Sketchbook Portraits...

Pen Drawings of William Pooley, Umaru and Pauline Cafferkey

Scientific Illustration of the Ebola Virion

Sketchbook Development

Following on from from my research into Ebola cases in the UK and Freetown, Sierra Leone I have continued to draw portraits of each person affected by the Ebola Virus. Above I have experimented using paint and tracing paper in order to show the temporary effect of Ebola.

Illustrations of the Ebola Virion, Pencil Drawn (Right) and Screen Printed (Left) 

Using the scientific illustration of the Ebola Virion, I have used tracing paper in order to overlay the image of the portraits of each of the Ebola victims. I have decided to use the tracing paper to reflect the layers found in the specialist care units. I feel that the tracing paper also reflects the how people view those who have contracted the virus, blurring the identity of the person behind the label. 

I feel that this piece works fairly successfully to convey what I am trying to say within my work, however, I would like to develop this idea further to show the difference in treatment towards each person after being both confirmed Ebola positive and post treatment, for example, the isolation by groups of people of some victims such as Umaru. I will be taking this piece to show in Crit in order to gain a wider perspective and se whether my message is as clear as I'd hope it to be. 

Art & Science: Research Progression

Ebola: Alive Again

Following on from my last post I have found a fascination in the way that people react to human condition. I was particularly drawn to the following article detailing the account of a young 20-year-old man called Umaru. Having contracted the Ebola Virus Umaru managed to recover from the virus after being admitted to the MSF's Prince of Wales Ebola Management Centre in Freetown.

 What struck me about the article was about the reaction Umaru faced after being diagnosed and even after being cured of the virus. Umaru stated that when first experiencing symptoms of the virus 'everyone was scared. I could not stay in my own home any longer.' He also stated as if it was normal practice that 'Normally people with Ebola get driven from their homes.' and that despite being cured that his 'younger brother was stopped from seeing me by his father.' The comparison between the treatment of Ebola suffers/ survivors in the UK and in Umaru's case intrigued me as to how different cultures cope with human condition and illness. I was reminded of the UK cases of William Pooley, and Pauline Cafferkey whom both contracted the virus while working in Sierra Leone, both of which were admitted into UK hospitals for treatment. 

Reading a further into the case of Pauline Cafferkey I found a profile article of her case on the BBC. The imagery featured in the article struck a chord with me, finding them intimidating and foreboding, the sense danger in the occult. This sense of place and sense of danger is something that I think I would like to try to replicate within my work, making the viewer reflect on the strange hypercondriac , fear like state that we all are so vulnerable to despite the missing presence of a visual threat. 

Still from the video diary Pauline Cafferkey kept during her time in Sierra Leone 

Highly Infectious Disease Specialist Unit Ms Cafferkey was admitted to

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30684665

Art & Science: Research

Contemporary Art and Medical Regimes: Curating Anatomica 

Looking in to the subject of art and science I have decided to begin by looking at how other contemporary artists have approached such a topic. Curated by Cindy Stelmackowich the exhibition brings together a mixed collection of medical artefacts alongside contemporary art. This curatorial decision by Stelmackowich aimed to start "new conversations about biomedical imagery and artefacts" highlighting "the unmistakable interconnection between Western medicine, the histories of aesthetics, and the cultural representation of human anatomy."  

Lisa Nillson - Thorax
Mulberry Paper, 21.5 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches, 2011

Stelmackowich states 'in most instances, the artist exploits the
physical nature of their materials and places importance on uniquely crafted presentations that simultaneously echo and unhinge the dominant (and somewhat sterile) scientific representation of the human body." The materials and techies used by the various artists in the exhibition range from textiles to paper craft, capturing the intricate and delicate nature of the human body reflecting its inner complexity. 

Looking at the work featured in this article, I have began to become interested in the way that people view and interact with the body. I like how in this exhibition artists such as Lyn Carter and Lisa Nillson have explored the inner parts of the body, Carter with her textile organ constructions and Nillson with her carefully crafted ribbons of paper laid out to represent to MRI-cross sections. I'm interested in the way that their choice of materials has transformed a raw part of the body, of which physical form its physical form people would usually turn away from, into something approachable and interesting, emphasising their complexity through recreation. 

See original article below: 

https://impactethics.ca/2015/02/19/reading-medical-artifacts-contemporary-art-and-medical-regimes-curating-anatomica/

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

GRAVITY STEPHEN WILSON 19.03.2015

Lecture Notes:

Amateur Time, Kids, Youth and Transitivity - Gravity 'time' Lecture

What it might mean to have a better understanding of time?
Where is the optimism in terms of the future? raised issues of constant surveillance

Joao Penalva 1949
From the Weeds of Hiroshima 1997
photographs, gelatine silver and ink on paper.
 - Used photogram technique to capture images of weed flowers which pushed themselves through the ground hit by the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
 - Weed has uses in medicine and symbolism of life
 - Radiation connotations in silhouette like photograms, shadow of previous life imprinted to the page.

"the future is not what it used to be"

Vivienne Dick
Guerillére Talks 1978
Revisits an era of having no money meant to possibility of having more time. A way to survive in London on the welfare state in the 80s - allowing time to develop practice without interruption.
Continually framing a female perspective. Gorilla filming to emphasise mood and texture. Part of the 'no wave' movement.
 "Wanted to make films where men are peripheral, much like women are."
Testament to youth culture.

'...We live in a talkative era, one in which the public display of opinions, raciness, declarations and diverse 'comings out' has reached a level seldom seen in the past.' - Marc Augé - The Future (2015)

"Imagine an exhibition that cannot be sustained. Thats is falling apart before installation has begun. That flickers on and off to Skype notification sounds" - Hito Stereyl

Work Shown - Mercela arms - Exhaust, 2009
(6 cars, plastic container, gas combustion, bridge)
- presents an image the provides a public reminder to what cities now represent in these current time. Very complex results in these grown up cities.

Yuan Goang - Ming
The 561st Hour of Occupation (2014) - Video
- Students occupied the parliament of Taiwan for 561 hours
- Students wanted a closer watch on how taiwan is being governed, especially in regards to their future.
- soundtrack came from the taiwanese national anthem, slowed down in order to give a 'church-like' chorus.
- filmed on the eve of the withdrawal.
- visual index the coveys a amateur youthful revolt.

Opavivara! Formosa Decelerator (2014)
Transmedia: 220 x 1000 x 1000cm
16 hammocks around a tea table.
Questions on productivity.

'Can we speculate collectively on how to move beyond the present confines of contemporary arts practices, and begin articulating what can  appear from it's 'formerness?'" - Camiel Van Winkel - Statement taken from an ICA lecture on February 4th 2015

Questions:
Do you think theres a politics in wasting time?
So much being written about social 'structuristic' job work which don't help to support culture let alone art. How we have navigate this cruelty and optimism at the same time.

'Can we think of a future after the future?'

Lecture started questioning society and culture in terms of time and how our cultures have changed in time - 'The future is not what it used to be.' What we thought we once about the what the future would be like has not occurred - time itself has changed society. Explored questions of work and play. The time we spend reflecting on work as artists and the time we spend creating artwork, questioning this balance. Letting our practice into our own lives just that little bit more.

Gravity Ben Judd 12.03.2015

Lecture Notes:

Interested in Interstitially ( a state of between-ness) 

Work - I Miss, 2002

• Group of trainspotters at Doncaster station. 
• Interested in how they have a group but which still distinguishes them from everyone else. 

Work - I Love, 2003

• Went to film the men taking seeded photos for glamour magazines 
• added a voice over as to why he loved the men? 

Work - I Will Heal You, 2007 

• Went to work with a witch in south america, people warned him not to go near her 
• He visited her and put himself into her hands 
• Had a psychological impact for a short period after the ‘Cleansing Ritual’  
• Set up his own religion, hired a team to make a collection of objects which would give grounding to the belief 
• He wrote a statement to say what the religion was about but also warning people that it was also a sham  - links to his ideas of contrasting interests 

Work - Close to You, 2008 

• Started going to night classes whereby he learnt how to draw people from beyond the grave. 
• Quickly became fairly well recognised and did several talks and shows about it. 

Work, Observance, 2009 

• Approached 2 witches living in London
• theres a performance of nature in what they do
• so he asked actors to perform the ritual 
• is there anything that actually happens in this case. 

Transmission Rory Pilgrim 10.03.2015

Lecture Notes:

What do we hope to become? 

Fascinated by words, suffered with a stutter but appreciates how necessary they are in life and communication. Have we become artists because its another way to say something? 

started with speech when he first started to make work. “What on earth do I have to say? What on earth do I do? who is my audience? who am I actually supposed to be making work for?” 

As an artist its not clarified exactly what you supposed to do.The freedom of being on artist. 

Began to learn Estonian - Interesting way of learning speech, considering previous stutter. Opened up to the fact he could speak to another 1.3million people. 

Spent 3 years learning Estonia, spent 3 years trying to twin weymouth and happily (Estonian town) 

Love in Uganda, 2010 - Perfomance and Installation  

illegal to be gay in Uganda - trying to pass a bill to allow hangings. 

• Churches in the UK said nothing for 2 months. 40% of Ugandan follow same anglican religious beliefs. 
• Wrote a song during this silence called ‘love in Uganda’ 
• Asked churches around sheffield to perform the song, to which non excepted. 
• Produced an announcements poster to display this, displayed in a concert dates format. 
• Found hand written poster advertising ‘morning coffee and tea’ absorbed by the use of a hand written sign - it was traceable, someone was responsible for this. 
• Traced the sign writer and asked to collaborate. David (dSigns) hadn’t worked as a full time sign writer for over 10 years. 

The Rainbow, 2011 

• Made piece called ‘Rainbow’ - collaborative poster states “I guess we are not ready for this yet” tried to included things that would relate directly to him but also to everyone  
• Began to work more with young people in 2011, just after the students protests. 
• Made largest sign to hang in the window of museum. 
• Group of 8 young women got together to sing, empowering songs. 

The Rainbow, 2011, Installation

2012 - Went back to ‘Love in Uganda’ 

After work he began to focus on words 

• Peace in the 60s, Love, War, Legality and Opportunity, What if these words were to become saturated of meaning for future generations? 
• What if there aren't the words for future generations to express what they need to say? Do we have those words? 
• Freedom, for example, comes with a lot of baggage but equally amazing. 
• Started, not only to think about words but space. They require space in order to grow and gain life. 

New work thinning about what space offers now. Words are like repositories which retain meaning and time. 

Words Are Not Signs They Are Years - Work at Site Gallery, Sheffield 

• open room in which for people to talk about words, time, what you want to become. 
• “Family, affection, communication - if people communicated more the world would be a better place, and freedom, people should be able to live where they want and how they want.”
• “Freedom to be a wife, freedom to be a mother”