Jason Martin, Oaxaca (gold), 2011Pure pigment on panel60 x 48 cm |
Loving how the paint stands on and off of the panel its on I felt inspired to adapt this design into a piece in my own bedroom. Being at university I am in a room that many a student has lived in. Thus it, my room, has been given a general and unstimulated colour palette to, i'm guessing, make it easier for each years inhabitant to make it their own? Who knows for certain. In this room of mine I have a very large cork pin board. For months decorated and re-decorated it with images I liked ... to inject some personality into my room. Though, everything was unsatisfying. I admired the way one of my flatmates had designed her board. She had gotten herself a sheet of fabric and covered the board in it. This instantly made her room seem more homely and inviting. Giving her her own space to feel herself in. Now, I didn't have much fabric at the ready. I had used the only fabric I had to make cushion covers in preparation for university! Little did I know the personality they radiated wouldn't suffice. I resorted to using the throw on my bed as a makeshift board cover. Already I felt that my room looked better. A couple of weeks went by with my room looking like this. Though I liked it, it felt rigid and not fully 'me.' I didn't really know what to do. I resolved to get more fabric and layer it ontop of the pre-pinned fabric. I am crazy for layers. It didn't take me long to put my thriftiness and impatience into practice as I found a collection of blankets I liked and figured I could use them to create a more 'me' board. I scurried home and instantly began tearing down my board and arranging it how I wanted. It was a very spontaneous process and I just went with the flow. Having a pre-existent knowledge of Jason Martin his work kept popping into my head as I pinned the material to my board. I aimed to create a relaxed board of draped fabric which, through the pins, had these moments of tension (you can see my board above). I ran out of fabric half way through the process but I was so driven that I didn't want to stop. So I searched my wardrobe and drawers to find clothes I no longer wore and I put those on the board and hung them how I saw fit. I tried to create an interaction between the fabrics - having the curve and caress each other. Looking at this board now I am so happy with it. I know it's no masterpiece in comparison to Martin's work. But, it does what Martin's work does for me. Which is that it captures a moment. To me that board represents a moment of inspiration and drive that could have been broken by lack of material. It was instead made by an abundance of old and new - like the/my mind. It shows how I have merged the two together to create something hodgepodge but which has a very coherent narrative.
I think that this is me relaying that art is what you make of it and you can make it. Whatever capability and whatever vision, regardless of acclaim or what not, a piece of art you create says something about you. Make it say what you want.
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