RESEARCH

 

Our research has had a range of different aspects. It has been heavily based on colour, texture, and the creation of environments such as Zen gardens or relaxation zones. We also looked at large scale interactive art which required the audience to participate and be surrounded by the piece, due to the fact we originally planned to create a structure to highlight and extend the feeling of being away from city life when on a rooftop. We also wanted to respond to the requests of the clients that own the rooftop, which actually related very well to our intentions from day one of Unit X, which where all based on this idea of creating a sensual environment which would be a relaxing sensory escape from city life, this was a great opportunity to learn about working in the professional world for professional clients with visions for a rooftop space.

Clients Presentation.

The use of Pinterest throughout this collaborative Unit X Project has been a great tool. The group have had the opportunity to communicate from home, to show ideas and theme which we found interesting to show the way in which we were communicating the ideas discussed within the group in relation to our overall concept. Thinking about the professional world, if I was to be collaborating with another artist or designer for a project or business task, realistically a lot of the communication would be over the internet, so use of website like Pinterest which allows a group to share a pin board is a fantastic tool for communication. 

Pinterest Snapshots- Group Board.

A particular contemporary artist that inspired me for the duration of this unit of work focusing on this sensory experience and engagement of the public would be Ernesto Neto. As a textile student and aspiring artist, these large scale sensory worlds that he creates using materials and knitted structural fibres that appeal and touch all of the senses are so inspiring and intriguing.

Moving away from the typical textile inspiration, when we first began thinking about these sensory experiences and the five senses, I found interest in the use of sensory art for children which made me question why there aren’t accessible workshops/experiences like this for adults, as I believe that this engagement between humans and materials, light, sound and smell should be fully explored and experienced.

Since the pitch to the rooftop clients which was a surprise in terms of development and change of plan during the last week of the project, we then focused much more on the individual’s experience of the journey when going onto a rooftop space, changing our research of enclosures on the rooftop and therefore restricting the viewer’s experience of the rooftop to focusing still on this sensory experience through use of colour, visuals, sound and touch but making use of the stairway up to the rooftop instead.  This led our research deeper into these sensory engaging ideas, thinking about visuals, textures, sounds and lights.

Stair way- new site for our sensory experience.

 This change in sight also impacted on our use of colour. We where keen for the colours we used in these sensory stages of the journey to the rooftop to reflect those of the rooftop itself, so we used heavy greens and flashes of reds, yellows, blues and rusty oranges and yellows. I actually really enjoyed this, and doing the research and thinking much more about the site specifically in producing the final pieces was an interesting way to work and I liked it, especially when seeing the final pieces at the site and how well they fitted in with the surroundings whilst also creating this whole new experience.

Rooftop Image showing colour.