Project 1 – Working with the Found Objects

Primary Research:

Brainstorm of found objects on sketchbook, Katherine Chen
I went to the National Museum of Scotland to research the history of utensils
Research into keys on sketchbook, Katherine Chen
Research into keys on sketchbook, Katherine Chen

I have chosen keys to be my final found object.  Above are some of the initial research on key’s formal qualities. Three initial ideas were developed at this stage.

Secondary Research:

  • Novum vol 12.17
Clormann Design. “Unboxing.” Novum 12.17, December 2017.

Following the theme of ‘Unboxing’, the cover design of this issue not only illustrates the theme itself but also the actual action of unboxing.

Research into the cover design of novum magazine and other book forms

The idea of interpreting an action through a design inspired me to think about how I could incorporate the act of ‘unlocking’ and ‘locking’ in my final piece.

  • Reference to Janus, Roman God of the Gates and Doors: 

“He could see the past as well as the future. Janus was the beginning and the end.” 

Image of Janus, Roman God of the Gates and Doors. Who Was Janus? READ AND FIND OUT. Publish Maker, January 1, 2019. https://philgloballink.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/who-was-janus-read-and-find-out/.

The reference to Janus inspired me in thinking more about the traditional and contemporary aspects of keys.

 

 

Ideas inspired by primary and secondary research. The idea plays around with both the conventional and contemporary aspects of keys.

I completely changed direction after a tutorial with Dr. O’keeffe.  In the tutorial, she mentioned an interesting aspect of dissecting ‘unlocking’ and ‘locking through psychology. I decided to do more research on this subject.

research into the unlocking and locking of emotions and masking (personality)

 

  • Final Piece- The Unlocking of Emotions
The Unlocking of Emotions, Acrylic and coloured pencil on paper, 2021, Katherine Chen

Adapting the functions of keys into the context of psychology, I created a final artwork for this project. I wanted to illustrate the point that when your emotions are masked, you are the only one who can unlock them, to embrace the negativities and vulnerabilities. It’s okay to be not okay.

 

Project 2 – Making and Breaking Narrative

Secondary Research:

“If the people have no bread, let them eat cake.” 

This was probably one of the most famous quotes attributed to Marie Antoinette, yet the phrase first appeared when Antoinette was just nine years old, meaning that it is impossible for the quote to have originated from Marie. This led me into thinking to what extent does history speak the truth?

Research into Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution in sketchbook

I decided to take the ideas I have for Marie Antionette as a starting point of idea development and began to focus on the historical figures in Edinburgh. Cities were shaped by people, histories were also written by people, by investigating the underlying narrative under the surface, alongside with the idea that history was written and shaped through a particular framework, I wish to break and make new narratives within the present-day city scene.

Research into Henry Dundas in sketchbook
Idea development and artist research in sketchbook

I researched into a recent debate on whether or not the statue of Henry Dundas should be taken down due to his involvement in delaying the abolition of transatlantic slave trade. Through reading secondary sources, I found that despite his glorification of slavery, he had achieved numerous establishments too. Some of Dundas’ descendants claimed that he actually opposed the slave trade. Where does the truth lie?

 

  • Secreting Myths (golden yellow), Alberta Whittle, 2021

  • Secreting Myths (magenta), Alberta Whittle, 2021

  • Secreting Myths (jade), Alberta Whittle, 2021
In the series of works, Whittle transformed historic engravings with her organic intervention to break the narratives.

For the final piece, I wanted to address the conflicting statements the same way Whittle  has done for Secreting Myths. 

I drew upon a photograph and made a short animation to illustrate and generate conversations between the present and past, creating a new narrative of the city scene.

Project 3 – Mapping the Soundscape

From the soundwalk to the meadows, I started to recognised the sound surrounding me. The exercise made me realised that it is so often that we focus on visual perception and neglect other ways of perceiving information such as through hearing and smelling.

Primary Research:

Below are a link to some interesting sound media recorded during the course of the soundwalk:

https://vimeo.com/manage/folders/9626048#

Brainstorm of Ideas in sketchbook

I wanted to document the sound I hear  on a daily basis. So I listed down some of the places/activities I go and do in Edinburgh.

Primary and Secondary Research:

Week 9 Lecture Notes and Artist Research

 

I loved the sketchy style of Skuse and how the soundmap is.  I wanted to do something similar, but as I don’t have the knowledge of building a website, I decided to do a short animation as an alternative method.

Primary Research:

  • Observational Drawings I did on site for the final piece

    Observational drawing of Lothian Road, watercolour and coloured pencil on paper, Katherine Chen, 2022
Observational drawing of Arthurs Seats, watercolour and coloured pencil on paper, Katherine Chen, 2022
Observational drawing of Sculpture Court, ECA, watercolour and coloured pencil on paper, Katherine Chen, 2022
Observational drawing of Cowgate, watercolour and coloured pencil on paper, Katherine Chen, 2022

Audio Clips/Videos recorded and edited by me to be used in the final piece:

https://vimeo.com/manage/folders/9655929

 

Reference

  1. Clormann Design. “Unboxing.” Novum 12.17, December 2017.
  2. Image of Janus, Roman God of the Gates and Doors. Who Was Janus? READ AND FIND OUT. Publish Maker, January 1, 2019. https://philgloballink.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/who-was-janus-read-and-find-out/.
  3. Davenport , Caillan. “Who Was Janus, the Roman God of Beginnings and Endings?” The Conversation, March 8, 2022. https://theconversation.com/who-was-janus-the-roman-god-of-beginnings-and-endings-86853.
  4. Zeidan, Adam. “Marie-Antoinette.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed April 7, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Antoinette-queen-of-France.
  5. Newton, Melanie. “Henry Dundas, Empire and Genocide.” openDemocracy, July 30, 2020. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/henry-dundas-empire-and-genocide/.
  6. Anderson, Mic. “Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed April 7, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Dundas-1st-Viscount-Melville.
  7. “Henry Dundas Descendant Defends Ancestor’s Record.” BBC News. BBC, June 14, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-53041048.
  8. Whittle, Alberta. “Secreting Myths (jade),” 2019. Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art (Modern One), Edinburgh. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/234788.
  9. Whittle, Alberta. “Secreting Myths (magenta),” 2019. Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art (Modern One), Edinburgh. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/234787.
  10. Whittle, Alberta. “Secreting Myths (golden yellow),” 2019. Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art (Modern One), Edinburgh. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/234786.
  11. Skuse, Amble. “Normalised Interfacing Plymouth.” Amble Skuse. Amble Skuse, December 1, 2019. https://www.ambleskuse.net/plymouth/
  12. That Yorkshire Sound. Vimeo, 2018. https://vimeo.com/342692141.
Summative Assessment / Katherine Chen / Drawn From the City (2021-2022)[SEM2] by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0