Critical evaluation
County hall exhibition
17.03.2016 - 06.04.2016
The Site
For Site and Context I had to create a piece of work reflecting off of Worcester County Hall. The building was built in 1977, this was clear when approaching. It is a large brown bricked building, which has three connected parts. The building overlooks a pond which is a home to wildlife. A flight of stairs leads off the road up into a disabled car park. This car park is outside the entrance of the building, in the middle of the three connected parts. This is the area that I was most attracted too when I came to visit the building. In the center of the car park is a large circular tiled piece, 19 rings wide, central within the carpark. The building has this stiff rigid exterior, everything was straight lines, whereas this space within the carpark has smoothed, circular edges.
This building is the heartbeat of Worcester city, the citizens of the city come here to register their newborns births, can get married and to register deaths. This building could be the center of someone's life story, they can begin and end here. Yet the building lacked the vibrancy of life that it holds inside. Instead it’s held onto its 1977 fashion which comes across harsh and unkind.
For Site and Context I had to create a piece of work reflecting off of Worcester County Hall. The building was built in 1977, this was clear when approaching. It is a large brown bricked building, which has three connected parts. The building overlooks a pond which is a home to wildlife. A flight of stairs leads off the road up into a disabled car park. This car park is outside the entrance of the building, in the middle of the three connected parts. This is the area that I was most attracted too when I came to visit the building. In the center of the car park is a large circular tiled piece, 19 rings wide, central within the carpark. The building has this stiff rigid exterior, everything was straight lines, whereas this space within the carpark has smoothed, circular edges.
This building is the heartbeat of Worcester city, the citizens of the city come here to register their newborns births, can get married and to register deaths. This building could be the center of someone's life story, they can begin and end here. Yet the building lacked the vibrancy of life that it holds inside. Instead it’s held onto its 1977 fashion which comes across harsh and unkind.
The Space
When exploring the site I was drawn towards the tiled pattern that was inside the disabled car park. The space was overlooked by all three sections of the building. Upon first interaction with the space, I was pulled towards the center of the circle and sat down in the middle. I stayed there for a few moments watching visitors of the County Hall walk past this space without giving it a seconds thought. This space was such an unnoticed part of the County Hall, even though to me it seemed so different. I couldn’t understand how I was able to feel something about a space without the visitors feeling it a little bit too. Maybe they did, but they had a purpose for being in the building and shrugged off the sensation to be pulled towards the center of the tiles. I wanted to turn this space into a noticeable space, so the visitors would feel the sensation what I felt when I was in the space.
When exploring the site I was drawn towards the tiled pattern that was inside the disabled car park. The space was overlooked by all three sections of the building. Upon first interaction with the space, I was pulled towards the center of the circle and sat down in the middle. I stayed there for a few moments watching visitors of the County Hall walk past this space without giving it a seconds thought. This space was such an unnoticed part of the County Hall, even though to me it seemed so different. I couldn’t understand how I was able to feel something about a space without the visitors feeling it a little bit too. Maybe they did, but they had a purpose for being in the building and shrugged off the sensation to be pulled towards the center of the tiles. I wanted to turn this space into a noticeable space, so the visitors would feel the sensation what I felt when I was in the space.
Colour
As I explored the space I realised that the space lacked vibrant colour, which is something I am passionate about. I know that through colour I could recreate the pulling in sensation that I felt when I first interacted with the space. Colour has a strong reaction in a space which lacks it, people are usually drawn to bright colours. I felt that using colour within the space will draw people towards the space and make the space noticable.
This image is a piece I found on a Wordpress blog named Wool and Spoons. It's quoted that the image was taken in Hamburg. It was a swirl of tiled colour at the entrance of a restaurant. This I felt was a great connection for the work I was wanting to create as it was using spirals, colour and tiles within an entrance to a building.
https://woolandspoons.wordpress.com/tag/tiles/
As I explored the space I realised that the space lacked vibrant colour, which is something I am passionate about. I know that through colour I could recreate the pulling in sensation that I felt when I first interacted with the space. Colour has a strong reaction in a space which lacks it, people are usually drawn to bright colours. I felt that using colour within the space will draw people towards the space and make the space noticable.
This image is a piece I found on a Wordpress blog named Wool and Spoons. It's quoted that the image was taken in Hamburg. It was a swirl of tiled colour at the entrance of a restaurant. This I felt was a great connection for the work I was wanting to create as it was using spirals, colour and tiles within an entrance to a building.
https://woolandspoons.wordpress.com/tag/tiles/
Spirals and The Fibonacci Sequence
Spirals reflect a pulling in sensation due to be large on the outside, gradually getting smaller as it reaches the center. I began researching into spirals and came across the Fibonacci sequence. It is a mathematical equation which produces spirals within a space. The sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 etc. It is worked out by adding the previous numbers equal the next number in the equation, this creates a spiral shape. The Fibonacci sequence is found within nature, for example within the head of a sunflower all the way to the spiral of a hurricane. This sequence felt the correct method to use for creating a spiral shape within the space of the County Hall car park. The natural sequence would fit in with creating a natural spiral.
