In the old normal, as part of our course, we would be going on regular field trips. These visits are an important part of the process because they provide inspiration, ideas and give a sense of the wider context of curation, sector debates and so on. For obvious reasons we haven’t been able to do that because of Covid-19. Instead we have been on two virtual trips to Shanghai and Berlin.
At the start of each visit we were given a brief and background information on key arts institutions in those cities. I confess I may have been slightly sceptical before our first visit in terms of what might emerge, but I have found both experiences extremely useful. They have given me new inspiration, as well as some frustration about the current level my digital skills!
Once again, I find myself entranced and seduced by the possibilities of post digital art. At the same time I am also questioning the socio-political, cultural and economic connotations of the pervasiveness of digital in all our lives.
In Shanghai I discovered teamLab and while I am sure it is not the same viewing it on a domestic screen the beauty and immersive nature of the work is evident. I am slightly in awe of the scale and feel of their approach.
In Berlin I found equally beautiful work by Eelco Brand, which has given me much to think about in terms of my still life work and ‘Digital Remains’. The metaphor of light is something that appeals both in terms of how data is conveyed via fibre optics and as such an important feature of still life photography.
Both sources of inspiration have left me with the challenge of facing After Effects again. I had a quick play with some apps and used one of my GAN generated still lives and now think there might be something more to explore here in terms of animation. I am intrigued by the possibilities of a ‘not so still life.’ In relating it to my Digital Remains work it raises the possibility of creating works that morph in front of the viewer, that perhaps start in a recognisable form but that then gently self-destruct over time.
As I contemplate the influences above two themes seem to be recurring – the aesthetic notion of beauty, and the connection between imagination and the computer. I know both offer the opportunity for extensive research and I need to consider how I might weave it into my current project proposal.