Some of my videos are up on YouTube. A bit out of order of producing them but I often go back to old works to see if I can take it further forward or it's going full circle back to work!
Very excited to start work with the wonderful group 'The Pantry Project'. Two workshops coming up in Porstmouth & Brighton. I shall be drawing on my experience in the fashion industry for this piece of work. Lots of running around jumble sales and charity shops to stock up on items to use.
Also been looking at using food as makeup. Found some really useful and interesting ways to create a face of makeup, I'll be stocking up on beetroot and cocoa powder to experiment with. Very excited about the workshops. I shall upload some old performance piece I did several years ago that are connected to the my current practice... It's seems I've come full circle to the issues I ultimately feel drawn to and passionate about. I am no longer producing work to meet Uni requirements or fitting the mould at Uni. It's time to be more carefree and playful with my practice, something I am re-inspired to pick up again after a break for actually creating any works. Watch this space....
A continuing study from 'String' (2009) to 'Switches: The trip-tic' (2013) : This work explores the power exchange within the sexual
relationship. It aims to both include and exclude the viewer by placing them in
a voyeuristic context that is unsettling but intimate. I use the camera to
record a moment of intimacy between two people – a woman and myself, a man and
myself, and myself and my mirror self – that reveals the exchange of power and
how this shifts from one to the other throughout their intimacy. The viewer, or
voyeur, experiences these moments vicariously.
My work explores the power exchange within the sexual
relationship. It aims to both include and exclude the viewer by placing them in
a voyeuristic context that is unsettling but intimate. I use the camera to
record a moment of intimacy between two people – a woman and myself, a man and
myself, and myself and my mirror self – that reveals the exchange of power and
how this shifts from one to the other throughout their intimacy. The viewer, or
voyeur, experiences these moments vicariously. In this particular piece, the
viewer is invited to step into the artwork by including their mirror image
within it.
I am interested in working on community projects for the next year. I'm particularly looking to work with community centres and vulnerable groups, inspiring and refocusing peoples energy into art and expressing themselves through the freedom of creativity. I want to show that anyone can be creative and not fear art or the art world. I am trying to make creativity and art accessible to those that may not have an experience of art and the wonderful world of art.
My work explores the power exchange within the sexual
relationship. It aims to both include and exclude the viewer by placing them in
a voyeuristic context that is unsettling but intimate. I use the camera to
record a moment of intimacy between two people – a woman and myself, a man and
myself, and myself and my mirror self – that reveals the exchange of power and
how this shifts from one to the other throughout their intimacy. The viewer, or
voyeur, experiences these moments vicariously. In this particular piece, the
viewer is invited to step into the artwork by including their mirror image
within it.
This is a re-make of the original 'String Head'. This time i re-filmed myself but then further went on to film another tying me, firstly another woman and then a man. My consideration regarding camera work has become more important along with my technical abilities so i wanted to re shoot and re look at the piece. I felt that the original piece was actually very important to my practice and how it has come full circle almost. I want to explore it more especially after writing my thesis on sadomasochistic erotic female written fiction i felt this piece to be relevant to my theoretical studies. I feel the piece looks at the issues raised throughout my studies at Chelsea and prior to that at WMC. It looks at relationships with self and others especially the sexual relationships, it looks specifically at the exchange of power within these relationships.
For this particular piece i edited it as a split screen, this was purely for technical reasons when exhibiting it the first time, i was only able to access one screen. ideally i wanted to show this as three separate projections.
Following my 'String Piece' back in 2009 i went on to my first attempt at 'String Head', a piece that has many meanings: confinement of mind and body, mental health, obsession, power play and an interest in control to the artist. This piece was about experimentation, it was done without thinking or making any conscious decision. I work best when i start with play, just pick something up and follow instinct, not think. I then usually work through a series of performances until i reach a point of a final piece. This can be seen in my degree show work 'Switches'.
The start of my work with string in 2009. This was my first performance piece about power exchange. I, as artist and woman become the ownership of the audience, the piece is not mine. But the undercurrent actually reveals the control is in my hands, i set the rules, the time and place.
