This
week involved lots of planning for the future, alongside some new work being
generated, films being watched, games being played, going to artist talks and an
exhibition or two…
The
work involving the idea of Facebook Live is slowly forming, with the
installation nearly built and my ideas for the video manifesting as I type. In
terms of install, I purchased a tripod like stand, which then will attach to a
selfie stick, where an iPhone displaying the video will be being shown. Slotted
into the tripod will be disused MacBook motherboards, creating a tower like structure.
Motherboards are usually built into computers, providing electrical connections
so that other components of the computer can communicate with one another. In
this sense, all the data moving through our computers is routed through the
motherboard; it’s a crucial part of the system. Coming back to the idea of
Facebook manipulating our data/the news articles we see, when Facebook
employees first arrive at Facebook, they’re given a MacBook which they will use
for the majority of their time there. In some cases, they will use said MacBook to ‘manipulate’
the news, creating coding that will modify the individual users experience.
I’m
still unsure of what the video will be due to other things happening this week, although I’ve
been messing around with using the emoji scroll a little. One of my early experiments
has been to harness a recording from a drone flying over Facebook HQ in
California, overlaying the ‘wow’ emoji scroll and having corporate music play
over the top. I enjoy this simply experience, especially as you’re looking up
at the phone dangling from the selfie stick, reflecting on your own experiences
with Facebook, but it’s a little basic. I think I need to start over, make it
less obvious. People immediately recognise the emoji scroll from Facebook, so I
don’t think I need to have Facebook HQ in the video to push the point further…
I also thought about other obvious things, like taking the whole of Friends and
going through it with the emoji overlay or something, but, yet again, obvious
and maybe slightly dull. Whatever it is, there will definitely be a loop
involved, where you see the same thing again, but with a different set of emoji’s,
coming back to the left/right divide on social media, people staying in their ‘bubble’,
etc…
Another
thing that arrived this week was my GTA5 banner, which can now be seen on my
website, hung up in Chelsea. I think it was important to have it photographed in
situ in a public space, although having it at Chelsea is slightly annoying, as
it marks me as someone who has/is at Chelsea College. I’ll probably re-photograph
it soon in a different setting. I think it turned out well, transforming the virtual into the real in
a very obvious way whilst speaking about the content of the advert, the utopian
landscape being presented within a video game where you’re already in this utopian
space. Anyway, go here for some pictures of the piece: http://www.bobbicknell-knight.com/rehab-island
I called it Rehab Island, an obvious
name, but one that encompasses the ideas within it.
I
finally got around to documenting the print, alongside building two other
images to create a series of works that can be easily shown. It’s a ‘nice’ set,
with the actual print being shown later this week in the Sacred 419 show, which
is actually quite good, as I wasn't sure whether that would go in a show or not
any time soon. Yet again, go here to see the documentation of the piece, titled
Simple Human. Irony isn’t dead: http://www.bobbicknell-knight.com/simple-human
I
think that might be all the generated work this week, slowly moving forward and
making new things about ‘stuff’ that interests me. Things with isthisit? are
going well, the first online resident has been making some really good work, a
series of cards created by vaguely random processes whilst harnessing images
from a Flickr album that’s attempting to document everything and anything. I’m
a big fan of the amount of effort that’s being put in, setting a benchmark for
future residents alongside simply making a strong start to the isthisit?
residency, which is incredibly important I feel. Check out the progress here,
on a pc not a phone: http://www.isthisitisthisit.com/echoes-from-the-internet
In
terms of uni, we’re slowly moving into groups for offsite shows. We have a
small group of four right now, looking to put on some sort of events evening,
straying away from the usual exhibition format. It should be fun, something I
haven’t done before. We’re currently looking for venues, like a community
centre or church, somewhere with that kind of ‘vibe’, something a lot more
interesting than simply hiring out a normal gallery space...
