The Masquerade of the Feminine Emma Louise Boyes

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Arts) (Hons)

The Masquerade of the Feminine

Emma Louise Boyes

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Arts) (Hons)

Faculty: Creative Industries

Centre: ClRAC

School: Visual Arts

Course: KK51 Master of Arts (Research)

Submission: 2006

Research Students Centre

Level 3 , 0 Block Podium, Gardens Point Campus, Brisbane QLD 4001.

Preface

'The Masquerade of the Feminine' is a practice-led research project undertaken by Emma

Louise Boyes during 2004 - 2006 at Queensland University of Technology, Australia. This

programme of research has been carried out with the supervision and guidance of Jill Barker

(Supervisor) and Dan Mafe (Supervisor).

Keywords

Visual Arts, Practice Led Research, Phenomenology, Feminism and Minimal Art.

Abstract

This project investigates the apparent contradiction of a female artist who prioritises embodied

presence in her art works, but produces Minimalist installations. It does this by describing in

detail and analysing, and thus re-evaluating the significance of, the full range of actions and

processes that are performed to produce the work. It further proposes that, in the actions of

crafting the individual elements and in designing, planning and installing the work in Modernist

gallery spaces, conditions are set up for viewers of the finished work to experience a physical

awareness that echoes that of the artist in those actions and processes.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Chapter One

Interpretative Paradigms: Feminism and Phenomenology

Methodology: Practice-Led Research

Overview of Creative Methods and Approaches

Contextual Review

3. Chapter Two

Art Making

Work One: 'Suffice Surface' (2004)

4. Chapter Three

Documentation and Development

5. Chapter Four

'Permutations: Configuration One' (2005)

'Permutations' (2005)

6. Conclusion

7. List of References

List of Images

1 . 'Suffice Surface' (2004)

2. 'Breakaway' (2004)

3. 'Well' (2004)

4. 'Permutations: Configuration One' (2005)

5. 'Permutations' (2005)

List of Abbreviations

PLR

QUT

QUTAM

Practice Led Research

Queensland University of Technology

Queensland University of Technology Art Museum

Acknowledgement List

Jill Barker, Dan Mafe, Leon Frainey, Hannah Broom, Wade Schmeider, James and Julianne

Boyes, Betty and Ronald Chalmers.

Statement of Original Authorship

"The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree or

diploma at any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the

thesis contains no materialpreviouslypublished or written by anotherperson except where due

reference is made"

Signature

Date

Introduction

'The Masquerade of the Feminine' is a first person account of my visual arts practice, and

details my re-evaluation of Minimalism through alternative gendered readings of Minimalist

artworks. Throughout this paper, I write about what may be called feminine qualities such as

embodied perception and bodily awareness, qualities that are exposed and explored in my

visual arts practice, but which are often masked in my final artworks by a Minimalist

aesthetic.

My research inquiry is concerned with what it means for a female artist to produce

Minimalist art-works. I believe that in my exhibited work, based on actions and responses that

stem directly from my being female, the feminine process can masquerade (i.e. put on a false

show or pretence) as a continuation of what has been identified as the masculine aesthetic of

Minimalism (Kent 1998, 4).

It is my intention to provide the reader with a clear and detailed account of my working

methods, creative endeavours, emerging research considerations and possible meanings and

outcomes for the work.

Chapter One of the exegetical component will provide an analysis of the critical, theoretical

and historical framework I use to view and engage with my visual arts practice. This section will

provide crucial background information to the reader to contextualise my current practice, and

will cover interpretative paradigms (feminism and phenomenology), methodology (practice led

research and overview of processes) followed by a contextual review, which analyses works

from contemporary female artists Anne Truitt, Janine Antoni and Marcia Hafif.

Chapter Two, Three and Four describe, interpret and analyse the lived experience of

art-making during this programme of research in a sequential way. Chapter Two

focuses on the procedure of art-making leading into my first exhibition at the

Queensland University of Technology, Tom Heath Gallery, and Chapter Three details

the documentation and development of subsequent works. Chapter Four looks at the

process of exhibiting 'Permutations: Configuration One' at the Creative Industries

Precinct: The Block, and details my final exhibition 'Permutations' at Fox Galleries, in terms

of my awareness, emerging from the process, of how the works might operate for viewers.

The conclusion will give an overview of the outcomes of this programme of research.

CHAPTER ONE

Interpretative Paradigms: Feminism and Phenomenology

'...Autobiography can be likened to a restless and unmade bed; a site on which discursive,

intellectual and political practices can be remade; a ruffled surface on which the traces of

previous occupants can be uncovered and/or smoothed over; a place for

secrets to be whispered and to be buried; a place for fun, desire and deep

worry to be expressed. Many of the most influential women writers of the twentieth

century have chosen to make this bed and some to lie in it too' (Smith and Watson 2001, 1).

In her 2002 book 'Aftermath', Suzan Brison writes that 'we are beginning to write in the first

person, not out of sloppy self-indulgence, but out of intellectual necessity', she goes on

further to say that due to feminist ethics, it is becoming more academically acceptable to

recognise 'subjective accounts as legitimate means of advancing knowledge' (Brison 2002,25).

Within academic writing, first person accounts are essential to expose biases in the disciplines

subject matter and methodology, facilitate understanding with others and to acknowledge our

own biases as scholars (Brison 2002, 25).

My investigation of my visual arts practice is based on 'structures of consciousness', as

experienced from first-person point of view. Perception, thinking, memory, imagination,

emotion, desire, bodily awareness, embodied action, social and linguistic activity are vital to

the creative process. In 'The Theory of the Body is Already a Theory of Perception', Maurice

Merleau-Ponty writes 'Our own body is in the world as the heart is in the organism: it keeps the

visible spectacle constantly alive, it breaths life into it and sustains it inwardly'

(Merleau-Ponty 1945, 196).

It is from the anchored position of my body, that I describe, interpret (by relating it to relevant

features of context, both social and linguistic) and analyse the lived experience. My body is

the mediator between thought and action, it is from this embodied position that my creative

process begins.

Creative thoughts will often come to me just before I fall asleep, starting as a whisper at the

backof my mind, that commands attention. Often, I lie quietly trying to carry the creative thought

into language, or an image, which I can decipher. I try mentally to hang on to the creative

concept, knowing that if I drift into sleep it may not reappear. Moments of clarity come during this

time, where the creative thought develops rapidly and the mind must catch up, awaking from

drowsiness. When I turn to switch on the light, to write down my emerging creative thought, it

often escapes description. The residual thoughts are left for later contemplation.

At other times, thoughts appear as a lucid image or concept (that is articulated in language),

which can be transferred into visual material, sketches or writing. For me, the creative

process is not fixed and takes many different forms of development. Susan Hiller expresses the

creative process in 'Women, Language and Truth' 'It is always a question of following a thought,

first incoherent, later more expressible, through its process of emergence out of and during the

inconsistencies of experience, into language' (Hiller 2001, 21 8).

Methodology: Practice-led Research

Practice-Led Research is the principle methodology utilised within 'The Masquerade of the

Feminine', and can be described simply as a form of self-reflective inquiry, undertaken by

creative researcher-practitioners, who focus on making as an integral part of the research

process. As a researcher-practitioner, I investigate issues that are initiated within my

visual arts practice, and respond through my visual arts practice. In 'Inquiry through

Practice: Developing Appropriate Research Strategies', Carole Gray describes the role of the

researcher-practitioner as a 'generator of the research material-artldesign works, and

participant in the creative process; sometimes self-observer through reflection on and in action,

and through discussion with others; sometimes observer of others for placing the research in

context, and gaining other perspectives; sometimes co-researcher, facilitator and research

manager' (Gray 1996,3).

