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FAUX Aims
I plan to create an imitation series of digital paintings shot within a man-made classical
interior.
I intend to make work which demonstrates the possibilities of using digital media to
replicate the aesthetic impact of paintings and their typical display setting in the classical
era.
I hope to produce work which celebrates the eclecticism of highly regarded British art
collections, and by applying pictorial mimicry to photography, satirically elevate my
family into the aristocratic upper class. By looking at the techniques of master painters
and digitally mimicking the formalism and generic subject matter rather than necessarily
the composition I hope to create digital images, with fantastic ecclesiastical feel and
ethereal painting quality. I hope to question the media used and also the authenticity of
the subject matter merging romanticism and reality rather than realism and
acknowledging the irony in transforming something completely modern into that of a past
era.
I will go beyond the individual imagery and look at the environments where we
commonly associate and view these works, most often stately homes or classical
galleries. As my project is titled FAUX I will study the techniques of faux interior
decorative finishes and build an installation setting to hang the work replicating a setting
with such visual impact as a 19th
century British aristocratic home or classical gallery
such as the Uffizi. From this setting I will produce a series of exhibition standard, interior
shots giving the illusion of the work placed within a classical architectural context. The
‘digital paintings’ will then be re-shot on location.
I will question elitism in a slightly kitsch, sardonic but blithe, pleasant way. And pay
homage to methods used to idolize individuals through iconology.
Visual illustrations
Work presented within the interior of Ditchly house, Digital painting – Own work, sorry
not too many variations yet.
The Paintings of Johann Zoffany are an excellent visual illustration of the desired final
content. They capture both the exclusivity and visual clutter of the interiors that inspire
my work.
Johann Zoffany – Tribuna
In Zoffany’s work the gentry are included alongside the classic art (that which was
deemed to be most highly esteemed) in doing so it could be argued he created the perfect
reflection on success as by including oneself within classicism one automatically became
of intrinsic worth.
Obje c t i v e s
To create a body of work in various forms of presentation which have the potential for
exhibition beyond the MA.
To produce art which not only engages academia through conceptual interest but also
through the creation of compelling imagery.
Using photography and the options that digital photographic editing can bring to the
modern image; manipulate atmosphere, texture, detail, colour and drama in my imagery.
To study the evolution of art and the necessity or place of the painted image in the art
world and question whether one can produce an equally compelling image through digital
media.
By utilizing the eclectic nature of valued British art collections recognize and appreciate
the technical abilities and style of the highly valued painters who comprise European Art
History and acknowledge their influence on contemporary art practices.
To explore the relationship between art and it’s value through historical ownership and
style of display.
Rati ona l
Background
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my art and passions, having found it surprisingly
difficult to settle into the course and finding the “thing” that really clicks. I’ve doubted
my limited experience with creative digital technology, which was originally learnt to
replicate landscapes of historical scenarios, and pondered the authenticity newness or
originality in the conceptualizing of my work. Perhaps this is a result of having been
away from a creative, artistic peer group and also my own culture for the last 6 years.
However, luckily I was recently kick started when commissioned to paint a series of
paintings on canvas for a contemporary interior, replicas of natural stone, a fashion
currently reemployed by many modern interior designers.
Faux Marble painting 4/5ft. Own Work.
The pa in t ed i l l u s i on
My research for this project led me to the history of artists who first used these
illusionary techniques.
In short, the first examples of faux marble can be found on Mycenaean pottery dating
back 4,000 years. During the Renaissance the ability to render realistic stone finishes rose
to the levels of high art – it was lighter than stone and less expensive. It was respected
and regarded as challenging to paint something so realistic that it was difficult to
distinguish it from the real thing. The French later used artists to create illusions of space,
natural environments and grand architectural structures. They call this Trompe L’oeil
(Full the eye). Oblique anamorphosis, commonly seen in fresco, is closely related to
Trompe l’oeil, however demanded an irregular viewing position as opposed to more
conventional perspective.
