Just found this amazing First Aid Kit cover of Fever Ray... Can't believe Ive only just found it as it seems to have been around since the end of last year. So nice to hear one of my favourite bands covering another of my favourites, I really love how they've done it. I've been at home for the last few days so took a million pictures of my cats... you'll probably see the rest in the next few weeks, joy joy joy.
Humans possess an intense and beautiful relationship with death, love and animals. The bond between the three is strong, but often unspoken. This has been the point of departure for my work. I believe that the marriage between an individual and animals is strange, close and complex; be it with a pet, a childhood mascot, the birds in the sky or the meat on their plate.
Working with film has allowed me to explore these ideas, combining different visual and audio elements into one piece. I take naturalistic footage of animals which is then cut and pasted together to form a poetic portrait of nature, domesticity and dominion. Voiceovers – often of a contrasting or seemingly contradictory tone - are layered on top to piece together the underlying visual narrative, although much of this is left for the viewer to determine for themselves.
Large scale sculptural pieces or installations often accompany these film works. It is my intention to use these physical objects to enhance and heighten the emotive essence of the pieces, rather than to add any further narrative to the work. For these pieces the form of the human memorial is enlarged and exaggerated and dedicated to dead pets, road kill, and the victims of the slaughterhouse. There is a gentle sincerity to this action which prevents the work from becoming twee or humorous, while at the same time retaining a dark honesty in terms of the human imagery associated with such memorials.
The interchangeable relationship between our significance and insignificance on this planet remains at the forefront of my work and motivates me to recognise the subtlety and fragility of existence. This is achieved through amplifying, distorting and subverting personal idiosyncrasies into poetic commentaries.
For The Animals Installation, Fake, dried and fresh flowers. To The Animals Film, 7minutes29seconds
(C) Toby Oliver Dean 2011
Hey look! It's some of my awesome fellowfnalistfriends talking about our wonderful degree show! Well actually theyre just talking about thier own work like self obsessed wierdos. Its fun. watch it! Although theres nothing about my work but I will definately get around to showing that soon. ART!
Theres also this article that goes with the video. Its a pretty funny local news view of the show, but it mentions my work so thats fun too...
Fine Art on show at the University of Reading
June 13, 2011
The Tracy Emins and Damien Hirsts of the future are showing their work at the University of Reading's Art Degree Show today.
People welcome to visit the exhibition which this year showcases the work of 55 graduating students from the university's renowned department of art.
Head of the department Alun Rowlands said: This exhibition is the culmination of our undergraduate and postgraduate work, research and their experience of studying art. Visitors will encounter performance as masquerade, sculpture exploring the currency of folk, the immateriality of digital images, storytelling and blogging as theoretical fiction.
“As well as large scale painting and storytelling, other highlights include a filmic tribute to deceased pets, a giant plastic bubble the size of house and the sound of defrosting gramophones!”
The department of art has a long history, originating over 150 years ago as one of the founding departments of the University of Reading.
It has produced alumni such as Turner Prize nominees Cornelia Parker, Richard Wilson and Mike Nelson and been associated with notable artists Walter Sickert and Sir Terry Frost.
Mr Rowlands added: “Graduates from the Department of Art have gone on to become acclaimed artists, curators and writers, making significant contributions across the creative and cultural field. We are very proud that this summer sees two of our alumni participating in the prestigious 54th International Venice Biennale. Mike Nelson will be representing Great Britain at the national pavilion while Melanie Smith will be exhibiting in the Mexican pavilion.”
The University’s Degree Show is accompanied by a three-part newspaper publication featuring all the finalists with guest editorials from Simon O’Sullivan (Goldsmiths), artist Ed Atkins and Caroline Drever (Art History), designed by Georgina Henshall & Liam Yeoh, Department of Typography. (AND ME!!!)
The publication is made possible with the generous support from the Joint Standing Committee of Council and Senate for the Arts.
I found this book at a jumble sale last weekend, after seeing the title on the spine and remarking "its a pretty thin book, considoring it's subject matter". I had a quick flick through, and decided that actually it was quite nice (despite the creepy picture on the front) and definately worth the 10p asking price. Once home I was able to study the book in more detail. It's basically one of those ones full of sort of inspirational and philosophical messages on how the world is or should be and how you should live your life and all that. The images within follow a similar theme, but amongst the black and white images of babies with old people (circle of life?) I have found some really wonderful photographs. Sadly google images couldn't find some of my very favourites (maybe Ill scan them later), but here are some of them.
Harold Feinstein, Georgina and Rodin.
Elliot Erwitt, Art Students in the Catacombs of Mexico.
Josef Koudelka, Costumed Student on His Way to a Festival, Olomouc, Czechislovakia
Donna Ferrato, Death of the Class Gerbil, United Nations School. (This is my favourite).
Alfred Eisenstaedt, Puppet Show, "The Dragon is Slain".
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