The key characteristics of practice-led research reside in the acknowledgement of the

researcher-practitioners involvement, subjectivity, reflectivity and interaction with their

practice and research. This methodology supports a range of research strategies, which are

multi-method in approach, open, transparent and accessible. Within the

contextual framework of practice-led research, I am able to experience, investigate and

discuss the creative journey from my own subjective position, whilst researching and defining

objective critical, theoretical and historical contexts. This form of holistic inquiry allows me to

engage in a disciplined mode of study, traversing practical, experimental, descriptive, historical

and philosophical working methods.

Overview of Creative Methods and Approaches

'The finished work of art is the result of a process of forming or making or creating. It is in a

sense the proof that such a process has gone, just as the footprint in soft ground is proof that

someone passed by. The work of art is thus the index of an act of creation which has at its

roots the intention to make the work. Intention here is understood as some kind of prior mental

event which we cannot see but for which the work now serves as a testimony that it occurred

(Krauss 1973,254).

In the early stages of developing a new work my visual arts practice takes the forms of

sketchbook journals, text, mixed media constructions, maquettes, found objects, photography

and installation. Through a process of practical experimentation, I generate objects that reflect

my conceptual and aesthetic interests.

This time is signified by the rapid development of concepts, writing, sketching and model

making. Ideas are often generated in a state of flux, which is non linear and pluralistic. In

order to define and articulate my emerging research inquiry, I rely heavily on my prior

learning, observation of other artwork and intuition. Through a reflective editing process,

creative works and concepts are selected for development, each demonstrating a significant

aesthetic or conceptual merit.

I then refine the creative work's conceptual basis, scale, material and aesthetics, by use of

further schematics, maquettes and critical writing. Short-listed items are then reviewed and

I proceed to select one creative work to be hand crafted for future display. At this time, I

select a title for the work, one that reflects its conceptual or aesthetic premise. During this

programme of research, some of myworking titles include 'Suffice Surface' (2004), 'Permutations:

Configuration One' (2005) and 'Permutations' (2005).

During this whole process, I look to other contemporary artists, theorists, philosophers and

popular culture for guidance and inspiration. I continually visit these sources throughout the

creative journey.

The developing work is then shown and discussed with peers; this interaction allows me to

develop critical perspective on the piece of work and signifies a shift from subjective to more

objective thinking. This stage is crucial in the developmental phase of a work, as it allows me

to gauge audience interaction and response to the work, and generally provides alternative

perspectives on the work's signification.

Once a work has been peer reviewed, I then create a comprehensive design plan that

incorporates the works' possible exhibition venue(s), dimensions, materials and cost. A

timeline is also completed in order to adequately gauge how long the project will take. All items

required for production are then sourced and I begin to craft the pending work; this typically

involves preparing and cutting timber, sanding, oiling, painting and lacquering. For me, the

process of making is often done in quiet, contemplative solitude. Throughout this period, I

familiarise myself with the material I am working with both visually and physically; this process

bonds me as the artist to my work through gesture, movement, touch and sight.

When the work has been completely crafted, I display the objects within my studio space,

making any adjustments necessary through further peer consultation. I then familiarise

myself with the completed work, by viewing it from different angles and adjusting the artificial

lighting. I also photograph the work, taking particular note of the work's surface detail, overall

appearance and different viewing angles.

Through the distancing effect of documentation I am able to analyse the way in which I view the

work as the artist and as a viewer. This gives me an indication of possible viewing directions of

audience members when they first encounter the work.

Once an exhibition venue is selected, taking particular note of the layout, colour scheme,

size and location, I undertake the process of booking and confirming dates for the exhibition,

designing and disseminating an invitationlcatalogue, organising transportation of the work,

and arranging any additional set up requirements for the exhibition (e.g. lighting, catering etc.).

(Note: Sometimes this stage is organised prior to the construction of a work. Then, the work is

made with the site in mind).

Prior to installation, the work is transported to the exhibition venue and unpacked; this is

usually carried out one or two days prior to the opening of the exhibition. Depending on the

scale and weight of the work, installation can be a solitary act or completed with the assistance

of others.

During installation, I take care to follow the measurements and dimensions outlined within my

design plan. I move through and around the work meticulously positioning each component,

viewing the surface quality, lighting and the works relationship to the architecture. My body

physically activates the artwork through movement, placement and positioning. At this time my

body is located between the artwork and architecture thereby activating the space, when my

body is removed the space rests. When installing, I envisage viewers reflecting and mimicking

my viewing angles and movements. I am conscious of allowing the audience space to navigate

the work rather than to disrupt the placement of the work.

When the work is completely positioned, I organise for documentation to be carried out by

a professional photographer and myself. This is crucial for future reflection, submissions for

grants and proposals for exhibitions. Again, the documentation focuses on the works surface

detail, overall appearance and different viewing angles. The documentation forms a lasting

record of the work, as it existed in a particular space and time.

I take time in the exhibition venue to re-familiarise myself with the work in its new

environment, taking noteofany shifts in signification. I do this by engagingwith it both mentally and

physically. Through movement and touch I am able to gain a direct bodily response to the work.

This interaction provides me with a sensory and perceptual record of my work. I also take time

to distance myself from the work through photographing and sketching: capturing the layout,

dimensions, lighting, shadows and colours.

During the exhibition, I encourage feedback and discussion of the work from my peers,

colleagues and the general public. Discussion is often generated from a guest book and

carries over into a discussion group who review the work and their emerging thoughts.

interests or oppositions. This form of direct feedback frequently offers me new perspectives on

the work at hand.

Once the feedback is reviewed, I re-assess my own considerations about the work by

surveying the documentation, sketches and writing undertaken during the exhibition. During

reflection, I try to look at the work from a more objective position in order to place it within

critical, theoretical and historical frameworks. This opens up crucial intellectual dialogue about

the work and developing research inquiry. I then take the information gained and feed it back

into my research inquiry, which is then reflected in the next creative work and writing. The fluid

nature of practice is constantly reshaping and developing to provide new possibilities for future

projects. Through each work, I develop my skills as a researcher-practitioner.

Contextual Review

The terms Cool Art, ABC Art, Primary Structures and Minimal Art arose in

the United States of America between 1963 - 1968 in response to the three

dimensional abstraction of Donald Judd, Carl Andre, Robert Morris, Dan Flavin,

Anne Truitt and Sol LeWitt (Colpitt 1990, 1 ; Meyer 2001, 3).

Minimalism is now commonly used to describe this group of artists whose work is

characterised by their industrial production, relationship to the architecture and surrounding

space, flatness of surface, lack of image content, seriality, modularity, and repetition of form

and apparent lack of attempts to represent an outside reality (Colpitt 1990, 1; Meyer 2000, 6;

Tate Gallery 2004, 1).

Historically Minimalism was a reaction to the perceived autobiographical and gestural

excesses of Abstract Expressionist painting and sculpture that preceded it in the 1940s and

1950s (Colpitt 1990, I ; Meyer 2000, 15). Minimalist artists rejected the concept of artworks

as unique creations of personal expression. As Anne Rorimer writes in 'New Art in the 60s

and 70s: Redefining Reality', Minimal art is to be 'treated as an unequivocal and literal sum of

revealed geometric parts and is not mean to harbour vestigial mystery' (Rorimer 2001, 21).

Criticism about the term Minimalism has been expanded on two kinds of aesthetic lack: firstly it

suggested an excessive formal reduction; and secondly it implied a deficiency of artistic labour

(Meyer 2000, 18). Art historians and curators such as Michael Fried, Barbara Rose, Lawrence

Alloway, Clement Greenberg and Linda Nochlin played a large part in establishing a critical

dialogue about Minimalism (Kent 1998, 4).

