, religion and enlightenment. He
describes his deconstruction of the ‘event’ as
“... a change or disintegration of the frame through
which reality appears to us; the second, a religious Fall.
This is followed by the breaking of symmetry; Buddhist
Enlightenment; an encounter with truth that shatters our
ordinary life; the experience of the self as a purely evental
occurrence; the immanence of illusion to truth which
Research: Slavoj Zizek - ‘Event’
87
makes truth itself evental; a trauma which destabilises
the symbolic order we dwell in; the rise of a ‘Master-
Signifier, a signifier which structures an entire field of
meaning, the experience of the pure flow of (non)sense;
a radical political rupture; and the undoing of an evental
achievement.” (p.6)
Zizek, S (2014). Event : Philosophy in Transit. 1st ed.
Penguin Books, Limited.
Time, gravity, consciousness and existence are entities
which have larger than life meaning. Having tried to
tackle these ideas last year I found quite an interesting
area of graphic design. Trying to visualise the invisible or
communicate a visual language so they are understood.
Having done this with gravity last year I do not intend to
approach it in the same manner. I wish to explore it more
on an aesthetic level and in a less complex manner, hence
the amount of visuals that I’ve been producing with the
research that’s being undertaken. With these invisible
entites essentially the outcomes themselves can be
quite abstract and must have some point of reference in
relation to how someone might understand it.
Having delved into subjects revolving around ontological
problems and trying to visualise them I began to look
at the notion of the invisible in an aesthetic way. As the
visual must concern itself in the abstract as it cannot
directly visualise something invisible.
An example of this aesthetic take on invisible entities is
the ‘impossible object’. Relating this to visualising the
invisible is interesting as trying to grasp the notion of
existence, consciousness, gravity and time is hard. The
closer and closer you look at them the less there seems
to be. With impossible objects they are essentially optical
illusions that translate that same feeling. This is a very
shallow way of taking this but as I’ve investigated time in a
scientific way I see this aesthetic comparison could allow
for a more interesting outcome.
The impossible object consists of a two-dimensional
figure which is instantly and subconsciously interpreted
by the visual system as representing a projection of a
three-dimensional object. These impossible objects will
play part in how I might visualise ‘the invisible entities’
on an aesthetic level to accompany my light cone book.
I feel that this could marry the two parts of project in an
interesting way.
Research: visualising the invisible.
89
Oscar Reutersvärd
‘An impossible object’
MC Escher
‘Relativity’
91
Jos De Mey
‘Lithograph print’
Monument Valley is a game developed by UTSWO. In
Monument Valley, the player leads the player-character
princess[1] Ida through mazes of impossible objects as
she journeys to be forgiven for something. The game is
presented in isometric view and features puzzles based
on optical illusion resulting from the game’s isometric
perspective. The player interacts with the environment to
find hidden passages as Ida progresses to the map’s exit.
Each level has a different central mechanic. Interactions
include moving platforms and pillar animals, and creating
bridges. Crows, stationary or wandering on the paths,
can block Ida’s path, requiring the player to find a means
to detour around them. The player is indirectly cued
through the game by design elements like colour.
This game is in turn using the geometry of impossible
ways to find an interactive and interesting way to make
the shapes make sense.
Research: monument valley.
93
Oscar Reutersvärd
‘An impossible object’
95
After gauging this same emotion from impossible objects
as visualising the invisible I wanted to produce the same
aesthetic through my lino prints that I’ve been producing
throughout the year. I decided again to go with this very
geometric and structured look to the visual but in this
instance allowing me to experiment with the grid in terms
of placement of my structures. I was heavily influenced by
Jos de Mey in this way and Reutersvärd in terms of trying
to reuse my grid system in a different way and try and
create abstract shapes which do not look correct.
I find these achieved the goals I set out to produce with
the intention of creating a series of works which correlate
with each other. In relation to how this sits with the light
cone book I think it would be interesting to progress
down a different path. Whilst cutting out the book I
delved into laser engraving on paper and these outcomes
seem to hold the same aesthetic as the book which I
think is important as well as the content of the posters.
