The brief I ended up choosing was to research, design, and make a model that brings together references and ideas to produce a clear meaning for others who view it. This meaning could highlight a serious issue, give information, or suggest a link between two themes. My model must be suitable for photographing to become the cover image of a ‘popular science’ style magazine. This model will need to use the references and ideas that the audience associates with the meaning that aiming communicate. In order to do so, I will need to understand their frame of reference.
To plan this model around the brief I had chosen effectively I firstly, researched into some professional examples of models that have been designed to communicate so I could gain a better understanding of the types of models I could make and the questions I could raise for the front page of a ‘popular science’ style magazine.
For instance, Jesse Bromm is an artist that creates miniature models that are designed to communicate an idea, have a meaning behind them, and raise controversial issues. One of his works called landscape VII made with blown glass, mixed media, and found objects raises questions such as: Do perceptions about drugs, sex, and bad habits limit our ability to grow? Limit our interactions with others?
The way in which these miniatures are placed on these platforms which are being supported by symbols such as cigarettes, syringes, and condoms could tell us that some may rely and depend on these to grow. The fact that they are hidden beneath the surface might also suggest that these our taboos that limit are ability to grow by not openly talking about them. The way these pieces are encapsulated in glass tanks may infer that some may be trapped in these environments and addicted to drugs, sex and bad habits, therefore limiting their ability to grow and interact with others.
Another one of his works called Two suits made using blown glass, 3D printed nylon, rabbit fur, mixed media, and found objects poses questions such as: Man Vs nature is the great struggle. Who's constructs for survival are superior? The relationship between what we use to survive and what other animals use to survive. Reason vs instinct. Intellect vs simplicity. Suit vs pelt.
The difference between the miniature sitting on the platform and the fur in the glass container highlights the man vs nature comparison. The fact that the miniature is on top of the fur might be outlining the fact that we are the superior most intellectual force of nature. However, the simplicity of the fur in the glass container in contrast to the man in the suit might infer that an animals constructs for survival are more effective than ours due to their natural instinct and simplistic approach being more efficient than our complicated methods.
Website: Jesse Bromm
These miniature models set great benchmarks for me to use. My model will need to meet industry standards such as a high level of precision and accuracy, detail, quality of finish, and an appropriate scale.
These are sketches and annotations on one of my project ideas for this brief. This idea being COVID vs mental health. Posing questions such as: What's more important? What will be the biggest killer this year? Are more people dying directly from COVID-19 or suicide due to mental health illness?
I then started researching into a completely different idea to cover this brief. Although my last idea was very sensitive and relevant to the current times, this idea was more interesting, complex and thoughtful to me. This idea raised questions such as: Do musicians rely on the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol? Do the use of drugs enhance creativity and musical performance, or do they diminish them?
I then researched further into the topic by gathering found imagery of the different artists who have used and abused drugs in the past and what they believed the effects of their drug addiction to be. For instance, the infamous electric guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix, was a long-time drug user who died on the 18th of September 1970 at the age of 27. Although his cause of death is uncertain most believe it to be an overdose on alcohol and sleeping pills. Another example is lead singer of the band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide on the 5th of April 1994 also at the age of 27. It is believed that he had a Heroin addiction. Artist Mac Miller struggled with substance abuse, which was often referenced to in his lyrics. He died from an accidental drug overdose at his home on September 7, 2018, at the age of 26. Rapper Juice WRLD was also heavily addicted to painkillers. His cause of death was an accidental overdose. The rapper's unexpected death at Midway International Airport was caused by an overdose of opioids, according to the medical examiner.
Through deeper research I found that all these artists had similar problems, for some, drugs might have enabled them to become more creative in their own way and more experimental with music at the time. However, their drug addictions heavily impacted their mental health and the longevity of their musical careers, it also hindered their ability to grow as artists.
I also looked into a couple of other relevant sources such as a podcast on BBC called Grounded with Louis Theroux interviewing film director and producer Oliver Stone, writer of Midnight Express and gangster movie Scarface. At one point he talks about how drugs would boost his productivity and gave him extra knowledge about drugs which helped him write Scarface. However, he also outlined his drug addiction and how it became a problem by controlling everyday life.
With that, I watched The Doors (1991), which is a film based on Jim Morrison's life, his band, and his drug addiction. He also died at the age of 27on the 3rd of July 1971. His death is thought to be of heroin overdose but still remains a mystery to a certain extent.
The American Rock Band Red Hot Chili peppers were also well-known drug users and abusers. Although most band members took part in taking drugs, founding bassist Michael Peter Balzary most commonly known as Flea, and lead singer Anthony Kiedis, were known for their drug use. One of their old electric guitarists, called Hillel Slovak, developed a serious heroin addiction. He attempted to quit many times but died of an overdose on June 25, 1988 at age 26.
I also read into the book Scar tissue by Anthony Kiedis himself. The book follows Kiedis' life from his birth in 1962 to early 2004. It follows Kiedis into the depth of his experiences with drug addiction. The title name was taken from the single "Scar Tissue" released five years earlier on the Red Hot Chili Peppers album Californication.
These are a set of sketches that I used to develop my ideas further on this brief. These include relevant research on artists, annotations and quotes on the subject of matter, and experimenting with different containers, stages, action poses, set designs, and environments.
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