Trompe l’oeil, Baldassare Peruzzi, "Sala delle Prospettive," fresco, c. 1515, Villa Farnesina,
Romeeries.
Artists in the early renaissance applied glazes of yellow-oil and varnish to simulate Gold
- faux value. Techniques of glazing were also employed as a deceptive tool to age the
appearance of furnishings ‘antiquing’ and luxurious oil glazed wood finishes were
substitutes for unattainable, expensive materials.
The painting methods of the great faux artists became an integrated part of an overall
interior, as you can see in the, St. Florian Monastery, Linz, Austria where the ceiling has
a figurative scene and faux stone finishes are applied to the columns to give the viewer
the impression of marble.
Jakob Prandtauer and Antonio Carlone, St. Florian Monastery, Linz, Austria
Columns of faux marble
The idea that people choose to fake that which they cannot really have and give the
impression of a style associated with wealth and luxuries fascinated me and I considered
it a subject to expand on. The construction of a faux interior is already an essential part
of the creative arts such as film and theater but I am particularly interested in the type of
classical interior that originally adopted the illusionary techniques above. These were
places of religion, power, affluence and social stature. I realized then that I had come full
circle as another prominent connection to these environments is great classical art.
This painting project has therefore taken me comfortably back to one of my passions and
my inherent love of old master paintings and a respect for those who can and a personal
desire to be able to produce imagery of that quality.
The impac t o f t h e c l a s s i ca l i n t e r i o r a s a p l a t f o r m f o r ar t .
As a child my parents regularly took my brother and I on day trips to Stately homes and
National Trust listed buildings. I have strong memories of being in awe of the poignant
dominant images that one had to literally stand and look up to. Not to mention the scale
of the work and the interiors. The psychological impact of, tiptoeing around behind red
cord barriers surrounded by antiquities and ornate furnishings, has clearly made a lasting
impression. Yet there is an odd voyeurism to walking around these homes – many of
which are still partially inhabited by their inheritance. I remember trying to imagine the
people in the portraits as if they would be larger than life themselves.
In addition to this and also importantly in the bigger picture, I was 14 when my parents
first took my brother and I abroad. We went to Florence to see the Uffizi Gallery. The
stimuli of the crowded walls and the elaborate gold frames was overwhelming. The shear
volume of information was almost unintelligible and yet eerily chilling, as I knew from
my parents’ infectious enthusiasm what I was looking at was precious and an invaluable
experience.
(Above) Giovanni Paolo Panini, The Picture Gallery of Cardinal Silvio Valenti Gonzaga, 1749,
oil on canvas, 78 x 105.5 inches
As a result, I hope to create work, which emulates the extraordinary scale and presence of
such environments. And to use Trompe l’oeil in order to have the glitz and glamour of
gold leaf and antiquing, wood and stone decorative finishes.
Digital Landscape – depicting the original scene in a painted wall mural at the Royal Palace,
Phnom Penh. Cambodia – used here as an example of gilt framing.
M imicr y in Fine Ar t
Who said copying was wrong?
Mimicry has always had a place within European Art. Throughout history artists have
echoed the compositional elements of other great works the most obvious of these are
The Three Graces, countless works have been made to represent the notion of beauty,
charm and joy.
The Three Graces
In order, ‘Primavera’ Sandro Botticelli, Antonio Canova’s statue The Three Graces, The Three
Graces, Antonio Román, Europe Supported by Africa and America, circa 1796, William Blake.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519, An Italian clothing advertisement, Israeli
photographer Adi Nes
In contemporary art, artists such as Eve Sussman, Ken Gonzales-Day, Yinka Shonibare
and Cindy Sherman have used similar conceptual tools of borrowing to support their
practice and applied the principles to photography, and Film.
Eve Sussman's 89 Seconds at Alcazar is a short film which brings to life Diego Velázquez's 1656
painting Las Meninas.