I’ve
been gaining submissions for the magazine, alongside contacting various individuals
to write essays for the publication as well as interviews with specific
artists. The document is going to revolve around the internet, and now has 10
days to go until the deadline. Go here to submit if you want to - http://www.curatorspace.com/opportunities/detail/isthisit-magazine--open-call/1035
I
curated this week’s exhibition on the site, showcasing work from Madeleine Andersson
and Soohyun Choi. Identity, romance on the internet, etc, etc. Go read the
curatorial notes which I’ll be writing in a few days if you’re interested in
knowing more about my thinking behind the show. For now – here’s the show: http://www.isthisitisthisit.com/romanticism-the-2k17-edition
A
guest curator wanted to delay their week to a later date from the 17th
of this month, so I’m currently planning on curating a solo show for the site,
featuring work by Roxanne Gatt, a very exciting artist who’s also having some
work in the Sacred 419 show on Tuesday. See her work here: http://roxmangatt.com/ I’m excited for this
to happen, the first 'proper' solo show on the site.
With
A217 we have the first show of 2017 coming up this Thursday with work from
three artists: Dominique Baron-Bonarjee, Andrei Costache and Ben Mosher. It’s a
bit of a shame, as it’s been incredibly rushed, but I think it’ll turn out
well, if a little simple, two video works and three huge sculptures. The event
is here if anyone is interested: https://www.facebook.com/events/1821815794725064/
Zoe Forster took the head curator job this month, with my turn next month. I’ve
already chosen a bunch of artists to create a show surrounding the speed up of
technology and time. I’ll be sending out emails today so that it isn’t as
rushed as this show has been, which I feel is fairly important…
What
else? I went to the open call exhibition that had my work in it. It was okay,
kind of badly curated but you know, whatever. An exhibition for the CV more
than anything. I was slightly disappointed that they didn't release a list of
the artists on their website, or hand out press releases, so I was basically going to this event
blind, not knowing what I’d see when I got there. This also means no real exposure for the artists involved, which is kind of disappointing, on top of making me pay however much money for what? A free beer?
Anymore
things I should mention? Probably not? The Sacred 419 exhibition is opening on
Tuesday this week and is actually going to be really good. My new VR
piece is going to be on show as well as the aluminium print and a few of my old
video works. A bunch of stuff really, which is great. I’m definitely looking
forward to it all. Here’s the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/215239435606235/
Other
stuff that happened this week? I went to a great artist talk at the Zabludowicz
being given by Heather Phillipson. I didn’t quite realise how ‘DIY’ all her
work seems to be, or maybe that’s because she was giving us a view of fairly
old works. There was a lot of ‘hey look I’m using a green screen’ and precariously
balanced cardboard looking cut outs. I enjoyed the apocalyptic undertones of
the work, alongside her general ideas/talking points which she discussed. Yeah,
it was a solid talk. Some of the work I liked, others not so much. I definitely
valued the ideas behind some of the pieces more than the finished outcomes,
although that’s probably just the work that I like. It’s not as clean cut as I usually
prefer professional works to be… I dunno? Definitely enjoyed the video installations, and how much thoughts went into each thing, legitimising the video within itself.
We've also been having these professional practice talks at uni, last week we had the
people who run Beaconsfield Gallery come in and talk to us about the value of having a relationship with the artists you curate, etc (something I already know), and this week we had an amazing
lecture by a man named Tirdad Zolghadr, a freelance curator and writer. It was
maybe the best talk I’ve been to at Chelsea, which is always surprising… Lots of politics, lots of interesting insights.
I
went to the private view for the two new exhibitions at the ICA, featuring work
from Helen Johnson, which I didn't really understand nor wanted to, and Sonia
Boyce. Although I do like Boyce’s work usually, this time the exhibition amounted
to the same video being shown on 6/7 screens, of a performance that had been
created at the ICA. It was fine, featuring masked individuals dancing around in a
non-conforming way. I was very bored and left very quickly.
