CELEBRATING A CYCLE
EXHIBITION TEXT
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PLANNING SKETCHES
First step of the ephemeral piece was to make planning sketches based on the theme of nature cycle. I had many ideas from different inspiration. One idea is to paint rocks with street chalk and to grind the chalk down to make power to make a rainbow cloud over a bridge. Another idea was to cover leaves with leaves inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. I decided to experiment with all three of my planning sketches since the season is just about right which is flexible as different color of leaves are available.
INSPIRATION
For my ephemeral piece "Sensation", the inspiration came from Andy Goldsworthy. Andy is a British artist who work with variety of natural materials to produce unique temporary artwork. He usually work with any materials in nature that he find interesting ranging from snow, ice, leaves, rock, flower, twigs, etc... And before his work is being wash away by nature, he capture his artwork with his camera. One of his works that inspired me the most is the project with yellow leaves on rock. This project is most involved with nature cycle and how man creation will be devoured by nature process through time. I planned to carry out the same process except I will use a smaller size rock in a shallower stream. But to add as decorations, I will also use green leaves and create small polka dots on the layer of yellow leaves. Another inspiration for "Sensation" is Andy Goldsworthy's project using rocks to create a circle with gradation to a black hole. This project inspired my process as I planned to use different shades of color in nature including rocks or leaves.
EXPERIMENTING IDEASAt first, I had many ideas in mind of what to do for my ephemeral piece. So I decided to test out out all of my ideas. All of these ideas involve nature because nature has a ephemeral element to it as everything is temporary and will have to go through life cycle. I experimented with my idea of painting rocks with street chalk, curtain of leaves and a bridge of leaves. My favorite outcome was the bridge with leaves because it looks very unique and had the potential to be a good ephemeral piece. However I decided to go with the idea of painting rock, but I later used leaves instead of chalk for my piece because it would be better for the environment when they decompose.
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MAKING PROCESSFirst step was to collect leaves around a park. Since it is in the season of fall which is perfect for collecting different shades of leaves ranging from green to red. I tried to collect leaves from the same tree so that the shade of yellow could be consistent. Next step was to find a good position to work on my project in which I found a creek that has shallow water and many rocks laying around. It was important to find a comfortable position next to the rock that I worked on so that I won't fall or trip into the water. With the leaves inside a plastic bag, I dip them into the water to soften them up so that it would be easy to apply them onto the rock. After applying about a handful of leaves onto the rock that I realized that leaf midrib is actually making it harder for the leaves to be completely flexible laying on the rock. So I tore the leaves from the midrib so that it would be easier to apply and that no part of the leaves would be sticking upward. It took around 30 minutes for the rock to be covered with yellow leaves. I then improvised by using the leaves from a tree next to the creek. I used these leaves to create green circles on the rock like polka dots. After the rock is covered with yellow leaves and green leave circle, I used my camera to capture the piece in various angles.
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CRITIQUEMy piece "Celebrating A Cycle" share similarities with my inspiration from Andy Goldsworthy arts. My piece is also created from found materials from nature. Andy Goldsworthy art and mine both emphasize the idea of ephemeral in nature and that nothing last even our beautiful creations. Which could be a beautiful thing to celebrate the creation and to leave it to nature. My piece is created taking many things from my inspiration such as the leave material, and the composition of the piece which was on a rock of a creek. However, there are also differences between my piece and my inspiration. In Andy's piece, he only use one color of leave to coat the rock. But in my piece, I also use green leave to coat as polka dots to add a little more decoration. The photo of my piece is taken very close-up, while my inspiration's photo is taken quite far away to include the setting around. In the end, I did successfully make a piece that reflect on my inspiration, also the idea of impermanent nature.
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REFLECTIONThroughout the project, I've learned many things from the process and what I could do to make it better. After putting a handful of leaves onto the rock, I noticed that the midrib of the leaves prevent them from completely laying flat on top of the rock. So I tore them apart from the midrib to make them lay on the rock easier. The water at the creek was exceptionally quite cold on that day so it was difficult for my hands to work with the cold water for a long period of time as my hands went numb after 30 minutes. Therefore I had to take a break here and there to recover from the numbness. One other thing that I learn from the process was that it is important to collect from the same tree so that they are consistent with shade of color. The angle and light to capture a photo of the piece was no less important. It was that why I planned to make the piece around the time of sunset so that the natural light would be soft and just perfect for taking photo. The angle of photo also play an important role as I tried to capture the whole piece but also to put it in an interesting angle. If I were to do this project again, I would choose a different type of leaf that is softer and easier to work with. I would create smaller polka dots and take more time with the creation.
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MEANING
The ephemeral piece "Celebrating A Cycle" revolves around the theme of nature and its impermanent character. As an artist, it is very hard for me to accept the fact that my piece will be gone after hours of emotion and energy being put in to create. Many people including me could have a hard time with letting things go, especially something beautiful such as that beautiful vase that need to be thrown away when moving to a new place. We like to keep memories and something that would remind us of that particular memory, something sentimental. Growing up from a childhood is very difficult, I've become more attached and obsessed with small things and I found it very hard to let go sometimes. Once I remember of my child, of when I used to make sandcastle at the beach and how I know the waves would eventually wash it all away but I still kept on making it. When my mom calls me and it was time to go, my sandcastle was completed and it looked magnificent to me. I took a look at the castle one last time and walk away with the knowledge that it will not be there forever. I did not intend on keeping the castle, but rather I kept the beauty of the castle and the fun process while making it. I was happy to let go. Just like my light-hearted childhood, I wanted to emphasize the idea of letting go. Everything in nature from a beautiful person, a beautiful rose to a magnificent beautiful architecture will all have to succumb to nature in the end and go through the cycle. My piece "Celebrating A Cycle" is not about making a mark in nature, but rather to celebrating the impermanent value of it. I created something beautiful to me knowing that fact that it will be gone within days and I accepted that. Which could be a very powerful thing, to let go of something you put so much effort and mind to creating. But to be light-hearted like my childhood and let go, it could help us to be free of the material connection and to understand that nothing will last forever. Understanding this concept will help us to celebrate its transient value and to happily let go of things.
CONNECTION TO ACT
- My inspiration from Andy Goldsworthy has a huge impact on my piece as I focus on the theme of nature and its impermanent value just like my inspiration. I also use leaves coating onto the rock similar to my inspiration. The composition of the piece is also considered from my inspiration
- The overall approach of Andy Goldsworthy is that everything is ephemeral in nature. Everything beautiful or ordinary will have to go through a life cycle.
- I've discovered the idea of letting go, which could be very powerful. To let go of something that we put so much efforts into could be very difficult but to let go it shows strength.
- The central theme of my inspiration revolves around nature. It explores the idea of impermanent in nature and how everything would have to succumb to nature to go through the life cycle.
- I've inferences that the artworks that Andy Goldsworthy made will all be washed away by nature. But the rock formation will later be discovered by other people and they will be surprised of the art piece laying there.
REFERENCES
Isaacs, Susan. "Artists That Inspire Me: Andy Goldsworthy | Paragon Design Group." Paragon Design Group. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.
Goldsworthy, Andy. "Andy Goldsworthy - Melt." Andy Goldsworthy - Melt. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
Goldsworthy, Andy. "Andy Goldsworthy - Melt." Andy Goldsworthy - Melt. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.