Reflection on Skeleton series (name tbc)

Been a long time keeping the plastics, some are donated by people through social media, some by myself or some by friends. Still not having right decision on what to make, how to make or limited by the caps I don’t really know.

But, there’s some comments or advice throughout the period. I listened and reflected, some points are summerized as follows,

1. using proxy is actually kind of plastic that polluting the world, even the final

Work is nice, there should be much wasted

2. The materials are really too cheap that people just stop watching it before digging into the meaning behind?

3. And the works I keep questioning are those using the waste to form the animals, for example many bottles forming a whale,that’s not difficult for me, I am sure I could do it. What I keep doing is… a piece that raising awareness of pollution.

So, here’s a recent work that satisfies me and at the same time I think the meaning behind is a way better. The skeleton series, with the various plastics wastes, the repeating pattern, the unique form of individual shape, could be assembled as the skeleton form of endangered animals. The story behind is due to the very long lasting of plastics, which definitely longer than the critical endangered animals. Then I started to think of what if in the future, those animals disappeared, and human still alive, how could they illustrate the animals like those in the natural history museum. Of course this is talking about a very long term future, but we never knows as covid 19 affecting our habit so much…what if the knowledge on internet or taxidermy all lost at a time? And the humans could only find the plastics in the ocean, will they reform the skeleton like those scientists doing at this era?

Yea that’s the idea and not yet very solid, I keep tuning it while I already immersed into the assembling process. By using pin to hold the parts, that’s a way of taxidermy, I try to make it like more valuable, thus the outcome is somehow satisfying with the reflection points above. And the works already applied to a Japanese art fair, hope could gain more comments from there.

Sea turtle skeleton all angles

Sea turtle top view

Humpback whale side view

V54 artist residency students’ works review

the photo took from 16Aug, which is the beginning of final week of their stay. with some individual tutorial in-between, and another teacher commenting their works, finally, some of them changed idea (with limitation?) and some of them keep moving on with the original ideas (which I am happy to see the path and result). here I recap their works process with some reflection for my teaching experience.

Heaven’s work with the story with a friend from Italy, met when they were small. And castle sculpture representing the playground which also named as castle. the weathering decay effect he observed would apply on the castles to show the timeline that he met and disconnecting with the friend. recommending him to buy some small-scale-figure, showing the scale of castle, and also the situation of them, Heaven and his friend. think the narrative is funny and somehow romantic. hope he is ok to handle the changing of decay painting. 🙂

Sopia’s work with a canvas of V54 window’s shape and would paint the morning atmosphere, in an abstract way. Is a nice canvas, and she will use spongy to paint, I agree the spongy would be a good way in painting like fog or like…impressionism’s painting….something presenting lights.

ar 秋’s work with the melting wax, and painting in black/white, the street, representing he feels hot and melting walking around here, since so many slopes and he not knowing the transporting well. the black/white also represent his dizzy feeling. recommending he focus on the wax sculpture as that should be the main item. so far he got much idea

David’ work keep in a secret mode, hope everything’s alright…XoX

>>>no photo……-_-

Leah’s work, happy to see she keep going with her initial idea, which is quick drawing the people around Happy Valley, inviting them to post it back with sharing written on the back. when I visit Leah that day, she receiving many of the return postcards. could see how exciting she was. The next step for her is just wait for the postcard, and thinking how to display well in the exhibition, guiding people to see how she connect the community with drawing postcard.

