Counter culture project reflections
Even though I deviated from my original plans, I am still really pleased with the work I made for this project. I feel like I adapted well to limits put on me, whether it be access to equipment, time or budget. And I learnt a lot about my own studio practise, developing my technical skills along the way.
My end piece is a translation on the famous Bull of Wall Street and it is a commentary on the charging blind danger and madness of late stage capitalism.
I created the distorted bull image through a combination of photography, collage and digital editing. The use of collage and bitmap gives it a rebellious, visceral and punky quality. The original horns of the bull were swapped out for images of my own fingers and I think this works for two reasons. It brings humans into the dislogue of the piece very clearly. And it gives the bull a sordid disfigured quality.
My choice to print on multiple layers of transparent red celophane is a comment on the multi-layered nature of the issue and draws parallels with the horrors, both current and future, of mans destruction of nature; symbolized here as bull fighting, with the cheap flowing plastic resembling a matadors cape.
I am still not 100% certain how or where I will display the whole piece as an installation. A big part of me wants to create a sturdy frame for it and drop it in the business district of Nottingham, mirroring the guerilla art aspect of the original bull sculpture. A tutor suggested I run one up a flag pole and cycle around town, making a video piece, and I like that idea too.
I've also run off a bunch of these larger prints on newspaper print and want to use them to create street art, in relationship with the urban environment. Mainly smashed windows. Watch this space.