GW: FOUND OBJECTS, ARTEFACTS AND EPHEMERA

I want to use objects within my piece to try and convince the audience that what they are seeing in the video elements of the installation are true. Whilst I believe that the documentary and news elements can be made to convince the audience an audience I think that physical objects working in tandem with the video will be an ever better way of trying to construct my piece. Also all too often these are created  as set dressing or as action props within film. I will need to create some of them anyway to use in archive stills in the pieces I am creating so why not devise and make even more and make them part of the installation.

This idea also plays on "Found Object" art. The Tate website describes it as "Found objects (sometimes referred to by the French term for found object ‘objet trouvé’) may be put on a shelf and treated as works of art in themselves, as well as providing inspiration for the artist. The sculptor Henry Moore for example collected bones and flints which he seems to have treated as natural sculptures as well as sources for his own work. Found objects can also be modified by the artist and presented as art, either more or less intact as in the dada and surrealist artist Marcel Duchamp’s readymades, or as part of an assemblage. Extensive use of found objects was made by dada, surrealist and pop artists, and by later artists such as Carl Andre, Tony Cragg, Bill Woodrow, Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and Michael Landy among many others."

So there is a tradition of using found objects as art and those visiting a gallery may be aware of such pieces and artists as those mentioned. My spin here though is that they will be sold to the audience as found art (possibly roughed up and distressed) as a collection of artefacts in and almost museum like way. BUT they will actually be created pieces of work that help to develop evolve and corroborate the video pieces.

I have a close friend Simon Wild who is a graphic designer and illustrator and I have been discussing this with him. He has started doing just and creating what he calls "Graphic Props" and is looking to turn it into a career. He is really keen to collaborate and create some artefacts and ephemera from the late 1960's and early 1970's. Here are some of the other pieces of work he has created to build a portfolio to try and get his foot in the door. I am keen to not just let him create the piece but also to learn from him and help him with the process to add to my skillset.

The part of this aspect to the installation would be part of the world and story I am constructing so need to fit into the narrative, enhance it, reinforce it and be interesting. I see these as being displayed alongside the video work and complementing it. People could look at the artefacts and still listen to the video playing and two elements would play off and reference each other making up the whole.

Here is a long list of what Global Warmning movement artefacts it would be good to make for the piece.

• Posters of marches or events.
• Newspaper headlines.
• Flyers/handbills.
• Police, MI5 letters about following Joe.
• Threatening letters (fossil fuel giants & govt)
• Banners from protests.
• Badges from movement.

On top of this it has also inspired me to look to create some of the following too.

• Photos (May look to do myself with photographer friends) Uni, friends, protesting.
• Old film cans and film
• Old audio tapes.