Further Research; Pippi Lotti Rist - Wicked Game

 This video of Pippi Lotti Rist's version of 'Wicked Game' I chose as it is haunting and violent and the screaming in pain is something that we all feel like sometimes...

Pippi Lotti Rist (1996/7) Ever is Over All (Wicked Game)

Pippi Lotti Rist's work excited me since I lay on the floor in the Hayward and was engulfed in a sensual, feminine and mildly erotic video that filled the ceiling.  Jessica Lack writes of Rist that her work is; 'Hilarious and anarchic, Rist's art swings erratically from eroticism to violence, fantasy to fear, constantly pushing the limits of what is possible.' (Lack, 2008) I also felt this with her work, when looking into videos that are of eyes in a handbag or selfless in a Bath of Lava (1994) I am excited that these things have been brought into existence.  While I have been pondering the making of my own work 'silent scream' which is my reaction to the inauguration of Trump, I think about the violence in my heart as I can see that these disturbing events are painful for the world and my scream will be silent because pain often is writhing within.  In Wicked Game, Rist lets it all out, and Art Forum suggests that; '[the work] suggests an ambivalence about using sex or violence to satisfy our need for communion: As the Isaak song says, maybe we “don’t want to fall in love,” and the destruction of property, while an expression of agency and refusal, is here neither communal nor strategic.' (Ryan, 2017) This idea that it is not communal and there is no strategy, wanton destruction is more like a need, an expression and that is what I am really aiming for in my own work. I need to do something, it may have no effect on anything but it will be satisfying. 

Another crucial reason for discussing the work of Rist is that is essentially, unashamedly feminine.  The works are all woman; 'Ever Is Over All’s slow-mo car-smashing is paired with images of large, dewy flowers, suggesting innocence and serving as emblems of femininity. That’s the Pipilotti Rist artistic universe, right there: transgression doesn’t exist, or is suspended. The law of this land is feminine, and it is non-judgmental.' (Davis, 2016) It Rist's world and it is always a pleasure to visit.  All her work is Performance and Rist was strongly influenced by the work of Yoko Ono in her early days  Not all her work is praised and her piece 'Blood Clip' which 'featured copious flows of menstrual blood (simulated) [...] made some viewers think that she was taking feminism too far"' (The Art Story, 2008) Rist is not the first Performance artist to use menstrual blood, Carolee Schneemann made paintings with her menstrual blood, it is funny how the male-dominated art world still finds menstrual blood still a bit icky. I suspect that menstrual blood, which is pure woman, can seem to them hostile and offensive. Yet men can use their own blood, consider Marc Quinn's Blood Head (Self, 2006) people found it fascinating, and shocking but he was still revered.  

Pippi Lotti Rist is  an artist who is brave, bold, entirely singular and I am hoping to continue to enjoy her work, and be moved by her spirit when creating my own work.

References

Davis, B. (2016). Pipilotti Rist’s New Museum Show is Absolutely Shameless | Artnet News. [online] Artnet News. Available at: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pipilotti-rist-pixel-forest-new-museum-722027 [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

Lack, J. (2008). Artist of the Week No 3: Pipilotti Rist. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/aug/20/art [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

Ryan, T.R. (2017). Pipilotti Rist. [online] Artforum. Available at: https://www.artforum.com/events/pipilotti-rist-16-226924/ [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

The Art Story (2008). Pipilotti Rist Paintings, Bio, Ideas. [online] The Art Story. Available at: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/rist-pipilotti/.

Digital Workshop: Clipchamp

 I collected some clips from Pexels, these clips were a dance for an art performance to practice for my project.

I then opened Clipchamp and I clicked on 'Create a new video'

I then clicked on 'import media' in the left hand top corner of my dashboard. I imported all my clips for my video

My next step was to add the title and my name at the beginning of the film.  I clicked on the 'T' icon in the left hand tools menu and then I chose my title text which was 'Tidal', I then dragged this into my timeline, I clicked on this and then went to the right hand menu and added my title, I changed the font to Bricolage Grotesque.  I then used the slider to enlarge the text .  I then dragged the section backwards on teh timeline so that it was 3 seconds long.  I then repeated this process for my name. 

