hello!

http://tobyoliverdean.tumblr.com/

The animals, America, and me.

5

Across the sea,

4

In my dreams,

3

Oh, America,

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America,

1

K, hi.

I'M BACK.

K Bye! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Going to Disneyland for a few months, see you at the end of September. In the mean time

FOLLOW MY TUMBLR

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Dig a little hole, not three inches round.

I said a sort of prayer for some sort of rare grace
Then thought I ought to take her to a higher place
Said: "dog nor vulture nor cat shall toy with you
And though you die, bird, you will have a fine view"

Look what I did!

 

Yeah! I did a graduate! Im sure theres probably better pictures of me on the day but this is the only one Ive seen. Graduation is SO MUCH FUN. I kept getting the giggles major. Even though the whole morning I thought I was gonna faint or be sick or trip up the steps and I also had to go tie shopping at 9AM because aparently bow ties arent good enough ho hum. Thats me with my mam, isn't she a Betty?

I should also tell you that even though Im now a Bachelor of Arts and have spent the last four years preparing to enter the REAL WORLD, I am still clinging onto being some kind of non-adult, so next week im going travelling across America for 2 and a half months, woohoo! So basically this blog will become even more neglected than it has been for the last few months. It's ok though because if you follow my TUMBLR (do it do it do it do it) you will be rewarded with the 90+ beautiful pictures I have pre-uploaded into my tumblr queue, the feed will spit one out daily, the whole time Im away!!! I might also try and do a few scheduled blog posts before I leave but no promz. I've really been enjoying the freerer Tumblr layout actually, and I am a complete hoarder so its nice to share some of the images I love with everyone. Im also pretty proud that each image is hand scanned by me from my collection, rather than just being regurgutations of everything else.

You can tell I havent blogged in ages because now I can't stop typing!!!!

Anyway heres my Tumblr, please follow!!!
HERE!

Oh PS while I'm here, CONGRATULATIONS to all my fellow graduates and wonderful art friends - Class of 2011 bitches!!!! I honestly will miss you all so much!! weep weep xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

DI$CUNT

The DISCOUNT SUPERSTORE has finally gone live and "OMG BUY" it is soooo cool. Pretty much haven't been this excited about anything in ages. Not in a 'wow I wanna buy all this shit' way, more like 'ooooohhhhh nice picture, another ncie picture, another nice picture' way y'know?? Because everything they've made or sourced for the shop is sooooo amazing!!! If I was a super rich chick I would want it all!!
The girls have been really good at buildng up the excitement, I really love just how much they seem to enjoy what they do, they love the hype! and really its great to see it all taking off. Deffo check em.

Dog eyes and a hanging tongue

 

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.

Wilderness

For The Animals/To The Animals/Statement

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

All images with thanks to Siobhan Belingy.

Meow

BEST WEBSITE EVER.

Bad things coming, we are safe.

Degree Show video fun

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.

Visit the degree show website at http://readingfineartdegreeshow2011.co.uk/
The exhibition is open between 10am and 4pm until Friday, June 24.

For more information email fineart@reading.ac.uk or tel. 0118 378 8050

Dogs Burying Bones

I've updated my Tumblr. Find it HERE.

Titled with a line from my newest film To The Animals, you'll see it soon x.