14/03/2018 - SIR JOHN INNES CENTRE PROPOSAL FORM

I prepared my proposal form for submission having spent a couple of days hatching over my idea and building upon it. I had been uncertain how to exactly represent the patron figure; such an essential component of my planned direction. I considered for a while, and was unable to tie down the essence of a benevolent and responsible scholar of the natural world in any way without clique, and quickly happened upon a better idea. I proposed to replace the central patron figure with a mirror, thus confronting the viewer with their own reflection in the place of any historical portrait. This in itself has interesting connotations, as it reminds the viewer that our actions will become part of the past one day, and history will reflect on these times which we think of as modern, just as we do upon that which has gone before. It also puts the viewer in a position of responsibility, making them unexpectedly meet their own gaze, and then appreciate themselves as part of a wider fabric of the artwork, and furthermore nature and the natural sphere itself.


I have the vision of it being a kind of montage, summarising both natures beauty and permenance, the artful, perfect way to which it is adapted and diversified, and also the powerful way it encompasses and outlasts, provides and relinquishes in equal measure. I would also like to thread symbolism and suggestion throughout the piece, and demonstrate the every changing and shifting meeting of man and nature. As if one of the very pages of the books, back from a time when we still felt awed with the world around us, and had not yet exposed (and furthermore decimated) so much of her magic. The key with this was to blend the strength of my critique of the centers work, whilst creating a piece which would still have a positive influence in the learning environment of the library/archive and also with the centres engagement with arts programs. Engagement between arts and science is of the upmost importance to find new strategies to translate and communicate ideas and findings, and should in my opinion be promoted wherever possible, so it is important to me that I achieve this seamlessly.

My next step is to create a sketch!