Francesca Woodman at the Victoria Miro gallery

I love Woodman's work so a chance to see her work in the flesh was a treat. The photographs were all printed small which drew me close and created a more intimate feel which is perfect for her work as I think it is very sensitive & personal work. There were images in small series's, 2 or 3 that connected. The work went from her very first piece to the end of her life where she was starting to explore using colour (previous work was only in black & white). As I've previously said I'm interested in her work as she questions sexuality and uses her body as subject. I'm still questioning If she makes herself sexual object for the male viewer by being the female nude or, if by obscuring, blurring herself, especially her face, in a lot of the images, does she then de-sexialise herself? I think I might explore this in my next essay.

'Art, fashion, identity' at The Royal Academy

Went to 'Art, fashion, identity' at The Royal Academy. This exhibition i found really exciting, have been waiting for ages for it to open and it didn't prove a let down. Yes i think there could have been a bit more, it felt a little bit craft orientated in parts? It challenged my mind as i walked from a very fashion based piece to a much more art based piece, my head was shifting from seeing fashion to art but i think a lot of the work successfully merged the two.
I was really drawn to the installation by fashion designer Hussain Chaylian in which he created a theatrical installation that was really eary but beautiful (cant find any better words!!???), it was very fashion orientated, much like a living photo shoot.
A really interesting video/performance and installation piece by Mella Jaarsma about homeless shelter caught my eye. The shelters were wearable and representational of their chinese/Indonesian surroundings.
Also there were works I've seen 2nd hand on the internet, like Yoko Ono's 'Cut Piece', Cindy Sherman's dress up dolls video (can't remember actual title) and Gillian Wearing's 'sixty minute silence'. I love the Wearing piece, the idea of a living photograph, the idea of endurance and subtle movement...a photo can be very formal but by making it time based takes this away as the subjects become uncomfortable. I want to look at the idea of living photos, the extension of the moment that is being captured as a still?
I obviously have a strong feeling when it comes to fashion, i worked as a stylist in the industry for over 10 years and it is still something i am passionate about but not in a commercial way anymore. I'm interested in the issues of the female in society, the fashion and beauty industry and the female form. Plus a love of the physical act of sewing and crafting, i have a love of fabric and form. I think this passion will work its way more and more into my practice.

Stephen Farthing at the Royal Academy

Went to the Stephen Farthing exhibition at the Royal Academy, only went because my ticket from another exhibition allowed entrance to this one, so i wasn't going to waste it. Didn't like his work much but the was interested to see images of faceless women, again this relates to what im exploring in my practice at the moment, exploring the female form and weather hiding, distorting or disguising the face can make the female form less of an object or more of an object. How to de-sexualise a female nude especially.

V&A Shadow catchers

went to the V&A to see 'Shadow catchers' exhibiton. it really challenged me simply because of the technical process, i need to look into it more, its a shame that the technical side interferred with my viewing. I love the work of Floris Neususs (the image on the advertising is one of hers). The ghostly, floaty, blurred images remind me of Francessca Woodman. They are innocent, pure and although there is a female nude in the work, she is not objectified, not sexual, her identity is hidden, this is something i'm exploring at the moment.

Here it is in gallery. The gloss finish meant that the viewer was aware of themselves surveying.

The final image I exhibited this week.

Stitch

Change of plan!

Change of plan... Decided to print one of the images and print it large A1. I've chosen a very fashiony (?!) image that has that fashion, vulnerable, glamourous feel as it relates to the social visual media I'm questioning but obviously the tights are slightly masking the face... I'm a bit nervous about showing it as its not my usual work, it feels risky just showing one image and I am worried that maybe it's too 'fashion' and too 'beautiful' but I think it's good that I take a risk and test out a new idea and a new way of working. Showing one still image means the viewer has to work harder unlike showing the video of performance that gives the viewer all. I wait to see how the exhibition goes. Really looking forward to seeing others work too, in tutor group it sounded like a lot of exciting work being made.

Working on images about female identity, how we wear masks, to be socially acceptable, to conform. Women are under pressure to be feminine, to be sexually attractive. Im working on taking away my identity as a woman in these images, to hide my body, hide my face but still be visable as a woman. I have a series of these images that i am going to exhibit in the stage one show next week. They will be printed just slightly smaller than life size and be framed, the 3 images will be on the floor, propped up against the wall. The frame is important as im talking about being trapped and the being on the floor is so i am almost not seen by the viewer, they may just walk past, missing me...i am insignificant.

