Lily van Lennep
Critical Reflection
I started this module with the intention of furthering my research in the areas of The Webcam and Porn Industry. My experience of the performance art piece, Prurience, directed my research more towards the porn industry and it’s effect on young viewers. I realised how necessary primary research is.
Going to the Calls and working on a big space at the beginning of my process made me realise I wanted to work with projection on a big scale, however I needed to do more research to know what my content was. The more I started to research pornography the more confused I became. My opinion was not black and white and it became difficult to see where my project was taking me. I was very aware of my work sounding like I was preaching, and that my audience should take a certain stand on what is right and wrong. I think this is where my primary research and finding articles of people’s first hand experience with addiction etc. helped me to direct my focus to where I am now. I began thinking about the roots of addiction and unhappiness and eventually realised what question I wanted to ask my audience: What age are our children accessing and seeing such explicit material? My work now raises a necessary discussion. I think it is thought provoking; with out taking a black or white stand on the industry. In this respect I am very happy with how the visual outcome poses this question.
There were occasions during the process where I found it difficult to practically test out certain visual outcomes due to my small space in the studio. However when I went home and had a room to myself I was able to drive my practise out of my safe research zone, and work on a bigger scale. Returning to college with more direction on the practical side gave me confidence, then being able to test things out at Pudsey gave me the critique and feedback that I needed. After the feedback at Pudsey, I realised I was over explaining things too much visually. I was not letting my audience figure out the connections in my work for themselves. Meaning that it was less thought provoking. I realised I had to strip back a lot of the noise and simplify. After I was able to do this, my final idea took shape. I have really learnt how important feedback, and listening to my peers is, for getting across the message you want.
This module has also given me great experience with team work. From the very beginning we have had meetings for the degree show. People’s presence and input have worked so well in resulting in what will be a great end of year show. Megan and myself were head of the Curation team, and I feel we have both worked very well with the rest of the course, resulting in everyone being very happy with their space. It has been such a beneficial experience and something I will definitely be able to refer back to in my future career.
At the beginning of this module I set out to learn more around the subject of Webcamming and Porn. It directed towards Pornography and I feel I have learnt so much in this process. I have realised a piece of work, experimenting with projection and imagery and I am so pleased with its result.
lilyvanlennep 