Week one

starts with a warm welcoming and a talk about what we bring forth in the essence of our origins, our connections to the mountains, rivers, and oceans that shape our identity. This concept resonates deeply with the spirit of Aotearoa, encapsulated by two pivotal questions: Nō hea koe? ‘Where are you from?’ And ko wai koe? ‘Who are you?’ (These questions, as highlighted by Valance Smith, Pro Vice Chancellor Māori, in his mihi for Nga Tai O Te Ao, The Global Tides, encapsulate the essence of our individual narratives. )

we also talked about method and how to use the practical tools and processes to use to engage with a research topic. Conversely, research methodologies delve into the rationale behind specific methodological choices, considering principles, theories, and frameworks guiding their selection and application.

week two

As we embark on our research projects, it’s essential to consider what truly matters within our endeavors. Our projects are deeply intertwined with our interests and motivations. In pairs, we’ll start by sharing brief descriptions of our proposed projects from our MVA proposals. Then, we’ll delve into what our partners care about and how it motivates their research. Next, we’ll discuss the “why” behind our research—the aims or kaupapa we’re striving for. These aims encapsulate our intentions and desired outcomes, serving as the platform for our research discourse. We’ll explore why our research matters and who it’s intended for, shaping our understanding of its significance. Lastly, we’ll examine the Postgraduate Research Proposal Document, focusing on key sections like the research questions, study design, and ethics, to refine our thinking and approach to our thesis year. Through this process, we’ll gain clarity on what truly matters in our projects and how to articulate it effectively.

Week three

Allora & Calzadilla artwork “The Great Silence,” in collaboration with Ted Chiang

Method: Narrative Construction

Methodology: Literary Analysis or Narrative Theory

Method: Audiovisual Installation

Methodology: Media Studies or Visual Anthropology

Method: Collaboration with Ted Chiang

Methodology: Interdisciplinary Studies or Collaborative Art Practice

Method: Incorporation of Scientific Data and Research

Methodology: Science and Technology Studies or Ethnographic Research

These methods and methodologies reflect the multi-layered approach utilized in “The Great Silence,” combining elements of speculative fiction, visual art, scientific inquiry, and collaborative storytelling.

.How does humanity’s understanding of intelligence and communication influence our search for extraterrestrial life?

.What are the ethical implications of attempting to communicate with potential extraterrestrial civilizations?

.How can artistic practices intersect with scientific inquiry to explore questions about the universe and our place within it?

.What can we learn about human nature and society through speculative explorations of extraterrestrial communication scenarios?

Research questions?

How does the integration of text-based narratives into location-based augmented reality experiences affect users’ memory retention and emotional engagement, particularly considering the role of motion blur and humor in shaping the overall experience?”

Week four

Special Guest: From 9am – 10am We will hear from artist and PhD researcher Emily Parr (Ngāi Te Rangi, Moana, Pākehā) on Indigenous Methodologies in her practice.

emily parr Guest speaker

methodologies functioning in the practice that makes up your project…

Methods together sit with, or have a relational connection to the umbrella term for your making/doing which is “Methodololgy”.

Methods

Corruption ➡️ digital images
Reviewing persona collections of photos
Pencil sketches & notes of ideas
Encountering space
Fashion curation & collaboration with identity
Documenting people in communities
Mapping through photographing
Archives online artefacts
Papier mache of props- place-holder
Painted sketches- observational outside
Intuitive sculpted marquette, modelling
Leaning into malfunction
Replication patterning, repetition, palimpsest, iterations
Distillation of everyday moments ➡️ sketching ➡️audio ➡️painting
Writing stories – prologue to painting – condensation
Collating to find atmosphere – note app
Walking subjection of images

Break down time –

writing stories – Narratologies -whakapapa purakau

research creation

Corruption ➡️ digital images -new Materialism -heuristics – Interstim -Cybernetics

Week 5

In-class presentation outline ( my work is down below)

We talked about the informal presentation (5-7 minutes) to workshop ideas for our Formative assessment.

