DAVC - semester one - ten metre drawing
dancing in the dark - 2004/5
this is the largest single piece that i've produced so far, measuring 45cm x 10m [10,000cm]. the initial inspiration came from music photography: how the transition between the live event and the frozen image takes place; how the light and kinetic energy and form change; how accurately the photograph portrays the sensations of the live experience. photography is instant; to break down and explore this transition i used ink and a large range of black, white and magenta chalks, which would take far more time and allow me to think in detail about what i was doing [but was still more workable in the timeframe that i had than a medium like paint.]
i experimented with different drawing styles within the piece. as one watches a band's performance, they shift from knowing nothing about them to developing a knowledge of the band's style and sound and motivation. i wanted to integrate a sense of realtime, of the progress of the gig, moving from right-brain-influenced, sketchy first-impression drawings, through a gradual transition to more clearly rendered illustrations, to an eventual detailed, glossy, photorealistic image of the trashed stage at the end of the show; the transition from watching an unfamiliar band at a curious distance to being drawn into their sound and performance, absorbing the spectacle and imprinting it all in one's memory.
i photographed it as i worked on it, and had limited space; photographs of the full piece coming soon.
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this piece will be exhibited at UEL in february or march, at which point i'll rephotograph it more clearly.
