Recording Task part 2

For the task I was given to complete, this is the instructions i received from ST Jerry Tong:

Here is my experience completing this task:

At first i felt a lot of fear towards this task, logistically the condensation on the mirror is only present for a very short window of time, i felt a pressure to plan and to create something worthwhile. But i realised that this contradicts the point of this task, not to meticulously plan, worry and construct, but to take this time to give myself some headspace, to reflect on things that are personal and in the state of relaxation and self awareness approach a canvas that the more i create, the more it reflects myself. This is a very intimate and personal task and thus i will not reflect further until its completion.

Hildegard Westerkamp - Kits beach sound walk (1989)

The first artist records a soundscape from a beach walk.

" The city is roaring around these tiny sounds but it is not masking them" - drawing attention to the small sounds that contribute to contextualise our experience. A focus on attention to the natural sounds which are being drowned out by "the city" which "interferes with our listening". The city with all its noise sound is 'filtered out' to pay attention to the smaller sounds of 'imagination and of dream', which are preferred for grounding experience.

Entering a dream-state through these common sounds which we pay less attention to. - enabling of meditative benefits.

Bill Viola - Ascension (2000)

The second artist shows the artist falling into water with dramatic lighting, in slow motion.

Like the last work there is a resolute attention to sound and how it frames our experience of the footage is again important. Showers are often very loud, as the water falls from the head and onto our skin it produces a sibilant sound that is at once encompassing and calming.

Samson Young - Liquid borders (2012-14)

Another sound work, specifically the sound of separation between hong kong and China through vibrations of the metal fences that produce this 'cage' and symbolise divide. This sound is more aggressive than the last.

In my writings on sound works I agree that when sounds are listened to in any context, including when I play back these recordings, they are reactivated in this new context. The sound as it leaves my speaker is installed into the environment and has a dialogue with this new architecture and with the spectating audience.

The sounds in this last work strikes a unique cord as i sympathise with the situation in Hong Kong, It is somehwere I visited as a child, and felt its hospitality, i have several friends who are from hong kong and my family works with hong kong refugees as they enter the UK.

As these sounds amplify, we can understand these images of the fences not just as silent symbols, but loud and oppressive barriers, and we can sympathise with the experience of living in Hong Kong, within this constant and violent threat.

Here is my result after completing Jerry's task:

The steam from the shower had also steamed up my camera lens and this gave the result a dream-like un-focus which echoed both the experience of completing the task and some of the inspiration i acquired from the artists provided.

While listening to the sound of the water and reflecting on my day prior, I felt a certain dissapointment within myself for struggling to adapt to getting up at six again after a long summer, i felt that it was giving me a mask which I don't identify with and i became worried about how I was coming across to my peers on the course. I wanted to show this hand as declaration that i would try and remove this false mask. on the left I also drew a clock-face, less in-focus deliberately as if to show its haunting presence.

Comparing outcomes and reflecting on application:

Luke's task:

- Openness and freedom with the task - not too restrictive- allows for "creative" responses

- Openness depends on the student artist to contribute to the task through their experience and interpretation

- Suitable references

- Understanding of what the practitioner should be doing at all stages

Jerry's task:

-Adding value to the student's life - period of reflection and calm

- Suitable references

- References targeted to change the way of thinking about the task rather than changing the skill and outcomes. - identifies two types of references - each have their advantages but perhaps a mix of both could be most advantageous.

- using time frames to inform quantity of work load rather than setting boundaries on the student to respond within a time.

- Recording performs a role, means of recording reflects the experience of the task completed.

- presenting a recording installs it within a new context.

- all means of recording feeds into an artwork.

- openness to interpretation and celebrating experience and response.

- Complete the task before setting it, but perhaps, do not always show the work to students - this might limit outcomes more than inspire variety.

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