Spirals reflect a pulling in sensation due to be large on the outside, gradually getting smaller as it reaches the center. I began researching into spirals and came across the Fibonacci sequence. It is a mathematical equation which produces spirals within a space. The sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 etc. It is worked out by adding the previous numbers equal the next number in the equation, this creates a spiral shape. The Fibonacci sequence is found within nature, for example within the head of a sunflower all the way to the spiral of a hurricane. This sequence felt the correct method to use for creating a spiral shape within the space of the County Hall car park. The natural sequence would fit in with creating a natural spiral.
The Process
Through photos of the space that I had taken during my visit, I was able to work out how the sequence was going to look within the space. I decided to use the sequence 4 times within the circle to make the space bright, bold and full. I felt one spiral wasn’t strong enough to stand alone, so 4 was decided to really utilise the space and create a strong pulling in sensation for the viewers and visitors of County Hall.
Through photos of the space that I had taken during my visit, I was able to work out how the sequence was going to look within the space. I decided to use the sequence 4 times within the circle to make the space bright, bold and full. I felt one spiral wasn’t strong enough to stand alone, so 4 was decided to really utilise the space and create a strong pulling in sensation for the viewers and visitors of County Hall.
Materials
The process developed into looking at materials to use to create the spiral pattern in the car park. I needed a material that was bright in colour to cause attention, however easily removed as to not damage council property. Although paint was my usual choice of medium as a painter, it wouldn’t be effective for the piece as it wouldn’t be removed. I experimented to begin with with Charcoal, however charcoal is black which isn’t what I want for the piece and it also isn’t easily removed.
Chalk was the strongest material to work with as it was bright in colour, durable and would easily be removed. I wanted the piece to naturally fade away as I was using a natural sequence to create the sequence. I collected chalk to begin experimenting with colour, the colours were bright and would stand bold in the dull area.
The process developed into looking at materials to use to create the spiral pattern in the car park. I needed a material that was bright in colour to cause attention, however easily removed as to not damage council property. Although paint was my usual choice of medium as a painter, it wouldn’t be effective for the piece as it wouldn’t be removed. I experimented to begin with with Charcoal, however charcoal is black which isn’t what I want for the piece and it also isn’t easily removed.
Chalk was the strongest material to work with as it was bright in colour, durable and would easily be removed. I wanted the piece to naturally fade away as I was using a natural sequence to create the sequence. I collected chalk to begin experimenting with colour, the colours were bright and would stand bold in the dull area.
Consideration
Before making I had to take into consideration about the space I was using. The piece being a disabled car park meant that it was an area that couldn’t be closed off whilst the piece was being made. So I had to be safe in the space, taking extra precaution to not disturb the visitors using the car park and that neither myself nor a visitor gets injured. To work around this, safety clothes were worn by myself and also two spotters were to come to the space with me make sure no one gets injured. Also weather had to be taken into account, if it was raining the day of the installation the piece wouldn’t work.
Before making I had to take into consideration about the space I was using. The piece being a disabled car park meant that it was an area that couldn’t be closed off whilst the piece was being made. So I had to be safe in the space, taking extra precaution to not disturb the visitors using the car park and that neither myself nor a visitor gets injured. To work around this, safety clothes were worn by myself and also two spotters were to come to the space with me make sure no one gets injured. Also weather had to be taken into account, if it was raining the day of the installation the piece wouldn’t work.
The Day of Making
On Thursday 3rd March, 2 weeks before the exhibition I was to create the piece at the County Hall, ready to have images for in the exhibition. On the day of making the piece the weather was on my side and I was able to create the Fibonacci sequence within the space. The process began by using the brightest colour in my chalk collection, white, I felt having the brightest colour it would draw people into the center of the circle. As each ring went out the colours changed and blended in with one another. However, what I realised half way through the piece was that 7 rings out of the 19, the pattern became solid as there wasn’t enough tiles. This didn’t stop me from carrying on the piece. I now just worked creating a solid shape with a spiral in the center of the circle. This was still following the fibonacci sequence, and would hopefully still create the pulling in sensation for the viewers. The piece took 8 hours to create from beginning to end.
With the piece I noticed that the process of making also drew people to the piece, several people joined in with the process with making, getting the chalk and colouring the tiles on the floor. The area which was usually an overlooked space was now being noticed and people were reacting to it. Many people would stop on their way into the County Hall and would ask questions about what I was doing. The process of making drew attention which I hadn’t thought about when it came to me making, I thought the finished piece would get the most attention. However, even the staff at the County Hall would leave their desks and be curious to what I was up to. I was fulfilling what I wanted to do with this space.
However, some viewers went out of their way to avoid walking over the chalk which is something that I didn’t want for the piece, so this is something I need to consider if I were to do this again.
I returned to the space after a few hours and noticed that there was chalk footprints and tire prints around the carpark from where they had come into contact with the chalk. This was something I really liked before the colours were being spread and dragged around the rest of the space and the piece was becoming bigger due to the interaction that the visitors had with the space.