These laser cut outcomes can be seen on the following
pages but I thought it important to have a precursor and
different examples to choose from.
Experiments: impossible objects pt 2.
97
99
Interested in conveying the same feeling and aesthetic
of Reutersvärd, Escher and De Mey I arrived at more
tyopgraphic and abstract outcomes in this respect. This
is to go along with the light cone book I have produced,
some of them have elements of time in narrative and
some are fairly abstract. They have all been laser
engraved on the same paper I have made the book out of
and allow for a coherent soft style ro emerge. I think the
two go together quite well and will replace the idea of lino
prints.
I am happy with how these have turned out and feel
that there is a good aesthetic to my work allowing the
material I have worked with take the front seat and
elevate my idea into an interesting body of work. In the
coming weeks I will begin to deduce which pieces I will be
exhibiting in the final show.
The abstract wave motions and very rigid rectangle
geometric shapes contrast with each other but all have
the intention of using the aesthetic of time in a different
way. Each piece has a central focal point as the light cone
does. With this a narrative pattern begins to emerge
throughout.
The intent of experimenting with the impossible object
was to try and marry a more visual side to include with
my project. By investigating this area I found that by
creating abstract, narrative based graphics made an
interesting correlation between the emotive feeling trying
to visualising the invisible.
Experiments: impossible objects
101
103
105
107
109
Having written about this previously I have gone and
produced the light cone book and I am happy with the
outcome. This is the final outcome to be shown at the
MA degree show along with some laser engraved prints
depicting the notion of an impossible object.
The light cone was produced by laser cutting 350 sheets
of 200mm x 200mm circles decreasing in size by 1mm
each sheet.
With the production complete it’s interesting to make the
comparison to the light cone and the book as they are
both vessels in which narratives transpire. This reiterates
as well the intention of visualising time differently allowing
for the passing of events to become a new signifier of
time. Each page is an event or a page of time whereby an
event has or will occur. This is powerful I find.
Experiments: light cone book.
111
113
115
Analysing the intentions of mixing the aesthetic of
impossible objects and time together, I have realised
that the two seem to correlate on an emotive level. By
emotive I mean to describe the feeling of disparity once
we realise that time is not a controllable constraint which
we have power over. We can organise it but there is no
control. I find this interesting as a power struggle.
With the aesthetic of an impossible object I feel as
though there is this same feeling of disparity among
understanding the visual implications of something not
making logical sense. Nonsensical logic in these terms is
what is interesting as the link between the two is formed
by this illogical way of interpreting something which we
should normally understand, By this I mean to highlight
the emotive factors that relativity and impossible objects
evoke. In terms of the project I am content with the final
outcome but I feel the documentation could have been a
bit stronger. Having prided myself previously on building
a project primarily through hypothesis and integral
research I upended myself with the masters project. I
focused more heavily on the experimental side of things,
producing graphic outcomes and intertwining these with
the intent on tying this in with my project.
The evolution from exploring the notion of structure and
style versus function slowly butterflied into a larger more
experimental outcome. I feel as if I stuck to the study
plan that I originally came up with but in turn argued
a more abstract dialogue between style and function.
By investigating the very notion of time I attempted
to unravel a pillar of functionality in which we almost
confide in and rely on an everyday basis. The discussion
that ensued was primarily one of researching and merely
understanding how we can change our perception of
time. By skimming through and gathering information
about relativity, I found this different perception of time
which lead me to a breakthrough.
Research: analysis
117
Through understanding the general theory of relativity
and realising that time is a man made construct and that
time is perhaps a consequence of gravity, I found it quite
a grandiose and difficult notion to comprehend. This
lead me to the light cone and understanding that time
is the passing of events more than anything. The shape
of the light cone is something that stood out to me on a
level whereby there was an interesting narrative quality
to it. Using the book as a tool to portray this idea fit in
perfectly and the simple idea of mainly representation
really fit the general core of graphic design, to
communicate.
The posters I created to coincide with the book were
mainly more experiments to portray the narrative of a
light cone. As the light cone idea revolves around a focal
point whereby events happen before they are gone , I
tried to portray mainly the progression of an event before
it is gone.
119