The first exhibition to attract significant critical attention was Robert Morris's in 1963 at the

Green Gallery where he presented geometric sculpture along with works incorporating

readymades and casts of part objects (Colpitt 1990, 1; Meyer 2001, 4). 'Black, White and

Grey' then followed in 1964 at the Wadsworth Athenaeum in Connecticut which 'advocated

the new, severe look, a look that from then on was charactered as minimal' (Colpitt 1990, 1;

Meyer 2001, 78). In the same year 'Eleven Artists' was organised by Dan Flavin at the Kaymar

Gallery in New York. 1965 saw key critical texts 'Specific Objects' by Donald Judd published

in Arts Yearbook 8 (1 965) and 'Minimal Art', by Richard Wollheim published in Arts Magazine

39 (1965).

In 1966 'Primary Structures: Younger American and British Sculpture' was held at the

Jewish Museum in New York and was heralded as the representing the 'new aesthetic era' by

Hilton Kramer (a critic for The New York Times) and established minimal art as a significant

new movement (Meyer 2000, 74; Meyer 2001, 13). 'Primary Structures' included works from

forty-two artists such as Dan Flavin, John McCracken, Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Ellsworth

Kelly and Anne Truitt.

During the late 1960's minimal art received major exhibitions in the United States of America

and Europe and was established as a 'leading contemporary movement' (Meyer 2000, 138).

By 1968 minimal art had become mainstream (Colpitt 1990, 3).

Towards the end of the 1960's artists associated with the movement began to gradually

transform the austere style of Minimalism in a number of directions including post-Minimal

sculpture, Eccentric Abstraction, Conceptualism and Land Art (Kent 1998, 5; Meyer 2000,

138,168). However artists such as Carl Andre, Robert Ryman, Agnes Martin, Sol LeWitt, John

McCracken and Robert Mangold continued to work in their respective minimal styles.

With the rise of subsequent movements in the 1970's and 1980's minimal art declined

somewhat in prominence; while some younger artists as rejected Minimalism as being

'hardline' and 'authoritarian' (Colpitt 1990, 3).

In the last decade , the Nineties, prominent artists such as Rachael Whiteread, Felix

Gonzalez-Torres, Roni Horn, Charles Ray and Janine Antoni have utilised Minimalism

either as either an aesthetic or a conceptual reference point. Artists working in this loosely

defined 'Post-Minimalist' category often investigate a range of feminist, phenomenological and

postmodernist concerns including the process of art making, the dematerialization of the

object, the performative nature of art, the embodied viewing of the art object and the structural

properties of light (Guggenheim Museum 2004, 1).

My primary interest in Minimalism and Post-Minimalism rests in the experiential nature of

the aesthetic experience. I am particularly interested in the interpretations of the Minimalist

aesthetic by female artists such as Anne Truitt, Janine Antoni and Marcia Hafif. In the following

section these divergent artists will be discussed in relation to their unique engagement with

Minimalism of the 1960's.

Anne Truitt

Anne Truitt's exhibition in February of 1963 at Andre Emmerich's gallery was the first

Minimal show and was reviewed by Donald Judd and critic Michael Fried (Colpitt 1990, 1 ). Truitt

was identified as the 'first' Minimalist and championed by Clement Greenberg (Meyer 2001,

222). However she was uncomfortable being associated with Minimalism's theoretical motives,

although her work was firmly embedded in the critical dialogue (Colpitt 1990, 3).

Truitt is best known for her gracefully powerful geometric structures, which are built from wood

and hand-coated in dense layers of paint (Adams 1991, 11 3). Her rectangular sculptures were

painted in subtle colours, set on slightly recessed bases and appear to hover just above the

floor. Her hand-painted surfaces, innate use of colour, and preservation of allusion in her work

countered the literalist objectives of the movement (Meyer 2000, 24; Meyer 2002, 1).

In 1966, Truitt exhibited 'Sea Garden' (1964) (244 x 84 cm) an industrially fabricated

metal sculpture, in 'Primary Structures' at the Jewish Museum alongside her peers Donald

Judd, Robert Morris, Carl Andre and Dan Flavin (Meyer 2000, 101). Truitt's sculpture was

accompanied by a poem that demonstrated the value of colour signification and references to

nature in her work:

'There was a blue sea, and above it was a yellow hill and beside the hill was a green field. On

the other side of the blue sea was a blue sea, and on the other side of the yellow hill was a yel-

low hill, and on the other side of the green field was a green field. And that was a sea garden'

(Meyer 2000, 101).

Through the interpretative text, the audience was directed to explore the works metaphorical

quality, which was completely against the literalist visions of her Minimalist peers. Truitt often

used titling or text to refer to her works' metaphorical subject matter, as seen in 'Valley Forge'

(1 963) and 'Spring Run' (1 964).

Truitt's sensibility towards the human body also set her apart from her Minimalist peers, as

indicated in 'King's Heritage' (1973) (154 x 152 x 30.5 cm), which was one-hundred and

fifty-four centimetres tall 'just short enough to allow the viewer to peer over the top' (Meyer

2000, 69). This sensibility was also prevalent in Truitt's later works such as 'Nicea' (1977) and

'Breeze' ( I 980).

The way that Truitt painted her geometric structures also indicated an awareness of the

body, and embodied viewing of the art object itself. She painted the objects taking into

consideration that each side of the object would be viewed; thereby eliminating the possibility of

privileging onevantage point(Meyer2000,175).Thethree-dimensionalityofTruitt'sobjectsinvites

audience interaction through circumnavigation and comparison to their own bodies. Truitt's

work is rich with association, metaphor and connection to the human body, all of which place

her outside of the generally agreed Minimalist framework.

Janine Antoni

In more recent years, Janine Antoni has used metaphorical and indexical references to the

body in her installation 'Gnaw' (1993) which she exhibited at the Biennial Exhibition at the

Whitney Museum of American Art (Museum of Modern Art 2005, 1). 'Gnaw' consisted of three

parts: the first was two 6001bs cubes (one made of lard the other of chocolate) both cubes were

'disfigured' by the artist using her teeth. The second part of the installation was one hundred

and thirty tubes of Lipsticks made with pigment, beeswax and the chewed lard removed from

one 6001b cube. The third part of the installation consisted of heart shape boxes made from

chewed chocolate removed from the second 6001b cube (Museum of Modern Art 2005,l).

In 'Gnaw' Antoni used her mouth to sculpt her artworks, thereby placing herself physically

within the objects production of meaning. Through embodied action Antoni is reworking the

Minimalist cube and converting it into a stereotypical range of feminine products. By engaging

in biting, sucking, licking, chewing and expelling, Antoni allows the viewers to see the traces of

her bodily acts in the work.

Marcia Hafif

In a similar fashion to the later Minimalists, the reduction of dispensable and non-essential

elements led artists such as Kasimir Malevich, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Yves Klein and later

Robert Ryman to investigate the monochrome. As heralded by Clement Greenberg, 'flatness'

was, at the height of Modernism, the most important feature of painting; two-dimensionality

signified painting's autonomous properties. This art form, sometimes known as 'one-colour

painting', articulates painting's surface and the support that holds it up.

In her paper 'Colour and Difference in Abstract Painting: The Ultimate case of the

monochrome', Ann Gibson outlines new and alternative gendered readings of one-colour

painting, which are in conflict with historical modernist readings (Gibson 2003, 192). Within this

article, Marcia Hafif's work is discussed in relation to the physical connection she shares with her

one-colour paintings through gesture and colour signification. Hafif's touch and gesture

is indexically recorded by each brushstroke. In 'Your Attention Please' Jean-Charles

Massera writes of Hafif's work, 'there is the discreet presence of a calm hand, controlled,

responding to the qualities of the paint, as well as to inspiration' (Massera 1994, 3). He

goes on further to say Hafif's presence is signified 'at a referential level (the colour is used

here as a reminder of that which was used in traditional painting to represent skin) and a

formal one (a slanted application of separate, calm, regular brush strokes)' (Massera 1994, 3).