Julie’s work using picture frame to imitate window frame, drawing classic building around happy valley. she try to use watercolour as it is soft and pretending some older times. Adding horse as happy valley got some horse walking in old days, she said. recommended she to use various size of picture frame, like from small to large. to enhance the visual impact instead of really imitating the windows. well but, she still buying same size frame….-_- anyways~

Ellis seems confusing since he got another tutorial that not supporting him to make 3D mixed media. and he is not confident to keep going on that…..so he was told to stick with his drawing skill, drawing something, still, related to his findings, birth and death, for me, I think that’s ruined the chance of staying here…well but that’s another topic that I would like to write/ record, in another chapter…or actually could be a topic for studying doctorate. yea…back to here…he’s drawing something about that, and I recommend him to break the frame with some installations, like, putting something out of the frame. to enrich the idea of birth/death…like eggs, leaves or sth else.

summer’s work is similar, at the beginning she would like to do something abstract about illustrating sounds, she already recorded and would like to use the sound wave to do the works. however, tutorial with other teacher and saying she better illustrate something real….then she draw…ladys….on each canvas, and she not feeling happy about that, she also questioned why I really need to draw that….I agree and found she is not very happy if the final work is like that…and I suggested her to make use of the exhibition wall, enlarge the “noisy” she illustrated by the mixed-media…she still a bit unhappy and hope her final work would got some excitement.

all their works are now 70-80% completed, hope to see them all satisfy the final work in the exhibition on 19Aug2021.

V54 artist residency tutorial part 2/2

continue the tutorial this morning,

Summer, one of my illustration students, she observed the environment here about street or lane is narrow, seems not as clean as where she living, Shatin (I agree this as actually Shatin is really a cleaner place as the density is lower), more car and traffic jam here. however, these would not be a very specific point to express, or not unique. Keep listening to her until she said she found a scene one day, with a foreign kid at an old traditional stationary store, playing/ screening the old toys, in which, the big contrast of new and old generation, western and east culture impress her a lot. and I am recommending her to observe more about this, e.g. contrast of old man and new store, contrast of foreigner chilling life with hongkongers’ busy life, or even contrast of traditional V54 building with some new cars parking outside, all could be a scene, painting, illustrations or photo to be developed.

Leah, same, illustration HD student of mine, she can’t say a lot deep impression at the beginning, just normal observation or what they did throughout the week. She also mentioned the guy who join V54 before, called Man, they met him on a day when ah Man setting booth to deliver origami course to the community, I asked her to record the impact about the function, like…what is community art? why he doing that? what he actually delivered. the answer is….connecting the new generations in this district, with old and traditional stuffs. and I asked her to research and think of what community art is. Somehow that show involve the community. Instead of an artist keep working on 1 artwork, community art is always welcome for all people to join. and Leah keep sharing her feeling that she like writing, the real paper and writing strokes made her feel warm and sweet. Thus I recommended her to research on writing or paper artist. and at the same time should start or think of some action to do, could be drawing of humans in the community or pets or whatever, and trying to post to herself, may involve the people she drew or else, in order to generate a funny diary or journal the connecting the dates, locations and feelings.

David, student from VAC, he said walked along the hill and picked something, would like to make/ develop something out as an artwork, he said the object could represent the district somehow. and yea, he is not willing to say what is that and I am a bit worry, worried about his direction or worried about if that object is really representing the district. However I am not forcing him to unveil that. On the other hand, I am asking him to research on natural art related to community, and also clear up the mind to think if that “object” is right on the track. if yes…could pick more, if no…please give it up.

jan vormann: dispatchwork; one of the artist I suggested David to research on, see what story behind.

so far that’s the 7 students’ progress, looking forward for next tutorial and the final work they developed.

V54 artist residency tutorial

Currently I have some students who are lucky and got the opportunity for living in V54, artist residency in Hong Kong.

been one week they living in, asking them to record what happened, what they learnt, observed and something really impact them these days.

here, I help them to record as they are quite loose or no direction at the moment.

Ellis, one of my students in illustration class, he observed two main topics and would like to use 3D printing<<< he said; for my advice is, 3D print is a presentation method only, when you are not sure the topic yet, don’t frame it. and the two topics are…1 is the poor people who living in tunnels and the setting of it<<<which makes him think of contrast about rich and poor; the other topic is about cemetary, religion and happy valley itself, >>>”the merry go round” representing the happy valley while the horse inside may decorated in different culture. I think the idea is impressive and messages could be delivered in a fun way (death topic), and I recommend Ellis to research on more about death issue or cemetery. And…is “merry go around” suitable? or could use Ferris wheel to represent? or the whole presentation is a Carnival? will be interesting but I afraid of the production time~ will discuss with him. and I suggested him to research on some media artist so that the presentation method not framed by 3D printing~

HK artist Angela Li recommending Ellis to research on.

