Asia - Sex Trafficking in Singapore

This is the first one that I have completed. I am really happy with the results. But I also forgot to add that the text is not easily readable which plays into the idea that there are so many women in the world that are suffering and we don't hear their voices despite the stories that they have to tell of their sufferings.

text as a mode of communication...

When given this assignment I was so excited at first because I absolutely love text! I love typefaces, typography and anything that involves font. It fascinates me how many different ways there are to use text particularly in graphic design. The computer opens so many doors in ways to manipulate and play with text. Once I sat down and started to think about what exactly I was going to do to incorporate text into some sort of piece I had so many ideas of how I wanted to use text through various techniques, but I was stuck on a purpose or an idea behind the technique. So I started to think about what text means and what text is actually used for beyond aesthetics. Text is a direct mode of communication. We use it in our everyday lives to plan out our days, write papers, read books and communicate through newspapers and magazines what is going on in the world. I then became interested in how text can so easily travel across the world through many modes of technology which got me thinking about global issues and social justice. I remained stuck on the idea of text as communication therefore I started thinking about how some people are not able to speak or to communicate due to their situations that bind them. I continued to look at social justice issues in regards to women because traditionally women have been without a voice. Even though the voice of women has become more pronounced there are still many women across the world who are trapped. In response to my ideas of what text means I want to find 6 pictures of 6 women from the 6 continents of the world (minus Antarctica considering no one lives there!) to represent that women suffer all across the world. Then I want to find testimonies or first hand experiences of women who deal with issues such as aids and poverty. On the computer I will then make the photos black and white and then have the text placed in front of the photo so that the photo can be seen through the text...this is actually really hard to explain so I'm not even going to continue to try in fear of butchering it, but I hope you get the gist of it. Also, I want to print the images on newsprint to play into the idea of a newspaper as a way of communicating news, however so many times the newspaper neglects to include the nitty gritties of what is going on in the world. And I think that's about it right now...and now the real work begins....

The tedious graphic work...

Now that I have collected the majority of my clocks (approx. 100 so far) I am on to the arduous task of manipulating the photos in attempts to achieve a Warhol-like effect. So far I have spent a large amount of time trying to find the best way to achieve the effect that I want. I've been playing with different methods, tools and procedures. I have come up with two different approaches both that I am undecided about. The first method I used the threshold tool and then selected the similar with the magic wand. This has created lines that are very definite with restricted detail as threshold doesn't pick up everything, but just the darker areas. For example:


The second method that I am looking at does not require the threshold tool, but rather I desaturated the photo to make it black and white and then used the magic wand tool. This method resulted in a more detailed effect, more photographic with a variety of values. For example:

I am uncertain as to which one to use because Warhol seems to use both effects. His portraits often contain more detail while his objects have less detail. Such as these dollar signs:

So if anyone has any suggestions or ideas as to what to do that would be greatly appreciated!

The hunt for clocks, clocks, clocks...

I am currently on the hunt for clocks, clocks, clocks!! This mission is actually proving to be more interesting then I thought. I drove around my hometown and seemed to find clocks everywhere! It's amazing how much time surrounds us and is part of every aspect of our lives. There is no way that we can escape time...it is inescapable. I have approximately half of the 117 clocks that I need to find so the hunt continues.

Inspirational exercise...

As an inspirational exercise we were assigned to record, draw or photograph any subject, any person, or any event for 7 days, in the same space, time of day and area. So this seems great right? Well not at first...this was almost too much freedom as I could record absolutely anything! I hummed and hahhed about many things but some things seemed so boring as they wouldn't change over time so I opted to record something that would show evidence of change. I came to the conclusion of recording the refrigerator which proved to be quite interesting as it offered an array of change not only every day at 6:00, but every time I opened the fridge. From this exercise I could see the contrasting sides of change that I am dealing with. Although the fridge itself remained the same its contents continually changed as they were moved around or eaten or some things that had just gone bad as time takes a tole on things. The fridge (like artists) attempts to stunt this process of change, however it is never completely successful, just as we artists are never able to truly capture the essence of a moment. Time is and will continue to remain out of our reach as it remains in the power of God's hands...time is too complicated and precious of a concept for us imperfect humans to have control over.

