Michael Gavigan

“A space without time is like a repetitive, monotonous sequence. Without random chaotic events there is nothing to chart our past therefore no unpredictable future. Chaos eventually becomes chaos becomes order, it is from chaos that a ‘Moment’ is created and time follows”



This review is on the project of first year fine art student Michael Gavigan and his work is focused around the theme of time. I chose to focus on this student in particular because of the metaphors he uses within his pieces to illustrate various aspects of time in a number of ways been part of the working process and involves some deliberate experiments.


Michael’s chose a sub theme of Chaos, throughout his project. His was in a number of ways acknowledged by the artwork of Eva Hesse, Felix Gonzalles Torres, and Mike Kelly. These artists deal with the theme of time . Michael. Found inspiration by single images and artworks such as “two lover” by Felix Gonzalles Torres, “metronomic irregularity” Eva Hesse and Mike Kelly “Educational Complex Onwards:1995 -2008” An Irish artist of note who deals with this theme previously is Grace Weir with her exhibition “In your own time” in Hugh Lane which is currently running until the 24 May this year. The exhibition dealt with humankinds measurement, experience and understanding of time.


Time as a theme is very complicated, broad and hard to work with at times because of the complexity. His first trials dealt with the aspect of how time is so unpredictable, these tests included a group of ice cubes melting simultaneously and food colouring being poured into water.





Michaels second set of experiments were trials relating to peoples responses to time and its restrictions. These tests consisted of a volunteer, a paint brush and a large white sheet of paper. The idea was to give the person a time limit to cover the sheet in whichever way they intended. This would illustrate the psychology behind time and how people react to time limitations.



The third experiment concentrated on structured drawn lines and started form the middle of the page. Michaels opening quote ‘Chaos eventually becomes chaos becomes order, it is from chaos that a ‘Moment’ is created and time follows’. These drawings demonstrate this concept.
The next and final sets of experiments are a set of mechanisms constructed onto a cardboard base, consisting of a number of small motors as straw pieces of plastic. The plastic pieces are placed in a circular pattern around the motor and they work in a clockwise movement. These mechanisms are placed onto a large sheet of cardboard and then the mechanisms move simultaneously. The movement of these it is to illustrate the complexity of time. On the cardboard there is a spiral design that Michael created at the beginning of the project. The design demonstrates the idea of a moment and how a moment can change from one way to another.

A Solution                                       

The end of first year Visual Arts Practice is celebrated with an exhibition presented by the students. It is here they display a piece of work showcasing the results of a 12-week project, learning and developing in their chosen field.

In a project synopsis given by lecturers, students were directed towards the themes of light, space, structure, movement and time, but were not limited. The student I worked alongside, Cian O Ruanaidh, seemed to draw on a number of these, rather than one exclusively. The final piece can be described as a kinetic sculpture.

Cian began this project by experimenting with tension, weight, balance and surface tension on both big and small scales. He began to test the point of criticality in his structures by pushing them towards breaking point. 

From Cian

Through this experimentation he started to see what structures and procedures worked best. He has said himself that the easiest and most natural way for him to learn and discover is to observe and experiment. He describes that going through processes is much more beneficial to him than beginning with a plan. By troubleshooting a problem and rectifying it, a conclusion could be drawn. For the first few weeks, many structures incorporated string, heavy weights and cardboard. Following on from this were larger pieces in a similar vein.

From Cian

As a continuation, Cian started to experiment with surface tension. He began by placing water on coins and seeing how much they could withstand. Small wire shapes were also used. From this, he switched to the tops of pins and proceeded to create minute structures. Though the structures looked delicate and dainty they were found to withhold much intervention before collapsing, or going beyond their point of criticality.

From Cian

Due to a restriction in scale, Cian began to move away from the water and surface tension, going back to weights and pieces of board.

From Cian

 In this way, the structures became more elaborate, yet less dense. He was using thinner wood and nails to create. It is here that the idea of kinetic sculpture really comes into play. Completely unsupported, the pieces Cian was making were freestanding and able to move with little intervention. Through this method of working, one can begin to see the influence of kinetic artists, such as Fischli & Weiss and Jean Tingley.

From Cian

From Cian

The final instillation is a composition of the earlier experimentation in his work, resulting in interconnecting elements in a defined space.

Metaphorically speaking, the point of criticality can be a reflection of life. We are forced to hide emotion and trudge on with daily struggle. There are things that will push one to the edge, or indeed, their point of criticality, before we must retreat and begin again. Forever leaning towards breaking point, it is things on the outside that can send us there. The finished sculpture reflects how even a breeze can send something spiraling.

Louise Brady

From Louise Brady

 

When the students of Business and Arts Management were invited to review the work and practice of the Visual Arts students, we gate crashed a presentation exploring a project they had recently completed.  As part of first year in BA Fine Art, the students presented to their lecturers and fellow class mates the process involved in the self-directed learning project based on a theme of their choice. 

From Louise Brady

During these presentations Louise Brady’s work immediately resonated for me. Her photographs of desolate and form-free locations created an atmosphere of mild apprehension and tension. Her conscious decision to remove the presence of the figure from her photographs provided the viewer the opportunity to become drawn into large open spaces and create their own interpretation or narrative within the work. She commented on one of her images “ (it was) a space that felt so vast yet at the same time felt constricted”.  The tension alluded to in her photographs was not meant to be obvious, but formed a “strangeness” where the viewer is free to come to their own conclusions.  

From Louise Brady

 

The apprehension sensed in her work was created by Louise reviewing the striking sense created by absence and unease in banal locations such as empty car parks and public spaces. She has also experimented with the composition, combining various photographs to create a series of images resembling those of a filmstrip. 

From Louise Brady

Louise explained that her interest in tonal studies emerged in her work, and although she had not intended to primarily focus on photography, the work she produced created the atmosphere she wished to develop. Whilst exploring this project, she researched the artists Edward Hopper, David Hockney and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. All of who have previously focused on the suggestion of atmosphere created by the use of locations. 

From Louise Brady

Louise has now developed a series of mono-prints based on her photographs, producing small-scale prints with an emphasis on experimenting with different surfaces. The process she is using mirrors the process of the photographic technique of negative and filmstrips, which ties her prints in with her previous medium.  Louise has now progressed on to exploring an animation of images, and will show this work in her end of year show.