Julie, another Illutration students from my class. she founded buildings worth to record. And I am asking her to research on what is common in Happy Valley, by using the common image covering the valuable old building drawings, that would be an interesting presentation. so she could research on the flat price problem? the common of bar? or many cafe? all could be direction. same way I am suggesting her to present in a special way, e.g. nice drawing under beer bottlesss, to illustrate the common of bar, and the impact of finding nice building through barsss in Happy Valley. and yea, again, I hope the student go beyond me, not using my ideas to work on the project.

Heaven, student from Visual Art and Culture (VAC), he seems a bit slow in process or may need more time to observe. but, at least he found something he want to observe, is the weathered sculpture he saw in cemetery. what he said is the surface facing light is somehow more damaged<<< and this is inverted situation when we draw a sculpture. I think that observation is good and recommending hi t observe the buildings around Happy Valley, which may have the same problem on the traditional building surfaces. hope he could find the way.

Sofia, another VAC students, she did talk about some alley and lane that hidden in this district, and she found they are quite beautiful and worth to capture. she took some photo and will post in blog. and we keep talking on what she experienced in these days….and finally she said something she feel very nice, which is the morning scene of the Happy Valley, she described that with sound and colours, etc. and I also think that is something really touched her mind and would be a nice path for the project. so I am asking her to research on “morning record artist” and “abstract paining” <<<as abstract painting is what she wanna do. and the artist I want she research is to inspired by various presentation or recording method of “morning art”. For presentation method, e.g. canvas of her views, like windows shape, or negative shapes between building are interesting, again….just suggestion and hope they got better ideas than mine. 🙂

recording these and letting them read again, hope they won’t feel so lost while living there.

The art journey after MA study (part 2/2)

continue for Full-time work and art development…

Now working full time in an NGO (that’s non profit making organization), a place called upcycling centre. at there, I need to deliver upcycling concepts as well as arranging workshop that could let publics enjoy and learn.

School Sharing

TV Channel interview

Students interview

workshops

VR project we developing to let audience playing and understand upcycle concepts.

*photo to be uploaded*

there are 7 studios and wood workshop, printing room in the centre, studios are rented to designers whose look for eco-friendly design. I get to know some of them and inspired me, on materials collecting, designing concept and also the passion about art and design. This maybe the best part of the job. On the other hand I got more experience on how to teach or education different age group…from primary, secondary to tertiary and also corporate clients.

However I do feel it’s time to move further and explore in some aspect. I am thinking of some phd programme which could let me concentrate on art development and also knowledge gaining. I really want to move on, hope the applications are fine and accepted by some uni.

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here’s I would also round up some of my artwork within the period I back to HK, it’s almost 4 years. by doing them….experiencing and questioning…I do thought of some knowledge gap that I should do in phd programme.

At the very early stage when I just back, I joined the group exhibition held by Hyphen, who are group of UAL graduates from HK. I try to keep my works being shown.

and I started working as full time again, less time for artworks, not only less time for making but the most importance is…less time for thinking, and yeah the reflection of writing blog is a key point too. to talk to yourself, asking what to make, how to make, how it could be improved, etc. So there’s not much work being made. I could observed how plastic bottles is so much wasted in HK, I keep collecting and collecting, would like to make some art by them, ideas in the mind but keep staying there. until I started by using some of the wrapping plastic on the bottles. and some bottle caps. Actually there are 4 parts from 1 bottle could be used, they are the wrapping plastic, neck ring, cap and the bottle.

