Ideas from my Dissertation
In my dissertation I analysed the effects of the size/ scale of an artwork and it’s ability (or inability) to evoke a sublime sensation within the spectator. While in my work I am uninterested in whether or not it can be labelled as ‘sublime’ I am interested in the size/ scale of my work affects the viewer.
In my dissertation I divided up the works I analysed into two categories: Artificial and Natural scale
Artificial scale is where the artist has used a sense of illusion to create a sense of scale within their work, such as in Darvaza by Julian Bell, he creates a grand sense of scale by positioning a tiny figure on the craters edge- which serves as a reference point to it’s vast size. Whereas Natural scale can be defined as a work that is sizeable defined by it’s physicality, such as How It Is by Miraslaw Balka- due to it’s vast size relative to the spectator.
The reason I mention this is because I have been trying to evoke a sense of space within my work by using Artificial scale- by arranging colours and shapes so they create the illusion of space.
I wonder what effects I could produce If I scaled my work up so as well as using artificial scale I would be using natural scale?
In order for this to take effect I would have to be working on a canvas/ board with sides close to two/ three metres.
One of the main reason that this method of working is so effective is that if the work is large enough it begins to engulf the viewers vision, and the viewers experience changes from viewing a painting, something that is sizably defined by it’s edges, to viewing pure blocks of colour and patterns. This has an overwhelming effects on the viewer’s senses and creates a different dimension as to how the space is perceived.
