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Wunderkammer Part 3

1. Collect 10 examples of visual references for the presentation of your collection (you may already have some of these). You can do this today in class.

These could be japanese advertising, still lifes, fashion magazine spreads, car part catalogues, a scientific laboratory, a rube goldberg machine, etc. The only requirement is that they represent an understood way of presenting objects or related collection of parts (objects, places, people). It can sometimes be interesting to use a seemingly unrelated system to present your collection - ie. displaying a collection of toiletries as you would medical equipment. Of course you might want to have an idea of what you are trying to convey by creating that kind of tension.

Use your references to refine/recontextualize the presentation of your images in your 'cabinet'. This is an opportunity to have fun with the details - maybe you add numbering or other graphic elements to allude to your references. Bring the digital file of your refinements - this should be the final version of the collection side of your 'cabinet'.

2. Now you must consider the other side. Today we will have a lasercutter demo and next week a screenprinting demo. Bring in a life size print of the reverse of your 'cabinet' - can be BW and tiled (better not to tile tho). This can take whatever form you wish (pattern, image, title), but it should reveal something more about your collection rather than just acting as a frame for what is already there. Consider whether this reverse side will be viewed first or last.

more interesting collections...

google street view, edited

Kim Jong-Il looking at things

Vivian Maier negatives discovered

things organized neatly

Christopher Lee

Vegetarian lifestyle

sound_all_around

oh hi, here's my video:

Wunderkammer

PART TWO: Building Your Cabinet

By the end of class today:

Use your images to create the first draft of your cabinet. Your cabinet should unfold to have sides that are at least 18 inches, but the dimensions other than that are up to you - ie. it may be square or rectangular.

1. Create a sketch of your plan for your cabinet. Will it be symmetrical? How will the collections be arranged: side by side, intermixed, by shape, size, color, meaning? Will you have one or two large images and many small ones, or images of equal size with some objects cut out with the pen tool? Will objects overlap? Is one collection subordinate to the other? Will there be a unified background? What exists in the space between objects? Is this collection contemporary or nostalgic? Will you borrow from the language of other collections you've seen - ie. fashion, automotive, gallery, etc.? How does your arrangement reflect the meaning and purpose of your collections?

2. Use a grid as a starting point. Arrange your images according to your sketch. Hang by 10:15. Can be tiled. Indicate areas where you need to reshoot your images, or where you have decided to add new content

NOTE: Formulate your ideal audience. This should consist of 3-5 people whose opinion you value and trust, whose taste you admire, whom you seek to interest and impress. Check in with yourself now and then to evaluate whether your cabinet would interest this select audience of few.

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HW

due next week:

1. Reshoot as necessary. I expect you to reshoot some of your images as you formulate your cabinet. If you do not reshoot that indicates that your project is not evolving. Consider the suggestions we made in class

2. Rearrange and revise your cabinet. Consider the folds - how will the cabinet unfold - what is the progression? This should be a similar thought process as in ordering your slideshow. Is there a moment of revelation?

3. Black and white full-size printout hung at the beginning of class next week (bring all files to class)

PS YOU MUST POST YOUR SLIDESHOW TO THE BLOG BY FRIDAY

Wunderkammer

PART ONE: Visual Research
Before you begin shooting, write a sentence describing why you want to examine each collection, ie. what is interesting about it. You can shoot objects, people, artifacts of a significant event or place, etc.

FOR NEXT WEEK:

Shoot 2 "collections"
For each collection you must include:
10 images of entire collection
10 shots of individual 'objects'
10 detail shots of 'objects'
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= 30 images per collection

print out 30 images as thumbnails, 10 per 8.5 x 11 color print

print out 3 from each grouping per collection, at least 8 x 10, trimmed to edge (no borders)