Ken Gonzales-Day; Untitled #33 From the Museum of Broken Identities (After Goya's Black
Paintings) C-print from digital negative 40" X 30", 1996. Untitled #35 From the Museum of
Broken Identities (After Goya's Black Paintings) C-print from digital negative 30" X 36", 1996
Yinka Shonibare, "Diary of a Victorian Dandy" was a collision of performance and photography
reflecting the nation's popular taste for the period costume drama and nostalgia for a utopian past
at the heart of 'little' England.
Portrait of a Young Woman (La fornarina), Raphael, 1518-1519 Cindy Sherman works in series, typically photographing herself in a range of costumes.
To mirror interior ‘faux finish’ techniques I hope to demonstrate the same concepts
through digital technology but apply it to modern photography, resulting in (neo)
classical painterly qualities. The techniques and the process itself of layering and glazing,
copying textures, hues and marks, I realized, could well be transferred into the digital
environment.
Digital Painting, Self-portrait – Work In Progress.
Pic to r i a l c on t en t .
Collections
The beauty in mimicking stately home or gallery collections is the diversity in pictorial
style, content and artistic influence. This would be both interesting from a research
perspective and technically challenging.
Oil painting itself was and still is a very successful form of illusion, it’s viscosity and
tonal qualities allow artists to create a 2D version of life involving both atmosphere and
depth.
Oil paintings owned by the wealthy were more than just decorative; they were a
commodity within themselves and in turn a measure of success.
There is also a questionable entity within art collections as to which works are excellent
and which are of poorer quality. These painting are usually shown side by side. Works
now, seem to be valued by historical placement, and are quite unconcerned with that of
original artistic merit.
The generic aristocrat’s painting collection often comprised ‘Genre’ painting, the
classics, landscape; architectural studies, livestock, still life and portraiture of noble men,
people in power, family members.
To summarize each group I plan to exploit; Paintings had a hierarchical system in value.
The Classics, the most valued, that showing Greek or Mythological figures showed an
intelligence or worldliness of the owner, if one was painted alongside such figurines then
one had truly reached an idealized self image. Landscape; standing buildings, showed
property and therefore achievement in real estate. Livestock likewise again depicted
value through agriculture; still lifes were a mirror image of ones possessions. The lowest
category was a Genre painting, that which depicted the “lower standards of living”. In
acquiring these cheaper paintings a moneyed person would have virtue and show hope
for the world.
Portraiture was a definitive self-indulgence. To have oneself painted, in essence was to
have one’s mark permanently made. Portraiture often dominates collections and I expect
will play a large part in my project.
Portraiture continued
The slip side to the grandeur of classical portraiture is that it was both elitist and yet often
inwardly humble as the artists often had to rely on such commissions to make a living.
Something that has not necessarily changed. Painted portraiture was reserved to those in
power as a mark of family social positioning or monitory success. I considered the
duality is using present day cultural icons as my subject matter as little has changed in the
way we idolize faces.
In current times, portraits of CEOs can be seen in the boardrooms of successful
companies. In Asia portraits are used to depict power and are often of the current leaders;
Vietnamese propaganda, the heads of the Thai Royal family decorate Thailand, the
Malaysian King and Queen have their portrait in most shops and public buildings, the
prime minister is even seen on the back of buses. The head of the British Queen, as other
countries dignitaries are of course seen on all money of course an incredible international
power-base. What I’m trying to say therefore is that the head has become more than just a
simple image but has become and will remain to be a symbolic presence of power and
authority.
Every day the faces of the successful, the bold and the beautiful are projected through the
media. These images are also often altered to make them appear more appealing. We talk
about the face of Estee lauder and numerous branded products. We often get to see David
Beckham associating himself with a commercial endeavor, however it is not their beliefs
or voices that have clout, just their faces.
Hiroshi Sugimoto, 1999. Gelatin-silver print, edition of five, 149.2 x 119.4 cm.
This portrait of Yasser Arafat and Henry VIII is part of a project that featured monumental
photographs of celebrities and historical figures. The photographs however are of wax figures at
Madame Tussaud’s.
This is also a weighted angle to the work that may lead to other avenues in the future.
Perhaps to gain artistic recognition one should therefore become the face of ones own
work too. Cindy Sherman is a successful example of this.
