The Truman Show

The Truman Show

After watching the Truman Show i feel it is appropriate for this project as everyone is leading a 'normal' life viewing a life that is 'false' to everyone apart from Truman himself.

Research

So i injunction with the new project I have been watching films and researching some on line games to gain some inspiration.

I have watched the film Avatar  (2009) which if you dont know is about two worlds - the 'real' world and the avatar world. The main character 'Jake' transmits between the two worlds and becoming part of the avatar world. Simulating the experience of what it would be like as an "Na'vi" 

I then have watched Battle Royale it is about the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act. 

I feel that this is relevant for this project as its all about second lives and reality vs fantasy. the Part in the film about the killing each other wouldnt happen ans so i feel is appropriate.

Second Life

Second life is an on line program with free down loadable software that allows the user to make their own second life. You can choose your appearance, job and house etc. It is very similar to Sims. but you can make profit from it. It is reported that numerous people have became addicted and quit their jobs and families to play second life.

Snapshot of the avatar stage:

Sims

Sims is a PC Rom version of second life - you can create a family, build your own house and make them do what you want pretty much. here are two snapshots of the game.

World of Warcraft

This is a more fantasy based game of mythical creatures and beings. The gist of the game is to create your character - like Sims and Second Life. But it is not in human form.

All of which have the same concept - creating something to your specifications and making the alternative life what you want. this could be a reflection on what you want to have in your own 'real' life.

Simulating Experience - New Project

Yesterday we had our launch of the new project called Simulating Experience. The brief is to design and build a simulation that triggers a specific experience or emotion to the user or viewer. There is no limit on scale and it should succeed in creating a complete and extreme atmosphere which exposes the user to a personal fear, fantasy, snapshot in time.

The simulations should be fully functional for the interim exhibition.

My first initial thoughts after the briefing i thought about what simulations are used for - they are used to provide experiences that wouldn't normally happen.

I thought about things that humans cant do and what they crave - we as a race cannot breath underwater or fly and inventions and contraptions have been invented to make this possible. Planes allow us to fly, and scuba and submarines allow us to go underwater. So i going along these lines i thought about making a simulate that allows us to do something we cant do.

Another idea is more of an individual one, to make a simulate of something that you dont have anymore, a family member, or your childhood. As human beings we cant go back in time and we cant bring back the dead, so probably make something that simulates the ability to do so.

My third idea was smells - to simulate different smells - my favourite smells are mint toothpaste, and freshly cut grass. so maybe making smells in some sort of simulate object that provokes peoples feelings.

TBC!

Evaluation

Evaluation

'Romantic Dinner for Two'

The idea behind this outcome was to rewrite the rules and etiquette of eating. It is to stimulate peoples thoughts of how you would actually consume a fellow human being. Would you say grace? give thanks? what wine would compliment the dish? all these factors contributed to my outcome. I really want my work to be seen as compelling.

I think the most successful parts of this outcome was the photographs displaying behind the installation of the dining table. I used real organs from the local butcher - i thought this to be the ultimate likeness to fit my brief. I would have liked to use real organs in my installation, however this is a limitation as it would smell the studio out and i would get complaints! having raw meet out as well in such a closed environment for a week or so would be awful. That is how i developed the idea to change to photographs and have the dining table to be as if the couple had just finished their meal.

I think the weakest parts of this outcome were the amount of photographs - i would have loved to have chosen at least two more to make more of a series. Also i would have liked to have made a starter course as well, as i just did the main and dessert. This would have made the project, in my opinion, stronger. But given the time scale and materials i was initially limited in what i created anyway. I would have loved to have more time so i could develop my ideas further. I would have probably done a textile piece or even a piece of jewellery.

The presentation of the outcome has been explained in a previous post. I encountered a bit jip during the presentation because i had to reconsider my composition of my photographs several times. I settled on the composition in the previous post.

If i were to do this outcome again i would print more photographs and possibly challenge some of the limitations that i encountered.

I really enjoyed making this outcome - especially the photo shoot because i could create the low lighting atmosphere that i originally wanted in the installation. I am also pleased that i decided to mount my photos onto white mount board using spray mount. they look much more professional and it gives them depth from the wall.

'Would you use a knife and fork?'

The concept behind this outcome was similar to my installation idea. I really wanted to create another outcome to further my development to the project. The book is a recipe book to help the population understand how to prepare and cook homely meals that is adapted to the new world that practises cannibalism.

 I realised that the first limitation for this outcome was the timing. I had four weeks to design, make, send, print and bind a book. To achieve such a high standard book i made it using the book smart software from blurb.com . i had used the software and the company before so i saved time in that aspect. I tried several styles out including collage, watercolour, pencil and fine liner to illustrate the recipes. I found that the collage and the watercolour combined worked best and that is the style that looked most appropriate and professional.

I think if i had more time i would really like to make more pages and more editions. Like i have said in a previous post - i would have loved to have made a starter edition - accompanied with a recipe book of mains, desserts and maybe even a cocktail recipe book.

I think that given the time scale my book is to a good standard. I also think that the way i have displayed the book works really well. I hung a book stand on the wall and placed my book on the stand.

During the time in which i was making my book i was constantly thinking about food names and ingredients. I think if i were to do this outcome again i would change the cover name from Cannibal Cooking to an alternative less literal title. Maybe something French to disguise the actual meaning. I would have done design development to a stronger level if this was a longer project and if my budget was higher.

I feel that both my outcomes are appropriate to the outline brief and the brief that I had to create to coinsided. I have thoroughly researched and presented my findings during individual and group crits. I researched by watching films, reading and studying articles and looking at appropriate artists and websites. I think if we were given more time i would have been able to use the time wisely to develop my outcomes further and make changes explained above.