Hafif details her connection to her work in 'Beginning Again':

'First, the painting exists physically, as an object in the world that can be responded to directly

- it is tactile, visual, retinal. Secondly, technical factors exist in the making of the painting,

inherent qualities of material determine method, formal aspects of the work can be examined

and understood, and therefore must stand up to certain criteria. Thirdly, a painting exists as

an historical statement; it is made at a particular time and represents the artist's view of the

state of painting at that time, whether consciously or not. Finally, the painting represents a

form of thought, indirectly reflecting the world-view of the artist, and the time, and transmitting

philosophical and spiritual experiences' (Hafif 1978,4).

Hafif's paintings function as a 'trace' of her embodied thoughts and actions as the maker of

the work. Hafif therefore becomes intertwined with the production of meaning in her work,

which symbolises touch, gesture and a relationship to the body. Unlike many other artists

working in monochromes, Hafif chooses to advertise her own corporality in relation to the

work. This is particularly evident in 'Roman Painting XVIII' made in 1988, which specifically

references Hafif's body through the colour (pink) and upright scale (Gibson 2003, 197).

Gibson likens the paintings surface to 'the skin of the human body' which 'may

even differ in tone from one part to another' (Gibson 2003, 197). In Hafif's

Roman and French series her reference to the body is both metaphorical and indexical.

Review

Truitt, Hafif and Antoni all share a formal affinity with Minimalist aesthetics yet they have each

produced new and alternative gendered readings of abstraction.

Truitt does this by preserving illusion in her work, innate use of colour, interpretative texts, hand

painted surfaces and a sensibility towards the human body through scale. Hafif does this by

gesture and colour signification and using her body to scale the works. Her works function as a

'trace' of her embodied thoughts and actions while Antoni uses her mouth to physically sculpt

her art objects. Each artist encourages the viewer to look beyond the literal art object, which

is much against the literalist agenda of the 1960's Minimalists. These three contemporary

female artists have influenced me in the understanding and development of my own

visual arts practice, in particular in the way in which I physically and emotionally connect with

my work. Through my practice and research, I feel as if I am continuing the Post-Minimalist

dialogue by creating works which detail the significance and operation of embodied interaction in

producing and viewing my Minimalist installations.

CHAPTER TWO

Art Making

When entering my new Studio Space at the beginning of 2004, 1 was equipped with what

remained of my visual arts practice from the previous year: a Polaroid camera and a

shoebox full of colourful paint chips. At this time, I was interested in stripping back my practice to

basic design elements in order to generate new works and narratives. I saw the paint chips as

readymade colour fields with interesting titles, that I could manipulate quickly and easily into

a variety of forms. The temporary and evolutionary qualities of these works were captured

through the lens of my Polaroid camera.

The first set of works that I saw potential to develop were a range of paint chips that I

transformed into three-dimensional shapes. These works were boldly coloured and carefully

constructed to emphasise the form of the object. I was interested in simple geometric forms,

strong colour contrasts and using the paint colour titles to form rhymes and riddles. I found the

most successful forms were the three-dimensional rectangle and cube; these objects relied

on the paint chips natural (two-dimensional) shape to create three-dimensional forms with

minimal alterations. The rectangle and cube were light in weight, yet formed solid clean

objects.

I constructed numerous colour and size variations, ranging from 5cm3 to 20cm3 and placed

them in a simple white gallery space maquette. The objects were spaced close together in

horizontal and vertical positions. Once located within the maquette, the objects reminded

me of a miniature version of Anne Truitt's installations 'Odeskalki' (1963) and 'Nicea' (1977)

exhibited at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1992 (Meyer 2000, 175). The works shared similar

use of colour and form. Each object related to the next through language, form, colour, scale

and repetition.

When looking at the work through my camera, I envisaged the objects on varying scales from

matchbox to fridge size. I was particularly interested in creating illusionary miniature spaces

Suffice Surface (2004) 200 x 300 x 11 cm

that did not reveal the physicality of the environment or scale of the objects. Gaston Bachelard

wrote in 'The Poetics of Space', 'Miniature is an exercise that has metaphysical freshness; it

allows us to be world conscious at slight risk' (Bachelard 1964, 161).

As a viewer, I towered over the small objects and could survey their surface topographically

from multiple angles and peak around corners, otherwise unavailable to me at larger scale. I

felt like a child with a magnifying glass watching over an ant's nest, considering the intricate

systems and structures of a miniature world.

Sometimes I would imaginatively shrink my body to the size of a safety pin and insert myself

into the maquette. The large geometric shapes would tower over me like buildings and I was

able to experience my miniature installation from an alternative conceptual vantage point. The

maquette space allowed me to experience a heightened sense of physicality and awareness

of my placement within my surrounding environment.

The idea of tending to a small space and creating countless miniature installations was

appealing for me on two levels: firstly as a testing area for future large-scale works and

secondly as a rapid growth area for new work otherwise not feasible. Materials such as

cardboard, glass, metal and plastics were ideal for construction and presentation within the

white gallery maquette due to their surface quality and scale.

Within my imaginary journeys in the maquette, I envisaged the eventual three-dimensional

objects made out of a durable substance (such as wood, metal or plastic), having a sense of

austere presence, solidity and precision. I had always admired John McCracken's lacquered

and polished planks, such as 'Blue Plank' (1966) for their pristine quality and attention to

surface detail. I hoped to replicate McCracken's visual clarity.

I purchased a range of materials for testing: wood, plastic, glass, oil, acrylic paint and lacquer.

Each material was treated to a range of experiments relating to their quality of surface by

painting, lacquering, sanding and marking.

The first cube of wood I treated was a piece of light brown pinewood. Once sanded, the

pinewood was transformed from dull to intricately beautiful with smooth clean concentric

circles dominating the surface area. I was transfixed by the detail of the pinewood and treated

the surface with natural oil: this process immediately brightened the wood and emphasised its

unique wood-grain pattern. I relished the natural inconsistencies of the patterns and colours.

I proceeded to coat the surface of a second pinewood cube with a layer of white acrylic paint.

The paint 'took hold' of the wooden surface forming a second plastic skin. Whilst drying, the

two pinewood cubes lay next to each other on the windowsill. The two cubes formed a striking

combination when placed together.

Taking a third cube, I scored a line down the centre - coating the left side with oil and the right

side with the white acrylic paint. The combination of both natural and industrial elements was

visually lively. I was torn in looking at one side of the cubes surface at a time. The juxtaposition

of the surfaces remained at the centre of my enquiry when experimenting with the remaining

materials.

Throughout testing the surfaces of other materials, I kept returning to the pinewood cube that

was coated with both oil and white acrylic paint. This piece of pinewood had captivated me

visually and I decided to treat more cubes in this way. The juxtaposition of surface treatment I

had admired on the first pinewood cube operated intensely when the objects were multiplied.

At this time, the work desk in my studio was covered in cubes of various sizes, each displaying

the divided surface. When looking down on the work from a sitting position, I could not focus

on one block alone, instead my eyes skipped across the surfaces, jumping from treated to

untreated surfaces. The cubes created a strong visual dynamic through repetition,

composition, asymmetry, sequence and proximity.

At the time, I likened the cubes to the density and size of Carl Andre's fire-bricks, as shown in

'Lever' (1 966) and 'Equivalent V111' (1 966). Andre's works inspired me to place the cubes on

my studio floor in order to survey them from a different angle. As I did, I was reminded of the

heightened sense of physicality I experienced when surveying the surface topography of the

maquette from a sitting position.

In order to view the cubes from all angles I walked, lay and knelt at various points around the

work. I enjoyed the physically and mentally engaging process of being with the newly created

objects.

'Suffice Surface' (2004)

'Minimal artists acknowledge both viewer and the space of the gallery. They grasp

aggressively at all available space, and in so doing every direction. They force the audience to an

awareness of existence that goes beyond the presence of any particular art object. The

audience is persuaded to walk about the newly defined and delineated space, and the path is

determined by the art' (Wagner 1 995,454).

