Monthly Archives: March 2019

Assignment 1: Reflection

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In comparing my proposed short media works with the works I ended up making, I found myself exploring a whole different concept with quite a different outcome. After further considering my idea of documenting an Op Shop item e.g. Vase entangled in its environment, with a combination of perceived difficulties; unsure how to record the sounds of a vase, and alternative inspiration I decided to change my concept to water. My main source of inspiration for exploring the entanglements of water were various recordings we listened to in class. These recordings of ships on voyage at sea, glaciers and local rivers inspired me to consider water through different perspectives and consequently prompted me to alter my proposed media works. On the other hand, as for similarities within the proposed and final works, I captured frames throughout my video of taps and plants in the same likeness as I intended to with my proposed vase footage – in short and static snippets.

 

Throughout the recording process of my works, I found a greater ease and belief in the story telling aspect when I was recording my visual work as opposed to audio. In my audio process, after a few takes when using the microphone and scouting for sounds, I felt the recordings were almost getting repetitive – as they were all some form of flowing water and as a result I struggled with how I would place them in creating a story in my work. Contrarily, when working visual media and recording the footage for my other work, I felt more comfortable in capturing videos that could embody meaning, ideas and ultimately tell a story. As I continued recording footage of dry plants, sprouting roots and cracking grass patches I began to envision how I could juxtapose the footage with a dripping tap to prompt a storyline of water wastage or droughts. When working with sound, I struggled with this aspect of creativity and entanglement to create a story and as a result, looking back I feel that my auditory media work lacks a strong story telling element about water – and instead is simply various sounds edited together.

 

Further, this same preference to the form of medium was apparent in the editing process of my media works, as I again preferred the ability to incorporate my visual footage with additional audio compared to my sound piece as a standalone work. When editing my videos together I was able to select accompanying background music, an ongoing flowing water sound (taken from my audio grabs) and a political speech recording about farming and Agriculture. Particularly through the last addition, I felt the political speech recording extended the idea of entanglement within the work. Presenting the audio alongside my recorded visuals, which although are two separate media works respectively there are possible connotations and connections to be drawn. I intended the images of dry plants and grass aligned with the speech to possibly prompt connections of water with growth, droughts, farming and essentially the importance of water in agriculture community and the economy.

 

On the other hand, looking back the three accompanying sound tracks alongside my visual footage in my media work do also present an almost overwhelming nature – in which I felt like more media would mean more entanglement. Although this is partially true, I think there is a fine line between complexity and chaos. Within further assignments I intend to be more aware of this and adopt the ‘quality over quantity’ principle in making more refined media works. As for future media works, along with strengthening my familiarity with auditory work and drawing more meaning from sounds, I would also enjoy further exploration of aligning speeches, philosophy’s and spoken word with visual media. Similar to the political speech I incorporated with my visual work, I am fascinated by the visuals that can be evoked from meaningful addresses and how they can prompt greater entanglement.

 

 

Assignment 1: Development

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In the first few weeks of classes, I have found that my understanding and comprehension of entanglement is continually growing and developing – and thus sharing an arguable likeness of the concept itself.

Initially, I grasped entanglement to exhibit the underlying connections and relationships between one thing and another, links that weren’t typically surface level or acknowledged. Upon reflection, although this is a form of entanglement – it is but one thread that “contributes to its ever-evolving weave” (Ingold, 2011). Entanglement does not just embody these various linear links between things, as this contains the relationship “within a perimeter boundary” (Ingold, 2011) understating its complexity.

 

The noticing exercise looking at entanglement within inanimate everyday things proved to be an applicable way I was able to conceptualise entanglement. Taking the object of a seemingly basic chair, it was interesting to start mapping out objects associated with a chair, exploring alternative contexts, uses, origins and materials. After seeing other classmates also share similar and differing ideas; such as culture and society, I began to realise the scope of entanglement that was present in every aspect of life. I pondered further existence of entanglement in areas such as art and philosophy, considering this was just the faintest analysis, barely scratching the surface of the entanglement of simple teaspoons and chairs. Further, this exercise prompted me to begin considering the media making that extends from exploring entanglement. I realised it was one thing to ponder, recognise and list aspects of the “meshwork” (Ingold, 2011) but going on to create media depicting this entanglement forges even more endless interpretations and connections.

 

Additionally, coming into this class with a predominately visual based media background – although basic at that, various exercises and field recordings in class have aided me to consider the possibilities of exploration within other mediums such as sound. In exploring sound as a medium in depicting entanglement I hope to delve into unexpected angles or “different areas of perception” (Cusack, 2013) within various subject matter, ultimately again perpetuating the entanglement itself.

In considering the two short media works I intend to make, I have previously pondered the concept of slightly transformative piece documenting a ‘trash to treasure’ or ‘rags to riches’ story based around item(s) in an Op Shop. Relating this idea to entanglement, I can envision a still motion video of an object such as a vase placed on a scattered shelf looking dusty and unloved in dim lighting. This frame would attempt to depict the possible relationships that entangle the vase; its bleak environment, the objects next to it on the shelf or the story of the person who donated it. The video would perhaps dissolve into a new frame, showing the vase thoroughly polished and displaying fresh flowers in a vibrant setting. This visual transformation would attempt to represent the story of this vase – depicting merely one perspective of entanglement.

 

When further considering how I could explore this Op Shop concept of a vase through my own media works, I still remain quite stumped in creating sound works as a stand alone medium. It is hard to envision the sounds that would depict an Op Shop or a living room, let alone a vase on its own. In continuing brainstorming ideas for these media works I intend to try to persevere past these doubts and road blocks, remembering that entanglement knows no bounds so nor should my interpretation and creativity.

 

References

  1. Ingold, T (2011) ‘Rethinking the animate, reanimating thought’, Being alive: essay on movement, knowledge and description, Routledge, London, New York: 67-75 (69-71)
  2. Cusack, P. (2013). Field Recording as Sonic Journalism. In A. Carlyle & C. Lane (Eds.), On Listening(pp. 25–29). Devon: Uniformbooks.