Disappointment followed by a final idea....

Well I went on the hunt for the clocks that I had my heart set on, but unfortunately I was unsuccessful! But for some reason I can't pull myself away from this idea so I am going to turn to another idea, or another approach to capturing this rather. My plan is to photograph 3 different types of wall clocks that are all set at the same time. Then, I am going to alter them with Photoshop to give them the sort of Andy Warhol effect with his use of colour etc., which gives a modern twist to the issue of time too as our society today as become so dependent on time as it controls every aspect of our busy, hectic lives. Our lives are controlled by the continual routine of time. We are continually looking at our clocks to determine where we have to be at every minute of every day. So with this piece I guess I am incorporating many aspects of time into one composition.

Just a side note: in cohesion with the idea that time is a consistent continuum, and yet it continues to change as we never regain certain moments kind of relates to what we artists try to do. We tend to capture these moments in time so we can try to experience them again in attempts to break free from the routines of time.

Deciding on how to create the concept of time...

So I have been thinking long and hard about my last post and the contrasting elements of the change and changeability of time. From this I have been drawn to the idea of clocks despite how expected that may be considering the topic is time. But I want to focus on the consistency of time which I feel would be best captured in a clock itself. With this I hope to find three different looking clocks and then I will have each of them set at the same time. This idea will capture the consistency of time (with all the times being set the same) and the inconsistency using three different clocks. I am tossing around a few ideas of what sort of medium to use. I was thinking of either using the clocks themselves or drawing the clocks using pen&ink or something along those lines....so for that I am undecided...

However, if I am unable to find the clocks that I have in mind then I have also continued to think about the idea of using a pear to represent this contrast. I have a chrome-like figurine of a pear which will represent the consistency of time as this figurine captures a particular moment in time (something that art allows us to do). This I would capture in carbothelos. Then I would also capture the essence of a real pear with its variety of colours to represent the changeability of time. The real pear I would capture with watercolours which allows for an element of change as it is such a flexible and unpredictable medium.

Playing with the concept of time...

Initially when I was presented with the concept of time I had no idea where to begin, but then I began to think of the seemingly negative aspect of time: the tole that time takes on life. In relation to the effects of time I began to think about things that quickly decay and fall apart such as fruit or vegetables. I was reminded of a painting assignment I did last year in which I had to paint an array of vegetables. The vegetables did not remain the same thus complicating the piece. I'm liking this idea of time because of the obvious evidence of time.


However, while I was reading "It's Not About Me" by Max Lucado I was struck by a contrasting concept of time...the unchanging aspect. Time is consistent and reliable as we are able to count on 1:10 pm coming again tomorrow without fail, just as the sun rises and the sun sets everyday without fail. Similarly, God is unchanging, he is our fortress (Psalm 59:16-17) and his word will stand forever (Isaiah 40:8). Although, despite the unchanging consistency of time, there is a strong element of change amidst it's reliability because a perfect moment in time can never again be recaptured. Despite the fact that it may be 1:10pm tomorrow, ultimately it will never again be the same. We can never regain a particular moment, we just can't help it. However, we can turn to God who is essentially time as he is the consistency as with him "there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). So our days may change, our lives may change, but time (and God) is ultimately the continual driving force of our lives.... After reading this chapter ideas began flooding as I suddenly changed gears from the change of time to the unchanging component that still has a changing aspect? I am currently faced with this dichotomy and uncertain of how to approach it or even if I can transform my ideas into a piece of art? I was thinking of photographing a clock at the same moment of every day to show the consistency, but I am uncertain at this point how to incorporate the still changing aspect of it. I may not find a way to transpose my ideas...they may remain ideas within my head. But I feel that this idea could become interesting and would get people thinking...I just have to figure out how!