From my developing sketches and schematics, I was defining a conceptual and visual

prototype for a minimal work that produced a sense of bodily awareness in the viewer, through

the viewer's scale in relation to the work.

In March 2004, 1 wrote a proposal for a work entitled 'Suffice Surface', to the Queensland

University of Technology Art Museum (QUTAM), Tom Health Gallery. The title 'Suffice Surface'

stemmed from my interest in stripping back my practice to minimal design elements: i.e. the

surface is sufficient.

My proposal included creating two hundred pinewood cubes (of various sizes ranging from

9cm3 to 50cm3) randomly positioned in the back corners of the gallery, gradually spilling out

onto the central floor space. 'Suffice Surface' was accepted for exhibition during 18 May 2004

- 06 June 2004.

I visited the exhibition venue, taking particular notice of the space's dimensions, high gloss

wooden floors, pristine white walls, lighting tracks, windows, and artificial and natural light. I

noted the existing similarities between the pinewood cubes and the space they were entering

into, in particular their colour, surface and geometric shape.

While in the exhibition venue, I experimented with six nine-centimetre cubes on the high

gloss wooden floors, placing them in various configurations. I felt a strong sense of visual

cohesion between the pinewood cubes and the surrounding architecture. Studying the six

nine-centimetre cubes, my visions of the work began to change. I now saw a more refined and

defined piece involving a single size cube (9cm3) that would rest on the high gloss floors in a

more structured placement.

I would later explore this concept in my studio by creating a scale drawing of the Tom Heath

Gallery. To indicate the cubes, I cut up two hundred, one-centimetre squares of cardboard.

I scattered the one-centimetre squares to the corners of the space (as I had originally

intended to do with the cubes), yet was unsatisfied with the lack of unified surface. I continued

shuffle the squares around until I formed a distinct rectangle in the centre of the page, fitting

perfectly within the middle of the floor space. Within the rectangle lay the two hundred squares

(representing the 9cm3 cubes) in a random placement. I was immediately convinced by the

simplicity of the rectangular design. I chose to set aside the original design and focus on a work

which I hoped would produce the greatest sense of physical awareness in the viewer. I now

envisaged viewers walking around the outside of the rectangle of cubes looking down over

the work, which would be resting at ankle height. Viewers would be able to survey the surface

topographically as I had done earlier in my studio with the test cubes.

I thought about how the pinewood cubes would visually sink into the high gloss wooden floors

and how the white paint would bring the cubes back up into the space. The rectangle of cubes

was to sit in the centre of the Tom Heath Gallery, two metres wide by three metres deep and

nine centimetres high. This allowed for a one-metre corridor around the work for viewers to

walk around, unobstructed.

Once the final design was selected, I was able to calculate the amount of material required.

Through a process of visual experimentation, I settled on twenty-five pinewood cubes per

square metre; one hundred and fifty pinewood cubes in total. With this information, I purchased

the necessary fifteen meters of pinewood, five litres of white acrylic paint, one litre of oil and a

large jar of clear high gloss lacquer.

The fifteen meters of pinewood was cut at nine centimetre intervals using a drop saw. The

resulting cubes were then individually sanded using an electric sander. The surfaces were then

more delicately sanded by hand using light sandpaper. I worked slowly and steadily on each

surface, taking note of the individual patterns and knots. I enjoyed the process of manually

transforming each surface by hand.

Once every surface of the pinewood cubes were sanded, I reproduced the Tom Heath

Gallery space on my studio floor to trial the installation of 'Suffice Surface'. I measured the

space required and marked it with masking tape. The grey floor formed the base on which

the cubes would be displayed. I was pleased to see my earlier calculations had been

accurate and the space that was mapped out held the one hundred and fifty pinewood cubes

adequately. Once displayed the rectangular space became instantly visually activated.

Although the pinewood cubes were not treated at this time, it was evident that

the relationship between each cube within the area was lively. I found myself

comparing each cube to the next and reading the image through shape and

colour. The grey studio floor gave the cubes a strong defined platForm to rest on.

I chose to replicate the grey studio floor in the form of six, one metre square MDF panels.

The panels were designed to be placed under the pinewood cubes in the Tom Heath Gallery.

Having been able to visually compare the success of the pinewood cubes on the high gloss

wooden floor of the gallery and of the grey floor of my studio, I much preferred the visual

presence and strength of the pinewood cubes on the grey base. The grey MDF panels served

as a showcasing tool, to present the pinewood cubes in the best possible way.

The grey MDF panels were added to the production schedule and made shortly thereafter. In

the studio, I had created six individual prototype designs for the pinewood cube surfaces; each

surface design was predicated on the idea of placing oppositional surfaces next to each other

to highlight the juxtaposition and cause a sense of visual liveliness, as I had done earlier with

the early test pieces. The designs incorporated the use of balance, symmetry and geometric

shape. I chose to use all prototype designs in the final work.

Using a scalpel, masking tape, small roller, paintbrush and rag, I hand-treated each

pinewood cube. This stage was done in quiet contemplative silence, as it required a strong

level of concentration and delicacy. After treating the first set of twenty-five pinewood cubes,

I started to see physically the interplay between the surfaces of the cubes. The striking clean

flat white surfaces were a strong contrast to the deeply patterned raw, oiled and lacquered

wood-grain surfaces. It was at this time that the pinewood cubes showed themselves to be

truly objects. For me, they had developed into beautiful physical creations and a tangible

record of my art making process.

The surfaces of the cubes were richly coated and thick with history, like a fingerprint each

surface uniquely delineates the movements of my hands. Throughout the art making process

I tended to each surface with care and detail, establishing a physical and mental relationship

with each cube. My mind, hands and eyes traced each surface, getting to know their individual

characteristics. Through art making a clear connection was established from maker to object

through thought and action.

As I progressed through the art making process I became aware of the emerging visual

similarities and conceptual differences between 'Suffice Surface' and that of traditional

Minimalist artworks. In Minimalism: Past and Present Rachael Kent writes 'The

reassessment of minimal art by contemporary female artists has proven a particularly interesting

phenomenon in light of its largely masculine history, and allows for feminist and other

representations of the style' (Kent 1998, 4). My emerging challenge was

to understand how the visual and conceptual elements of my practice

were going to amalgamate in 'Suffice Surface'. These questions lead me to look at

contemporary female artists such as Anne Truitt, Marcia Hafif, Janine Antoni, Dorothea

Rockburne, Agnes Martin, Eva Hesse and Jo Bear.

Through research and peer consultation I was able to refine and define my conceptual

interests in 'Suffice Surface'. My initial and primary interest in 'Suffice Surface' remained;

I wanted to create a minimal work that produced a sense of bodily awareness in the

viewer, through the viewer's scale in relation to the work. My secondary and emerging interests

related to the physical and metaphorical connection I share with my work (through the

process of art making) and the works expressive and metaphorical potential. My concern

was that my interest in these areas would be masked by the strong aesthetic connection

'Suffice Surface' shared with Minimalist artworks. These questions would dominate my thoughts

while I tended to the remaining objects.

After every surface had been satisfactorily completed, I transferred the neatly wrapped objects

to the Tom Heath Gallery for installation. With a clear aim I unwrapped and positioned the

MDF panels and pinewood cubes as outlined in the design plan. I measured the alignment

and spacing of the work. My goal at this point was to create an evenly spaced rectangular

field of pinewood cubes that sat on the MDF panels in the centre of the space. I shifted arouna

the room in silence, moving the cubes in various directions to suit my overall vision as I had

experienced it within the studio. I then proceeded to adjust the lighting, making the focus

directly on the cubes, creating strong geometric shadows on the MDF panels.

