Artist Research

When I start a project, I rarely start with artist research, as my inspirations often come from real life things. However, I do still see the value in seeing what has come before me as no concept stands alone (Davey In Macleod and Holdridge, 2009) and my work will be existing in the same realm as these works. Comparisons could be made as my work will not exist within a vacuum (Melee and Cramerotti, 2013). In both of out works we are nodding to the gestures and conventions of the road signs (Judovitz, 1998).

Shrigley (2007) in Tate (2019)

I came across ‘Stop It’ (2007) by David Shrigley and was instantly warmed to it as I could see the process to create the work was similar to my own, there is a strong DIY aesthetic which is also identifiable within my own practice and draws on our shared public language (Wittgenstein in Kripke, 1984) and social contracts (Rousseau, 1998). In reading ‘stop’ we have a shared understanding of what it is we are expected to do – to come to a complete stop.

However, Shrigley has used artistic licence to add the ‘it’ adds some humour to the work, but keeps the work open to infinite interpretation (Brusseau, 2005), as the audience we still do not know what ‘it’ is. This further allows personal meaning to seep into our interpretations of the work, drawing on our private denotation (Doherty, 2015). When was the last time they heard these words and how will that effect their understanding of the art? Was it from an annoyed parent, or waring sibling?

The use of a hand rendered text is another similarity between our practices – though not in my new The Road Sign Collection. This is something used throughout his practice. In this piece practically it allows the text to become unauthoritive, almost personal. The handcrafted aesthetic renders the text almost abstract and open to further interpretation (Emin, 2007). This is something that I want to start to develop in my collection, by starting to make subtle swaps as I go forward. The first stage of this process will be to start to replace the found font from the signs and replace it with my font ACComplete4. I will be interested in seeing how this change effects the reading of the work.

While I have previously created signs with the font, this will be the first time that I am working so directly with the real-life counter parts.

Reference

Brusseau. J. (2005) Decadence of the French Nietzsche. Lexington Books; 2nd edition.

Davey, N. In Macleod, K and Holdridge, L. (2009) Thinking Through Art: Reflections on Art as Research. Routledge.

Doherty, C. (2015) Public Art (Now): Out of Time, Out of Place. London: ART/BOOKS.

Emin, T. (2007) Tracey Emin: borrowed light. British Council.

Judovitz, D. (1998) Unpacking Duchamp: Art in Transit. University of California Press.

Kripke, S. (1984) Wittgenstein Rules and Private Language. John Wiley & Sons; New Ed edition.

Melee, L. and Cramerotti, A. (2013) Art and Revolution. Aesthetic Journalism.

Rousseau, J. J. (1998) The Social Contract. Wordsworth Editions.

Tate. (2019) David Shrigley: Stop it. [online] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/shrigley-stop-it-t12819. [accessed 08/11/19].