Experiment 6 - Fragmentation

After talking to one of my tutors about my work, it was suggested that I research Cubism and Cubist painters/sculptures. One of the artists who I was told about was Naum Gabo.

Naum Gabo, 1916. Head No.2

Naum Gabo, 1917. Model for 'Constructed Torso'

Although my work isn't similar to Gabo's, it was interesting to research what his work was concerned with representing. "Gabo’s use of abstract forms was not meant to reach for anti-art ...but rather to explore forms and space without depicting mass." Gekel (2009, p92)

After researching Gabo, I looked in Cubism, and read how Cezanne (the 'father' of Cubism) was concerned with reduced things into geometric shapes and planes. I learn about Cubist artists and what they were trying to achieve via the methods they created - how objects were analysed, broken up, and reassembled like a mosaic, and how the method was used to try and show different points of view simultaneously (like the capabilities of a sculpture - which can be viewed from multiple sides) to present the subject in greater context.

Another artist that was suggested to me was 'Rico'. "...he creates scenes that appear as fragments of a narrative. He mixes highly detailed imagery with stark negative space to effect, treading close to the fine line of complete and in-complete." - http://www.twelvty.com/index.php?/biography/

Rico, year and title unknown.

Rico, year and title unknown.

Although the styles of Gabo and Rico are quite different, there is a similar line between them - by showing empty spaces, creating work that is 'in-complete', they are letting the viewer 'fill in' the gaps of the image/sculpture. Because of how I create work using my facet technique (the 'building' of an image through the repetition and connection of shapes) I thought I could adapt my work to feature 'gaps'.

Sally Taylor, 2013, fragmented Pigeon

Due to time constraints I had to digitally alter one of the images from my FMP. If I was to do it again I'd like to draw and colour it by hand (Rico's work looks like it was created traditionally). I would also like to test out a colour scheme instead of just jumping in! I find it hard me for to review this image, as it is an altered one (I know how the original looks). I think in order for to fully evaluate if this technique works, I would have to create an original image and show it to others, to test if they do 'fill-in' the gaps, and if they can understand the shape of the form without it existing as a whole. I think they would be able to, as humans are very imaginative creators - we can recognize things, even via the smallest hints of information.

One of the ideas I thought of while thinking how I create Rico's technique digitally, was the idea of using acetate in my diorama, and creating a front (light) and back (dark) layer or broken 'fragments' which would give yet another layer of depth to the image - allowing them to 'float' in real space.