University Campus Suffolk, Ipswich

I needn’t say anything. Just needs to be watched.

In this post i have put up two images from my sketchbook. One is of my dog sculpture showing how i think it will look when finished. The ears are a very important part of the structure and so they will most likely be a larger than life addition to the sculpture. The reason for their important is because of how their ears are tattooed with an identification number and i feel this violates ones the most important features of a beagle. Their ears are large to help them track a scent on a trail. When their head in down the ears create a kind of scent barrier so they end up smelling the most amount. It is an integral part of their hunting nature that is mutilated when put in a lab.

The second image shows my idea for my next video in more visual terms instead of just text, like in a previous post. I am sure that it may change during the course of the recording as part of it depends of whether George is up for it on the day. I feel that in doing this next video i will be able to physically feel some aspects of what a beagle feels when bound and restricted of movement and freedom. I have chosen to use wool and ribbon in the binding as i want to show a craft element and a kind of softness to the video. I hope that this will not affect the video in the sense of making it too nicey nicey. I want this video to be the product of much research that i have done for this project which is no way nice to experience or watch. Moreover i want to show George being free from my bonds of love and dedication. I want to see his reaction to my situation within the space. I will also do a video without George so i can compare the two and see whether it makes a difference in having George present or not. I feel somewhat nervous about this piece as i am stepping out of my comfort zone. I am leaving my cosy, homely studio behind and using a white cube that already i feel is taking an effect over my mind. I look forward to seeing what emotions arise on the day.

I found an incredibly disturbing video on youtube to do with animal testing. A performance artist put herself in the animals shoes to raise awareness about cosmetic testing on animals. I cried through the whole video as i found it very difficult to watch. The woman is right in the video. If they put an animal the shop window then authorities would come and there, in my opinion, would end up being a riot. If people would be that passionate in those curcumstances then this cruel testing should be stopped in my opinion. This video really shows me how the when the tables can turn and can be horrific whether animal or humans in testing. I feel sick just thinking about it. Really hard video to watch. It has made me realise a line i dont want to cross, I dont want to inflict pain upon myself in my work and i definetly do not want to do a performance.

Lush Cosmetics petition against animal testing.

Linking to Rosemarie Trockel’s Balaclavas i had taken lots of images one afternoon of my dog beneath my cardigan. He always ends up on my bed curled within my clothes; i believe it is a comfort thing. In these images i manipulated the item of clothing a little to display restriction and supression in the clothing. Much like a balaclava or a burka, the cardigan has changed and hidden George’s identity. I shall not be exploring this sort of work any further but it has played an important part in my figuring out of ideas. It has made me want to explore the idea of changing the fates between beagles and humans in order to feel and see the emotional scaring and abuse that an animal can endure in a testing facility.

After deliberating on my work with my peers i have come to a new relisation about what i am doing in the coming weeks. At the moment though i have realized a new purpose for my sculpture. I have not grown too attached creatively towards it and had resented it a little. However i feel now after my emotionally sympathetic episode with it that i should and want to give it back an identity. I want it to be a sculpture of awareness. I am going to print news stories and pictures that depict the testing done on beagles and use those to cover the sculpture. It will hopefully become the outspoken silence that a beagle could have. The character of the sculpture should stand out in the representation of the poor beagles who do not have a voice and whom are helpless to their torturous masters.

I wanted to put this video by Martin Creed up on my blog as i really like how the dogs are just wondering about but not aimlessly. It is like they plan a straight line and follow it without thinking but also with thinking at the same time. If that makes sense?! I also like the human interaction in the video. It is interesting how even the video has both dogs and humans in it they do not feature at the same time. This is an interesting concept to me. Do i engage with George in the video or video us separately.

The Yoko Ono video i have put in because of the vulnerable aspect of it. She has given all control to her audience to cut any amount of clothing off her. This is an aspect i want to explore in my video with George.

The last two videos that are of the testing facilities are important. I wanted to show a difference between the facilities that do testing. People need to see how, apart from the massive amount of tests that occur, how these dogs are treated throughout their lifes in a lab. Are these people cruel because they are hiding their true emotions or are they in the system so deep they are devoid of their humanity?

Please be aware that the animal/beagle testing videos are hard to watch, hard to watch but important too.

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I am going to turn the table’s within my work. George is loved very much and so far my work shows the side of his life that is good and healthy and free, but i ahve only really documented this and only this. I want to show the horror that my research has shown me by putting myself in a situation of unease. I want to flip reality and put myself in a restrained environment. George will be free as all animals should be and i will ne tied up with wool and ribbons, or something similiar. This is to represent beagles taking their deserved freedom and to show that it is not a nice place to be as a human or animal tied up in constraints and left in cages.

– Gagged with wool

– Wrapped and tied with ribbons

– Leather straps pinning me to wall

– Face mask to represent toxics going in my system

– Remain somewhat passive and give George the power

-Clothing is important as i dont want to be bright and colourful. I need to remain pale and passive to show identity restraints. Wear a cami dress to be seen as vulnerable and to feel this way. Beagles are stripped of their identity and shoved in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place filled with horrific experiences so i hope i can portray this through my own body in my video.

George will be allowed to roam freely around the space and to investigate what is on and around my body. He may not care to interact, that is up to him, but he will hopefully still be a part of the video.

On another point relating back to Martin Creeds video, George may not be needed. I could just have myself tied up with a mask to my face having water thrown at me. So to reinact the bleach sprayed on animals in testing and the toxics pumped into a beagles lungs and stomach. Ooh i like that, that could be some powerful stuff. I would need to be dirty, with make up smeared down my face and have someone, not brave enough but kind enough (haha) to throw water at me. What a development. Exciting!!!!!!!

I have nothing to say. Video says more than enough.

Some ideas i found in The Subversive Stitch, that i feel i Can relate too and understand somewhat within my own practice.

1. Craft is art because it, undoubtedly, a cultural practice involving iconography, style and a social function.

I agree with this within all aspects of art because all art is a visually cultural practice that any and all cultures within humanity can relate too in some way or another.

2. Craft has sterotypes; like the icing on a cake, it is good to look, adding taste and status, but devoid of any significant content.

I feel that fine art is just the same, it can look great and evoke class and taste but in the end it can boil down being devoid of any significant content.

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I was thinknig about my work last night with regards to the concept of it all. i feel that my work has a good concept but at the same time i wonder whether the processes involved in making my work changes the concept in any way. I am not sure of this yet but just through making part of dog sculpture has made me realise that my hands and their manipulation of materials can and might changes some of the perceptions of my work.