Sunday 14 August 2016

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT - END OF TEST PHASE


Photos courtesy of Rob Walsh.




It's interesting to note that this time, the creative process happens at a different tempo from the postcard doodles that it's based on. So the things that were instinctive first time round, are given much more room for deliberation, allowing me to understand why those kind of creative decisions were made in the first place.




A lot of art is musical, in that you are creating something either harmonious, or dissonant. For example, if you play off-key deliberately, it somehow becomes its own key, albeit somewhat off-kilter and avant-garde, and it's the same with art. 

In this case, by exploiting 'dissonance', the piece becomes more effective. If an angle clashes with the angles around it, that's good, because it creates more definition. If anything, this 'test-piece' illustrates the need for more dissonance. 

Below: Experimenting with transparent and solid forms that 'leak' out of the composition.






To my way of thinking, the vertical lines act as a visual underpinning. If they are spaced correctly, the piece will balance well. However, within that, is the space to allow for the dissonant parts. One reassuringly odd aspect of this, is the need for a 'deliberate mistake'. The piece was looking too balanced so it felt satisfying to sneak one in. 

It acts as a visual pun, and rather like a Rorshach test, it's probably only visible if your mind is aligned in a certain way.