4 wastes from 1 bottle (bottle body; neck ring; wrappings; cap)

for the above collage, I described them as illustrating futures, the concept is those plastics occupying the living habit, and the endangered animals are already disappeared, the human could only imagine or recall their appearance by the iconic shape. they are all experiences at the moment, I would like to make the centre transparent, which may need resin. and as you could see the right bottom one, made by the bread clip, that is another plastic I collect from social media, with deadline (expire date) on each of the small pieces, I think that could give a higher impact to audiences, so I collected a lot. for more plastic collected, they included contact lens package and model frames. All of them are waiting for working out.

the gradient test of bottle caps

colour assorted and being cleaned

some more materials collected

model frames are colourful and got potential in my work

so these are materials collected throughout the period, and I keep thinking of any better method to finish that, or need to do more testing. they are growing slowly…been thinking what to be at the centre, transparent or a mirror reflecting the audiences?

last but not least, I have to introduce a book that suitable for the artist who stuck at a point, it encourages and providing method, describing the truth of any problem artist facing,

right hand side should be a newer version while left one is mine.

Name in English: The Artist’s Way/ A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Arthur: Julia Cameron

 

The art journey after MA study (part 1/2)

Its been so tough to restart something again, especially needed to work for money as well as balancing the art knowledge development. I chose teaching but somehow it’s never easy to get a stable and ideal job. I’ve been working in tertiary education where I believe the environment is good for sharing my art/ design experience and knowledge, at the same time I could push myself keep learning and keep sourcing ideas, enhancing network, to get improved of myself and students. However, there’s not yet a suitable place for me and I can just keep working as part time instructor for subjects in some semesters, including visual merchandising, exhibition design, art and design foundation, interior design foundation. and I keep working for freelance whenever opportunities come out, some photo references below. And…..working full time as an education manager in a place called upcycling centre. here I will share how’re these 3 routes guiding me to somewhere and somehow I would like to round up the journey I back to Hong Kong, and hopefully, time to start a new chapter asap. and in case some artist feeling confused in life, welcome to share and discuss.

1) Freelancer

2) Part time Education

3) Full time work

First of all, freelance job, I started in 2011, working for exhibition, store vm and some graphic design (even I don’t really like to 2D). as a freelancer, job is always not stable which is sometimes there’s 3-4 projects within a month while sometimes not even 1 tiny projects in a season. is lucky that I could have some decoration projects related to environmental protection, delivering recycle, upcycle or reducing trash…

Kerry Properties X’mas Decoration 2019. A set of seat covers idea from xmas wreath. Combining wasted fabric samples to patchworks (final setup video on IG)

X’mas decoration for Open University 2018, with workshop that guiding students to make xmas ornaments by aluminium can and papers from drinks.

Ferrero X’mas booth decoration. An installation in a pop-up store of Ferrero, xmas 2017. Those golden flakes are like the wrapping of Ferrero. (Dummy video on IG)

3-year-xmas in a sequence, plus some visual merchandising projects, the OpenU and Kerry properties project are ways better that delivering repurposing of trash at the same time. I would like to keep doing commercial projects that applying eco-friendly ideas, that’s a long-term goal, and sustainable for a business development; also a way for people recognizing me, as an artist and a business.

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For the part time education, as I mentioned above, it’s never been easy to get a full-time position in Uni. just keep teaching as part time tutor/ instructor/ lecturer…anyway…just like mercenary troops in the war, keep waiting orders and work for that. Still, I have passion on teaching and guiding my students, I feel energetic in every class, discussing project ideas and guiding them for research. Job in a Uni motivate me a lot. here I got some photos of my class:

Graduation show of Higher Diploma in Commercial Design, Visual Merchandising Design, HKBU, one of the module that I thought the students are really spending time and works are nice, they are in group making window display for some brands, 1:1 and 1:50 store models were made:

The most challenging part for part time teaching is preparation of content and planning class structure. there’s not included in working hours tbh…but once you prepared, you could re-use next year, or update a few is fine. Usually there are 13- 15 weeks for each modules and 3 projects in each of them, 2 individual and 1 group project. within the period, keep teaching them though lecture, tutorial of projects, and practical computer skill in some modules, adding class work of computer drawings. This 3 main items would need lots of preparations.