I just hope that the standard is high enough to make people thinking and questioning if they actually would consume a fellow human and practise cannibalism.

My Outcome and Presentation

This the layout and formation I have chosen to hand in. I dont understand why my portrait photos are showing up landscape.

Book Designs

Before making my book i looked at different styles and variations of covers and designs.

Here are just three of the many i took inspiration from...

This one has a very homely feel - i love the gingham style background and the banner title style. I did contemplate whether to use photographs of utensils however they didn't work and the photo was too dark and it wouldn't have look professional.

I love this english heretige style - with the typical english bunting and the different colour and style of the title. This is just a baking book and if i had more time i would have love to have done a starter, main, dessert and cocktails recipe books as a collection - rather than doing them all in the one book.

 I would have loved to have enough time to handmake the pages as i am a keen crafter myself in my spare time, which is very far and few between! I love the ribbon and the sewn text box on the bottom left. this style wouldnt have fit in with my scenario - the world is starving and people are recording there recipes with pretty little bows and buttons. Dont think so!

I love the simplicity of this cookery book. This style would have been perfect for my cover as the theme is "Would you use a knife and fork" i like the 'less is more' style and but i think the title could have been larger and possibly in a bolder typeface?

I like the coloured simplicity of this cover. The title is very large and i would have liked to see the utensils go all the way up the page rather than just being under the title.

If i had more time i would have done more pages, more recipes and possibly contemplate development of these designs.....

Have a collection of utensils and cutlery with a title at the left corner...

Simple design of title in the middle, spoon or other item underneath and possibly on top?

pale pastal colours with white items.

Here i tried some watercolour kitchen items. I really like this style - its very homely and sweet. The cover the book would be very colourful and delicate. the book would be visually exciting and would possibly invite buyers.

Im not sure why blogspot are rotating all my portrait images! this design has some really nice potential. i like the scalloped edge and the way the title is in the middle. The different utensils in a tessellated pattern would be either water colour or maybe even photography. maybe bright vibrant colours - maybe with a pop art feel to it.

My Final book which is shown below is using a collage style and a ripped effect - i was going along the lines of using other recipe books and magazines to adapt to the new recipes - which is fitting with my scenario.

My book has a hard cover and a back - it also has ...

contents page

recipes

glossary

knife guide

handmade images/illustrations using watercolours.

Space Allocation and Composition

After being allocated my space and having a chat with Dem and Steve my photographs in the original spot were too dark and they were in this formation...

And the formation above they were apparently looked awquard

 Then Steve Suggested this formation (above)

 Dem decided that the one below looked better as the one image didnt look right. But I like the formation above ^ with the four images, two landscape at the top and the two portrait underneath.

I have also decided as well to display my dining room table in front of the images to give a visual as i couldnt use real organs in the studio. So to bet these limitations i have done photographs.

Alive

During the first week of the project i watched many films related to the topic. However the film 'Alive' - 1993 related to my project the most.

The scenario is about an Uruguayan rugby team stranded in the snow swept Andes and they are forced to use desperate measures to survive after a plane crash and eat the deceased passengers.

There are a few points i picked up on whilst watching the film...

• They burnt money to keep warm - demonstrating that money its vital
• They made an oath - they all promised to use the bodies of anyone that died
• Their spirits kept them going
• They worked strongly as a team
• They kept the valuables of the deceased so that they could pass onto the family members
• They also when they recovered from the ordeal - they errected a Cross in symbolism of a grave to respect the dead.
• They held religious type services before they consumed them. They said the Lords Prayer and Hail Mary prayer

Final Piece - photographs

Here are my final photographs

David Griffen and My tutorial

Following my Tutorial Yesterday with Dem, I have decided to do something slightly different.

The original idea was to do an installation of a dining table with fake body parts on the plates. But i really wanted to use real organs but this would cause a stench wafting through the studios. So Dem then suggested to take high quality photographs and display on the wall.

I have decided to use mount board to give the images depth from the wall.

We also talked about my context with my book. I am slightly reluctant to use a plinth as you don't find books on plinths. therefore i have decided to either use nails and hang the book stand on the wall with a few props like an apron and utensils. or use a small table whichever one i choose will be chosen tomorrow when i have been allocated my space, therefore i can use my space to its full potential!

Going back to my photographs i decided to go to the butchers and get some organs. I brought 2 hearts, 2 kidneys and a bit of intestine.

I also looked at food photography and how photography is displayed in exhibitions.

i looked at David Griffen and his amazing work - making food look like art.

Here are my photographs. in the making..........

My Book

I'm very pleased with my Cook book as it arrived today. I do feel though that there arn't that many pages however for a 4 week project i think the outcome will suffice and demonstrate well. I have been thinking of many ways of displaying with context into consideration.

I have decided to place my cook book onto a cookery book stand on a table (you don't place books on plinths!) with a wooden spoon and some cookery utensils.

I have also decided what i want to do as my meal for the dinner for two installation. I have some sundae glasses and i am going to make some red 'slime' with a layered of eyeballs (polystyrene balls painted) and then with more slime and then something on the top in a shape of cream. I have encountered many problems - i cant use real food as it will go off and mouldy, i cant use real animal organs as they would spell awful (even though that would be great to give the effect!)

Whilst browsing other artists and cannibalism i found this amazing website with different designers that make human body jewellery.

Teeth Rings by Polly van der Glas

Yuyen Chang

Belly Button Ring

Pimple Popper – Grossest Ring Ever?

Website