Once satisfied, I distanced myself from the work by sitting on the ground in the far corner of

the gallery. I looked out over the sea of cubes and reflected on how the work had evolved

from the paint chips to what I now saw in front of me. Taking out my sketchbook I drew the

work as it lay in the space. I noted its fresh appearance, clean lines, geometric shapes, spatial

awareness and repetition. I noticed that the lighting rails formed a direct symmetry with the

rectangular MDF base of the work, and that the colour grey was repeated within the gallery, as

was the wood-grain and white painted surfaces. I also noted how the subtlety of colours in 'Suffice

Surface' in combination with its connectedness to the architecture aided a strong sense of

poetic movement, despite the pinewood cubes remaining staunchly motionless.

I found myself looking down over the work in sections, first by allowing my eyes to travel

through the white surfaces, followed by the wood-grain then by the overlapping shadows on

the MDF panels. I felt like an active participant in the work through my viewing patterns and

angles. With each step I took around the work I saw a different image and uncovered new

patterns and images. My scale allowed me to survey the work from many different positions

and gain an overall perspective on the piece. This sense of complete viewing gave me a

heightened sense of bodily awareness.

The week following installation, I returned to the Tom Heath Gallery to reflect more on the

work. To help me I invited some fellow artists to see the piece and for an informal critique.

'Suffice Surface' firstly generated discussion about the work's visual similarities with Minimalist

constructions by Carl Andre, particularly 'Peace of Munster' (1984) and 'Spill (Scatter Piece)'

(1966). Both works were clean modular floor based constructions and I too could see the

aesthetic connection. Visual similarities were also drawn to later Minimal works such as George

Popperwell's 'Incident on Zutique Sreet' (2003), Margo Sawyer's 'Floor Piece #4' (2002-2004)

and Jimbo Blachly's 'Mind Block' (1 999).

Although 'Suffice Surfaces' visual connection to Minimalism dominated the early stages of

the critique the conversation soon turned to differences between 'Suffice Surface' and that of

traditional Minimalist pieces.

Viewers circled the work and leaned down to look closer at the surfaces and shadows. As they

did, traces of the hand-made quality became evident. The action-based process of art making

was shown in each glossy brush stroke and hand crafted surface. This connection between

artist and artwork appeared to somewhat curtail the conceptual alignment with Minimalism.

As James Meyer writes Minimal works were 'Industrially produced or built by skilled workers

following the artist's instructions, i t removes any trace of emotion or intuitive decision

making' (Meyer 2000,15). 'Suffice Surface' alludes to the embodied process of art making and

to the maker of the work through its unique surfaces.

'Suffice Surface' was also discussed in terms of its distinct visual relationship to the

surrounding architecture of the Tom Heath Gallery. As I had recognised in my first visit to

the gallery, the cubes were aesthetically similar to the space and when displayed the work

physically and aesthetically fit within the gallery. This intrinsic visual connection appeared to

heighten the viewers awareness of my participation in producing and positioning of the work

within the space. Viewers discussed my body as a conscious activator of the artwork through

thought and action.

This work also generated associative and metaphorical connections and was likened to

liquorice, children's blocks, counting units and industrial landscapes. At all times the imaginative

transformations of the cubes were discussed in relation to the scale of the human body and

appeared only to be limited by the viewer's imagination.

Through further research and consultation with my peers and supervisors I re-evaluated my

emerging opinions about 'Suffice Surface', which would lead me to investigate how feminist

ideology and Minimalist aesthetics come together within my visual arts practice.

CHAPTER THREE

Documentation and Development

'Suffice Surface' was displayed at the Tom Heath Gallery for three weeks during which time

photographic documentation was carried out. In the subsequent weeks this documentation

proved to be unsuitable for future use and I was required to look into alternative arrangements

for re-documenting the work.

In June 2004, 1 met with Leon Frainey, a QUT Photographer, through QUT Visual Arts, who

organised for him to re-document 'Suffice Surface' at The Block in the QUT Creative Industries

Precinct.

I used the five-metre white cube space at the rear of The Block for this project. It seemed

an appropriate architectural echo to exhibit the cubes in a larger white cube, located within

The Block. On installation day when I took the cubes to the space, it was the first time I had

unwrapped them after their showing at the Tom Heath Gallery one month earlier.

When installing the work for a second time, I thought about the ramifications of trying to

recreate a work in a different environment. At this time, I did not want the new surroundings

to interfere with the work, as I still felt a strong sense of connectedness between the work

and the Tom Heath Gallery. Through continued discussion and direction, Frainey masterfully

captured the documentation of 'Suffice Surface' that I required, this included detailed images

of individual surfaces and an overview of the work.

Installing 'Suffice Surface' within The Block allowed me the opportunity to re-engage with the

cubes, by holding them and placing them in various configurations. As I sat on the floor with

the cubes surrounding me, I confirmed my desire to work with these objects again. Through

the art making process I had built up a rapport with these objects. As I touched the surfaces

and looked at the objects I was reminded of the history of art making. This autobiographical

history formed a base for my understanding of the work.

Breakaway (2004) 200 x 300 x 11 cm

As modular objects the options for reconfiguration, conceptualisation and development of the

cubes were plentiful. I was particularly interested in evolving the relationships between the

cubes in new and diverse ways, particularly in relation to my body and the viewer's body.

With time left over after documenting 'Suffice Surface', I reconfigured the cubes into a

spontaneous new work, later titled 'Breakaway' (2004). 'Breakaway' consisted of the same

amount of MDF panels and cubes as 'Suffice Surface' yet differed in the surface topography.

At one end of 'Breakaway' sat four solid lines of cubes, followed by fifteen lines of cubes, which

slowly dissipated in numbers from one end to the other.

For me, the surface looked like a regimented group that had just been disbanded. For this work

I chose a title which would aide metaphorical readings. When looking at 'Breakaway' I was

reminded of many structured images such as assemblies, pixels and computer games.

Although I felt this work was not as visually successful as 'Suffice Surface', I responded

to the internal disruption of the surface breaking away and the way the work related to the

architecture of the white cube space through shape and colour.

Equipped with quality documentation of 'Suffice Surface' and 'Breakaway', my primary

interest at this stage was simply to explore the cubes relationship to one another, and

experiment with different configurations in different spaces. I would temporarily set aside my

conceptual interests in order to focus aesthetically.

I used pen and paper to map out possible options and environments for display. I experimented

by sketching the cubes with different colours (and coloured bases) and on alternative surfaces

such as grass, glass, brick and mirror. The cubes appeared comfortable on clean geometric

surfaces and out of place on unstructured surfaces. Whatever space or surface the cubes

entered into they created a sense of uniformity and connection to one another.

I often took to sitting and sketching while shifting the cubes around my studio floor. While I

predominantly configured the cubes on the studio floor, I also moved them to alternate

plalforms such as walls, windowsills and plinths. Through experimenting with placement I

wanted to find what challenged and excited me as an active viewer. At this point I felt having a

heightened viewing angle was most interesting.

When the work was placed between waist and head height I was able to see the work with

ease. However when the works were on the floor I was aware of my body and the way I was

bending and moving to see the work. I enjoyed the instantaneous creation of new works and

documented them systematically. I felt a great sense of freedom and fun playing within my

visual arts practice.

The first shift that occurred during the development stage was that I stopped thinking in terms

of large works (i.e. using all of the cubes) and instead I focused on using just a few cubes in

each piece. 'Well' (2004) was the starting point of this shift. 'Well' was fifty-centimetres square

and consisted of thirty-two cubes placed in a diamond shape with one grey MDF panel. The

first layer of cubes sat underneath the MDF panel, while the second layer sat on top creating

the illusion of continuity through the centre of the work. In 'Well' I used the MDF panel as a

modular component that was included in the centre of the piece.

