Masters Project Workbook by Cameron Francis Taylor

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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-imaginesworst-ever-user-experience-44210

Katerina Kamprani ‘The Uncomfortable’ 2014

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-WithJust-One-Table-That-Is-Long-Enough-To-Seat-All-125Employees/#.UwDIdZ_Wepc.facebook

Clive Wilkinson ‘Superdesk’ 2013

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 machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 computerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. 11

Experiments with Quartz Composer Left: Audio reactive ever spinning cube Ă&#x2019;Right: Video input and Audio input linked create blur.

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.

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/

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

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 cityscapes 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 Marionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

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.

Villa Savoye rework.

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Arc du Triomphe rework.

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Duane Dalton ‘Album Anatomy’ Kavinsky

Duane Dalton ‘Album Anatomy’ The Chemical Brothers

Duane Dalton ‘Album Anatomy’ Hot Chip

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 Pfaeffliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work succeeds in that. It is reminiscent of international style and Armin Hoffmannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Research: toy design.

http://www.kidrobot.com/ http://www.casestudyo.com/

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.

Andy Rementer “People Blocks” 2013

Kidrobot “Munny”

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”);

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. Weignartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is very interesting and quite relevant to the progression Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Wolfgang Weingart “My Way to Typography” 1999

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 Zizekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Event: Philosophy in Transitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 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.

Cam Taylor ‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print. 2014

Experiments: typographic time.

Time as a universal man made entity is interesting because with the progression of humanity and technology itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m interested by time and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Cam Taylor ‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print. 2014

‘Signifier’s of time’ Typographic experiments

Research: perception of time.

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. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Time and space are modes by which we think and are not conditions in which we live.â&#x20AC;? - 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,

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 donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;light coneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. 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-JeffLieberman-on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_cone http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-experience/ 59

Research: light cones.

‘Light Cone’ diagram Anna Mincho ‘book of dimensions’ CSM graphic design degree show 2010.

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.

Research: time, continued.

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 didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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: Bianca Chang

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/

Experiments: spacetime & impossible design.

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 masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Research: Phillipe Decrauzat.

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: Jan Baetens.

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 p.10

almost reaffirms the idea of what an image is or what it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. 75

Research: time, space and context.

Ellen Lupton (2014) Deconstruction and Graphic Design

‘underconstruction magazine’

- 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.

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

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). Posthistory. 1st ed. Minneapolis, MN: Univocal.) 77

Research: Vilém Flusser

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 dealienating 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.

“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.

Research: Fong Qi Wei

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: 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.

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

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 Liebermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Research: Slavoj Zizek - ‘Event’

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

makes truth itself evental; a trauma which destabilises the symbolic order we dwell in; the rise of a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;MasterSignifier, 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.â&#x20AC;? (p.6) Zizek, S (2014). Event : Philosophy in Transit. 1st ed. Penguin Books, Limited.

Research: visualising the invisible.

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.

Oscar Reutersvärd ‘An impossible object’

MC Escher ‘Relativity’

Jos De Mey ‘Lithograph print’

Research: monument valley.

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 gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s isometric perspective. The player interacts with the environment to find hidden passages as Ida progresses to the mapâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Idaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Oscar Reutersvärd ‘An impossible object’

Experiments: impossible objects pt 2.

After gauging this same emotion from impossible objects as visualising the invisible I wanted to produce the same aesthetic through my lino prints that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 ReutersvĂ¤rd 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

Interested in conveying the same feeling and aesthetic of Reutersv채rd, 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.

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Experiments: light cone book.

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 itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

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Research: analysis

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.

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.

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