Jenny Core - "The work is an impermanent fixture, failing its artistic purpose of being seen."

 

Jenny Core - Phantom Space Muncher - Tracing Paper

The specific piece of work that was a failure was Phantom Space Muncher on tracing paper. Phantom Space Muncher (tracing paper edition) explores the concept of evacuating space, transforming it into nothingness. The drawing was pieced together in a collaged fashion, creating forms from observed objects, which are concealed beneath condensed layers. The work is a response to the physical element of 'space', including a time based experience. Using natural sunlight, the experience of the drawing alters at different times of the day. Using sunlight, emphasised my practice on play and chance, and involving the external elements (weather etc.), to control the experience of the piece.

As the light cascades through the work, it reveals each individual layer/drawing, deconstructing the work visually, and then the piece reassembles when the light fades.

The failure of my 'phantom' object was experienced in its medium and is purpose. The work, which was sealed together, crumbled within the heat of the light and the tracing paper became brittle and fragile. What makes the work, through this element of 'time', destroys the work through time. The work is an impermanent fixture, failing its artistic purpose of being seen.


Jenny's Website

Spike Dennis - "...ultimately they fail to excite me."

Spike Dennis - Untitled 1, 2 and 3 - Mixed Media

These works are early creations as part of a body of work that I have been developing. They are constructed from combinations of soft textiles with heavier materials such as plaster and clay.

Image 1 depicts a phallic looking object that never evolved any further. I ran out of plaster before I’d finished filling the fabric casing. By the time I’d come back to it the plaster had already set. This piece never led to further work.

Image 2 was retrieved from the bin after being cut of the top of a larger object. The panels of fabric from which it is constructed were cut too small and so it caused the two way stretch fabric to which it was attached to distort and pulled on the stitches that held in place. The ‘finished’ artwork has now been fitted with an appropriately sized replacement.

Image 3 was a test piece for a new body of work. In this instance the reasons by which I have judged the work to have failed are much more subjective. I felt that the two tone synthetic fur wasn’t effective as it is too ‘unreal’, and the faux snakeskin material did not have enough stretch in it to achieve the shape that I hoped to achieve. The lack of give in this material and the thin plastic coating that is used to create the snakeskin effect prevented me from achieving the bulbous form that I was endeavouring to create.

I consider all of these works to be failures because none of them satisfied the measures by which I judge my work a success. I find them all to be deficient with regard to their form and ultimately they fail to excite me.


Spike's Website

Zina Al-Shukri - "Maybe I failed to captivate them..."

 Zina Al-Shukri - Four Portraits - Gouache and Charcoal on Paper

Usually, after about an hour of someone sitting, with me painting and us talking, I am able to take a deeper look into the interior of a person to develop what I think is a successful portrait.

But not these women, they just wouldn't let me in. It was as if they were caricatures of themselves. They absolutely where not able to let go of getting looked at. They were constantly readjusting their hair, make-up, clothes, posture or anything that is superficial to a person. Maybe they couldn’t handle seeing their own image unfold before their eyes or knowing that this picture I was painting of them would be forever or until the paper falls apart.

But, then again, maybe I was the one who couldn't tap into their inner scope. Maybe I failed to captivate them in a way where they would want to give me more of themselves. Maybe they had nothing to give.

Zina's Website