For me, 'Well' was a metaphorically bottomless piece that drew the viewer down into the grey

of the MDF panel creating the illusion of infinite space and depth.

During conceptualisation I thought about displaying multiple 'Wells' on a large false floor. I

envisaged the viewers navigating the space and being compelled to touch each 'Well' to see if

they were real or illusionary. I thought it would be interesting to see how viewers physically and

mentally navigated the work. I saw this work in multiple forms during the development stage,

but also found it interesting as a singular, unified object.

When looking at the cubes I was becoming interested in experimenting with their

relationship to one another through form, height pattern and scale. Following on from

Well (2004) 5Ox50x20cm

'Well' came a succession of works that used similar illusionary and comparative techniques:

'Well (Capped) (2004)' 'Compare Shape (1)' (2004)' 'Compare Shape (2) (2004)'

'Compare Height' (2004) and 'One Layer' (2004). All works were approximately 50 x 50 x 18 cm.

Through documenting the works I started to see each small relational change in a sequential

way. From the start of documentation to the finish, each image showed an element of subtle

change, which directly related to the image prior and following image. Some images followed

on seamlessly through composition and others by one comparative element such as shape or

height.

This was my first experience of working with a renewable artwork and I was often at a loss as

to what direction to take the cubes next. Over time I found that if I simply spent time with the

work, new ideas would flow through physical interaction.

The next two test works in the development stage were 'Maze (1)' and 'Maze (2)'. These works

mapped out miniature mazes within my studio space and were approximately 1000 x 1000 x

9 cm. The cubes created a defining edge, as a hedge might in a real human scale maze. The

mazes became playgrounds for my mind and body to traverse. When making the work I liked

to trace a path through and around the mazes with my fingers. These traces often remained

etched on the studio floor long after the work had been reconfigured.

During their construction I thought about how viewers physically engaged with artworks. With

'Suffice Surface' viewers were guided to navigate the work through its height and placement

within the gallery. I thought about how roads and footpaths also direct our travels and I was

interested in creating a space that directed the viewer to interact with a work in a particular

way through its placement. As an artist I could actively influence the way viewers experienced

my work.

After 'Maze (1)' and 'Maze (2)' came more test works, which flowed from the architecture of my

studio: 'Wall Extension' and 'Horse Shoe'. These works projected directly from the base of the

walls and continued along the floor as if they were lengthening the architecture into the floor

space. I used these models to test further possible options for creating pathways for viewers to

travel. I often entertained the idea of inviting viewers to walk on a cube path through a gallery

space from entry to exit in an ordered way.

Two of Carl Andre's outdoor works 'Cataract' (1980) and 'Steel Peneplein' (1982) invited a

\similar interaction between artwork and viewer. Theses works were made out of steel plates

and were displayed outdoors on grass and on a pedestrian walkway. Both works required

viewers to step directly onto the work in order to progress through open spaces.

In contrast, 'Wall Extension' would simply form an edge for a pathway that zigzagged through

a gallery space. At all times I was conscious of the viewer and their physical relationship to

work.

During this time in the development stage, I felt that some of my developmental works

following 'Suffice Surface' lacked a sense of strength and presence. Two keys areas that

I enjoyed in 'Suffice Surface' was the way it engaged the viewer within the space and

created a sense of visual liveliness through the surface topography; I believe these were key

components in the success of the work. I wanted to replicate these characteristics in my new

works. Upon reflection and studying the documentation, I found that the works that did not

engage me lacked a unified surface and volume.

In an attempt to create a sense of consolidation, I returned to my original designs and set about

making a work that brought all of the cubes together. Using a simple Checker Board pattern, I

placed the cubes in a strict framework on my studio floor and created 'Grid' followed by 'Two

Lines'. Looking over each work it was difficult to focus on one particular cube; I found my eyes

danced over the surfaces (from one side of the work to the other, and back again) occasionally

becoming lost in the negative space between the cubes. For me this sense of visual fluidity

enhanced the experience of viewing.

After creating 'Grid' and 'Two Lines', I felt as if my designs were becoming stronger and that

the cubes could be regenerated to make new and interesting work. It was my feeling that 'Grid'

could be developed to a level suitable for exhibition.

During the subsequent weeks I would continue to arrange and rearrange the cubes in

various configurations looking for the perfect visual and conceptual formula. Throughout this

time I continued to nurture and develop my interests in creating a minimal piece that focused

on the viewers physical relationship to the work (and surrounding architecture) and the works

expressive and metaphorical potential.

CHAPTER FOUR

'Permutations: Configuration One' (2005)

'As audience we must know the problem that confronted the author. The second, then the third

reading give us little by little the solution of this problem. Imperceptibly, we give ourselves the

illusion that both the problem and solution are ours' (Bachelard 1964, 21).

For my final exhibition, I booked the Fox Galleries space in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane between

05 - 12 April 2005. In late 2004 1 obtained a floor plan of the gallery space and looked at my

design options for exhibition. The space was approximately 6.17m x 14.49m. The space was

much larger than the Tom Heath Gallery, and I wanted to find a way to make the cubes stretch

out and occupy the space. For a space of this size, I did not want to have multiple works; rather

I intended to have a central focus, one large piece for the audience to navigate. Looking at the

architectural space I thought about creating a work that fitted tightly within the gallery's walls as

I had done in 'Suffice Surface'. With this general concept in mind, I started to look back through

my recent developmental sketches and schematics to find a work that may be suitable for

display in the Fox Galleries venue.

One three-dimensional sketch stood out that included the cubes in sets of two, placed next

to and on top of each other in various configurations. Each pair of cubes in the sketch rested

on an MDF panel, which functioned as a showcasing platform. The work depicted reminded

me of Mel Bochner's sequential works on paper that experimented with repetition such as

'Untitled ('child's play!' : Study for Seven-Part Progression') (1 966) and 'Four Sets: Rotations and

Reversals' (1 966). A strong sense of sequence and pattern was evident.

In the studio I replicated the sketch using the cubes and MDF panels. Once the cubes were

in place atop of the MDF panels they appeared to be highly symbolic; I was reminded of

crosswords and cryptic codes. After a period of measuring, reconfiguring and

documenting, I decided to proceed with the idea of expanding this work for my

final exhibition at Fox Galleries.

I continued to envisage one long rectangular shape sweeping through the centre of Fox

Galleries. For this work, I chose to re-scale the MDF panels down to fifty-centimetres

square. This size panel was suitable for mass production, was cost effective and was more

manageable than the one-meter square panels I had previously used. I decided to create

a work that was four panels wide by eighteen panels deep, (seventy-two panels in total);

this would stretch from the entry to the rear of Fox Galleries. On paper and in the studio,

this work looked strong and I was pleased with the modular design. This work was the most

structured and large scale to date. After completing the design plan and costing for the

production, I set about sanding and painting my newly purchased seventy-two MDF panels

and repairing the existing cubes.

During the construction of this work I was approached to take part in 'Journey', an exhibition

being held in QUT Creative Industries Precinct's: The Block in the following year (prior to my

final exhibition). The space offered to me was the single white cube space located at the rear

of The Block where, earlier in the year, I had re-documented 'Suffice Surface'.

My first instinct was to look at adapting the emerging work for my final exhibition for this

project; thereby granting me a trial run for making, installation and feedback. I had chosen

the title 'Permutations' for my final exhibition piece at Fox Galleries and liked the idea of

allowing the work to permute with each space it entered into. I chose this title to highlight the

evolutionary quality that the cubes had in terms of their arrangement. 'Permutations' seemed

ideal for display at The Block, as it was modular, geometric and visually echoed the architecture.

Upon returning to the space, I noted the grey skirting board at the base of the white cube room

(with twenty-eight power points on it), harsh fluoro overhead lighting, two doors and the marks

on the floor left behind by previous occupants of the space. The general feeling of this space

was industrial and suited for high-tech work. I noted that the work I would be placing in this

space would not allow the room to function as it was intended but the shape of it would mimic

the geometric physical space.