For lecture, PowerPoint may include knowledge terms and information sourcing, as well as photo assists <<< a good photo example always need a long time to google, really. for tutorial, that is time consuming and a clear mind to do so, as students doing various topic and I need to reflect any ideas or guide them by providing art and design examples. For computer skill, I need to keep myself updated and think of any possible classwork for each time, cutting the class into pieces that student could absorb every time.

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to be continued…for full time work and art development

 

 

Some thoughts about Banksy

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Banksy (@banksy)

***(link to Banksy’s instagram…for reference only)

Banksy, *his/her/their work in Sotheby’s so much shocking the world, everybody is talking about that, every media, social network….appearing in everywhere, that reminds me one of the many invaluable concepts learnt in London….”to put yourself into a debate…” that’s from my course director, Maiko, who was giving tutorial to my project…

at that moment when I was listening to Maiko…I tried to digest what she said…but Banksy’s shredder performs it successfully….no matter *he/she/they really want to destroy the work…or that is just a trick that upvaluing the work…the performance is succeed…and…on Banksy’s  instagram, quoting the Picasso’s “The urge to destroy is also a creative urge”….OMG….I mean here….OMG is not only on how smart he/she/they are….but also …that “creating a dialogue with famous/ fine artist”…which was also told by Maiko…in my very first tutorial when I showing her research of Andy Warhol’s prints ( endangered species)

these two quotes or moments in the tutorial inspired me much on “what is art? what is design?”, which is a question I keep thinking before going to UK study.

and I remember once I read Banksy’s book in London, with his quote… ‘The holy grail is to spend less time making the picture than it takes people to look at it”…once again….not only his spray art doing that well…this shredder just destroying the work in a few seconds…but people keep watching the work, the video clip, the comments…keep looping…

I just really thank how he reminded me … no matter on my visual art study or life in London…

and I watched the youtube link* about him…although it finally introduced another artist MBW, those stuff recalling my mind again…not to quit not to quit…even my life in HK now is so damn messy so hard on freelance…so much challenges in teaching life…keep searching Banksy’s work recently…and I saw:

“If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit.”

&

“Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit.”

         

***(images just download from the internet, not sure if those are works of Banksy, just for myself reference.)

Banksy is not yet my favourite artist but I feel thankful to how he/she/they delivered those messages, they encourage me 🙂

* for using he/she/they>>>yeah I still wondering if Banksy is someone or a secret group from UK government, who sending out positive messages…at the same time encouraging new artists, new artworks, new art markets, etc.)

just keeping ref, video of MBW, with Banksy documentary:

Impressive exhibition in Centre Pompidou

I am lucky to be in Paris as Pompidou is show the artist – David Hockney. The exhibition clearly shown the various works of him, while his works are easily to be defined the time line.

Starting from the printing when he arrive New York, the works show how an artist facing problems like pricing of works, money for life, etc. those context reflecting the life of beginning art/ design life.

1a. Receiving the Inheritance 1961-3 David Hockney born 1937 Purchased 1971 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/P07030

as no photo is allowed in the show, here are some I searched in google.

the painting of men’s body & all painting about swimming pool, showing his ability of painting and precise color use for reflection/ transparent texture. Those are impressive.

some paintings also show how he make use of new medium, like adding acrylic board on painting, (this one I need to search or photos from souvenir book)

***

The section of two portraits, those paintings are very good examples for composition balancing, I am sure will share them to students:

yea the timeline with different style shows Hockney willing to change or using new medium for creating. here’s the serious “joiners” which is collage of photos. in 1980s, impressive and breath taking when i saw it.

the scrabble game that one seems not filling whole canvas but the duplicate faces are showing people with quick changing face expression. and the 1-person view inviting us to join the game.

later on the section of collage of landscape paintings, which Hockney drawing huge paintings with limited space….that inspiring me, for making my installation or painting or …sculpture anyway. the biggest one seems like 5m x 10m (will photo from book)

with final section of Hockney’s video taking , still like his collage landscape drawing, with 4 seasons. shocked me as the artist really keep changing medium but still keeping some of his style.