This is continuation of the work i was doing when making 'Bird Song', a piece about three women's experiences of domestic and sexual violence.
I'm interesting in working with individuals true stories, using documentary to influence my work. I start by having face to face conversations with women and recording their stories. I have used the originals in 'Bird Song', but for this piece i decided to re-tell the story, by listening to the recoding via headphones and recording myself speaking the exact words. I like the idea of re-telling women's stories as a way of passing them on, of giving them a wider telling. what i also like is the questions of authenticity within the re-telling. These are all things i wish to explore further.
'Steph's' story was a particularly harrowing one that i had the honour to record back in 2009 and used briefly within a piece of work but as with much of my work, i didn't feel i had done it enough justice, so shelved it to come back to. This time around i have gone further with the story, not only re-telling but adding layers of filming, projection and music. It has been more of an experiment, my work is normally very stripped down and bare, but i wanted to play and experiment with more. I feel though that the piece is too much, and there is an element of the sentimental (which i think the music helps creates) which i don't want. I didn't want people to pity Steph as i felt she didn't want this. I want them to hear her, understand her and realise the truth of life. The ending of the story is very important as it brings the strength back to Steph's story.
So i may well go back and stick with my well tested style, i shall more than likely re work the piece at a later date.
This is a piece telling three women's stories, in particular, their experiences of domestic and sexual violence.
I'm interesting in working with individuals true stories, using documentary to influence my work. I start by having face to face conversations with women and recording their stories. I have used the originals in 'Bird Song', but for others, such as 'Steph' i decided to re-tell the story, by listening to the recoding via headphones and recording myself speaking the exact words. I like the idea of re-telling women's stories as a way of passing them on, of giving them a wider telling. what i also like is the questions of authenticity within the re-telling. These are all things i wish to explore further.
At long last my inspiration has struck me....finally. I'm drawn back again to string (see 'string piece' and 'heads tied up')...now I just need to get a crew together to film it...ANYONE ABLE TO HELP FILM, NEED CAMERA MEN/WOMEN WITH OWN CAMERA AND TRIPOD AMD A SOUND AND LIGHTING TEAM MIGHT HELP BUT MOSTLY NEED THE CAMERA CREW. WILL BE FILMING DOWN SOUTH IN SUSSEX FOR A FEW DAYS AND DATES ARE FLEXIBLE TO SUIT ALL. WILL BE ABLE TO PAY FARES. PLEASE MAIL ME IF YOUR UP FOR IT harriet.hoff@yahoo.co.uk
Went to see Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern. I was really excited to see Yayoi's more recent work as i'm interested in the creating of enviroments. Yayoi's obsessive nature is clearly seen throughout all of her work. I also like the fact that she returns to old ways of working to create new work. I'm interested in her installation enviroment's the most as i would like to work in this way with my film work. I think it could be a way of capturing the viewers attention and emotional connection to the work more. Maybe i'm concerned with this need to capture my viewer and hold them for longer because i don't have enough confidence in my work alone as a film or video or believe they might actually stay and watch it because they are interested in it?!
Went to the Whitechapel Gallery to see 'STANZE' (2010) by Gianluca and Massimiliano De Serio a film about refugees experience of becoming homeless and staying in Turin. I got a lot of inspiration from this film as it is doing what i am working on in my practice, using documentary, using story telling and real people all with a political edge. Technically i really liked the fading in and out of each persons story.
Hanging the group exhibition today ready for Crit and private view tomorrow at Kingsland road studios on Kingsland road. Looking forward to private view 6-9pm.
Have re jiggled my plan's for upcoming exhibition ('Points of connection' at Kingsland studios) and decided to make a film installation using the female experiences I've been gathering. I have come across many amazing women who have shared their experience's with me of what it is to be a woman, some of which I've posted on my other blog
we-voice.blogspot.com
For this particular piece I have been recording face to face conversations with some of these women on my dictaphone. The experiences I've focused on are those that involve domestic and sexual violence as I see it as an issue that still needs to be explored and addressed within the art world. I have recently written an essay about the worrying increase in numbers of reports of these crimes against women which is posted to this blog.
So come along and view my work and have a look at my we-voice blog.
