The artist I have been influenced the most by thematically is Marcel Duchamp. He is so often used as an example in higher education, particularly his iconic ‘Fountain’ 1917. For this reason I have only ever shunned his work, becuase you get more points if the stuff you’ve researched isn’t in the teachers powerpoint. His ‘readymades’ series of works, made in association with the Dada movement, I find particularly interesting. The way place and process are used to recontextualise found objects, transforming not necessarily their physical form but instead how they are percieved. I enjoy how this challenges not only traditional notions of art, but also of objects- even an object of niche and specific function can, given new context, be a vehicle which novel ideas are inspired.
I have enjoyed exploring these themes through my work, as within the realm of illustration there is rarely opportunity for this kind of conceptual, cerebral work, or for any kind of sculptural processes.
My main Aesthetic influence for this project is drawn from Alan Resnick, particularly his video series titled ‘Alantutorials’. It is a very extended project, with a long overarching narrative, amounting to a disturbing and surreal conclusion. It begins as a series of tutorials, with very abstract processes, and obscure outcomes. It is shot from a first person perspective and is anxiously narrated by Alan Resnick. A compiled playlist is linked below for reference:
