01.12.20 - Media Experimentation - Cables and Thread

Today I focused on experimenting with materials and using them to create different forms. Firstly, I took some of the empty cables and cut them into cross sections, creating little bead-like tubes. When I stood them all on end, they became very organic looking compared to the original wire, and I like the way each one is a slightly different colour and height - it reminds me of a miniature Giant's Causeway. 

I tried arranging them in different ways, such as the pieces scattering outward from a cluster like particles or viruses moving through the air. To me this refers to current times with the COVID-19 pandemic and conveys a sense of danger and lack of control as the circles are no longer contained, and I think this is relevant to the apocalyptic ideas I have had for this project so far.

 

Again conveying a sense of control and containment, I filled my black tape 'CORRUPT' with the pieces of cable, and then knocked them to represent disarray and chaos, like the government falling apart and collapsing. 

Because I was reminded of beads when I cut the cable up, I decided to try threading them onto a piece of wire, which I bent into a rough flower shape. It makes me think of the way we simulate nature artificially, whether through special effects, animatronics, or synthetics - with the advancement of science it becomes increasingly harder to differentiate reality from fantasy. This experimental piece however is very crude and there is no attempt to mask that it is not a real flower, exposing the ugliness of what is underneath the many disguises of technology.

Another thing I like about the pieces of tube is the letters and numbers printed on the sides - since they are all cut up, they are taken out of context and look like a ghostly, mysterious code that I can imagine in a future dystopian world being the lost language of an extinct human race.

I wrapped thread around the shape and I think it represents inter-connectedness and communication in modern society while alluding to the natural, bright colours of petals in an artificial looking way. I also played with incorporating other parts into the image such as the metal coil from the wind-up toy that I took apart yesterday. 

For my next shape I wrapped the thread like laser beams radiating from one point, drawing a similarity with the virus imagery from earlier because of the outwards movement. If we interpret the thread as representing connections like I said with the flower, it shows how one person can make contact with and infect hundreds of others, and a more extreme version of this would be the concept of a zombie apocalypse eradicating the human race.

When I took a photograph from a different angle I could see how the wire is curved, whereas it looked two-dimensional from above - the arching shape, grey blocky sections and straight threads have an architectural quality that reminds me of a suspension bridge or stadium structure, which is relevant because I was looking at the Chernobyl buildings on Friday and discussing the idea of using the cityscape as a backdrop for my exhibition piece.

I reflected on my feedback and made some notes summarising the ideas and materials that I would like to work with:


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