Studio Progress (Week 4)

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Focusing on non-linear thinking and compositional work through diagrams.

REFERENCE 1
A significant example of someone else’s creative practice that iteratively engages with diagrams and non-linear thinking/ compositional work is the project ‘Diagrams 1994 – ongoing‘ by Ricardo Basbaum.

In Basbaum’s own words he takes the diagram as a ‘tool for intervention (…) a sort of drawing (or visual poem) that mediates the dynamic flow between words and images – discursive and non-discursive spaces – or literary and plastic spaces’ (Basbaum, 2016). His iterative process and the continuous repetition of his diagrams shaped and developed his position; exploring diagrams as a collective conversation.

REFERENCE 2

Quite different from my position but using the same medium (diagram) as a tool of investigation is Jenny Holzer’s work ‘Diagrams 1976‘. Trying to explore time and space, she precisely copied diagrams from physics textbooks along with their captions. Holzer’s approach consists of a source that functions as a foundation behind the diagrams she designs. Her approach challenged me to form a story consisting only of diagrams based on a source.

Final Direction

The relation between diagram and interpretation is really connected to storytelling. As stated previously, a diagram without colours, text or a specific context can be a source of interpreting endless stories. Their abstraction forms a story with both text and image, even these elements are not part of the composition.

How a series of diagrams can be shaped into a story? And how this diagram collection/sequence will then be interpreted? (Adding words, or leaving the interpretation up to the viewer?)

→ A story structured only out of diagrams (no captions/ text), inspired from the random diagrams above (source). Creating a sequence of many new diagrams or diagram I have already created, etc.

The above story/sequence will then take the form of a zine. It can be read from any side and interpreted into endless stories.

Inspiration (source)
Random Diagrams or diagrams’ elements found in my everyday life, on products’ manuals, on food products, in buildings, at the gym, at the university, in flyers, etc.

I didn’t want a source based on a specific topic. The aim is to take random elements of diagrams, connecting them together into a sequence of diagrams that can be interpreted by the viewer (endless stories).

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Οne-page book | A6 (Α4, folded two times)

This format gives the opportunity for both sides of the paper to be filled, and a less linear way of unfolding it (in comparison with a book or a one-page book folded four times).

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Interpretations

1. A rotating eye is staring to the right. Suddenly, an art painting about space caught its eye focusing on a star which is on the painting. The star hits the planet Cronus that is next to it, breaking into smaller pieces; sun rays. These rays then hit a planet and the eye which is now blinded by the light, transforms into a star that hits another small planet, causing an explosion in the entire galaxy, becoming a comet. The comet then falls into a pond on Earth, smashing everything in various shapes.
2. Everything in life happens for a reason. Every path we follow leads us in a different journey. A bigger presence watches over us and helps us choose which path is better for us. Some call it a God, some think it’s the universe. For everyone, it might be something different but for everyone is something unique and special. Life, though, has a lot of ups and downs. Every single one of them leads to a different path. We have to trust our path and enjoy every moment until the final destination.
3. Physics – Physics – Physics, Chemistry – Physics
4. I am at a starting point on a map. I am taking the right path which leads to something I’d describe as a “challenge”. I am entering the doorway, resulting in being centered in an equilibrium. Continuing the journey on the map, I arrive at a (jungle gym, or a mousetrap) Rube Goldberg machine; a system of objects to pass through. A built contraption. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a blueprint for a Rube Goldberg and the next step is to make it real; put a ping pong ball where the arrow points down at the top of the page, and see what happens. The shaking ball is rolling across the line and passing through various stages/bars.
5. A circle rolls to the left, passing through a rectangle with curved lines, coming out as a star. Then enters an oval within a circle and breaks apart into small straight lines leading into an abstract situation. One of these straight lines moves through a knot, follows a wavy line concluding into a pipe consisting of circles, a smudge and a diagonal dashed line that leads to three other ovals. The line is now becoming a star passing through an oval and a diamond, then into a dashed smudge, becoming a circle, then a star, a square and a circle again; with the help of an arrow.
6. This is me, and this is my life. Starting from the bottom, following the journey, passing through obstacles in order to become stronger like a star. I am in the middle of a circle; the truth is always in the circle surrounded by lies that break me into small pieces. I have to collect all these pieces, one by one, passing through a procedure in order to stand up and become a star again. Now I feel that I am in the universe, the door is open. I am passing through and I suddenly become a prettier and larger star. Unfortunately, here is me again same as the beginning, passing through various stages that change me. This is how life works and the journey never ends.

Reflection

Each interpretation is so different and special. This is what fascinates me. Each viewer follow a different approach, shaping stories and creating images; just out of simple elements; shapes, lines arrows.

Most of the stories I received are really interpretative while few of them are more straightforward explaining the whole sequence using a word/subject or describing the actual elements of the diagrams.

Playing with diagrams on top of various documents such as maps, receipts, etc. (just a small experiment).

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Experiment 5

As diagrams can be found in our everyday life quite often, I was wondering how their function/interpretation will change by placing them on top or next to everyday images. Looking at the hundreds of diagrams I have already created, various images occurred leading me to my last experiment; connecting a diagram with an image.

I have decided to use the same diagram changing the position of its elements and the image in each iteration. This approach also reminded me of Max Siedentopf’s concept in his photography project ‘same, same but different’, which presents a series of photographs using the same idea, taken using a different approach from each photographer.

I have used everyday images I have taken from books and magazines (photographers: Max Siedentopf, Jack Bridgland), trying to change the form of the diagram I am working with based on the structure lines of the image. The relationship between the diagram’s elements and the image results in an extremely different situation, creating new ‘spaces’.

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Reflection

The viewer tries to connect the diagram with the image, finding a common point in order to shape a story. An image, which is obviously a very strong element of communication, makes the story more specific.

One is affecting the other, creating a powerful and communicative relationship that I would like to explore in the other half of Unit 2. Having a series of photographs that I will take (based on a specific subject), transforming them, changing their message, etc. using diagrams.

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Reference List

Basbaum, R. (2016) Diagrams, 1994–ongoing. Berlin: Errant Bodies Press. Available at: https://www.errantbodies.org/Basbaum.html (Accessed: 10 May 2021).

Berger, J., (2008) Ways of seeing. UK: Penguin Modern Classics, pp. 8-9.

Groves, K.S. and Vance, C.M. (2015) ‘Linear and nonlinear thinking: A multidimensional model and measure’, in The Journal of Creative Behavior, 49(2), pp. 112-113.

Holzer, J. (1976) Diagrams 1976. Available at: https://projects.jennyholzer.com/drawings/diagrams-1976 (Accessed: 10 May 2021).