Must included:

1) At least 3 keywords and a loose, working title for your Research project (and ultimately your thesis)

2) Your aims (300 words more or less): describe your aims with physical examples of artworks or processes, or images, sounds or other ‘making’ documentation on your blog. This should reflect several of the methods of making/researching/gathering that you have tested/ or will test in your art practice.

3) Your Research Question or Questions

4) One or several fields of inquiry, or methodological frameworks that you are considering as part of your research approach (that directly connect to your methods). ie Kaupapa Maori research framework; or feminist new materialism; or your own term; within a ‘practice-orientated, or practice-led research’ paradigm.

Feedback Mechanism: [Peer review, and Verbal feedback from Janine and Fiona, or Shelley (3 minutes]

formative-assignment-Download

For my work, I talked about my starting point in terms of my art practice. Dow below are my aims.

In my art, I aim to make people think and reflect, Prompting the viewers to question their assumptions about the world around them. I want my art practice to have constant development and exploration within my process. However, to do so I also want to push the boundaries of traditional photographic techniques and embrace digital and hand manipulation, creating something with each photograph to show that it is not just a static image, but a dynamic reflection of my ongoing artistic growth and experimentation.

I want my work to feel familiar and become unfamiliar, adding and removing objects, creating an illusion and a feeling of nostalgia, wonder, and contemplation, prompting the viewers to reconsider their perception of the environment and their place within it. I want to challenge myself by adding numbers and words that make no sense in a very extragrated way. Like for example how many leaves there are on a tree, I also take note points for the image, using my surroundings/ a familiar place of location in New Zealand, writing what’s important for my art practice, making what’s within the text false.

I want to aim for that uncertainty within my work to feel more like a confusing dream, not knowing what’s real, exploring the complexities of reality. Wanting to provoke a thought of a deeper engagement with the world around us. To engage with the unfamiliar and to find out more about it

Week 6

Here is the working process.

Aims ideas

Explore the concept of absence and presence through the strategic removal and addition of objects in textual compositions.

Experiment with visual storytelling by altering the narrative through the inclusion or omission of key elements within the text-based images.

Investigate the relationship between text and image by employing numerical counts to highlight specific objects and evoke curiosity or contemplation in the viewer.

Challenge traditional notions of photography by utilising textual elements to construct visually engaging compositions that encourage viewers to interpret and decipher hidden meanings.

Harness the power of minimalism by selectively removing objects from scenes to emphasise the significance of remaining elements and invite viewers to engage in a deeper exploration of the image.

Foster a sense of discovery and intrigue by incorporating numerical counting techniques to prompt viewers to search for and identify specified objects within the composition.

Experiment with juxtaposition by adding unexpected elements into the text-based images, creating visual contrasts and stimulating viewers to question the relationship between the textual and visual components.

Employ numerical symbolism to convey themes of order, chaos, abundance, or scarcity within the text-based photographs, inviting viewers to reflect on broader concepts beyond the immediate visual content.

Explore the intersection of language and imagery by using text as a tool for both communication and abstraction, allowing viewers to interpret and interpret the images in multiple ways.

Challenge conventional perceptions of photography by blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination through the strategic manipulation of text and imagery.

Employ the removal and addition of objects to manipulate the composition, inviting viewers to question the reality and narrative within each image.

Utilise numerical elements to count and emphasise specific objects or occurrences within the frame, adding layers of meaning and intrigue to the visual storytelling.

Challenge perceptions of time and space by blending realism with abstraction, inviting viewers to contemplate the fluidity of existence captured within each image.

Research question ideas

How does the intentional use of motion blur in black and white analog photography alter perceptions of familiar places within New Zealand?
What role does the incorporation of text elements, such as numbers, play in shaping viewers’ interpretations of blurred images captured with an analog camera?
How do viewers respond to the manipulation of reality through the addition of digitally edited elements in photographs of known New Zealand landscapes?
In what ways does the juxtaposition of blurred imagery and digitally added text challenge traditional notions of photographic representation and truthfulness?
How does the deliberate alteration of numbers within photographs affect viewers’ understanding of the depicted scenes and their relationship to reality?
To what extent does the intentional creation of ambiguity within photographic compositions stimulate viewers’ engagement and interpretation of the artwork?
How do viewers navigate the boundaries between reality and fiction when confronted with digitally manipulated photographs of familiar New Zealand locations?
What psychological and emotional responses do viewers experience when presented with blurred images of known places combined with digitally added text elements?
How does the use of motion blur and digital manipulation influence the overall aesthetic appeal and memorability of photographic artworks featuring New Zealand landscapes?
What cultural and societal implications arise from the deliberate distortion of reality within photographic representations of familiar New Zealand landmarks?