The r o l e o f ph o t og r aphy
As Photography will play a significant role in this project, I will use a combination of
existing imagery and deliberately posed shots. Photography will be used as a tool for the
digital painting as well as to record the final scenes.
I thought therefore it would be of great value to look at Roger Fenton for stylistic and
compositional inspiration. Fenton as a photographer studied many of the same subjects,
probably, naturally due to the cultural fashions of the era. He photographed the Royal
family, Stately homes from both a landscape and interior perspective as well as still life.
It will be essential to look at his and other photographers in order to generate convincing
period images.
Roger Fenton
Roger Fenton
Self-Portrait, February 1852
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Roger Fenton
Tankard and Fruit, 1860
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Princesses Helena and Louise, 1856
Salted paper print
Photography, Film & TRoger Fenton
Valley of the Shadow of Death, 1855
Salted paper print from glass negative
Conc lu s i on
Although, It would be most interesting to work with present day icons such as politicians
and stars to emphasize the cultural change in power and success, to use my own life as a
canvas would be a solid basis from which to create my collection and would be ever so
slightly more indulgent. To visually propel myself onto the platform of upper class
historical significance would not only be satirical but would practically allow me to
utilize imagery I already possess. The imagery from my life abroad, if appropriate, could
become the landscape element and Family albums the basis from which to compose the
portraiture. It would also be a more available option and I hope would question the
authenticity of the final product as well as material value and status.
It is also a little romantic.
Finally, this project also pays homage to the rather bizarre situation that my partner Neil
and I find ourselves in here in Malaysia. Living in a gated community where guards wave
as you enter and leave and where we live in an apartment that we could only dream of
visiting if we lived within our homeland. Thus our status has been shifted through
chance and international political ranking.
The idea of reality is somewhat gray. One of my colleagues likes to remind that our
lifestyle here is “not real” something, which I understand conceptually and morally and
yet I am not comfortable with the notion that any of my experiences be deemed “unreal”
It’s all real to me.
Outcome s
A break down of what I hope to achieve.
• An artificial painted set of a classical interior.
• A comprehensive body of digital paintings, which can be shown individually.
• A set of images comprising the ‘paintings’ framed, in the context of the faux
interior.
• A set of images comprising the ‘paintings’ framed, in the context of the faux
interior using chord barriers with an active audience viewing the work.
Possible options if technical hurdles occur.
• Scale model of set
• Tee use of digital artistry to represent the interior.
• Use a borrowed interior to take the shots.
Possible extras as outcomes
• A printed book, mimicking that of a collection with all the trimmings, preface and
historian’s comments.
• Brochure.
Outcome mode l s
A diverse body of work unrestricted to one option of presentation, which will give the
work scope for show.
(Above) The work in context of faux interiors, or shown independently.
(Below) The work framed, contrasting the sterility of a contemporary gallery with that of
the rather loud, busy gilt frames. The frames will contain imagery however the emptiness
is quite interesting.
M edia
Digital photography
Photoshop
Painting
Framing
M ethodo l og i e s
Further study the stately homes and their collections. In particular that of Mount Stuart,
the isle of Bute, Scotland. Mount Stuart holds an extremely diverse and impressive
family line collection. The actual building materials within Mount Stuart are also
incredible with marbles from all over the world as well as focalized stone pillars and
mosaic tiling. All of which would be great to explore as imitation possibilities. Every
piece in the vast collection has individual history and it would be potentially of interest to
apply a fictional narrative to my individual pieces of work.
I will look into each individual painting as a system for gaining a recognizable
eclecticism in my final work. There is an extensive list of 14 renowned artists from Allan
Ramsey to Titian, from whom I can study technique and formalism.
Explore the practicalities of a scale installation and methods of faux finish through visual
examples, books and trial and error.
Explore presentation options, book presentation and printing possibilities.
Risk a s s e s smen t
No significant risk to others or myself. Images will be securely hung.
Time tab l e
Bibl i ogr aphy
.
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