#hcafarp/tboyd

[hcafarp]

water surface

the surface is too open - the water doesn’t appear as if contained in a tank

sourced some stock video footage, slowed it, darkened it

this does look like water in a tank but is still a bit bright - tested at night it illuminates the room in the way I’d hoped but id far too bright when you look over the side of the tank.

[hcafarp]

maquette development

I’m not sure at this stage if when scaled up to life size the ‘effect’ I’m attempting will work. I want the visitor to look over the side of the tank and for it to appear that there is water below the level of the ground on which they’re standing. Somehow this doesn’t happen with the maquette - the phone appears to be at ground level - it doesn’t look like an opening in the floor down through which there is water

[hcafarp]

The maquettes and test videos

Good decision to build the maquettes. Was able to test the different videos and found things I would otherwise not have.

I’m not going to be able to use the Elan Valley footage as there is far too much movement across the water’s surface which makes it look wrong - it isn’t contained.

Using some HD ‘stock footage’ from YouTube. It’s a swimming pool and far too light, but darkening it down and slowing the the ripples seems to be working. Also found reducing the contrast and scalling down the brightness gave a good effect - NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AFTER DARK NOW

[hcafarp]

maquette mark 2

[hcafarp]

test video footage

[hcafarp]

test video footage

[hcafarp]

TBOYD

So built a maquette (going to build a better one)

This has highlighted some things that need thinking about - have several different pieces of footage to play with shot from over the top of Claerwen dam at the Elan Valley

initial video footage was way, way too light so have had to darken it

size of the ripples is relevant - some are shot from too far away and the ripples are too small others from too close so they are too big

have to take into account that this is also at phone scale and will be scaled up drastically for a monitor screen

movement of the ripples is to fast and too directional - it doesn’t look like it’s in a tank - have slowed motioned them in Sony Vegas but as they were shot at 25 fps this results in jumping footage - need to shot at least 50 fps

[hcafarp]

1st draft introductory email

Hello,

Let me introduce myself. My name is David Saunders, and I am an artist living in Wales, UK. I will shortly be taking part in the Summer Show Exhibition at HCA, Hereford, England. I wondered if you would like to collaborate with me (and others) on an art installation that will be in the exhibition?

In English, we have a phrase: the naked truth. It is thought to have come from an ancient Roman tale in which two young maidens, The Truth and The Lie, decide to bathe together. The story tells of how they meet one warm and beautiful day and agree to take a dip to cool off. They undress and take to the water. This, unfortunately for The Truth, was a trick. The Lie, seeing her chance, quickly leaves the water and stealing The Truth's clothing, runs off to the outside world. On discovering this, The Truth is enraged. She leaves the water but refuses to wear the fancy clothes of The Lie. She begins searching everywhere to recover her own garments. Unfortunately, the people she meets in the outside world are embarrassed by her state of undress. They are unwilling to face the naked Truth, but readily accept The Lie dressed as The Truth. So The Truth sadly returns to a life of solitude at the bottom of a well.

The reach of fake news around the world and our inability to distinguish it from the truth makes this ancient story one that particularly resonates in the present day. 

This story has been a favourite subject for artists throughout the centuries; however, the patriarchy represented both 'The Truth' and 'The Lie' as naked young women.  In modern times it is rightly more appropriate to depict this story without using a specified gender. And, as Truth is an abstract concept, without an ability to free itself FROM imprisonment, it is more apt to portray its liberation as definitely being our responsibility. 

In The Benefit Of Your Doubt, my re-working of this theme is through an audio-visual art installation. 

The installation itself comprises of a dimly lit room, in the centre of which is a large black tank-like structure. On peering over the sides of the tank, you see water at the bottom of it (a flat-screen monitor, face-up and showing video footage of a water surface). The room is filled with the sound of dripping and gently lapping water. From the darkness, we also hear whisperings in different languages coming from loud-speakers placed around the outside of the space.

I have written a poem to be whispered. It is in an uncomplicated form to make translation as straightforward as possible. I am sending it to a variety of countries that will together be a fair representation of global reach. If you wish to participate, all I ask is that you kindly make a written translation. Please then record your translation whispered slowly, with pauses between lines, on whatever device you prefer, be that phone, Ipad, laptop etc. Then please email the document and sound file from your country to me here in Wales. From the data I am sent, I will create a 'world-wide' soundscape for the artwork and have text in your language to accompany the work in the gallery space.

Thank you very much. I appreciate that this is a lot to ask of you. When it is finished, I will happily send recordings of the work for you to see and hear your contribution.

Here is the poem:

Many thanks. David