For my art practice, I aim to provoke thought and reflection to prompt the viewers to question their assumptions about the world around them. I want to create a cognitive disagreement, I seek to disrupt the comfortable narratives we construct and invite a deeper engagement with the complexities of reality. Furthermore, I want my art practice to have constant development and exploration within my process. However, to do so I aim to push the boundaries of traditional photographic techniques and embrace digital and hand manipulation, creating something with each photograph to show that it is not just a static image, but a dynamic reflection of my ongoing artistic growth and experimentation.

But when it comes to my art practice I want my work to be captivating to the viewers to have a visual experience that transcends the boundaries of reality. To then invite viewers to immerse themselves in a world where the familiar becomes unfamiliar, and the boundaries between truth and fiction blur into uncertainty.Through emotional resonance and spatial awareness, I tap into viewers’ feelings of nostalgia, wonder, and contemplation, prompting them to reconsider their perception of the environment and their place within it. My exploration of memory and perception, along with narrative experimentation, I challenge the viewers to question their understanding of reality, while my engagement with obscurity and uncertainty encourages interpretation and reflection. In a sense I aim to show my work to the viewers with a notion of motivation for refinement, guiding them towards a deeper understanding of themselves and the intricate layers of the world that lurks within the boundaries of reality.

After my presentation I reviewed the feedback I received from Fiona, Looking at and reworking my work for what I’m working on.

Here is the feedback form

Formative assignment

Week 8

For this I received my feedback and i plan to reword my title and find some more research to help further my art practice.

My planning document

Your working title of ‘The Distortion Of Memories Over Time’ is clear and the reader can get an insight of your thesis content. That said, it would be beneficial to include a sense of how your project progresses, meaning by what means are you conducting your research. I suggest incorporating the word photography or lens-based somewhere into your title. For example, perhaps as follows: The Distortion Of Memories Over Time: a Lens-based Exploration’. Can you be more specific as to what is meant by memories? I am wondering if it is possible to actually name the types of memories you are meaning, which also may result in giving context to what you mean by ‘over time’.

A small set of keywords:

Your keywords are useful and hold relevance to your overall project. It would be useful for you to also develop another set of keywords that specifically refer to the theoretical contexts framing your research methods and methodologies.

Your draft research question/s:

Your research question in its current formation is well expressed and lays out parameters for concerning the specificity of your inquiry. That said, I suggest the following amendments to the wording to enable greater clarity with respect to what you are ‘trying to find out’: How can experimental photographic techniques convey relationships between location and personal memory within specific Aotearoa New Zealand contexts? These suggested changes are not quite there yet as aspects of the question are still a little broad. For example, can you be more specific with respect to what you mean by ‘experimental photographic techniques’, and ‘location and personal memory’? Also, what are you hoping to ‘find out’ through the conveyed relationships?

A draft discussion of your Aims/Kaupapa for this research:

Your Kaupapa is expressed well with a clear focus. The aims of your research are clearly contextualised via your interests in how experimental analogue photography can explore/articulate relationships between place and memory.

You have clearly articulated that a personal investigation (as linked to memory and place) is driving your project, however you need to interrogate the ‘why’ of your project aims. For example, why do you want to “speak to more significant issues of identity, nostalgia, and time passing” that are ultimately linked to your experiences?

Field of inquiry:

Your ‘Field of inquiry’ is currently a list of five books. Although you have also listed six methodologies (several of which may also function as methods), you need to now further interrogate these so as to build a context for your research. This context will also help to provide a sense of the ‘why’ as per the above feedback. For example, taking one of the books you have listed—The Experimental Darkroom: Contemporary Uses of Traditional Black and White Photographic Materials—try asking yourself what is it about experimental photographic processes that allows you to ‘find something out’ about memory (and with its recollection) with respect to place? How might the alternative experimental processes you are wanting to explore function as a mechanism to trigger certain memories, which while coming from your experiences, may in turn also be ubiquitous? In short, try to engage in this type of questioning process so as to further build your research’s inquiry.

