Maps & Networks #4: Group Tutorial

30th Nov. '20

Group: Ellie, Vicky, Antonio, Avani

The group tutorial was really helpful as we were able to share ideas and get feed back from each other in order to help us push our ideas forward. We began by looking at the Learning outcomes so we had a better understanding of the targets we needed to hit when doing this project:

My Feedback: After explaining my research and the direction I was headed in, Jeremiah suggested that I look in to 1960's science fiction literature, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, by Philip K. Dick 1968. He posed a few questions which I should consider such as What is the machines memory saying? What would be the meaning behind their memories, what is an emotional response equivalent? What does the machine become once it has a consciousness? Is it a God, an AI...? I mentioned that I was interested in trying to paint the unconscious mind and looking in to the visualisation of the mind aswell

Ellie's Ideas and feedback: Ellie's initial ideas for her project revolved around the theory of the 6 Degrees of Separation. She was looking at the connection of everybody and how she could reflect this on the her work. However, it was suggested by Jeremiah that because this is already such a solid theory that had no room to change it could become limiting when trying to think of how you could reflect it on to her work. She did have an alternative idea; delving in to making a narrative which you could choose your journey much like Black Mirror's Bandersnatch. This was super interesting as Jeremiah recommended 'Twine' which is an open source programme for telling interactive and non-linear stories. He then went on to talk about the idea of looking in to poetry and how hyperlinks could be involved in this too. Furthermore, he suggested that looking in to Digital Performance could be interesting and that there is a book on it by Steve Dickson. 

Vicky's Ideas and feedback: To start this project Vicky looked at lots of aesthetic ideas that she was interested in, loneliness and the idea of looking in to a window. From this the 24/7 exhibition at Somerset House in London was suggested as there was a piece or work there with windows and projected houses that was based off a novel by John Prairie. The idea of looking at a house and windows in more of a  metaphorical way as on lockdown we have been come across a new version of lonely and how have we dealt with this. He touched on the idea of zoom being our new windows as we look in to peoples lives through a small screen and how our relationships with a screen has developed. Furthermore, Vicky was approaching this project with more of a film and narrative stance and Jeremiah said it might be more beneficial to use this project to be more experimental and try something new which Vicky also liked the sound of and agreed on this. 

Antonio's Ideas and Feedback: Antonia began talking about the theme of identity and that he felt super interested in this however, he developed this idea in to a bigger scaled film in which he wanted to save for third year so he could achieve his vision to its full potential. He then began talking about looking in to marketing and wanting to approach this project from a marketing stance. He talked about the processes and what equiptment he would like to use mainly which was interesting. He also mentioned that he wanted to involve doing a multi screen for it too. However, Jeremiah suggested that the project is mainly conceptual base so coming from a marketing perspective wouldn't go with the project and instead he needed more of a solid concept he could explore instead. 

Avani's Ideas and feedback: Avani was looking in to the mapping out of the human anatomy. She would begin looking in to this through life drawing and then develop this with research and lots of different medias which she could potentially combine which sounded super interesting. She then told us that she also thought about combining tube maps to this as the idea of looking at physical transport links across a map and then looking at the connecting systems of a body was something that interested her. This reminded me of the Body World exhibition in London which delved in to the anatomy of the body.