Creating my own objects to distort the human form.

Investigating changing the shape of the human body- Link to the work of Aziz and Cucher who distorts the human form

Here this artist distorts the human form by taking away all their features, it almost turns them into an abject and dehumanises them as they lose there identity.
I Have experimented with using tribal like marks to change my face in this photo, the face becomes more like a canvas by the use of colour and patterns.

Investigating further

Continuing to experiment with using existing materials to distort my body, this time concentrating on my face. Here i have munipulated the material to act as a distortion device.

Distorting the figure using existing objects- Link to Leigh Bowery's work

Here is a link to Bowery's work who transforms the figure using objects, mulitples and clothing. I have included a photo of an experiment with a pair of tights i made which uses colour and form to change my face. I have also included a couple of experiments i did using glasses which i did before seeing Bowery's work, i used the computer to munipulate the photos.

Using existing objects.

I have taken influence from Erwin Wurm's work here and have experimented with using existing objects to distort the body, these trials inform my practical work and i use the ideas to then create my own objects to do a similar thing. I have used objects a way that we mite expect and also experimented with using the objects in a more unconventional way. I feel the latter works best at distorting the human form.

Distorting the figure - Link to Nicole Tran Ba Vang's work

Here i have tried another expriment using clothing to distort the figure, i have also included a link to Nicole Tran Ba Vang's work who creates new items like second skins to distort the human form. The work also looks at how a figure can be made to blend into the surroundings which makes it seem like an object and transforms the figure.

Using clothing to munipulate the figure.

Here is one of my first experiments using clothing to change the shape of the figure, here i have been using multiples of the same garment to distort the body. The clothing is worn in an unusual way. I have also experimented with the effect when underwear is worn as outerwear, this challenges our preconceptions of underwear.

Man Ray, link to his work, turning a human into sculpture and my own attempt

Link to photos on Flickr

More art work, Link to Rebecca Horn's work which was greatly inspirational as she elongates and distorts the body.

Over the last few days i have continued working with the theme of distorting the human form and making figures part of the sculpture, i would like to look into creating a piece that the viewer has to become part of, this is a step further from ideas i have looked at in previous projects where the viewer enters into a work, here the viewer becomes part of it and are then able to see the work from a completely different perspective. I have been experimenting with face paint and creating marks onto my face and photographing my face. Distorting my face using things such as shaving foam to block off features, sellotape to distort the skin and masking tape to create an unusual texture. I have then started to experiment with cardboard structures which can be worn by the figure to change their body shape. Creating masks and unusual outlines of figures. This afternoon i experimented a bit more with the wax trousers i made, asking someone to place them on their head and to hold them on their arms, the trousers distort perspective and are quite humerous, people react well to them. Walking down the street creates a reaction from passers by. I have taken the trousers to photograph them in different settings, changing their context. I want to start to munipulate some of the images i have taken and other images of people using photoshop and to start experimenting with textile work.

Link to Chalayan Husseins work who inspired me to create objects to adorn and distort the human body.

Continuing with the project.

Over the last few days i have been taking aspects found in the documentation I made of india, aspects of photos, observations ect and researching into how i can carry them on further. I have been interested in the Hindu festival holi which is the celebration where people throw paint at each other and everyone is covered in bright and vibrant colours. I would like to try to use this influence and stage a large paint fight, people could wear white clothes and masks and I would then like to use the covered clothes to create a sculpture or an installation. I would also document the paint fight, videoing it for a performative aspect of the work and also photographing it to capture certain moments in time.
I am interested in the ways figures can be used in art work, how they can become sculptural. I was influenced by the photos I have taken in India of people carrying baskets and suitcases on their heads, by doing this the people become sculptural. Also the figures wrapped in shawls and saris become distorted forms. I have started to play with these ideas photographing digitally and using film, wrapping people in cloths and shawls and balancing things on their heads. I have also taken some photos of people with tribal designs which I drew onto their face and have started to research into tribal designs and when where and why people do this. I am interested in the indiginous population of different clutures and different rituals and ceramonies around the world. I have also started to experiment with the idea of distorting the human form and using it within work itself by making some wire and papier mache headresses which elongate the shape on the body, once they are made i am going to photogaph people wearing them standing, sitting and lying in different positions. Secondary research has lead me to look at artists such as Gormley, Niki de saint phalle, Erwin wurm and Rebecca horn amoungst others. I am also looking at the fashion designs of Alexander Mcqueen as he often makes his clothes very exaggerated and unusual, often they are not flattering to the human form but distort it.

Third term at glasgow school of art

In being asked to create our own brief for this project i knew i wanted to use the photos and influences i have recently gained travelling to India over the easter break, so i am going to use the photos as a starting point, therefore my first step is to get into the dark room to process and print and to print colour digital photos. I will then analyse the photos and see where i can go next whilst aiding this with research on India from the internet and books. I am going to look into Indian artists and use that as a secondary starting point, perhaps extending it to other cultures around the world aswell, to highlight the differences and similarities between different cultures.