Cabinet of Curiosities - Mark Dion and the University as Installation

I have been looking at a variety of books this week and this is one that caught my eye. I’ve researched Mark Dion earlier in my project but I’ve never truly understood his art and ideas but hopefully now I’m getting a finer grasp of his concepts.

‘Dion employs the methods of archaeology and museums to create something that is not quite archaeology or museum, and that raises basic questions. What is a museum? Why is it a museum?’

The Nine Cabinets 

Priorities for early 2012.

My watch went in the washing machine :( it may come in useful for art though !

- Be completely prepared for my London Met interview on the 29th February
^ Buy an A3 portfolio from college

- Have my Brighton portfolio completed on flickr for the 7th February

- Have my current project finished to a reasonable conclusion by the exhibition opening on the 6th February

- Have my printing sketchbook finished by our next review (prints stuck in, artist research, techniques documented, annotations and evaluations)

Junk Shops and Grannies.

A few images from my latest film shoot.

Thornbury Museum. 

Ivy Cottage.

Charity shop buy (the shutter speed was much too long).

Jenny Farmer,  french lecturer who now works in a charity shop in Westbury.

Kia and my nan.

My dads dry stone wall was knocked down. 

Cute wallpaper in a pub in Chepstow.

Sue Darke, my godmother.

The symbolism of an abandoned chair.

Jen Montgomery

Instagram; ourcharr

Misty Windows

‘Ugly’ Jumper

Lace & Hearts

Cute windows in our cottage

Ralph Lauren £3 shirt

Granny Project, briefcase & glasses

Earl Grey 

New blouse 

'It is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new’ Tony Visconti.

Shorts; Republic. Belt; Primark, Vest & Scarf; Charity Shop, Cardigan; H&M, Necklace; Warehouse

Excuse the minimal make up, I’ve been trying to wear a lot less and my skin has definitely got so much nicer because of it! Yesterday the boyf and I went to Chepstow to have a rummage through the junk shops to see if we could find anything for my art project, we did come away with a few treasures. This was followed by a huge TGI’s with friends, I still feel full up the morning after. 

Reading Week To Do List.

This is one of my current ideas for Fine Art. 

- Finish my Falmouth portfolio and send it ! (Mon eve)
- Return Andy’s India book and Martha’s tiger onesie.
- Sort the cupboard outside my room (my room’s so tiny I have extended storage which has become very unruly since we’ve moved)
- Start preparing for my London Met interview
- Go on a day trip to Chepstow with the boyf
- Go charity shopping on Gloucester road (Weds with Holly)
- See The Artist (Weds with Holly)
- Start sorting student finance
- Organise and finish my printing sketchbook (Tues)
- Sort all my emails into categories, flag the important ones and REPLY TO THEM ALL.
- Finish and develop my Canon and Holga films
- Annotate the whole of my Fine Art sketchbook by next monday
- Sort my Safari reading list

All of our thoughts collide, when our hearts melt inside.

Cardigan & Dress; H&M, Scarf; Charity Shop

I always seem to have a hundred and one things to do but end up scrolling through tumblr or various blogs and generally doing things that I shouldn’t be. My family and boyfriend have come to the conclusion I have an internet addiction, which I personally think is a little ridiculous! Even if it is slightly true. University’s all go, I have an interview for London Met and have a portfolio deadline for tuesday. This is another reason I’m blogging on a Friday night, I’m gonna stay in and be a good girl and try and get a little organised. I’ve already replied to about 30 emails, got a hefty lot left but I’m working on it. This is where I make a mental note to reply and categorise them IMMEDIATELY. 

Tomorrow I’m off to Chepstow with the boyf, we’re going to have a wander through all the junk, vintage and antique shops, mainly for my art project. I think I might post all of my recent instagram pictures as this might explain a little better than me rambling on. I also found two denim shirts yesterday (Levi’s and Ralph Lauren) which only cost £6. Ultimate bargain hunting. I’ve also been to Starbucks with friends which has me craving hot chocolate. 

Floral Obsessions.

Fur coat; Charity Shop

Blouse; Urban Outfitters

Dress; BS8, Cardigan; Vintage Fair, Scarf; India

Skirt; Topshop, Vest & Cardigan; H&M

Dress; Primark, Cardigan; Charity Shop

A few outfit from this the past week, I didn’t realise how many floral items I owned!? I really haven’t been in the mood to post recently, it’s all chaos with art projects and University portfolios.

It's funny how the colours of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen.

These are some images from a couple of shoots on an old Canon 35mm and my new Diana Mini. University applications are turning me insane! I’m currently trying to scrape together an online portfolio however I’ve come to the conclusion I hate all my work. Even worse, I’ve only just realised it’s Friday 13th !?!?

I am nobody's little weasel.

Blouse; New Look, Cardigan, Leggings, Vest, Scarf; H&M

I’ve been wearing a lot of nudes recently, I know I’m boring.

Happy 1st Birthday ! Warning this is a jumble of artistic thoughts.

