When I first began researching for my project of function, I found the artist Valentina Formisano and instantly loved her work. I have been intrigued by her style of combining a detailed drawing/painting of an organ with an etched/embossed correlating body systems. I feel as though it explores how our body is a mechanism that works together rather than just singular systems working on their own. It allows you to focus on the main organ/systems but also expands its function by showing coinciding body networks.
BEHANCE (c2019) Valentina Formisano Available at: https://www.behance.net/TeletubbiesGiallo Accessed: 15/04/2019
This inspiration was perfect for my project of function, so I decided to create a ribcage based on some photos of a skeleton.
Whenever we think of a skeleton, we generally think of white/cream coloured bones but since the skeleton, I was photographing was quite old, the bones had turned brown (apparently it was a real person?!). I didn’t mind this because I think it adds to the idea of malfunction. This is because our default is to assume functioning bones are white, so if they are brown, then something is obviously wrong.
I’m not usually a big fan of acrylic paint because I struggle to get the colours right, but I wanted to challenge myself with materials that I wouldn’t usually use. I think it turned out to be very successful however I needed to apply this study to my idea of malfunction.
I then had the idea that after I create a range of skeletal and organ visual studies, I could combine them, like Formisano, to create a piece of art that shows function and malfunction combined. This could be whether I emboss this rib design and add the form of malfunctioned organ, or I add the organ to this painting. Furthermore, it relates to the idea that all of our systems are essential for basic human survival, so even if one malfunctions, it can seriously affect our quality of life.
Viktoria Collins UAL FMP 