Quality of Light

I had an excellent tutorial with Jaygo Bloom last week, who is currently showing at the DCA - part of the Discovery Exhibition. I discussed my interest in creating work within virtual environments, with possible extension into his field of video mapping onto real objects. It was refreshing to get the perspective of a practicing artists who works successfully both commercially and in respect of his own practice. Jaygo re-affirmed the importance of the idea, and the means by which this is realised should be an afterthought (considered, of course).

That leads me to my focus for this year. "Focus", a term I'm constantly banding about almost in a state of fear that if I "loose focus" I will implode. I'm never short of ideas, just putting those ideas into practice almost seems sacrosanct, and therefore I hold off until I know my focus. That said, most of my 3rd Year in TBADF was spent pondering, so I tend to draw more and keep momentum through reading, blogging, etc. I have to strike a happy medium between research and practical work.

Last year I enjoyed working from plans of the Hutchesontown C Development, it allowed me to develop a "relationship" with a building that no longer exists. As such, I think that's a good starting point for any practical work, establishing a connection with my subject matter.

At the point in time, my focus has been drawn to the churches of Gillespie Kidd & Coia. There's an interesting juxtaposition between the employment of modernist architecture to re-invigorate the liturgy and the subsequent dissolution of the modernist movement. The socialist ideals of modernism also seem at odds with their employment in religious structures. I'm still not sure if I'm entirely comfortable with the notion of modernism and churches - in particular GK&Cs application of a "style" rather than an "ideal". I sound like a purist, and give GK&C less credit than they're a due, their application of the "style" is beautifully informed.

St. Bride's in East Kilbride has to be my favourite of GK&C churches, an ominous exterior downplays the even more striking interior. The light is channelled through the thick walls of exposed brickwork in a beautifully considered design. The consideration of light, especially when employed to draw focus to (for example) the altar in a place of worship, seems central to CK&C buildings. Modernism prioritised function over form, and as such, the consideration of lighting was a major focus.

Lighting, a crucial component of my Degree Show work, but something, surprisingly, I did not put too much weight on. As such, to truly experience how the light interacts with some existing modernist structures I'm planning a trip to East Kilbride, to visit St. Bride's. From there I can start to develop the idea beyond sketch-book drawings with photographs and video.

Links:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsalib/ (GSA's Photograph Archive on Flickr)