It’s my blogs first birthday today however at this moment in time I have too many random ideas whizzing through my head to think of any sort of relevant post. We had a recent MA graduate speak to us at college yesterday about how to deal with projects and she said that whenever you have an idea you should write it down in a summary style paragraph.
So here goes, this is going to try and sum up and link every tiny idea I have had so far on our museums project resulting in a plan for tomorrows lesson and a direction I can start working in. I’ve been thinking that I want this project to be personally relevant, initially looking into family history and found imagery but it developed into an idea revolving around our new cottage. My first shoot however was of my camera collection see here. I wanted the results to be hugely film either from my Canon charity shop camera, Holga or Diana Mini however I’ve recently discovered the bulb setting on Manual shutter speed on my DSLR so I’ve been having a plan around with various speeds and movement.
Subject wise I would like my project to revolve around charity shop buys, I was thinking a Museum of Grannies. The amount of random odds and ends myself and my family have from auctions, charity and junk shops and other vintage type belongings I think it could work however I need to find some way of making it visually interesting. I also want to create an almost mystical feel to the imagery that leaves the viewer guessing. This is why I liked the idea of using a collection of charity shop items as they all have an unknown history behind them. I’ve also ran through ideas of teacup collections and a Museum of Shadows & Light. My initial idea revolving around my camera collection is ongoing as every shoot is taken with a different camera, I’ve also been taking almost self portraits of each using a mirror however I think I could expand this idea using numerous mirrors and other reflective substances and even shadows. I like the idea of moving shadows and light. I used fairy lights in a shoot the other day and I’m planning on having a play with sparklers.
Today I have finished nearly two films and am halfway through another so really need to get them back to have a think. This hasn’t really summarised my thoughts however at least I can see them in black and white. I have also read various magazines, books and pictures today as background reading for example ‘Activate’ ‘Uncertain States’ and ‘Art Student'.
Another thing, I started a journal type mementoes book for another Fine Art project however I barely go into it, would it be considered cheating to carry it on. It would be like a Museum of the Self. We were told to keep a journal so although I am keeping this category on here surely that count’s too. Just a thought.
* Another idea, Museum of Tea. Picture of every cup of tea you drink for x amount of time.

Taken on instagram @ourcharr

Watching this film for inspiration, the man who goes round collection peoples passport pictures and displays them in an album. I also love the quirky-ness and the ideas seem similar to ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’. 

Juergen Teller

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Deborah Turbeville

Deborah Turbeville is currently the main inspiration for our Museums project. There is something about her whimsical film images that I love and her description of women as ‘Wallflowers’ is so relatable. I also found this coincidental as my favourite book is ’The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ and this was also a huge inspiration for the project. I’ve recently found an article from an old Harpers Bazar magazine discussing the artist so here are a few of my favourite quotes;

‘..avant-garde..’

‘..we got images full of decay, disintegration and alienation, isolation, anxiety and dislocation. They were delivered in such a lyrical, enigmatic and erotic way, however, that the melancholy was masked.’

‘What one sees at first glance is a delicate, poetic, hazy blur. Her gaze is most definitely of a women.’

‘It is a women handling the camera. It is a women with a softer lens.’

’The are dark pictures, but also theatrical’ Jules Wright

‘ Never one for the pristine, she found a derelict conservitory. The outlines of the models are barely there, just a ghost-like imprint of the past or, indeed, the future. The dresses are hardly distinguishable. 'The women are sealed in a vacuum’ says Turbeville. They can’t get out. It is analogous of life. People are trapped. You can take it any way you want: they chose to be there, they are prisoners, they are in an asylum, something is terribly wrong.’ 

’..nostalgic..’ 

* ‘I’m sure it is a very poetic thing, madam, but not in my museum.’ And he slammed down the phone..’ 

'The shabby, soft-focus, distressed and jarring appearance of her images is achieved through a huge bag of technical tricks, including crude ones such as tearing, scratching, overexposing, mutilating, cropping, obscuring with tape and covering negatives in hair and dust.’

‘The idea of disintegration is core to my work’

‘A romanticist and a modernist...’

‘..demands explicitly that her work be judged as art. The enigmatic, timeless quality of her images, and her interplay with space, architecture and ephemeral figures implicitly - and successfully - does the same. She is one of the great photographers of our generation, and her influence on the world of photography - fashion or otherwise - will be felt for years to come.’ 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

Make The Most of Your Diana Mini ‘Shoot Forever'

Image taken on my Art Deco dressing table.

One of my christmas presents from the boyf was a Diana Mini, it was completely unexpected but as he said my Holga is looking slightly worse for wear (it’s currently being held together with sticky tape). I feel so completely unmotivated at the moment what with the rubbish weather so am looking forward to college tomorrow, I definitely need a kick up the ass to do some work. I am however having a look through some books today and doing some research into lomography before I have a play with her. ^

Here are a few rules that lomographers can look at, be inspired by, follow or just completely ignore.