Upcoming exhibition nerves

1st year exhibition coming up in week... Have to decide what I'm going to put in, I dont see any of my pieces as 'finished', I'm working through performance, photography and stitch toward a piece, my work is a series of questions I think and it's all documentation of the process, kind of like a living sketchbook. I need to therefore challenge myself to show something that I see as unfinished and maybe not 'my usual' work ( a video documentation of performance), but then again I like some of the performance pieces I've been working on. Hmm, I have a week to decide, im sure I will change my mind again and again!

Femininity and objectification

I have just finished my essay, i chose the discussion on John Bergers statement about men look at women, women look at themselves. I looked at the work of Cindy Sherman, Jo Spence and Francessca Woodman for challenging Bergers notion and to John Currin who reflects the notion. I am in my own practice looking for ways to challenge the notion of objectifying the woman, looking at femininity. I've been obscuring and distorting the face, using humour and by being 'feminine'!!!???

Work in progress

Stitch cam

I've been sketching in stitch (sewing) and decided to film myself sewing. Sewing, especially embroidering has always been a very much female past time and is of interest to me and this question around 'womens work', gender roles I suppose, female identity? I used my webcam and decided to film without my face in view, to focus on my hands stitching. When I watched the film back I had to laugh, as centre stage to the film seemed not so much the sewing but my breasts, it kinda looked like some strange fetish website for 'sewing fetishists', I rather like it and will explore it some more!

Theory bloody theory

I'm struggling with the theory side of the course, my dyslexia is challenging and I've not found enough texts that I can easily read. my attention span in lectures is not much more than 15 minutes then come in and out after that, it's frustrating not understanding a lot of the language used. I need suggestions of text that is more geared up to dyslexia learners...And hope for more visuals in lectures.

Drawing on stitch!

Stitch has made a reapearance in my practice in the form of drawing, I'm seeing a softer side, a less self punishing side to my work but struggle with the feeling of it being less powerful as a piece, but ive taken on board the suggestion that I need to push it forward. I'm thinking that my passion for clothes which was part of my previous career as a fashion stylist needs to find a place in my practice too. Need a trip to the Victoria and Albert, want to visit the fashion collection that I've visited since I was About 7 years old, plus I want to look to see if I can find some old needlework, old samplers I'm thinking!

Question????

In my performances I am experimenting/questioning weather I need to be present, can I use other people, do they need to be female or can I use male, is my work just about the female? Is my work with others, weather it be another performing or the viewer, about power, control, am I in control or them?

Marina Abramović

Went to the Lisson gallery to see Marina Abramović. Her first solo show in the UK. Old and new works. An obvious shift in her current work from earlier works. today's work is subtle, sensitive, less shocking, but all the same powerful. Her earlier works, performances shown in the form of photograph and video. I find her work very punishing but have respect and interest in her indurance and commitment. She really challenges herself and the viewer. I find the photographic record of the performances interesting as I can't get the complete feel of the performance and if there were no text explaining the performance I would most likely just see them as poor photographs ( but I actually have an interest in photography that isn't 'correct' or techniqally 'good'). I rather like not seeing all the performance, I personally think a photograph can be a performance, even in her current work, the large photos show a snap second in time where I see Marina as performing. I'm interesting in exploring this idea of photograph as performance.

Still can't upload my videos..grrrr!!!

Harriet Hoff
harriet.hoff@yahoo.co.uk
07787882170

Sent from my iPhone

these are just work in progress remember!!

playing in the photography studio

ive been playing in the photography studio as i said earlier, except now, blogger is letting me upload the images. im learning to use the camera and lighting...im a photography virgin! 

franco B 'Belgrade"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liNlb7fTL7o

franco B

i was recently introduced to the work of Franco B by a fellow student... i found the piece 'Belgrade' really powerful and inspiring but i dont think ill be bleeding for my art!!!  check you tube link Franco B

I've been in the photography studio playing....



Harriet Hoff harriet.hoff@yahoo.co.uk 07787882170 Sent from my iPhone

untitled

'untitled'

a performance piece about the masks we wear, the rituals we (women) perform and hidden identity.

im also interested in exploring the question of 'is it important to the piece that i perform or can i use someone else?' so im looking for willing victims at present....

my continuing string obsession

The creative flow has returned, I've been filming again, it seems I am more and more involved in performance, it challenges me more than any other form I've tried so far, well for now! Looking at the female form in my practice at present and doing a bit of Reading up on feminism... A vast topic I'm finding! Have a bit of an obsession with string too which has featured in the last few performance pieces I've done.

