Willi Dorner/Bodies in Urban Spaces analysis

 Having studied Garret and how he interacts with the cracks and crevices in the city I wanted to find another artist who also has a performance/photography based approach, I found a very interesting person, this was Austrian artist Willi Dorner who uses gaps and tight spaces to bring attention to these visually neglected spaces of the city, he choreographs people in bright tracksuit to bend and fit into these tight spaces, to draw a small audience, then leave abruptly, thus changing the way those few witnesses see that previously inconspicuous space. 

                    ONE EXAMPLE;

  Once again, they don't name each photo/place the visit by a different name, I thought however this forthcoming photo would be the most appropriate to analyse as it is of one person and that would make it much easier to respond to than having to get a group of trained contortionists. 

             THIS IS THE ARTWORK;

 If I had to describe this artwork in five words I would use, 'bold','compelling','confusing', 'thought-provoking' and 'independent'. 

 The work depicts someone in a bright yellow and blue tracksuit, lying upside down in-between two stair railings. The choice of colours worn by the performers is very perceptive as they work very well

together therefore making a more pleasing/eye catching spectacle. The work is memorable for me personally due to the way they can transform a space so rapidly, from something as monotonous as a staircase to something quite remarkable and unique, simply by adding a person in a strange position. There has been a lot of public interest taken in Dorner which fortunately means it wasn't too difficult in finding the meaning and message he was trying to convey while choreographing this, he says,' 'Bodies in Urban Spaces invites the residents to walk their own city thus establishing a  relationship to their neighbourhood, district and town' ---'The interventions are temporary without leaving any traces behind, but imprints in the eyewitnesses' memory.' If I could ask the artist one thing it would be,' How else do you think you could change public perception of neglected and seemingly useless space', I think what the artist is doing is very valuable as it does raise a sense of public respect for the little spaces we seem to effortlessly overlook each day. The work relates to my project as it shows how people use spaces in the city to catch public attention, they don't have to create anything, but just become part of what already exists. If I was to name this particular photo I would call it, 'Everything you know is turned on its head', I'd call it this not only because the subject in the photo is upside-down but because the aim of this work is to drastically change the way you view certain spaces and what you think you know about them. I feel the work was effective, I am not going to be able to view small gaps in spaces or stairwell in the same way again. Others have had other things to say about this strange form of street art, ' 'Some of the positions were clearly very strenuous to hold. No sooner had the performers "unravelled" themselves, than they had to run on ahead to get into position at another site before the audience arrived' this shows the temporary nature of his work, and how only a handful of people will have the privilege of viewing them. 

 I wanted to use my skills to draw attention to seemingly boring and useless spaces, I went out and leaped across walls, literally diving over stuff and performing somersaults, the results were very positive indeed! 

 I am very pleased with my outcome. For me, I took a very basic structure and turned it into something oozing with visual interest and flare- having looked at Dorner I know can't help but see the spatial potential in almost anything. I am definitely going to look more closely at using my own body to enhance a pre-existing space in the future. I could improve this by finding somewhere that looks even more mundane than this and interacting with it in an exciting way.

Bradley Garret analysis-

 Bradley Garret is an American, Professor, Photographer and  Urban Explorer, he is most famous for his highly publicised exploits which involved him gaining access to Europe's highest building, The Shard and photographing it while it was still under construction. Bradley doesn't name his work individually, but has stated that each photo has undergone a lot of thought and professional decision making, the photo I have chosen to analyse is this one. 

 If I had to describe this photo in five words, I would use: urban, thought-provoking, vivid, garish and political.

 The photo depicts Garret standing on the edge of a platform on top of a skyscraper, there is a storm out at sea which he has also managed to capture, this adds to the intense drama and adrenaline of the photograph. The colour red beaming from the light below also creates this sense of danger and precariousness, I think he has thought carefully about which colours to enhance in post production of this photo. The work reminds me of French painter Fanetté Guilloud, who paints in abandoned/forbidden spaces. They remind of one another due to this close link of disused space. 

