Evaluation - do artists care what people think?

I've just met with Naomi Clements - a PhD Candidate studying evaluation at the University of Southampton - to discuss how to evaluate my next exhibition at the Special Collections Gallery in the Hartley Library at the University of Southampton this coming September.  She suggested I write a chapter on whether art is for the artist, or the viewer. 

We discussed visitor profiles - do I care whether my audience are male or female?  Naomi suggested I read Laura Mulvey's essay, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, written in 1973 to consider 'The Male Gaze' and to re-read the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892).  

There are a number of images/paintings and references to people looking at the world through mirrors which would be relevant to my chapter on psychological space in holography. Martin Richardson's Atomic Love, February 2009 shown below.  http://www.jrholocollection.com/gallery/feb2009/images/AtomicLove.jpg [Accessed 01.01.2015].

 'Woman with Binoculars', 1866, Oil painting, E.Degas.  The use of optics extends the picture plane into the space of the viewer.  Degas was interested in the act of looking.   from http://artkritique.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/on-degas-at-nga.html. [Accessed 01.01.2015]

What do the paintings above and below say about 'The Female Gaze'? Is the use of optical devices at all empowering - or is the most important element in this image still the (supposed) male viewer?

Ruben's Venus at her mirror from http://fr.wahooart.com/A55A04/w.nsf/OPRA/BRUE-5ZKDZH/$File/Peter%20Paul%20Rubens%20-%20Venus%20at%20a%20Mirror%20.JPG. [Accessed 01.01.2015].

Hum, I wonder what the myth of Medusa is all about?

Transfer approved

After a six month process my Application to Transfer from study for an MPhil to a Doctor of Philosophy at De Montfort was finally approved. 17 April 2014.  Hurray!

3D Exhibition at Quad

Saturday 14 December 2013 to Sunday 23 February 2014,
QUAD Art Gallery in Derby, is hosting an exhibition of 3D artwork in the show 'X-Y-Z' - and I'm a featured artist.

3D Family Trees

I did a holography demonstration and talk about my research to the Southampton Astronomical Society on 11 April 2013 as a Public Engagement activity.  

After my talk Michael Hobbs of the SAS introduced me to the Progeny 3D family tree.  I contacted Progengy and the company have kindly given me access to their 3D software and a sample family tree - in return for my producing them a lenticular.  I'm very grateful to Michael Hobbs for the introduction.  I am also grateful to SAS member Bill Wakefield who showed me the beautiful Camera Obscura he had built in his loft.  

It's amazing how useful public engagement with one's research can be! 

Nodes and Networks

These are my facebook connections - and a visual record of their communications.  These images - along with the data from Dr Sadie Jones' research into material escaping from Black Holes - gave me the idea of representing family members and the connections between them as nodes and networks, rather than as a linear progression.  This approach feels much more holistic/realistic/rich and reminds me of family constellations.

Holography Unit

My work was exhibited at the Glue Factory, Glasgow from September 14, 2012–October 6, 2012.

The show was the first retrospective of The Royal College of Art's Holography Unit, 1985–94 and included over 40 holograms from the world's first Fine Art Holography course.  I had two holograms exhibited - the image below is 'Kirsti' an 8"x10" Pulsed Portrait Reflection Hologram, Pearl John 1991 and 'Shop' an 10"x 8" white-light transmission multiplex hologram - both images from the collection of Jonathan Ross.

I've just exhibited 8 lenticulars at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.  The exhibition ran from 3-8 July 2012 at the Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London.  

The photos below show me installing the exhibit - with the help of Dr James Gates, myself and Dr Sadie Jones - who contributed astronomy data for the project.  Sandra Oliveira, from De Montfort University holography group kindly filmed the exhibit in 3D for me.  

12,000 visitors saw the exhibit and 4,000 postcards - scientific versions of the artwork -were taken by visitors in 4 days.  A great success!