On Thursday 3rd March, 2 weeks before the exhibition I was to create the piece at the County Hall, ready to have images for in the exhibition. On the day of making the piece the weather was on my side and I was able to create the Fibonacci sequence within the space. The process began by using the brightest colour in my chalk collection, white, I felt having the brightest colour it would draw people into the center of the circle. As each ring went out the colours changed and blended in with one another. However, what I realised half way through the piece was that 7 rings out of the 19, the pattern became solid as there wasn’t enough tiles. This didn’t stop me from carrying on the piece. I now just worked creating a solid shape with a spiral in the center of the circle. This was still following the fibonacci sequence, and would hopefully still create the pulling in sensation for the viewers. The piece took 8 hours to create from beginning to end.
With the piece I noticed that the process of making also drew people to the piece, several people joined in with the process with making, getting the chalk and colouring the tiles on the floor. The area which was usually an overlooked space was now being noticed and people were reacting to it. Many people would stop on their way into the County Hall and would ask questions about what I was doing. The process of making drew attention which I hadn’t thought about when it came to me making, I thought the finished piece would get the most attention. However, even the staff at the County Hall would leave their desks and be curious to what I was up to. I was fulfilling what I wanted to do with this space.
However, some viewers went out of their way to avoid walking over the chalk which is something that I didn’t want for the piece, so this is something I need to consider if I were to do this again.
I returned to the space after a few hours and noticed that there was chalk footprints and tire prints around the carpark from where they had come into contact with the chalk. This was something I really liked before the colours were being spread and dragged around the rest of the space and the piece was becoming bigger due to the interaction that the visitors had with the space.
The Night of the Exhibition
On the night of the exhibition I displayed 1 A2 print of the piece that I created two weeks prior to the exhibition. The image was displayed with other prints created by my peers all together in a straight line on the wall at eye level. There was a lot of consideration to which print would be displayed next to which, as there were 4 prints being displayed on the wall. I was toying with the idea of recreating the piece on the night of the exhibition, however, due to how long the piece took to create it wouldn’t be possible to have it up and ready before the opening. I wouldn't have wanted the visitors of the exhibition to see me half way through creating the piece, as it wasn't a performance piece. |
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Conclusion
During the project I wanted to create a piece that would recreate the same experience I had with a space. The experience I had when entering the car park was that I was pulled towards the center of the tiled pattern. I noticed that the visitors of the County Hall didn't share this same experience as I did, but maybe that was because my purpose of visiting the building was to find a space to create work within, rather than another reason. The people clearly had a reason for being there, that maybe of distracted them from the tiled space.
I decided to look into creating a spiral shape within the space, to recreate this pulling in sensation. However, I wanted to the space to much brighter and bolder, filled with colour. Still using the mathematical equation, the Fibonacci sequence, I created 4 spirals that joined together by the 8th ring of the space.
I came across some difficulties when creating the piece, due to its placement I had to gain permission to create the piece in the space. This took some time as it was a disabled car park I had to wait for permission off of County Hall. I had to take precautions when making the work, wearing high vis jackets and having two spotters with me just to avoid accidents.
The time that it took to create such a large scale piece meant I wasn't able to recreate the piece for the opening night of the exhibition. This meant I could only display an A2 print of the final piece within the exhibition. I would of wanted to recreate the piece for the opening night, it was just such a time consuming piece that it wasn't possible.
However, I had succeed during the process of making to recreate that sensation of being pulled into the space for viewers. It took a while for the piece to come into effect due to visitors being cautious of the piece to begin with. But once I had removed myself from the space, the visitors didn't feel that barrier to avoiding the space and soon interacted with the space.
During the project I wanted to create a piece that would recreate the same experience I had with a space. The experience I had when entering the car park was that I was pulled towards the center of the tiled pattern. I noticed that the visitors of the County Hall didn't share this same experience as I did, but maybe that was because my purpose of visiting the building was to find a space to create work within, rather than another reason. The people clearly had a reason for being there, that maybe of distracted them from the tiled space.
I decided to look into creating a spiral shape within the space, to recreate this pulling in sensation. However, I wanted to the space to much brighter and bolder, filled with colour. Still using the mathematical equation, the Fibonacci sequence, I created 4 spirals that joined together by the 8th ring of the space.
I came across some difficulties when creating the piece, due to its placement I had to gain permission to create the piece in the space. This took some time as it was a disabled car park I had to wait for permission off of County Hall. I had to take precautions when making the work, wearing high vis jackets and having two spotters with me just to avoid accidents.
The time that it took to create such a large scale piece meant I wasn't able to recreate the piece for the opening night of the exhibition. This meant I could only display an A2 print of the final piece within the exhibition. I would of wanted to recreate the piece for the opening night, it was just such a time consuming piece that it wasn't possible.
However, I had succeed during the process of making to recreate that sensation of being pulled into the space for viewers. It took a while for the piece to come into effect due to visitors being cautious of the piece to begin with. But once I had removed myself from the space, the visitors didn't feel that barrier to avoiding the space and soon interacted with the space.