Back tracking progress.

Hello everyone, for this entry I will be back tracking a few days and posting my earlier tests, observations and such.

First off here is a selection of images and a short video showing some of my early experimentation with mirrors and CDs. This was my first try at using them to deflect light and such. I apologise for the poor quality of the videos too. I am trying to find a compromise between vid size and quality so bare with me on that front.

Sunlight reflections by luck!

Project idea update

I have been turning some ideas over in my head about how to "bring" the stars to a city environment. I began to think about using solar lamps which I could place in scrub land around the city. Which I still might consider because the mental image I have of that is very promising, plus it would coincide with the stars only coming out at night. However I want to try and create the work for day time use so more people could view it.


By a bit of luck I had a spark of thought  when I went out on the 12th October. It was a lovely sunny day. I was out looking for places to consider place my work in the future, when I noticed something interesting. I noticed these shadowy light markings on the floor, I instantly started snapping away. One particular instance really took my fancy it was a multitude of light reflections on a large blank wall. Straight away I had the basis for somework could I use mirrors or a reflective surface to reflect onto the sides of buildings. Creating the constellations with light from our sun which is in turn a star itself. I found this thought to be quite simple yet quite loaded; also there is a slight sense of humour there. Recreating these wonderful and vast constellations that have existed for billions of years and yet I can create them with simple mirrors.

Anyhow here are a few of those snaps, I shall up more when i get the chance.

Transition Films Cont. -Rural to Urban

Ok these two films are my trip from where I live to Liverpool town centre. In these to videos I was focusing on the relationship between our "world" meaning what we have constructed plus ourselves and the vast shelf of the sky. These films are again sped up to shorten the time, however it has created this strange effect were the sky remains motionless. Or so it would seem, can you spot the transitions? I found it very interesting to see but not see the change happening before my eyes. This relate to the idea of the stars being in the sky all the time and yet you dont see them very often in the city.





Videos dated : 5/10/09 and 8/10/09

Transition Films - Sky in the Evening

Well to get me started i thought I'd start to record some videos of the sky to get a fell for how it transitions between day, evening and night. I found them quite interest to watch there is so much subtly to be admired. I have sped these videos up to 6xspeed to shorten them, however they still have a sense of subtlty.





First video date: 7/10/09
Second video date: 12/10/09

Initial Idea of Intent

Spending time in the City of Liverpool I made an observation that at night you can barely see the stars at night. It intrigued me quite abit; because I only live a few miles away in a more rural area. Yet I can observe the stars with relative ease. This got me thinking about how we as people relate to the stars and the night sky. Does seeing the night sky and the stars make any direct impact on us? Do they make the people who live in rural areas perceive or act differently compared with city folk? Have the stars lost there importance in modern society? These kind of questions will hopefully be answered along the way during my work.

At this point I dont know where the outcome lies, however I do feel I have to create something physical which the public can view and interact with. As a key part of my work I want it to be out in the public domain within an urban environment as I feel this is where the work will be validated. However I will have to see my work takes me.

I will have to back track to my earlier work, so watch this space (pun not intended :p )

P.S. If you want to keep track of this blog and hopefully you do. Please become a Follower/Reader, I'd like to hear your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks alot

Mark