 Some of Guillouds work-

 Having spoken to him in person, I was able to ask some very specific questions which would help with my analysis, I first asked, the most important and imposing question, why, why are you creating these photos and accessing these places? His response was more than interesting, 'Some people will never, ever be able to access these places and will go their whole lives remaining curious about the contents and secrets these places have, through my photography I am democratising the city, allowing everyone to view their city, the city they inhabit', he went on to say, 'It's about appreciating space that hasn't immediately been labeled as 'beautiful', but being able to see beauty in negligence and typically inaccessible space'  the work compelled me to view my space in a different light, and gain confidence in making my own educated decisions in places that I should and shouldn't visit. I think the work is relevant to my project in the sense that it has drastically altered how I view not only my city but my life as a whole. 

 If I was to name this work, I would name it, 'Using Urbanisation for Natural Enhancement' that may sound like a mouthful, but in translation,in this photograph  he has used these man made structures to have a stunning view of a storm, a natural occurrence, it's the ultimate visual combination of the two. If I found myself inside the work, I would feel pretty exhilarated and also profoundly contempt, this activity looks so fulfilling, in fact I know it is.  

 The successful elements of this photo for me is the capturing of the lighting storm, and the strong red colour exuding from below. I want to try and capture this ballistic nature of colour and form in my own urban exploration photos, other people have said, 'his compositions are the closest thing to perfect' I agree, he doesn't adhere to a lot of rules but the rules of photography definitely are present here.

 I would also like to create a response capturing something temporary and impermanent, like the storm, using urban exploration as my tool, this connects to my research due to the ever evolving nature of the city and the changes it undergoes, the changing element, the London skyline, constantly changing, more and more glass monsters being built, only accessible by CEO's and millionaires alike, this will be the ultimate testimony to forbidden space. Here is the photo I created- I used photography for the artistic convenience, hurling an easel and paints up a thirty-five story building was not an option. 

 I am extremely happy with the photography I created. Leaning against my friend on the left, I had the remote to activate my camera while I was in position, it was very helpful. I wanted to capture every new-build that was under construction, the new London skyline, including that disaster which calls itself 'The Shard', there were no natural phenomena about however the amount of scattered light in the photo served as an acceptable equivalent to Garrets storm. I think I was very successful in showing the new London from a new angle, hopefully people will think about this photo and realise that they're spatially entitled to much more. The buildings have since got taller, this photo captures London at that specific moment also which is another link to Garret.

 I want to explore other artists who use unconventional spaces as effectively as Garret. 

Introducing the project-

 My theme for this project is Urban-Eyes, clever wordplay admittedly however I wanted to actually ask myself what it meant to live in the city, how it affects who I am, what I would be like had I grown up in the countryside? These were all very pending questions which were explored with a dynamic mind map. 

  The mind map which I created- these were all vague ideas and interests with no real intention of narrowing my ideas or generating a sub-theme at this point. When I was creating this, there seemed to be a recurring theme of risk and danger, every hobby and activity that I associated with the city seemed to be riddled with danger and unpredictability, not that people in the countryside are incapable of taking risks, but they experience different dangers. The majority of great things and relics that are accessible in the city have risk attached, I then thought about what activity interests me the most and how this could push my ideas, I like the idea of exploring and accessing derelict spaces in the city, these spaces, the forbidden spaces are visually stunning and are a great starting point for my research, I then mind-mapped my forbidden spaces idea to see what ideas spur from that, the result was much more rooted and versatile, a great start to my project.

 From forbidden spaces, which I knew I wanted to be my sub-theme I found Urban Exploration, where participants 'place-hack' their way into skyscrapers, drains, tube tunnels and derelict spaces to take amazing photos, and have amazing experiences. I thought this would be a great place to start as I am familiar with the community and have the privilege of having arguably the most key urban explorer in the world within my inner circle of friends, he is a very famous photographer and a great artist to analyse to push my ideas further!