Did
I visit any other exhibitions? I don’t think so, other than my own, due to
pre-made plans. There’s definitely a few on my list I’m yet to cross off, the
Urs Fischer at Sadie Coles and teamLab at Pace London.
Is
that everything art based? It doesn't seem like a lot unfortunately, but I
think it was something at least?
I
managed to watch a few films, the first being iBoy, a Netflix original film that sees a teenager gain the ability
to essentially fuck with any and all types of technology. It was fun, but basic
in the wide scheme of things. It passes the time, is that enough?
I
then watched Moana, a beautiful animation
about a young girl attempting to save her small island in ancient Polynesia from dying out.
Yeah, it was lovely and fulfilling, with good voice acting and stunning
animation.
I
also watched Passengers, Chris Pratt
and Jennifer Lawrence trapped on a spaceship in the middle of a very long
voyage to another planet. It was fun, a medium amount of filler but a satisfying experience
nonetheless. A fair amount of controversy was levelled at the film when it
came out, due to the fact that Pratt’s character effectively kills Lawrence's by artificially
waking her up, condemning her to the same fate as his own. All the articles say
that this is a minor plot point, and says that the film is shit because of it.
Umm no? It’s a big deal in the film and continues to be throughout, pretty much
the whole plot revolves around this moment, effecting the entirety of the film
with this bastard move that Pratt’s character makes. Also, it takes him over a
year to make that move, give the guy a fucking break…
Another
film was The Founder, telling the
tale of McDonalds and the terrible man behind its vast expansion, Ray Kroc. It’s
a fun film, not really going into the seriousness of what McDonalds has done to the
entire planet, with the terrible kid’s meals, food crop changes, etc, but fun nonetheless. A
light-hearted biopic basically, taken at face value.
Manchester by the Sea was crushing, continually hammering home how
depressing everything else. It’s just consistently unhappy, with the main
character being repeatedly fucked over by life. Watch it, it’s great, but just
painful overall…
Finishing
on a high note with 3 Idiots, a
hilarious Bollywood film that is very uplifting and bizarre. Why is it nearly
three hours long? I don’t know, nor do I need to. It was great.
I
think that’s it for films… Is less actually more?
I’m
still making my way through Shameless,
although that is just depressing and not nice at times. I do enjoy how it’s an
over 17 tv show though, allowing for real things to happen, even if it is
distressing.
A
few weeks ago Regular Show ended, one
of my favourite cartoons that I’ve been watching for probably around 5 years or
so now. It will be sorely missed…
In
better news however, Adventure Time:
Islands was released, a mini-series branching out from Adventure Time which revealed many aspects of Finn’s backstory. This series is also coming to an end, yet another cartoon that I love. How depressing...
I’ve
been playing a few interesting games too, working my way through the newest iteration
of Doom again, which is as satisfying
as ever…
Broforce
is a fun 2D cooperative experience that sees players embody various American
film heroes, from Rambo to Mad Max, in order to destroy entire
levels with massive guns. It’s fun and nothing to think too hard about.
Another
is Octodad: Dadliest Catch, a game
that involves you embodying an octopus who’s posing as a human with a wife and
two kids. The control system is basically fucked, making it incredibly hard for
you to manoeuvre through levels, which is what makes the experience enjoyable,
even more so when two or more people operate separate parts of the octopus’
body. It's light hearted with a surprisingly humorous story going on behind it.
I
think that’s it? Tomorrow I’m installing for the 419 show, alongside a lecture
and then prepping the A217 space for the exhibition later in the week. Tuesday
will involve more curating of A217, as well as 2 more artist talk events and
the private view for the Sacred 419 that eve. Wednesday will hopefully be
dedicated to my own work generation, whilst Thursday will involve lots of
rushing around for the private view, then Friday I’m assuming more of my own
work as well as isthisit? exhibition
things. Seize Projects is curating a minimal show on the site this week, which should be
good, straying away from the usual format of packing everything in. So yeah, a
busy week ahead, ish…
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