PE TASK 2

My last three rotations have been weave, embroidery and then I returned for mixed media for the last 3 weeks of sampling. I believe context really helps to put in perspective what it is you’re actually making and where you can imagine your work being shown. However, I found this hard to visualise when it came to embroidery. I think this might have something to do with how much I really was not enjoying this rotation and I found myself just viewing the samples as a way of completing the amount that needed to be done in the time period given. Context with mixed media has always been clear for me since I discovered the work of Iris Van Harper. I was inspired by her approach to sculptural fashion. However, the more the mixed media rotation has progressed, I find myself envisioning my work actually to be just a sculpture piece in itself.

Reflecting on these 3 rotations, I think the context was most clear when in weave. The influence and inspiration for the journey and discovery of future contexts for my work was very much clear to me. I found that this was because of the artists Elizabeth Ashdown and Yayoi Kusama, whose work I found interesting.

As soon as I found Elizabeth Ashdown’s work this influenced the materials I could use to then see how far I could push the loom.

Weave Samples by Elizabeth Ashdown

Using yarns such as pipe cleaners, elastic and taking yarn straight off the bobbin created big textures. Then I realised I was pushing it too far and that I needed to strip it down. I knew that I wanted to take the idea of using different materials which created this 3D sculptural approach, however still to have that beautiful weave structure. I remembered how much I loved Yayoi Kusama’s simplicity in a certain piece of work I was interested in and how much I loved the plain background with the splash of colour.

Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room Pic 1

Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room Pic 2 

From this process, I combined the two approaches to then influence my final outcome, which is shown below.

Weave sample Created by Me.

 

I feel this sample shows clear inspiration from the artists mentioned and from my drawing work. For example, the data collection research of the lines created from the length of streets and the colours of my five senses page.

If I was to take this further or if I had more time I would increase the scale of the sample, so I could see what it would look like in the context I imagined it to be. A bigger scale would highlight the sculptural features and provide a clearer perspective on whether the sample design would work as a sculptural textiles piece.

By considering context within my work, this has helped to guide me towards the artists and work I am inspired by and to then think of how I would want others to see my work in the future.