on 11/3/03 1:36 pm, Teresa Vasconcelos at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Are you convinced on the efficacy of the soldier drawings?
>
>> From: Mark Anstee <[log in to unmask]>
>> Reply-To: The UK drawing research network mailing list
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2003 18:10:03 +0000
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: 'encounter'
>>
>> Dear All
>> this is my first contribution to the mailing list despite good
>> intentions to the contrary.
>> This year I was invited to be Artist in Residence at The In Flanders Fields
>> Museum, Belgium, where I had proposed doing a live drawing as a kind of
>> temporary memorial.
>> The commission was open, so I felt no pressure to illustrate or commemorate
>> any specific event. Important, as my interest lies in the use and subversion
>> of existing memorial forms and not historical authenticity.
>> I designed and had built a 4metre sq wall, 20cms deep, in the belltower of
>> the museum, and commenced drawing on the 23rd May. The structure alluded to
>> a monolith or memorial wall for a roll of honour, and acted as a blockage in
>> the middle of the museum. The depth of the wall represented an actual
>> distance of confrontation, in scale with the drawn figures. This critical
>> distance refers to the 'fight or flight' boundaries used by all animals and
>> humans when confronting imminent death or danger.
>> On completion, 72 days later I had drawn 19,386, 1:32 scale soldier figures
>> (Rucken blick) in blue biro, on both sides of the lemon plaster surface(the
>> natural colour of post-it).
>> This public articulation of a massed army as individuals was an attempt, not
>> only to slow down the viewers looking through witnessing an 'act of skill',
>> but to draw attention to the singular nature of conflict as a personal
>> encounter.
>> The drawing process was physically and mentally extreme and solicited a lot
>> of reaction from the 50,000 visitors who witnessed it, especially as the
>> work was to be destroyed at an appointed date in the future.
>> On returning some three months later I deleted the figures with a black
>> marker pen over a two day period.
>> This act of negation was seen by some as wilfull destruction or decadence
>> but, the result was actually the creation of another kind of drawing, a
>> cruder, blunter imminent piece looking more like an heroic abstract-
>> expressionist painting.
>> It was clear to me that the two opposing methods of mark-making were
>> intrinsically part of the reading-off, and the ultimate demolition a fitting
>> conclusion to this absurd act of contrition.
>> There has been a film made of the whole process which is awaiting the
>> necessary funding for post production and, a catalogue charting the first
>> stage of the drawing.
>> If any one is interested in any more information, let me know.
>> Many Thanks
>> Mark A.
>>
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The simple answer is YES, although I don't really understand your criteria
for efficacy.
It was effective for my purposes, and the people that I engaged with also
seemed to find it effective, although I understand the pitfalls of
subjectivity.
If it is a qualitative judgement ie. how good a drawing, well I'm not sure
that I can satisfy that question. Is it relevant?
The consensus has been that it was skillful, but there is no conceit in
that!
If you are asking if it was the correct choice of icon, I believe yes, it
was the only choice after 6 months of refinement.
The question whether I should have used it is academic as IT WAS what I
used!
The icon, was based on the Caspar David Friedrich device of the 'Rucken
Blik';(turned figure) and the scale was in line with soldiers used by
modelmakers and children. In fact I had remembered the size from playing
with soldiers myself as a kid, and was shocked that the first test drawings
were exact.
The use of biro; common and throw away but alluding to a facile idea of
permanence served my ideas about was is perceived as temporary, in memorial
terms.
My personal remit was to have a soldier which, was immediately identifiable
as such but not specific to any particular time.
I had to be able to produce them at a speed of appx. 300 per day whilst
maintaining a certain degree of individuality.
The example enclosed was a small section in which some were executed in 3
seconds and some in up to 30 seconds.
Hope this is of some use-
MA
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