Abtract Fear Assignment; TASK 2 & 4

The theme we have being set is "abstract fear" the concept behind my choice of fear for the project is the Urban Legend 'Slender Man' in other words; being followed/stalked by someone. The story of Slender Man has slowly become more popular over the internet and with people throughout the years; documentary's, computer games, pranks and more have being created all obsessing over this creature-like man that's supposidly being around for century's, seen in images and videos which have over time made people become excessively fearful and aware of the Slender Man. Over many years people have claimed to be stalked and visited by Slender and the recordings, images taken over time and the famous 'Marble Hornets' home videos have led people to seriously believe that this man could be real; So for my assignment I thought I'd bring together my photography and art knowledge to create an installation and photography project on this scary stalker called Slender Man.

The information gathered about "Slender man" says he's most commonly seen around children, many children that have being seen near him have disappeared soon after. He's more likely to be in foggy streets and woodland areas as a way to hide from being seen. The Slender man always wear a black suit, he's unnaturally skinny and is able to stretch his limbs and torso to inhuman lengths.

For the assignment I shall produce a set of 5-8 images based on Slender Man and for my installation presentation I shall produce a full room installation based on Slender Man and display my images in it as well with sounds playing aloud- Bringing the Slender Man myth to life for the viewers that walk into it. I'll be using references from existing pictures of Slender that people have found/created themselves, the computer game and you tube home made videos of his sightings. My artist reference will be on Mike Nelson as talked about in task one and photography references to Julia Margaret Cameron; dead pan portraits (with a creepy sort of empty feel to them) because I want my images to have that empty feel to them that her portraits have but I also want them to show personally like they do so Slender will be dead pan in all of them. Mainly I will be using my own ideas and growing on them as I experiment with the project.

I will be bringing photography and performance art together in my installation; I'm going to have my model dressed as Slender somewhere within my installation that will be in character, scaring the viewers and really bringing the installation to life.

I went to the college library and looked for a good hour at the photography section trying to find a book or two that I could use as references as well but I couldn't find anything that I thought was helpful for the project.

Notes on my ideas for the project and the image ideas, Installation ideas and set up diagrams etc;

After looking at the room and getting informed of what

 we can/can't do I had to change my installation layout idea

the diagrams above are my ideas. I had to change my
original maze/narrow walkway idea because we aren't getting
rooms each for the installation we're sharing a really big room
and getting a section each of it; I couldn't do my walkway idea
because I'd need a fair bit of room and to be able to make the
walkway with a lengthy black curtain which would be hanging
from the ceiling but unfortunately I'm not able to do that due to
restrictions. So this led me to completely change my idea so that
instead of the people walking to Slender at the end of the walkway,
They have to walk into a "trap" (a shape formed out of exhibition
 boards) where they are forced to meet Slender when they turn
around- I may have to form a way for them to get out that's planned
 so there's no possibility of them getting stuck in my installation being
scared of slender because after all I have no idea how effectively scary
it will be for people as some may find it scarier then others.
  

Locations; 

One of the locations I have in mind to do the Slender shoots is my local park, mainly for the two woodland areas at the top of it and the other mini woodland areas scattered around the park, when in a dark lighting the woodland areas look terrifying- a perfect place to have Slender Man standing in.

Abtract Fear Assignment;TASK 3 experimental images.

I'm going to experiment with using a 4 by 5 camera for this assignment because I love the still, creepy feel that the slow exposer gives the images and I think it'll work well with my idea- this is one shot taken from the camera as I was learning how to use it; I planned to do two more shoots with the 4 by 5 camera but with needing to get my images printed in time for the installation I can't do them.  

When Taking this image originally I wanted to take two images of the same scene but when I took the second photo I wanted the model to change her facial expression so her mouth was open, this was so that when I went to edit the images I could put the changed facial expression on he mirror side of the image so that it looks like the reflection was not the same expression as the model- I'd then further edit the reflection so that the reflection face was scarier- but when I did this edit my tutor told me it was too cheesy looking which I agree it did look rather cheesy and he told me how to do the above effect instead which was separating the two sides of the image; mirror vs real and layering the mirrored side many times, moving each one to a different distance from the original layer then changing the blend of each one so its like the mirror reflection is fading away/ moving like a ghost. 

When taking this image I had to walk around the staircases in order to find the perfect composition elements- I took the image in this composition to express having no escape, being trapped but what this image also suggest is, is hope- hope is the most powerful emotion, this image has a hint of hope in it meaning that whoever is trapped is so close to being free they just have to climb for it- but their hope is dashed when they see how low they are to the window this is shown by the low angle used, making the windows seem out of reach. 

When editing the image I made it darker by adjusting the levels, made it moodier by turning it black and white, added more contrast and made the brightness a little higher.    

When taking this image I set my camera to a slow shutter speed(1/13) and F number 22,I pressed the shutter button down to take the image and turned my camera's body around when it was taking the picture to create this out of control sort of feel to the image; the swirling pattern with a focal point to create the feeling of not being able to see properly,being out of control and lost- all very fearful feelings.

