Dear Trevor,

This is an interesting issue as the work you describe sounds very familiar but from areas always understood as outside of drawing i.e. theatre, film, performance and installation which all have many examples of the kind of work you describe. It's possible that the uncertainty or problem you describe comes from trying to define your current work in terms of drawing, and not certain why it's seen as necessary to do this ? Drawing seems to be a principally cognitive activity even when mediated through a physical act e.g. gesture drawing or direct mark making, and therefore does seem to have some quite clear boundaries and therefore also limits in terms of its uses, purpose and understanding. This always used to show up easily during studio practice as one moved away from drawing into, for example, production of a painting, sculpture or other more developed artefact, the point of transition from drawing to a different outcome often being finely tuned but nonetheless recognisable. The difficulty is when the result of drawing is then taken through a secondary act i.e. becomes effectively a reproduction of a drawing (a form of mimesis) which is then reapplied in some way, in this instance by projection. This has a lot to do with changing the purpose of the drawing i.e. starting to use it, as a product, to do something else.
Thinking of examples I don't know if the work is still available but performance artist Nan Hoover did some very beautiful work using the human form moving through space and interacting with projected light forms which you might like? However I can't remember anyone at the time (1980's?) describing this as anything other than performance. The closest digital developments are probably in research areas such as haptics, but again are still linked to direct physiological connections with drawing rather than the secondary outcomes you seem to be working with. Not sure if this helps but if looking for the solid research mentioned it's probably good to also look at established source material with a longer history.

Best wishes,

Jennie Speirs Grant
 
(PhD researcher, University of Sunderland)         

-----Original Message-----
From: The UK drawing research network mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Trevor Horsnell
Sent: 19 March 2012 07:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: DRAWING RESEARCH

I RECENTLY CONTACTED DEBORAH HARTY AT TRACEY ABOUT MY DRAWING RESEARCH AND SHE SUGGESTED I CONTACT YOUR FORUM. IN MY EMAIL TO DEBORAH I POSED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION


I completed my Mphil/F/A at Newcastle, Australia in 2011.  I am currently studying a Grad Dip of Ed at UNE and looking for research that supports my concepts on drawing, so that I may push my senior students to explore the boundaries and definitions of a drawing.
 
My practice is what I would term intermediary as I use drawing, painting, digital photography, video, installation and construction as my modes of expression. I have experimented with video, projecting over drawings and paintings as a way to explore ephemeral marks and the ways in which they alter the perception of a work.The elements in the videos are closely related to the elements in the drawings or paintings, and I see the video as an extension of the mark making process. My thought is that the video projection is a form of drawing, where the trace is left with the viewer....and I draw parallels to the notion of what the viewer takes with them when they leave any exhibition.
 
The installations that I have constructed are immersive, phenomenological experiences where the viewer walks through and interacts with the elements and projections. As the shadows of the viewer interact with the elements in the space, as well as with those of the other viewers, I consider this interaction a form of drawing with light. The viewers experience of the installation is directly related to their actions and movements.
 
So my problem is.....that I am looking for links that may echo this idea/s and was hoping that you may point me in the right direction as I can't seem to find any solid research along these lines. I am aware of some artists that use photography and light as a way to record movement/ drawing in the darkened landscape, but nothing that relates to the use of video projection.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

CHEERS
TREVOR