I then started to drag my clips from 'my media' section on the left hand side into my timeline. 

I used the cutting tool above timeline to cut my clips to the length I wanted and then just moved through each clip to the rough cuts that I wanted.

I then added a voice over with the beginning of my narrative, I chose Arabella Multilingual, I then typed in my text ensuring I had left the right gaps for the words.  I then went to advanced and changed the pace to slower to around 0.7 x  and then I changed the vocal pitch to low

I then added music from the free music archive, this was free to use and use on Youtube videos.  This is an mp4 and I upoloaded to 'my media' in clipchamp.  I then just added the remainder of the clips and voice and I used the tranistion tool on the left hand tools menu to add cross fades between each clip.

Lastly I added the credits so I clicked on 'T' icon and chose the credits roll, I then changed the font to the same font as my titles Bricolage Grotesque.  I then faded the music out at the end, checked the video and then exported this to my computer and I also added to YouTube and saved to my drive. 

Reflection

I enjoyed making this short video practice, the cuts and transitions are really smooth and the music and words remind me of a kind if 70s performance piece, I could imagine this on a stage and the words being expressed through dance!  Very useful and fun.

Project Plan: Silent Scream

 This is my project plan which I made on Visme.

Visme Project Plan

Chapbook: Timed Writing 2

 This writing is based upon my idea of an old man going to Canada - a journey that will change his life/death.

It was the day the sun exploded, he had awoken to a low droning sound, that seemed to be coming from inside him.  That morning he had grumpily forced his eyes to open and as he did so the light seemed to be extra bright from the window oppoite teh bed, he hauled his aching body up and shuffled over to the window to look out properly.  The droning seemed to be getting louder as he aproached the light and then a blast, the sun seemed to detonate, a violent ringing in his ears made him put his hands over them in an attempt to make it stop and then a flash of light accross the sky like a nuclear catastrophe and then utter blackness, the last thing he remebered was the sound of his last breath.  

'I think he's dead!' Little Tommy peered over the prone body of his grandfather and then just to check he poked him in the ribs.

'Muuuuumm! I think he's dead!' Tommy called out, while poking him again, this time harder.  Tommy's mother, Janice came running in still carrying half the shpping bags she was getting out the car.  She groaned upon seeing her father on the floor and dropped to her knees.  She gently shook his shoulders and whispered loudly, 'Dad..Dad...' she then put her hand on his heart and turned her face to see if he was breathing.

'Grandad is dead, dead, dead!' Tommy started chanting.  'Tommy ...please!' Janice, worn and tired, looked up; 'Grandad is fine, he is not dead' At this point Grandad, actaully his name is George, George Fox, but rarely now did he hear his own name, opened his eyes suddenly and shouted - 'What the F...' 

'Dad!' Janice jumped back, Tommy laughed and started chanting; 'Grandad said a swear word, naughty Grandad!' 

'Dad, are you okay, what happened?' Janice had her best 'concerned' look on her face which George has startws rto recognise as a bad sign, as talk of care homes and hospitals always followed. 

 

Chapbook: Planning

 

Danny Wallace (2004) Random Acts of Kindness

This is the plan for my writing, I will answer the questions below to assist me in finalising and visualising what my final book will be. 

What is your final idea? Please explain in two sentences the theme and the form your writing will take.

My final ideas is to create a story on the theme of change.  The form it will take will be prose probably three chapters of a larger story.

Considering the form, how do you intend to layout your book pages?

I will be using conventional book chapters and will also use images to illustrate the text. 

How many pages do you expect there will be?

My book will be between 30-40 pages (no longer) 

Are you going to use images? Are these your own images (illustrations/photographs) or copyright free images that you will source?

Yes I will be using my own photos and I will also be soucing copyright free images to illustrate my text. All artists will be credited in the final work 

What is the plan of your time and how much you will need to spend on this?
Remember writing is something that you will need time and concentration without disturbance - you must make sure that you plan time to do this.

