contraption number 1

Today I was able to get a first maquette done so am now more easily able to plan out my gadgets and contraptions, these hopefully will be done on the laser cutter with wood and painted. I'd like to make it look a little funky so the cogs are like rotary phone dials and you intuitively go up and start dialling it.. now I am still undecided as to whether or not it will serve a purpose, I think this one I think will not though. It is a combo of inspirations from Metropollis and Duchamp's Disks Bearing Spirals, I want the whimsical side, the piece for the sake of it, if it makes you smile it has worked. I enjoy watching the cogs go round and am really looking forward to building the real deals. I also feel a lot better about the brief in general, less stuck, floating and wandering, more focused so full steam ahead eh...there is  plenty of design work to go but at least the ideas will work, stay tuned for more mad machinery and weird artwork!

Progress

I have just been brainstorming this weekend and have allowed my millions of thoughts and ideas to go where they wanted, not limiting the ideas by the logistical contstraints I might face when realising the brief and so i have come up with a lot of great and viable ideas. I have decided to definitely go with an installation and it must involve the visitor and not allow them to be simply a passive passer by. Now, what I am discovering is that an installation need not be confined to a room, gallery or even the great turbine hall, it can take on many forms. This is pretty ecxiting, I wish to engage people and surprise them, get them involved and leave them feeling joyous and positive about art and the experience they have just had.

http://gb.pinterest.com/pin/569494315351458119/

I remember this wonderful and simple piece during Final Cut at Manchester Art Gallery last year,
 I could have stayed within its gently swaying branches for hours, it made me feel very peaceful and happy, very calm and smiley.








So, do I keep it within a traditional installation design, a room, indoors or branch out.. go outside, hide things about like easter eggs to be discovered... I do quite like that idea. In fact that is the main premise of this project, for the work to be discovered by the visitor, not presented obviously by me. Things like this

Found these stuck around Picadilly
gardens and they were gone the next day

around Manchester qualify certainly, and are fun and make people happy.