1. Take your camera everywhere you go & whenever you go. 

2. Use it anytime, day or night.

3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it. 

4. Shoot from the hip.

5. Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible.

6. Don’t think. 

7. Be fast. 

8. You don’t have to know beforehand what you’ve captured on film. 

9. You don’t have to know afterwards either.

10. Don’t worry about the rules.

*
Do not leave your Diana Mini at home. Ever! She will miss something good.
Do not put the Diana Mini in a hot oven. She will melt.
Do not take a bath with the Diana Mini. She can’t swim.
Do not sell the Diana Mini on Ebay.
Do not lend your Diana Mini to anyone. You will never see it again.
Do not put the Diana Mini on a tripod with two legs.
Do not rest the Diana Mini on the edge of a cliff.
Do not try to put a memory card in the Diana Mini.
Do not forget to load film in your Diana Mini!
Do not get jealous if other people like your Diana Mini.

Welcome to 2012

I haven’t posted very much recently, I’ve been swept along with the chaos of Christmas and New Year however its back to reality tomorrow with college and work. I’ve been thinking a lot about the New Year and what it actually means, in essence it’s just another day but it symbolises so much for almost everyone. These aren’t necessarily resolutions as such, more aims on what I want to achieve over the next 12 months and such. 

New Years Resolutions

1. To get into Brighton University! This especially isn’t just for this year, more a long term goal. Me and the boyf were having a heart to heart last night and I don’t actually mind if I don’t get into University this year, well I’m torn between going and not so if I didn’t get in the decision is made for me. There are a few projects and bits and pieces I want to try out more in Bristol for example window dressing in charity shops, I’ve done it on a few occasions but just can’t find the time at the moment. So if I didn’t get a place to University this year I still have lots options, from a different angle I’m still ridiculously young so there is no rush to do anything. Brighton however is the most amazing place and it would be incredible to live and study there!

2. To see my mum and old friends more. Again this is a long term personal improvement. I'm the worst person at putting in effort and can be incredibly anti-social getting tied up in working and day to day occurrences that I need to stop and look outside of my own little box every so often! I think this is a really important one as I have definitely been drifting away from some of my closest friends what with leaving school, starting college, everyone moving away to University and starting different lives.

3. Take more pictures. Bearing in mind I would like to do photography at university I'm taking less and less photographs. I need to experiment more, play around with cameras, take rolls of films, shoot pointlessly, take snapshots, think outside the box and challenge conventions.

4. To get fit, healthy and loose some weight. I absolutely hate the idea of exercise however after I've actually done something I always feel amazing. I want to change this and actually start to enjoy getting fit, I’ve downloaded a heap of apps and am going to start Zumba with the boyfs mum and sister so hopefully this may end up a more long term past time rather than just a fad for January.

 5. Live for the moment. I get so wrapped up in the future, worrying and thinking about what’s going to happen that I often forget to enjoy the here and now. I need to stop stressing about pointless things and be a more openminded laid back person. This also includes giving people a chance without being so judgemental. If all these succeed it should end up in me being nicer to Nathan who is usually the one who has to put up with the rants, stresses and everything seems to get taken out on him, poor boy. He definitely puts up with a lot <3.

2011
Where to start, it has been such a hectic full on year and has just seemed to fly by. I have finished my A levels, the most proud moment being my A* in photography, this has led on to me starting my Art & Design foundation at Bristol School of Art. I can remember at the time this was the moment stressful thing ever however now it just seems like a normal day to day occurrence. I think this is what getting into Uni will be like, once your there it is just normal however the whole applying and interview process is so horrendous and scary.
I started my blog in the January, initially just being a place to collect my thoughts and post pictures however it’s gone from strength to strength. Watching my page views and followers grow day by day has been amazing, this isn't why do all this in the slightest however seeing the feedback is so nice. I want to thank every body for they’re comments, tweets, emails, messages and any contributions, they always bring a smile to my face and let’s hope 2012 brings even better things.
I also started two jobs in 2011, one being a waitress at Cafe Gusto which didn’t last too long while the other is a sales advisor at H&M, hopefully this is going to last long enough to get me through University. Along with this we’ve moved house for about the third time in two years, hopefully this time it’s going to be for the long haul.
I’ve been to Malia and Egypt with both friends and family, both were amazing holidays for completely different reasons and this year am planning to go to Italy with the boyf, this was another highlight of 2011, starting a relationship with my best friend, it may have had a slightly rocky beginning as our close friends may know however I am so happy right now and everything has turned out for the best.

To conclude I’m going to leave you with a few of my most visited posts from 2011 and a few photos from my new bedroom.

1. Friendship is not capable of ending
2. Friday I’m in love on saturday
3. Friday I’m in love
4 Friday I’m in love on sunday
5. Friday I’m in love on wednesday

I’ve also become addicted to Instagram, follow me if you have it @ourcharr it’s the same as my twitter.

Christmas cards from the boyf and my sister

My stepmother made my bed for me :)

Patterned doilies from my stocking.