Understanding my Curiosities

I decided that it was important for my own understanding, to take a step back and analyse the path my practice has taken. I often find myself saying that objects inspire me, and that the narrative of my practice revolves around objects, yet I wasn’t quite sure exactly what kind of objects I was talking about. I felt the need to define which objects inspire me; I wanted to find out if they came under a certain type or if they were a more random collection. In the past I have always categorised them as domestic objects, and on the surface this does appear correct. However, when I looked back at my samples, I could no longer see the original objects anymore. I saw curious little specimens, displaying movement and tension. They vaguely represented domestic actions; pushing, pulling, twisting and folding, and I found comfort in these actions. I have uncovered that it is practical, interactive objects with mechanisms that I find most inspiring. Where the objects are intended to be used isn’t the most important element anymore, (although it still is relevant) it is the usefulness, the movement and the familiarity that is vital to my practice.

This realisation has made me evaluate my samples in a new light, allowing me to positively acknowledge which I liked best but more importantly understand why. Materially, I know which of my experiments have been most successful in helping me fine tune my practice...for example, I now appreciate my resin samples were redundant of interaction; the objects inside are trapped, meaning we can no longer access or feel a connection to them. However the combination of the solid, smooth metal mechanisms with the free flowing thread feel much more successful, and encompass my interests in objects with movement and contact.

The Professional Platforms unit (where I have been acting as a teaching assistant on the BA unit X) has made me realise how much my way of thinking has changed as a result of being on the MA. Having spent the whole of unit 2 questioning my own practice, forcing myself to answer questions I don’t necessarily know the final answers to, I have found myself encouraging the students to do the same and question why they are doing things. I have started to appreciate that I actually have more knowledge than I give myself credit for, and as the project has gone along, my confidence has grown and I feel much happier getting more involved in tutorials and workshops. As a student with my degree experiences fresh in my mind, I’ve found the students feel more comfortable approaching me to ask questions; I am not there to officially mark their work or tell them off, I am merely there to help and advise them to the best of my ability.

In this unit I have been uncovering new meanings behind my interests, narrowing yet deepening my research. I feel like my practice is becoming clearer and easier for me to define. Despite still having unanswered questions, my confidence in finding the resolutions is growing.