Bibliography:
Your bibliography is solid and the texts selected are appropriate for your research, albeit a little generalised. That said, you need to take the time to better format your bibliography so it is more legible and reads according to Chicago formatting. I note that quite a few of sources you have provided are connected to technically learning. While including this material is appropriate to your overall MVA journey, you also need to interrogate this technical learning with respect to your project’s methodologies, methods and contexts. For example, the relationship between photography and memory is a well-established field of scholarship so it would be good to see some of this material included in your bibliography. A quick search on this topic produces the following material: ‘Photography and cultural memory: a methodological exploration’ (2008); ‘The Memory of Photography’ (2010), from the journal Photographies, special issue titled ‘Photography, Archive and Memory’; Global photographies: memory – history – archives (2018); Locating Memory; Photographic Acts (2006); Photography after postmodernism : Barthes, Stieglitz and the art of memory (2023); and Forget me not : photography and remembrance (2004). These suggestions are really just a start; you need to dig a bit deeper with respect to establishing a more expanded bibliography for your project.

My feedback

The feedback was helpful and very straightforward on what I needed to do. Here is my starting point and what I’ve found and changed. As well as explaining the why for some things.

Title

The Distortion Of Memories Over Time: a Lens-based Exploration

Why ?

My title is “The Distortion Of Memories Over Time: A Lens-based Exploration” is explained by memories changing and things not being the way we remember them. Whether it is miss remembering things from our past or places and objects changing since we last saw them. My art practice is a lens based outlook using analogue cameras to show a visual outcome, using black and white. Finding out the different materials as well as finding the different ways to experiment ways to change the appearance of the film. Changing what you see into something in a more emotional space, using my childhood as a viewpoint and showing the blurry lens to recreate that sense of memory.

Keywords

Senses
Psychogeography

– This concept explores the interplay between the environment and human emotions or behaviour, which aligns with the idea of exploration of the relationship between location and memory.

Emplacement ( Maybe )

– Refers to the process of creating meaningful connections between people and places, which resonates with my focus on how locations evoke memories

Light
Distortion
Past
Present
Future ?
Personal
Childhood
Change
momentum

Reworking question

How can manipulating my analogue art practice using experimental techniques convey the relationship between location and memory in the representation of personal memories using my own experiences with areas in New Zealand.

Breakdown 1

How can the manipulation of my analogue art practice, through experimental development within lens-based medium, exploring the relationship between location and memory and drawing from personal experiences that are important to my childhood.

Reading material-

The wretched of the screen Book by Hito Steyerl

In Defense of the Poor Image Hito Steyerl

Art beyond representation the performative power of the image Book by Barbara Bolt

On Longing 1984 by Susan Stewart

Week 9

Reworking my aim. Its not fleshed out as of yet but it is a starting point. I want to add why I used a camera somewhere in there because that is an important part of my art practice. Not sure where I would put the sentence in the aim but i’ll figure that out. ” Why? Using different cameras to me is to express this over all viewof remebcerace of tge past viewrs / users of the camera i am using. Having that ability to hold some things so preices and to show how i view my world as how they shown there world back then. I want to feel that emaional of pasting on from each camera to camera, like its a story of its own.”

Starting point

In my art practice, I delve into the realm of nostalgia and memory, using black and white film and old cameras as my tools to capture moments that evoke a profound sense of déjà vu. Each photograph becomes a portal to the past, blurring the lines between reality and memory, creating an ethereal landscape where time seems to stand still.

My intention is not merely to document scenes but to encapsulate emotions, to convey the sensation of being transported back to a time long forgotten yet intimately familiar. I purposely manipulate the focus, intentionally blurring the images to obscure the details, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the essence of the moment rather than its tangible form.