I drew up a gallery floor plan and marked out a grid and after a period of trial and error I

decided upon using twenty-five MDF panels and fifty pinewood cubes for this project. The

evenly spaced grid would sit in the middle of the cube, with the MDF panels separated by nine

centimetre intervals (the same width as the cubes). It was my intention for the grid to create

a solid unified base for the work so that it held its ground in the large space. In adapting this

work, I wanted to draw the viewer's attention to the bottom of the space to the works internal

dialogue. Being a low workwithin a large space, viewers would experience a heightened sense of

physical awareness due to their position between the low set work and high architecture space.

I installed 'Permutations: Configuration One' (2005) at the The Block on 16 February 2005.

Following my design plan, I set about measuring and laying down the grey MDF panels in a strict

grid in the centre of the space. Throughout installation I thought about my body as a conscious

activator of the work and I took particular notice of my physical involvement in the process of

placing the objects onto the floor. My body slowly moved each object into its correct location.

The systematic positioning of the objects was carried out much like a choreographed dance:

fluid and deliberate.

After each row was positioned, I walked through and around the work to survey the surface

topography making sure there were not too many MDF panels with the same cube

configuration next to each other. I wanted the work to be cohesive yet varied. I was

meticulous in spacing the cubes out evenly to create a sense of visual movement in the work.

As I added more MDF panel rows, I started to see the dialogue that was developing

between the cubes. Each cube seemed to cling to the next as if held by magnetism; they looked

'suspended' in time and place. The code or pattern I had envisaged was coming into fruition.

After two hours of physical interaction the process of installation was complete.

On the opening night, The Block was dimly lit with individual spotlights highlighting the works

on display in the main gallery. Moving from the corridor into the white cube space, I was struck

physically by the power of the harsh fluoro lighting five meters above. The space was very

Permutations: Configuration One (2005) 286 x 286 x 20 cm

still, silent and ordered. The work sat in the centre of the room, starkly. The contrast of the two

rooms could not have been more extreme. At first this contrast was unsettling, as I was forced

to adjust quickly to my new environment.

I remember leaning against the wall, looking down on the work and counting each grey MDF

panels and the pinewood cubes that rested on their surfaces. For a time, I remained focused

on the internal relationships of the work then moved my gaze outwards to the surrounding

space. By proximity the work activated the power points on the grey skirting boards, which sat

at the same height level as the cubes. This formed a strong visual bond between the artwork

and the architecture.

In the centre of the room the MDF panel grid seemed to push the white floor away, deeper

into the ground, while the pinewood cubes brought my eyes back up to ground level. My eyes

skipped from one panel to another; everything appeared to be mimicked by something else.

The purposefulness of the placement created a strong tension on the surface of the work.

Within the space, the work held a great sense of three-dimensionality, and as a viewer, I felt

compelled to circumnavigate the work.

As I walked around the space I was reminded of the embodied experience of moving the

objects into their current placement. I envisaged my body ghosting around the space from one

object to the other, ordering and reordering as I had done earlier.

I later came to term this physical echo as my displaced body. The concept of my

displaced body acknowledges the presence of my body within my final artworks. This physical

connection is evident in two ways, firstly in the history of the surfaces of the objects (as they

are hand crafted) and secondly in the placement and design of the artwork.

This physical displacement of the body creates a clear link to feminism. Although the

connection my body has to my work could appear to be stereotypically 'masculine' in

design, it encourages gendered readings of abstraction. I enjoy and place emphasis on this

autobiographical connection of art making.

I considered these concepts and the possible meanings for the work when preparing my final

exhibition piece.

'Permutations' (2005)

On 04 April 2005, Wade Schmeider, Hannah Broom and I installed 'Permutations' within the

Fox Galleries space in Fortitude Valley. Given the scale of the work, I thought it best to have

assistance. Prior to our arrival at the gallery, we discussed the process of installation and what

our designated roles were to be. First, adhering to my calculations we marked out a large string

grid in the space (aligned to the left had side of the gallery and back wall).

The process of setting up was done methodically and quietly. The grey MDF panels were

first placed in rows of four at the back of the gallery, at which point I would measure and

configure the cubes on top. I followed the same placement that I had earlier done in

'Permutations: Configuration One1. I felt like a jack-in-the-box, standing up and kneeling at

every interval to ensure the correct placement of the objects. I strived for perfection. Each

configuration was set out with deliberation and took sustained concentration. The work slowly

grew from the back wall to the front of the gallery. After six hours 'Permutations' was installed.

The finishing touches of vinyl lettering (show titlelmy name) were added to the space the

following day.

Looking into the space from the outside, through the glass windows at the front of Fox

Galleries, I was faced with a sea of cubes stretching to the back of the space (four MDF

panels wide, by eighteen deep). 'Permutations' sat comfortably within the floor space and related

visually to the colours, strong lines and geometric shape of the gallery. The positioning of the

work allowed viewers to walk around the space and to survey the surface topography from

varying angles. It also allowed space for viewers to stand back from the work and gain a

distanced perspective. Viewers were also encouraged to stay with the work longer by sitting

Permutations (2005) 227 x 1053 x 20 cm

on the couch provided.

As I looked out over the work I played back the process of installing the work and envisaged my

body systematically placing the objects onto the floor. The process of standing up and

kneeling down was calm and rhythmic. This sensation was further enhanced as I watched

Schmeider and Broom moving through and around the work. Often they mimicked my viewing

angles and paths while at other times they moved in different directions. As they physically

interacted with 'Permutations' they too became part its history. Once they left the gallery space

their displaced bodies joined my displaced body and continued to create a dialogue with the

artwork.

As more viewers entered and departed the space I began to see 'Permutations' with multiple

bodies ghosting around the artwork. This sensation increased my sense of physical awareness

and connection to the artwork through movement. Walking around the work I too mimicked the

positions and actions of others. The work appeared to be suspended in space and time and

held a constant steady position as other bodies activated the surrounding space.

When walking around the work, viewers engage their senses and, in taking part in a

level of physical theatricality, their imaginations. In this sense another body, standing in for my

displaced body, becomes actively present.

I proposed that for viewers a ghosting of the (imagined) maker was held within the

relationship of the cubes, their surfaces and their ordered placement on the MDF panels and

the modernist gallery spaces. In this sense my displaced body was actively present within my

final artworks.

For myself and at least some viewers, I propose that there was a kind of transfer of the slow

sense of time taken in crafting the work, and in the careful planning and placement of the work

within the architectural space, to their experience of the work. In turn, each viewer activating

the space, observed by others, became part of the work's history.

Conclusion

The outcome of this project has been to clarify and confirm, through detailing the various

practices I engage in to arrive at an end product, the significance and operation of embodied

interaction in producing and viewing my minimalist installations.

Consequently, the main point that I have confirmed during this project relates to the way in

which embodiment manifests in my minimalist installations. I contend that aspects of the

placement of the objects, their surface quality, the architectural space and my performance in

setting up, intermingle in the viewers' experience of the work.

By walking around the artworks, viewers actively engage in a level of physical theatricality,

which enhances an awareness of the human body. In this way the viewers' body stands in for

my displaced body.

Both my displaced body and the ghosting of the viewers' body create a strong dialogue

between the artwork and the surrounding modernist architecture. I place emphasis on this

connection, yet am aware that alternative readings are prevalent amongst viewers.

The amount of time spent in the space defined by each work is an important factor. I believe

that if the viewer stays with the work, they may embrace the embodied feeling of physicality

due to the relationship their body shares between the work and the architecture.

So while the way my work look has remained relatively consistent during this project, my

articulation and understanding of how the work operates has developed considerably, so that

embodied readings of my installations are possible.

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