Publication
When we first thought of creating a publication based on our research and developing work, we were determined to make it interactive and open to interpretation, reflecting the concept behind our laser-cut and mould-making outcomes. It would play a crucial role in explaining what our chosen subject was, including relevant definitions that would allow our audience to know exactly what was being taken into consideration. We also wanted it to illustrate how we went about investigating offensive gestures, from our observational drawings to the interviews we had conducted, narrating our thought process in an abstract yet informative way.
Our initial idea was to produce an interactive journal or zine, in which we could include research and images as well as tasks for the reader to carry out. We were particularly inspired by the published works of Keri Smith, such as Wreck This Journal (2013) and How to be an explorer of the world : portable life museum (2011). By enticing the reader into somehow becoming physically engaged with the nature of the book as well as its content, the author was able to transmit information about a chosen subject in an exciting and captivating way. Although we wanted our publication to emulate similar qualities, we quickly realised that it wouldn’t suit its purpose in relation to our other creative works; we wanted to bring attention to our process, and the inclusion of tasks that would fit into that context could easily come across as irrelevant or repetitive. This made us conclude that our published work would function more as an artist’s statement than an interactive journal.
Design
As we came to this conclusion we began to look into artists statements to evaluate them and understand what information is included and how it is made easily understandable. Looking at short statements we had previously written, for example in the Ampersand exhibition and longer professional texts, I came across an Eva Rothschild booklet that accompanied an exhibition. The booklet was a concertina, with varying shaped pages, and concise information. It made me realise that a statement to go with work does not have to be a plain typed sheet, but could have shapes and colours echoing the art. I will use our research and process as written content, but will embellish it with our artwork. The drawings and 3d creations often speak for themselves in creating an expression or feeling of gesture.
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Technical
Once we had clearly established the role of our publication within our final installation, its design and content developed naturally. Based on the same underlying patterns, such as the rule of three and the square format, it echoes the overall appearance of our outcomes and display. Whilst keeping the same shape, it’s size (20cm x 20cm) is an intermediary between our laser-cut works and cement sculptures. The overall layout of our publication reflects the design of our website, conceived with the same structural rules and choice of typography. When it came to choosing the appropriate paper, we conducted a few experiments with several different textures and thicknesses in an attempt to select a material that would embellish the colours and gradients of our images. Examining the results, we determined that our final publication will be printed and assembled using eco white card and paper.
Above: Eco white card, the choice for our final publication
The introduction and explanations of our thought process are compact rather than imposing, which hopefully makes the publication more accessible. It is an object that can be picked up and read through within the exhibition space, and holds essential information about our studies and observations to allow an audience to follow our enquiries.
Prototype