Restarting my journey

it’s been a long time I haven’t record my art or practice here. After back to Hong Kong, I took more time for job hunting and living issue.  There has been over a year, I joined “Hyphen” showed art piece with london mates, I started teaching career, I try to cooperate with organization like greenpeace. Today I am in Paris due to a work of 2 weeks.

The Paris culture and the art atmosphere here all reminding me to restart, reframe, refresh, reshape, rethink myself. I know I have to start my art again even the live in HK in tough and full of distraction.

The green piece project giving me a reflection that I should not cooperate with organization at the moment since my works still not on a smooth way, I should not change or try to please anyone and making my art like some commercial piece…or just for a event props. I should do something I really want to or expressing idea without any limitation. (time, target, function, etc.). However, the thing I created also giving me inspiration on the next move, which is good.

For teaching life in Hong Kong, at the moment I am teaching visual merchandising. The reason why I chose to teach in tertiary education is the standard higher which I feel improving myself as well. To keep improving myself, getting design project, doing art project, sharing to the students, all are parallel developing.

here’s some watercolor paintings I did in Paris,

more on instagram: vinex.art

I still exploring a style which using one color for bright reflection while another for the shadow. Drawing everywhere giving me challenge and motivation no matter for animal art or self thought.

Collaboration with Greenpeace HK

Recently I got a collaboration with Greenpeace, they are having a campaign against micro-beads product and overuse of plastic bag. The micro-beads product and plastic bag collected will be transformed into artpiece shown on the date of the event.

最近與綠色和平合作， 他們在籌辦有關反對微塑膠產品及濫用膠袋的活動。  收集微塑膠產品及膠袋， 並轉化為藝術品， 在活動當日給大眾宜揚訊息。

The main problem of the micro-beads is that they are actually plastic, and too small to be filtered so that will be directly flushed into the ocean. Animals like fish and turtle could not define them and easily intake into the body. When the micro-beads enter their digestive system, they will block the system or, it will be digested into toxic substance. The effect is not only about animals but also the food chain and a becoming global issue.

微塑膠的主要問題，是它們細小得不能過濾， 直接排出大海後， 海洋生物如魚類海龜不能分辯而錯誤進食，微塑膠會阻塞牠們的消化系統， 或被消化後是有毒物質 。影響的不單是動物的生命， 而是整個食物鏈， 也成為了全球要面對的問題。

So what products contain the micro-beads? They usually written in the ingredients part, you might find it in toothpaste or facial scrub products. They are：Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polymethyl Methacrylate and Nylon- “with numbers”. Either one of them inside the product, is containing micro-beads.

有什麼產品含有微塑膠呢？通常是牙膏或磨砂潔面產品，可在成份一欄查到， 分別為：Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polymethyl Methacrylate and Nylon- “後加數字“； 產品有任何一種，已是含有微塑膠。

we would like people to stop using the micro-beads item immediately, if you like to help saving the ocean and animal, please stop purchasing and pass the rest of them to me, to contribute the campaign 🙂

我們希望大家立即停用微塑膠產品， 若大家立即停用，歡迎將產品交給我以示支持活動。：）

More about micro-beads pollution 更多微塑膠污染資訊：

1. article and video clip by WPTV November 2015
2. video clip by DNEWS September 2015
3. video clip by Social Connected April 2015
4. video clip by Samuel Boyce January 2016

photo showing the ingredients of micro-beads 這些便是微塑膠:

email contact: vinex.art@gmail.com