Through my experimental techniques, such as soaking the film in a concoction infused with personal meaning, I infuse each image with layers of significance. Each roll of film becomes a canvas for exploration, a vessel for the manifestation of distorted memories. The imperfections, the “ruined” quality of the film, become integral to the narrative, serving as a metaphor for the fragmented nature of recollection.

My work transcends traditional notions of photography, transforming it into a medium for introspection and introspection. Each photograph is not just a snapshot in time but a window into the recesses of the human psyche, a testament to the power of memory to shape our perception of the world.

In my quest to capture the essence of memory through distortion, I want to confront my own relationship with my past and the ever-shifting nature of reality, Through your art, I want to embrace the beauty of impermanence, to find solace in the ephemeral nature of existence, and to cherish the memories that shape who I am.

Research methods/methodologys

Autoethnography

“Autoethnography can be described as a combination of autobiographical and ethnographic practices. It is a method that emphasises the researcher’s emotions and experiences. For the most part, autoethnography comes in written form, based on introspection of one’s memory as well as on field notes, diary entries, drawings, or photographs. The visual material, however, is mostly regarded as a stimulant for emotional recall and not as autoethnography itself. The following contribution therefore explores how autoethnography and photography can be combined through the medium of the photo-essay. The photo-essay is based on fieldwork experiences in Detroit, MI, between 2016 and 2019. It is an attempt to question and unveil my positionality and the situatedness of (my) knowledge (production), aiming towards a more reflexive way of doing ethnography.”

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350574281_Autoethnography_and_Photo-Essay_Combining_written_word_and_photographs

Ethnography is the study and interpretation of social organisations and cultures in everyday life. It is a research-based methodology, and when this research is conducted using photography, video or film, it is called visual ethnography.

1-2 key methodological frameworks

Phenomenological –

This framework focuses on the subjective experience of phenomena, emphasising perception and consciousness. In your case, you can explore how your photographs evoke a sense of déjà vu or familiarity, tapping into viewers’ personal memories and associations.

Methodologically, you can prioritise the experiential aspect of your art. Consider how each element of your process contributes to the overall experience of viewing your photographs. This could involve documenting your own experiences and reflections throughout the creative process, from selecting ingredients for the film soup to capturing the final image.

Deconstruction –

Disrupting conventional ideas of clarity and focus in photography. Embrace the “ruined” nature of your film rolls as a deliberate act of subversion, challenging the notion of the perfect, sharp image. Experiment with different techniques and materials to further deconstruct the medium of photography and its relationship to memory and perception.

Research

Information on Bill Morrison’s – Decasia (2002), In their work they talk about the decaying as a whole, using old found footage and melding with music to create a performed piece. This result turned into a moving avant- grade masterpiece that leaves meaning open to interpretation and to “your imagination”

https://icarusfilms.com/if-deca

“In the film’s over 60 minutes of decaying visuals and eerie sounds, one discovers a reflection of life’s essence. The imagery evokes thoughts of our own journey—nostalgia, resilience, change, and ultimately, mortality. It’s this delicate link that lends the film a feeling of transcendence and a shared experience with the audience. As the film concludes, mirroring its start, the Sufi dancer gracefully rotates, symbolizing a cycle of inception and decline.”

/https://bombmagazine.org/articles/2004/04/01/bill-morrisons-decasia-the-state-of-decay/ —Eric David Johnson

Review: “Decasia”
“Back to Nature – The Art of Destruction” by J. Hoberman
Village Voice, 3/18/03

“Bill Morrison’s Decasia is that rare thing: a movie with avant-garde and universal appeal. Its flame-like, roiling black-and-white inspires trembling and gratitude.”

https://billmorrisonfilm.com/feature-length-films/decasia/1

Decasia uses the digital era as a ability to rival with modern CGI effects to an undeniable take. For instance, the scene where the boxer is training and striking the heavy bag, however it appears to have a wuestion to why is this scene colossal, pulsating creature. According to Morrison, the goal was to integrate decay into the frame in a captivating manner, transforming it into a character that follows the contours of the emulsion.

