Why is research important? Through research we gain a deeper understanding of the subject, other artists, make sure we don’t redo the same thing, the work has more depth to it, we don’t settle for the first idea, and for our own self-development and gratification.
We are doing a project on Birmingham’s architecture, it is very easy just to take a photo of a building and be done with it. Just how many people have taken the same photo of that building? With research we have found more interesting ways to approach it- by looking at buildings histories, their uses, their functions. With the research and development we can produce our own unique and original take on the subject. The images we therefore produce will be more interesting, more gratifying and have more depth.
Berlin House Birmingham before demolition, Cannon House now standing where Berlin House once stood, the market place Birmingham before demolition.
Research can also either confirm assumptions or can turn them upside down. My first impressions on the blitz and its subsequent damage upon the buildings in Birmingham were totally inaccurate. As it happens, very few building was damaged due to it. The only building in the city centre to be significantly damaged was the market square. The other lost building in the city centre were demolished due to being beyond repair or cleared as part of redevelopment schemes designed to improve the area economically.
After some exploring of Birmingham, I began noticing the reflections. By researching into reflective surfaces I can break it down into its aspects and traits that I can further develop in my work. The mimicry of old building in the new, the nature of particular surfaces, and the distortions on the surface of water.
Escher ‘Hand reflecting globe’ 1935, ‘Balcony’ 1945.
Escher was constantly researching and developing. If you look at his work ‘Hand reflecting globe, 1935’ you can see how he used the same principles of the reflective surface in a later work ‘Balcony, 1945’. Through his regular research and development in his earlier works; the regular division of a plane, irregular filling of a plane, spatial rings and surfaces, mirror images, sphere reflections, inversions and relativities he was then able to create pieces of work that are both mesmerising and hypnotic, full of depth and portrays the fact that he knew his subject material thoroughly.
Through constant enquiry, looking and collecting we deepen and broaden our visual language. All of these sketches, doodles, paper, materials, photos, ideas, textures and descriptions can prove useful later on.
Sudley Castle gatehouse, etching of gatehouse, Neolithic tomb.
Several years ago I took a trip to Sudley Castle; in the area was a Neolithic tomb, a gate house and plenty of fields. I collected several images that day, but did nothing with them until several years later, when I used the gatehouse image to explore etching techniques. The image of the tomb may just look like a wall of stone, but I still treasure it, for me I can look at this image and remember the long walk through muddy fields, the misty atmosphere and the sharing of lunch with some birds whilst sitting atop it. What’s to say I do not use this image in a few years’ time, perhaps researching in more depth the feelings and patterns I found that day.
By collecting these visual inspirations we are opening our mind to different possibilities. That card you kept for sentimental value or the postcard you have kept just because you like it may have properties that you can use later on. Many years ago a friend of mine was excited about a glass covered in soft glue spikes; it was only recently I used the same principle to create a 3-d hedgehog with my daughter for a school project.
Sunlight reflecting on building, reflective window, distorting water reflection.
For the project on building I have found myself looking at reflections. All those years spent collecting reflective things are helping me to develop my work. I can delve into the nature of the reflective surfaces and textures, looking at the refractive properties and the distortions created.
The collection and research of items and topics is a vital process in the development of ideas. With these we are able to progress and advance our work. Who know maybe my excessive collection and expertise of beads will come into play in the future.
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