Cartography

This last week I have been researching further into the process of mapping and documenting data. Cartography is the study of making maps. It uses a combination of science, aesthetics and technique. Recently, cartography has become a computer driven discipline and there is an increasing number of practising artists beginning to use the process as influence of their own work.

David Endleman, Line Drops 1997

This is a visualisation of hundreds of underwater pipelines that draws oil from a reservoir. It is a display of visual data from an unseen landscape, created using geological modelling software. I like the composition and the abstraction.

Kate Mclean Smell Map 2013

This map shows the data of smells in Amsterdam. Mclean walked around the city documenting what smells were most prevalent to her and then turned the data into this visual map. Without the key to this work, it is totally unclear what is happening yet once I read more, the marks begin to make sense. 

I now need to begin to figure out how I can use this concept of a visual language within my own work.

Aboriginal Coding

In the last week I have been researching further into symbolism and story-telling within Aboriginal artwork. I have discovered online a series of images that could be used to decode the stories within the work. Using this, I can begin to develop my own experiences into stories. I have been experimenting further with drawing to develop the composition of my samples, into my own form of abstraction. I really like how without the code my drawings and samples will look meaningless yet to me there is a great deal of personal relevance.

This mark represents a journey line and the circles represent significant stops.

A walk I went along the pancake rocks in New Zealand.

This represents an evening I spent making a bonfire on the beach with some friends. The circle with lines coming out represents a meeting point. Circular lines in the middle represent smoke. U/N shapes represent women/men. Contour lines on the outside show the shape of the land around.

Composition developments from my initial sketch.

I like the shape and form that is beginning to take place. Next I want to move onto developing my own code that will run consistently throughout so that my journey will be documented. I can see myself looking to 3D and investigating alternative grounds for embroidery.

Symbolism

This week I have started to introduce colour into my drawing. Most Aboriginal works include a simple colour pallet made up from found materials and the natural environment. I have chosen to start out by using a simple set of colours (black, white, yellow and red). Also this week, I have been looking into Aboriginal symbols and line work and trying to get it down on paper. I have found a few examples online of Aboriginal codes from varying regions.

The interpretations of symbols varies across the culture but it is a starting point to think about how I can create symbols to illustrate my memories.

Dot paintings are symbolic of the bush/food whilst circles represent waterholes/meeting places. I used french knots here to show the Aboriginal influence within embroidery and how I relate the themes into my own practice.

I have also begun to develop my own set of symbols this week using a memory of a day spent at Hot Water Beach. I described the day in detail to another, who wrote notes of what I said. I tried to be as descriptive as possible, then when the notes were read back to me I was able to draw. I found the experience to be useful in helping me to unpick the memory in my mind and to begin to formulate a relevant and personal code.