David Ogle

David Ogle talked to us today about his often large scaled installations, which allowed the viewer to walk around them and experience them in quite an interactive way. I found it interesting how his use of quite simple materials such as fishing line used in combination with UV light resulted in installations with great impact. In one installation, he used a fan to create motion, which is a straightforward but very effective approach. He also talked about how he used repetition in his work, repeating structures made of very everyday materials, such as straws, to create impact. 

Following this lecture, we experimented with in groups of two. By brainstorming together we were able to create a plan for what we wanted to achieve and what elements of Ogle's work we would like to incorporate. The structures we created were made by connecting straws with metal cogs, and bolts threaded on, which incorporated Ogle's technique of repetition. 

I worked with Lois and we were both drawn to different materials, me to the rusty bolts and her the colourful straws. The combination of the two created an interesting contrast of texture and form. During the construction they were lying flat on the table and didn't have much impact, but when we changed their setting to the stairs they had more interesting structures and relationships between them. They looked like they were climbing the stairs, and if we had more time I would have like to created more, perhaps 15, to take it to a larger scale. If we had a UV light source and a dark room we could have transformed these samples in the same way Ogle did in his work, as these straws are receptive to UV light. I experimented further by incorporating these metal cogs and bolts into my samples, crocheting them on wire. I also pierced a ball of bin liner and rubber bands with old nails, which I then dipped in ink and used as a drawing tool. The group crit at the end of the session was helpful in discussing the strengths of our installation and how we could take it further, such as creating more to fill the stairs. Discussing the other installations, provided inspiration for ideas in my own work, such as using neon thread in samples.