This visual study I created above was an alternative to my usual media of drawing. I found the artist Shannon Rankin on a website I have found particularly helpful during my project known as Medinart.
This website is dedicated to showing artists who combine the use of science into their artwork. I have found it quite difficult to find artists who relate to my project during the visual study stage, which is why I was grateful to broaden my knowledge rather than just relying on Pinterest all the time.
A lot of the time, when I research artists, it’s very difficult to find out the meaning behind the specific piece you are interested in. However, on Medinart it gives quotes from the artist talking about their work which I find very insightful when it comes to gathering artist inspiration.
Shannon creates collages using maps to explore the role of connection in our lives from whether it’s in nature or in our own anatomy and relationships.
While I may not be basing by projects on connections, this idea plays a part in my project when discussing the necessity for connection in humans. In order for humans to function, we need human connection; especially through touch. I find the themes and correlations of necessity within psychological circumstances very interesting and I have had thoughts about directing my project towards this concept of psychological malfunction. However, I have also realised that the primary research would be inadequate and it would also be very difficult to create a textile final piece that communicates this. The theme of mental health is something I have explored in a previous project and I feel as though I want to challenge myself with new concepts rather than repeating old ones; no matter how much they fascinate me.
Alongside my artist research, I collected a book on skeletons and I found some relevant information about skulls that further influenced my design idea.
In this book, I briefly learned about how our skull is like a jigsaw with multiple puzzle pieces. As we develop from birth, our skull fuses these pieces together and the joins are known as sutures. The older we grow, the less of these sutures we have, which is how archaeologists can tell what age a human/animal died at just by looking at these lines.
The scientific research combined with Shannon’s artistic influences inspired me to create a collage of a skull using maps.
I decided to use a map that had lots of country borders and ocean to signify the idea behind the puzzle pieces.
Once I had finished the collage, I felt as though it didn’t stand out like Shannon’s and you couldn’t tell that it was a skull – a consequence of using a map which was very crowded. Furthermore, I found that the concept wasn’t being shown, so to combat this I added some lines using pen and suddenly my idea began to take shape.
I feel as though this study was successful in creating something alternative to what I usually do and also shows that artwork can have a deeper meaning. The only thing I am struggling with is wondering if people will get what it means without reading any relevant information besides it. I find it very difficult to create a visual study that shows concept and meaning without trying to make it too obvious. I suppose I like the mystery and idea that people can choose to think deeper about it and make their own analysis. In case it does not communicate my concept just by looking at it, I have included a small sheet talking about sutures and a diagram displaying the puzzle piece theory.
Viktoria Collins UAL FMP 