Digital Landscapes #ArtWorksLeeds

F A I T H

We ran our D I S C O U R S E digital landscape workshop yesterday (26/05/2013) as part of the first #ArtWorksLeeds events in the Trinity Leeds Customer Service Lounge.Investigating contemporary landscape in sync with 'digital', Rosa and I devised a really simple workshop which we called 'Digital Landscapes'.

"The addition of Trinity in the heart of the city has certainly altered Leeds’ landscape; the arched dome of the atrium framed by the steeple of Holy Trinity church is instantly recognisable. Yet in a world of increasingly digital communication and representation, what is it that we’re actually looking at when we see an image or artwork of Trinity - or any contemporary landscape - on our computer screens? Understanding digital imagery is an important part of developing better ways to engage with our physical and virtual environments. By reducing photographic reproductions of landscape down to the most basic level of pixel, this workshop hoped to inform people and spark a conversation about the basic elements of digital imagery and contemporary landscape through pixel-mosaic."

"In a world where many of us look at virtual landscapes on computer screens more than we experience real ones, this activity aims to highlight the relationship between the physical and the virtual, as well as our own relationships to both. By translating the physical Trinity landscape into a pixelated, ‘digital’ image, the workshop plays with ideas of material and immateriality, as well as informing younger people about the basic elements of digital representation."

The workshop went really well, and as we'd hoped, we had some interesting conversations with some lovely Leeds locals. Older people were interested in the 8-bit tech of their own time, whilst children had plenty to say about their favourite new tablet toys. The activity was accessible to people of all ages, and will be left in the art space to be completed by members of the public throughout the coming week.

http://artworksleeds.tumblr.com/
http://ahdiscourse.tumblr.com/

'David Bowie is' | Questioning sound tech's intervention

R O S A

Last Friday I went to the V&A's blockbuster exhibition 'David Bowie is'. This post notes how I found the viewing experience different/interrupted, as a result of the designed sound experience. Perhaps reflective of David Bowie's musical output, sound played a large role in the exhibition. To create this hybrid experience the V&A collaborated with sound specialists at Sennheiser, whose mission was to help the Museum 'bring together Sound and Vision' (Sennheiser, 2013).  However, where sound experience can often strengthen the relationship between visitor and exhibit (in its provision of additional content), I found that in this case it distanced my relationship with the exhibits. Whilst the content of Sennheisers sound guide was both relevant and interesting, its all-encompassing and controlled nature made it difficult to fully engage with either the sound guide OR the collection. Different to others, this audio guide is not a 'guide' at all; instead audio info is triggered based on where the user is currently stood, removing the opportunity for viewers to navigate their own experience. Hopping around to find the right trigger spot, I began to resent the audio content for dictating my viewing experience. Overall, it seemed that the exhibition content was being relayed by too many voices (both active and contributing at the same time). Had the audio content been activated by the visitor's selection rather than triggered by their location, this may have minimised confusion between the multiple information sources, and minimised the audio guides control over the visiting experience.

This post is critical in its discussion to recognise how tech can hinder a viewing experience as much as  it can heighten it. Perhaps curating the work of a Musician/Artist whose career is multi-faceted (fashion, music, artwork, video, design etc) requires a similarly multi-faceted viewing experience. However, when introducing these new dimensions the audiences' liberty to engage with art independently should never be forgotten. 

Click here for the Sennheiser press release.

ARTWORKS at Breeze International Youth Festival

Come to our D I S C O U R S E pixel and contemporary landscape workshop at Trinity Leeds on Sunday 26th May, as part of Breeze International Youth Festival.
We're working with ART WORKS in the Trinity Customer Service lounge - come and drop by from 3-5pm for some pixel-mosaic fun.

'A Walk Through British Art' - Tate Britains new Interpretation model

R O S A

Instigated by Tate Britain's director Penelope Curtis, the permanent collection has been re-staged. The new display model ‘A Walk Through British Art’ went public on the 14th May 2013, reversing most of the decisions made when Tate Modern first opened in 2000. Factors of Curtis’ rethink include: the removal of accompanying interpretation, chronological display in place of thematic, and lastly the inclusion of more artworks.  However, with the introduction of this new model comes the question – why?

Museum Interpretation largely contributes to how exhibits are percieved and experienced by the visiting audience; therefore a big question for these institutes has always been: how much interpretation should we provide, and in what form? Each of the changes implemented by Curtis alter the way in which this narrative is delivered. Instead of attaining context through the artworks’ accompanying text panels, this now takes place in the form of ‘Introduction rooms’ (Sabine Kohler, Tate, 2013); separating the text display from the artwork display. Also providing context is the new chronological order of the permanent collection. Different to Tate Britain’s old thematic model, the chronological display links art to its history more directly; allowing artworks to describe British history, and British history to help describe the artworks. Additional to the chronological timeline running along the walls, the central floor space is filled with the BP spotlight collection 'offering more depth on particular artworks, artists or themes' (M+H Magazine, 2013) which will be the only part of the display that regularly changes. 

Assuming that Tate Britain removed text panels in favor of an ‘un-disturbed’ experience, my first reaction to the Guardians headline: ‘Tate Britain scraps explanatory panels next to works of art’ was - oh no, the audience will be alienated! However, instead it seems that this model is about re-deciding when museum interpretation should be introduced, minimising unnecessary intervention. Removing the option for visitors to read their way around the Tate Britain, this new model ensures that the primary activity carried out in the galleries is to engage with art by looking.

Click here to watch '500 years of British Art - Director's highlights: Penelope Curtis'.

Museums and Heritage Show 2013

F A I T H

Last week, Rosa and I headed South for the annual Museums and Heritage Show at Olympia in London. Held over two days, the conference offered talks and presentations covering all aspects of the running and development of museums and galleries. Learning, engaging audiences, visitor insight, collections management, new technology, retail and trading and exhibition design all featured as areas of discourse, which involved a huge variety of industry professionals. Amongst the interactive presentations were stands in which relevent creative service companies were exhibiting, as well as workshop stations such as Intranet Future's social media lab and Culture Label's increased income appointment. Needless to say, D I S C O U R S E made full use of everything on offer. Aside from developing some really valuable contacts, we also learnt about many established companies - some of which we'd never before come across - who all contributed to the museums and heritage industry in a variety of ways.

Throughout the entire conference, technology was (unsurprisingly) a firm theme in all areas of industry discussion. Most interesting to Rosa and I were the visually rich new methods of display and exhibition; in particular Holovista's beautiful 3D artefact display alongwith Colour Holographic's unbelieveablly realistic holographic representations of precious objects and materials. Yet amongst such eye-catching products and stands, other impressive industry gems were present. The services provided by companies like Bright White (a 2D and 3D integrated design consultancy based in York) and Paragon Creative (an exhibition design company also based in York) fascinated D I S C O U R S E with their beautifully culturally considered projects that demonstrated extremely strong aesthetic and interactive intent.

Although the show was quite small, it was a pleasure to be part of such a talented community of creative professionals - all of whom we'd really love to work with in the future. Conversation was consistently engaging, and as a result we've both got pages of notes that we'd like to investigate further via D I S C O U R S E blog and projects. In the mean time, thanks to all who helped play a part in the show, as well as supporting D I S C O U R S E in these early stages of its development. We hope to hear from you!