Symposium from Vanessa Gould on Vimeo.
Feedback online
- agreed Art and Fear is a great book
- nice pace video
- what can architecture tell us about a place or mood?
- Where did you take the films with architecture?
- Sappho the famous ancient poetess was from lesbos
- Last painting was described; positive, very ghostly, and in a sense translucent like suggestive
- The humanitarian artist work comes out through the drawings and paintings in delicate colours though
- There are very different approaches: some black and white sketches have very vigorous stroke where some coloured ones are more subtle
- This painting is almost pastel like
- What approach works best for you?
- What were the black and white photographs in the middle? (they look like postcards)
- The robot painting was very thought provoking
Feedback in the studio:
Q:The second series of black and white pictures, what are they?
A: They are on film, and from Lesvos
Is there a reason why there is no-one in the pictures? Is it a deliberate choice? Or did you end up just taking pictures without anyone?
- I didn’t want to show the people. I thought it was more important to focus on the architecture
- it is sad there is so many empty buildings and people are sleeping in the tents
Comments from others:
- The people are vunerable . And it would be a bit exploitive
- There are a lot of empty buildings, and people sleeping in tents. There is an irony
- you can feel the isolation in your work
- I think the exploration gives your work depth and going out there in the same environment.
Q: Black and white photography is really studies to inform your drawing. Is that right?
A: Yes that is right
Q: Have you thought of drawing/ painting on the actual images? Or is it something that doesn’t appeal to you?
A: The pictures are studies, I would like to explore photography more and develop it myself to see different ways of working
Q: Are you still going to do an animation?
A: Work in progress
Q: Did you keep a journal while you were there? Journal – about the blog
A: I have been keeping up to date with my blog more but can’t really share what the people have told me. Q: Do you mean a more personal journal?
A: Personal journey option. And a voice over the video
Q: How many paintings will you include in the exhibition?
A: Around 5 paintings
Q: Do you draw when you are there?
A: Observational drawings
Other comments:
- Black and white photography could be made into a booklet
- Going there for the people but your work is not about the people
- It is about the absence of the people
Reflection on comments:
- in the later stages I did make a booklet in indesign but decided it wasn’t needed. I finally understood, what Donald and Jonathan were saying that the photographs can be used when in conversation with someone who is interested, it can be a reference point or add more background to the paintings