Harriet Hoff
harriet.hoff@yahoo.co.uk
07787882170

Sent from my iPhone

reading 'THE' art book....'ways of seeing' by john berger, id totally recommend it.

1st day at uni today, filled with anxiety and excitement.

checking out this Josephine King exhibition this week at The Riflemaker gallery, london...

http://www.riflemaker.org/s-now#jose

Hmmm.... It seems not?!

Just testing to see if I can email images from phone to blog?????

Having a bit of a brain block time... I'm sure my tutor at WMC would have said to just go DO something rather than THINKING about doing something!!

Exhibitions I've been to this summer:

-Tate Britain. Mike Nelson 'Coral reef'
And Francis Alys 'guards'

-The Photographers gallery. Sally Mann 'The family and the land'

-National Portrait gallery. Bp award

-Tate Britain. Kathy Noble 'Fragments'

-Wellcomme Collection. 'Skin'

-Tate Modern. Francis Alys 'A story of deception'
and 'Exposed' voyerism, surveillance and the camera.

Didn't make it to the whitechapel, got distracted in Oxford street, opps!
Try again tmmrw

Thinking of heading over to The Whitechapel gallery today, lots of good stuff on. http://www.whitechapelgallery.org

Good box Bad box.

I was working on a project about home and comort. As a part of the
project I wrote down every address I've ever lived at... 42 in total
so far (i have shares in a removal company!!).
I wrote a memory for each address on a piece of paper. I put them into
2 boxes, one with GOOD memories, the other BAD.
I decided to carry the BAD box around with me for 24 hours to see what
it brought up.
What did it bring up? A bit of a bad vibe really. I was physically
carrying around the baggage of the past.
The box has since been destroyed...Good!

Good box bad box

>

>
>

'Vulnerable'


This is last in a series of about 10 photos...you cant get what its all about without the other 9 and as usual i cant find them...clever!! 
note to self: get organised.


But it was again about the vulnerability of the female form. When i look at it now it seems quiet literal but the way it was installed was very important. The photos were printed on bog standard paper 3x4inches each. They were pinned to the wall with a single dressmaking pin. They were placed just above a radiator so they actually fluttered as the heat rose. Really i should sort out my images andjust show you rather than twittering on...

number 4!!!!

hmm number 4 of 4 is the wrong way up and i am so useless with technology, so i cant post number 4...you'll have to use your own imaginations and create your very own number 4.

The body

'Untitled' 3 of 4


see previous...

The body

'Untitled' 2 of 4


see previous blurb!!

The Body

'Untitled' 1 of 4


This was a project on the body. Its about vulnerability and the female form (something that crops up a lot in my work).
I used photocopies and photography. The final prints where full colour A3 prints.

The Bed

'Untitled' 
(dimenstions approx L:2m x W:1/2m x H:2m)


This was my second project at WMC. An installation around fear and abandonment.
I made the bunk-bed from scratch as it had to be a scaled down version of a bed. 

So now I've sussed out how to blog a bit I can begin...
I'm hoping I can work out how to upload images as I want to use my blog as a space to show my work ( I'm an art student) and see how I grow in my practice throughout my degree.
I have just finished and passed with flying colours an access in art & design at The Working Mens College in Camden. It's been a great journey and I've learnt a lot about art & about myself.
I previously worked as a fashion stylist but got so fed up with the industry that I quit & took some time out to plan a fresh start.... I only did the access course as a bit if theraputic fun...well it seems I have talent, I flew through loving every high & low and recieved merits & distinctions. So I applied to several uni's to do a degree in fine art... And blow me down I got accepted into Chelsea School of Art & Design, wow!!!
I'm very excited about starting uni although a bit anxious as I'm not a spring chicken anymore but hey I am definatly young at heart, I'll be fine!!???!!???

Haha I now know how to email to my blog, yeahhh

Now I'm hoping that this email reaches my blog?????!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone

How on earth do I get an email to post on this blog.... I've tried emailing to goblogger but no joy yet... Will be persistant

Hmmm

Hmmm... I can't work out how to upload photos to my blog... Will keep looking!!!

hi

hi,


i'm harriet.....i'll be back as soon as i've sussed out how to use this blog properly..