When editing the image I took the brightness down, turned the image black and white then changed it so the natural colours of the image were dull rather than completely making the image unnaturally coloured, because I didn't want it to take away from the realness of the scenario. I brought the highlights out more and added some extra shadow and contrast to make the pictures more deep and moody.    

Abtract Fear Assignment; TASK 1.

Installation is an artistic genre of work that is deigned to transform the environment of a location/room though videos,sound, sculptures, artwork, photography- or completely changing a room into an art piece to create a particular feel, effect and experience for the audience walking into it.

Bruce Nauman an American artist is one of many famous installation artists but hes also does pieces of artwork with neon lights, sculptures, photography, printmaking, drawing performance and more. Bruce Nauman is a very popular artist in America-with his interesting neon pieces and video work especially. I'm picking Nauman in particular  because of his one project "Clown Torture"a video installation in which features a clown doing multiple silly things in multiple rooms which turns into quite a disturbing, interesting piece of art- this fits in with the brief set because some people find clowns fearful. I find his choice of projects interesting but strange as he creates an atmosphere of wonder in each video as well as the unease and sometimes irritation caused by certain videos of his such as "good boy, bad boy". After seeing the different types of installation art through videos and personal experience of the 'Intervention' installations that other students of Leeds City College had created; I can understand just how different the types of installation art are and the different effects they have; changing a full room into a installation piece creates a more in your face, real experience -it creates immediate, direct alert emotions. where as video installations build up to the effect it makes on the viewer, it takes more time and makes an effect within the person rather than an expressive easily seen reaction.

Another installation artist I researched is Bill Viola; another American artist who works with/doing sound environments, video work, electronic music pieces, religious work and more I've picked Viola because of his unique ideas and strong, effective, engulfing presentations, he's known for his direct simplicity but his ideas behind the work he does seems so far from simple. One of his videos "Life, death and everything in between" the idea behind it shocks me as he chose to film the last moments of his mothers life and use it in his art- it's a beautiful idea in a sense but utterly shocking to me. Along with the moments of his mother's death he has filmed the first moments of his baby's life, which is a really beautiful idea and the contrast between the two films is over all very emotion and deep.

I've also done research on Mike Nelson, a british installation artist who is most known for creating labyrinth like installations where the viewer has to find their own way through and the entrance and exist are not difficult to determin. I love his installation "The Coral Reef" consisting of 15 rooms and many corridors all styled in different ways to look like different types of rooms; a taxi cab office, a motor bike work shop etc- The feeling that the rooms give is not knowing whats behind each door and the entire time the viewer has no idea of how to get out, stuck in this loop of  eerie, strange and unfamiliar locations and creepy unlimited doors. This is like I want my installation to be like, a personal experience for the viewer to walk in, take in my images and feel the fear building up inside them- to walk into a completely different scene where they feel exposed and unsafe, reacting to the scary soundtrack noises, getting paranoid of being followed themselves- and at the end of the installation I shall spook them with a mannequin dressed as the stalker in my images.

Zed Nelson - A Tale Of Two Cities.

Zed Nelon's "work in progress" current project is all about Hackney; a place full of gangs,guns, fashion craving hipsters and organic cafés all awkwardly clashing together- it's the city in which Nelson grew up in which used to make Nelson want to be anyway but there but since returning he's noticed the obvious contrasting lifestyles that occupy Hackney and wants to show them to the rest of the world. 

I personally fell in love with this project when I saw it on display at White Cloth Gallery, the images along with the presentation; in all the different frames and sizes, abstractly placed on the wall was just beautiful. The images clearly told a story, not an obvious one but this left wonder and excitement laying behind each image- I loved the mix of deadpan location portraits, classic street photography, scenery shots, the deviating documentary shots, the religious shots- just loved each and every image and style he used which was as contrasting and energetic as the lifestyles he was photographing.

Peter Dench- Best Of British.

"Best Of British" is one of Peter Dench's projects that spanned out over 12 years to complete and finally publish. Dench calls himself a cheap Martin Parr; capturing comedic, unique and interesting images of British people- pretty much showing us up/exposing us in an undeniably amusing way. I find Dench's collection of images eye opening at times. I love how he's captured each image, getting really into the scene before him instead of standing back, shyly snapping away. The humour comes across so boldly in his images which is brilliant as I for one would find it hard to capture the perfect and the best composition together never mind making it humorous as well, the images are so ironic and smartly thought about but they're completely real. it's mind boggling how he's done it and therefore; beautiful.

Creating Images From Words.

REMEMBER; NEED TO DO 1 MORE.

(Made of 2 images.)

(Made of 3 images.)

(Made of 6 images.)

(made of 3 images)

( made of 4 images.)

36 Images.

We have to take 6 images each session, based on a theme.  We have to use our digital cameras as if there film cameras, really thinking of when to take the image and after its taken you can't edit or delete it- that's that. 

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The next day;

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(Peter Dench inspired images need to be added here.)

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