09 March 2011

Initial degree show propsal

It is now coming to the time where we have to think about what we are going to do for our degree show and up until now I have been struggling with ideas which will actually work in an exhibition space.  The space I will be exhibiting my work is the university's main gallery space and becomes a central point to the degree show.  With lots of open space it is possible to create large structures as well as to hang things from the walls so it gives room for lots of opportunities.

My initial thoughts for my degree show were to create a room inside the gallery, which I would turn into a pinhole camera.  People could walk into the room and would be immersed in the projected image of the outside gallery space in the darkened space.  However, this idea soon came to nothing when I realised that it would not work due to the low light levels in the Holden Gallery, where my course would be exhibiting their work.  For a pinhole room to work it is essential to have enough external light, so that the image projected is bright enough to be seen by the naked eye.  I did a test on a blacked out room in my studio, which has similar levels of light to my exhibiting space and no image could be seen by the naked eye at all, so it would therefore not work for my exhibition.

One way in which I could display aspects of my camera obscura work would be hang photographs of camera obscuras which I have created elsewhere.  I would probably display a series of photographs all from the same view point, whether this would be three images or maybe up to nine.  Although, these don't create a way in which the audience can interact with my work and really get to understand the genius of camera obscura, which is what I really want.

Another, way I thought I could use to overcome the light levels in the gallery would be to create camera obscuras in places around Manchester.  My exhibition space would then be used as a point to display information and a map of all the camera obscuras.  I do quite like this idea however, I am not sure how many people would actually go to see my work if it was not based in the university surroundings and finding rooms in which would work for this could also be difficult.  My reason for wanting to create a camera obscura in the gallery space was that it could interact with the gallery space and give another view of the exhibition.  It would become a gallery inside the gallery space.

Since I have been on my camera obscura workshop I have found that there is a more simple way of producing a successful camera obscura inside and it would only involve the use of a few lenses and screens.  Incorporating lenses in my pinholes and the use of a screen for projecting the image means that I can create a camera obscura for a low light space.  Although, technically my audience won't be immersed in a new upside world, like in my pinhole rooms, there is still a way for them to experience the wonders of camera obscura first hand.  My aim is to create a structure, which people can enter and they will be presented with a series of screens showing projections of the gallery space, upside down.  Or to create a few standing structures which can be placed around the gallery showing various angles of the gallery, however this goes further away from my idea of immersing my audience. 

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