Excerpt 1: “Decasia”
2002

Film by Bill Morrison
Music by Michael Gordon

(2002, 67 min, 35mm)

Morrison’s work is a form of decay that transcends into beauty. To him the notion of an object deteriorating is unsettling and repulsive. But in a way we all desire longevity, seeking perpetual functionality and flawlessness. That understandment has perfection is fleeting, and all things eventually succumb to time’s erosion. Matter transitions from form to dissolution, perpetuating an endless cycle of creation and collapse. Observing the gradual disintegration of something confronts us with the reality of existence. Paradoxically consoling and exhilarating, witnessing decay helps us confront the certainty that we too are subject to this inevitable fate.

Bill Morrison Further exploration

A Poetic Archaeology of Cinema: The Films of Bill Morrison

https://walkerart.org/magazine/bill-morrison-decasia-film/

BY Matt Levine FILED TO Moving Image DATE Jan 18, 2013

Note taking From the website above

“Morrison’s films utilize traces of found footage littered throughout our cinematic past, ambitiously attempting to grapple with the ambiguous concept of “time” itself.”

“Morrison’s films: often deploying severely decayed nitrate film (which, though lethally flammable, provided the film industry with its sparkling images until a new safety acetate film was introduced in 1948), his work makes us aware of the irreversibility of time–the existential fact that everything, whether living, chemical, or plastic, dies and decays.”

“His work often makes use of rare archival footage in which forgotten film imagery is reframed as part of our collective mythology.”

“He shot motion-picture film, printed photographs from the 16mm negatives, and developed the images using a paintbrush rather than chemical baths, giving each still image a unique, painterly look.”

“Decasia: The State of Decay (2002)–his most well-known film (and the one that Errol Morris claimed is possibly the greatest movie ever made)–relies upon an optical printer to reshoot severely damaged nitrate film onto a separate print, transferring each single frame numerous times in order to prolong the movement into trippy semi-slow-motion. The imagery and its material basis are inseparable in Decasia.”

” The Film of Her at the first Orphaned Film Symposium at the University of South Carolina in 1999,mages of boxers sparring with vertical smears of bleeding chemicals or stern nuns emerging from a hazy fog of photosensitive blotches ultimately led the filmmaker to pitch a film-symphony about “decay” to Gordon, resulting in the overwhelming sensory experience that is Decasia.”

“The disappearance of film, not by technical obsolescence, but by an organic-chemical law, is as inevitable as the erosion of stones or the aging of bodies. You can slow it down, but you cannot prevent it.”

Decasia might be about all natural decay rather than the growing obsolescence of celluloid, but over the last decade the transformation of film production and exhibition from celluloid to digital forms has steamrolled ahead, leading some to proclaim that the death of celluloid is at hand.

These is just some of the amazing notes I took from the article, His work has really had an impact on me and it’s so cool to see someone else do something similar to my wart practice. Bill Morrison had so many brilliant ideas, that showed decay in such a beautiful way. Each note has an importance to my work and will help me look further into the experimentation/decay reach for my art practice.

Janine Randerson

Janine Randerson is a New Zealand artist, writer, and academic known for her interdisciplinary work exploring the intersections of art, science, and technology. She often investigates topics related to environmental issues, urban landscapes, and the cultural implications of emerging technologies. One of her notable projects is “Place Unmaking,” which examines the impact of human activity on landscapes and ecosystems.

“Place Unmaking ” is a project by Janine Randerson that delves into the concept of deconstruction or “unmaking” of places. It involves examining how human actions, such as urbanisation, industrialization, and resource extraction, transform landscapes and disrupt ecosystems. Randerson’s work often involves research, documentation, and artistic interventions to raise awareness about these issues and prompt critical reflection on our relationship with the environment.

Randerson’s approach to “Place Unmaking” may involve various media such as photography, video, installations, and writing. Through her art and research, she aims to highlight the ways in which human activities reshape the natural world and challenge conventional notions of place, space, and identity.

References

https://www.nziff.co.nz/im:23586/

https://www.flicks.co.nz/movie/place-unmaking/

https://thebigidea.nz/stories/nz-titles-at-nziff

https://academics.aut.ac.nz/janine.randerson

https://www.circuit.org.nz/writing-and-podcast/circuit-cast-episode-27-janine-randerson-and-place-unmaking