David Hockney Collage Workshop Karina Velikova
“Kasmin 1982”
David Hockney “Joiners” Technique
David Hockney – “Pearblossom Highway #2”
“My Mother”
In the 1980s, David Hockney started to produce collages, also called “joiners”, using Polaroid and commercially processed prints. With the use of photolab prints and Polaroid snaps of an object or place, Hockney created his collages by arranging a patchwork resulting in a composite image. The photographs are taken from different perspectives and at a different time. The final work has an affinity with Cubism, which is one of Hockney’s main interests. Also, the style of the works is discussing the way human vision works. The “joiners” technique is applied both for landscapes, such as “Pearblossom Highway #2”, and portraits, such as “Kasmin 1982”, and “My Mother”, “Bolton Abbey”, 1982. Hockney created the “joiners” accidentally. He was intrigued by the wide-angle lenses which were popular in the late sixties. He did not like the fact that the resulting images were distorted. While working on a painting in a living room with a terrace in Los Angeles, he took a few Polaroid shots and glued them together, not intending to create a composition. On looking back, he noticed that he produced a narrative of a viewer moving through the room. He stopped painting for a while to exclusively pursue the new technique.
Workshop Syllabus
The aim of the workshop is to introduce the photo collage or “joiners” technique of the famous British photographer and painter David Hockney. The media will be presented to the students with the focus on the specific techniques and the process of the development of the collages. The students will have a chance to create their own collage in Venice, using the new media they learned. The “joiners” give a chance for personal interpretation of one’s surroundings, so a unique approach will be encouraged. Even though, some students could be familiar with the city of Venice, the workshop aims to give a chance to rediscover the city and to analyze the surroundings in a greater detail. Familiarizing oneself with the new media could give a more broad understanding of the possibilities of photography and personal interpretation of a place. The participants will have the chance to experiment with a new technique, meet fellow colleagues, and create an art piece which can remain a great memory from their stay in Venice. The workshop will be three (non-consecutive) days and will include: day one – introduction lecture, day two – exploration of Venice and photography session, day three – collage studio. The participants will learn about the technique during day one with examples and explanations of the methods and concepts used in Hockney’s work. Day two will be a more practical approach to learning the new media. The workshop group will discuss possible topics, places, and methods to be explored in Venice. A walk around the city will give the chance to each member to gather a collection of photographs for their own collage. The last day of the workshop will be spent in a studio where the participants will put together their collages and finalize their work. The studio work will allow experimentation with the organization of the photographed material and will be an opportunity to explore different methods to convey better a concept. The workshop will be limited to 10 participants in order to facilitate discussion and moving within the city on the exploration day. Participants should keep in mind the cost of photography printing and the material used for the base of the collage will be on their expense. The produced collages in the workshop will be photographed for documentation of the workshop, but all collages will remain for the workshop participants.
Programme
November 16th, Wednesday – Presentation of the “Joiners” Technique 17:00
Lecture room 9D, Venice International University, San Servolo Island -
Presentation including PowerPoint and videos of Hockney’s “Joiners” technique. The aim is to familiarize the students with the concept of the media and what can be achieved with it. The presentation will show examples of the technique and further guidance for the collages will be given. The students will be advised to think of an aspect or place of the city that they want to portray in their collage, which will be discussed on the next meeting. All participants will be added to a Facebook page of the event which will facilitate communication and organization of the workshop.
November 19th, Saturday – Venice Exploration – Photography day 13:00
Meeting point – Accademia Gallery (near the entrance) -
-
-
-
In the beginning of the meeting each participant will share their first thoughts on the topic of their collage or specific method they want to pursue. Their concept can change during the city exploration but it is a good starting point for discussion and gathering ideas. The exploration of the city will be focused on finding a place for each member that can be depicted with the new media. The participants will take the photographs needed for their collage. Again, discussion is encouraged. In this way the participants could have a lot of insights on their topic and produce more interesting photos to work with later. It is advised to wait for group members to finish photographing in order to be able to move as a group. Each of the participants is expected to have at least 20 photos of a specific place. The bigger the number of photos, the more choice the participants will have in the process of putting together their collages. Students should upload their photos electronically (in the group’s page) by Monday for a discount on printing (in the photo place ”Technifoto Di Vitturi Francesco”, 0.19 Euros per photo). They can collect their printed photos on the next meeting.
November 23th Wednesday – Material Supply and Studio 17:30
Meeting point – Campo Santa Margherita -
18:30
The workshop group will go together to art supplies shops close to Campo Santa Margherita for purchasing material for the bases of the collages. The material choice is up to the participant as it has go together with the idea of his or her collage. A recommended base is A1 size (or similar) cardboard. The cost varies depending on the type of material – from 2.60 to 4.50 euros. IUAV’s Cotonificio building, Floor 1 studio work space, Dorsoduro 2196, 30123 Venezia
-
-
At this point the participant will receive their photos in the studio and start arranging them on the collage base, trying out options for the organization of the photos, without yet gluing them. During the process they will be guided by the workshop organizer, helping them to achieve a better expression of their idea or providing them with new insights. Once satisfied with the organization of the photos on the collages, the participants are free to glue their work and finalize the collages. Discussion of the produced work will give the chance to the participants to show and comment on what they have achieved in their practical task of using the new media.
Timetable November 16th, Wednesday 17:00
Presentation of the “joiners” technique Lecture room 9D, Venice International University, San Servolo Island
November 19th, Saturday 13:00
Venice Exploration – Photography day Meeting point – Accademia Gallery (near to the entrance)
November 23th, Wednesday 17:30
18:30
Supply of materials from the art shop Meeting point – Campo Santa Margherita
Studio work: - Organizing the collage and putting it together - Discussion of the final work IUAV’s Cotonificio building, Floor 1 studio work space, Dorsoduro 2196, 30123 Venezia
Expected Outcomes The students are expected to create a new understanding of creative ways to represent the world around them. They could become more analytical when perceiving their surroundings. Since the “joiners” technique gives a change to focus on specific aspects and viewpoints of a place, its application can result in different outcomes depending on the nature of the photographed area and the vision of the creator. A new appreciation for the physical application of photography is expected, because of the personal touch on the collage development, which contrasts with the contemporary everyday use of photography. Also, the collection of collages from the workshop can show new and diverse sides of the city of Venice which are worth noticing.
David Hockney – “Isherwood 1”