Week One - Sat/Sun - Initial structure of the work and plan for the three chapters.  Aim to complete first draft of chapter One

Week Two - Sat/Sun - Draft chapters two and three

Week Three - Edit and proofread and redraft all chapters 

What do you imagine the final book will look like?

Will be A5 or slightly larger depending on Blurb sizes.  I may choose a square format rather than rectangular as this will be different from previous books and may make it more interesting as I will be buying a physical copy.

Have you considered the cover page/contents page/back cover with blurb?

• Cover Page we will be designing in class/ however I will draft out ideas once I have started the writing
• Contents Page - I will include a contents page for my three chapters
• Back cover I will want to illustrate with an uimage and I do want the blurb on the back in the conventions of a book

Drafting and redrafting will need to be done? Who would you get to proofread your work?

Will ask a colleague of my partner to proofread after my final checks to ensure there are no mistakes before publication.

Write down any other thoughts or comments related to your plan on your blog post.

For this book I will need to be strict about the time taken over the weekend so I will put aside 3 hours to make sure I have a long length of time and then I will review later that day or on Sunday evening and spend another hour on review and structure/layout.  

I will also need to research which I will try to do during the week so I have this at hand when I am writing.

Creating a Website: About Me Page

 Zoe is an artist, photographer and writer, who disappeared to Germany and then reemerged years later with no explanation.  Some say she joined a commune in the mountains of Switzerland, and there is evidence that she resided in Basel for some time, but no one knows for sure. Zoe's performance and artwork are obscure and for some challenging, but sublime. Zoe works on themes of feminism, memory/remembrance and identity.  her work is influenced by the Neo-Dadaist Carl Laszlo, the writings of Colin Wilson and the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe and Corrine Day. Zoe lives high above Leicester city and every day considers her next creation. 

Zoe also teaches art, design, and media at DMU International College.  Zoe has a first degree in English and Media She also achieved an MA with Distinction in Creative Media Arts (Photography) from the London South Bank University. Zoe's film 'Let's Eat Hair' was shown at the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester.

I proofread and improved grammar/spelling and then checked mobile view

Creating a Website: Contact Page, Social Media & Copyright

 Today we discussed legal and ethical issues with our presence online and also copyright issues.  On my website I have now changed my copyright to my own name and this year which I will update yearly

My next was to add a contact form, so I did this andlined up with my navigation bar and just changed the page background. 

I then changed the setting on my form by clicking on settings and this opened the contact form dashboard.  I then checked the settings and I ensured that all the boxes were required fields and I added a Submission message.  I then saved all my changes and then previewed.

I then went to 'setting' button over the form and then I went to 'design' in the dialog box.  I then changed all the fonts in each field, title and button to Palantino Linotype.  I then went through and changed the colour of the background, the field boxes, the text in all areas included the hover and regular text. 

I finalised my contact page by adding a title and message - I did this by clicking on add in the left hand tools menu and then text and I dragged in a heading and small parargraph.  I then just wrote my text and changed the font again to Paklantino Linotype and just adjusted the size.  I then used the Wix gridlines to centre the text.  Lastly, I added an image, for the moment I used a copyright free image from Unsplash.  I then quickly edited the image in Wix Image Editor, I simply went to filters and then mellow so it was a soft black and white so it matched my website. I then saved my website and just previewed to check it looked as I wanted. 

I am happy with the result for the moment and my form is set up and I will test this when I UX test the site when it is Live. 

I am going to now add the social media icons so that my audience can connect with my work.  I clicked on the 'Add' button in the left hand menu and then clicked on 'Social' and chose a social media icon bar and dragged it into the header.

My next step was to click on the social media bar in the header and then in the dialog box I clicked on 'add icons' in the right hand top corner.  I then added Blogger, YouTube and Linkedin and added live links. I then saved and previewed to check these work correctly.  I also changed the size of the icons once I had completed this by clicking on 'layout' over the icon bar and so they were 68pts and 14pts spacing.

I finally checked all links were working and the social links were ready for publication.