Over the last few weeks, I have been aware of my time in allocated to "testing ideas in the white cube". I've got the programming down, for the "actual art" (a live webcam feed, abstracting the most prominent colours in the space occupied by "the viewer"). I'd had in my head, a perfect little dark (ish) space, with a beautifully taut canvas in which to back project the digital image onto.
Originally, I'd had in my sketchbook, two small "black boxes" (in each corner), where projector, computer and electronics would be housed, projecting the image through a small hole in the lid of the box, to be "directioned" by mirrors.
When talking to Iain about this (see previous blog) We'd talked about back projections, to avoid interference by the viewer (casting shadows over the "work"), so my vision of the whitespace and my work in it, started to change.
Today, I went in with a simple goal, to cover the "roof" in dark material (or block out the windows) and erect the canvass "stretcher" between the two walls (dividing the room in half). After a few discussions with my fellow students, Mary suggested that I screen off the space with weedblock material (the stuff you lay in the garden to kill / stop weeds growing through paths etc). Susie kindly took me to B&Q, and I bought two rolls. 0.9m * 12. (the room is 4*3). It took me all morning, with greatly accepted help from almost everyone! (Mary and Lois especially!).
I'd had in my head, that stretching thin material from one flat wall to another is easy. not so. Wrinkles, rumples, dips and undulations all plagued my roof. If I had more time, or money, or a team of professional joiners, I might just have a "perfect" roof. The canvas was equally difficult to get taut and stretched across the room, attaching one side by nails and screws, to the very had plaster / stone wall, was a disaster. The nails popped out, the screws ripped parts (small, don't worry mr janitor) of the wall out, to scupper any chance of getting tight canvass form one side to the other...so, slack and wrinkled it is too...perhaps this should be a theme in the work?...
Needless to say, I'd got the room "ready" for the technology to go in (tomorrow). I just hope it's not too dark that the webcam doesn't work! AND, I have to hope that the cables for the webcam and PC are long enough to position them correctly!....I'll find out tomorrow. I need to finish off by : sweeping the floor, trimming the one remaining roof panel, installing the PCs, installing the camera, tweak the program so it takes in the image of a video of me (not a webcam)....and write a statement for the wall. (only).
Wish me luck!
Listening to : amalgamation of soundz - room with a view : one speed bike - begone droopy butt!
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