Martynka Wawrzniak

An artist Andrea recommended to me in the Crit, very much related to what I want to do.
She uses melted chocolate (looks like it's been watered down) and pours it all over the model. The chocolate becomes suffocating, and you can't help but empathize with the girl as she chokes and splutters through the video until she is almost completely submerged. The effect of this video becomes very abject, and it's sort of difficult and unpleasant to watch...I found myself worrying about the model, and sort of gagging when she does.

http://www.martynka.com/chocolate/large2.html

'Candy' Honey scene

In a recent crit of my work, I was told to look at this scene in the Australian film 'Candy'. Thanks to Theo for finding this for me I know it took a while! Watch from 6:20:

Golden syrup Films

So I've taken this further and spent a couple of days filming hands being covered in golden syrup. I wanted to create a very sensual experience for the viewer, and ideally I'd probably see these videos projected in High Definition. I'd like to experiment with the sound the syrup makes as it pours also. I really want to do this on other parts of the body, particularly the head/face. Here are some stills from my films:

Fascination with Viscosity

Recently I have become really interested in using viscous materials in my practice (e.g. fairy liquid, melted sugar, tooth paste, and most recently honey or golden syrup). An online definition I found of viscosity: 'The state of being thick, sticky, and semi-fluid in consistency, due to internal friction.'

I find it so interesting that as humans, we seem to be transfixed by the pour of these sorts of materials. It's like an instinctive behavioral trait we have, to want to watch things spill or pour, and when watching them we often get the feeling that we want to touch them or put them in our mouths. I think it's stemned from infantile desires, when you're a baby and you discover the world through touching things and putting them in your mouth.

The shapes that liquids form when poured are beautiful and organic, and when slowed down, or when a very viscous material such as golden syrup is formed, it's mesmerizing.

Here are some experiments I've done applying syrup to the skin:

   

Emeco and Coca-cola collaboration

A film in which a chair made from recycled coca-cola bottles is frozen in a vast cube of ice

Elena Kalis Photography

A photographer I recently stumbled across, who does a lot of work underwater. The clarity of these pictures is amazing, and I think they are very sensual, in that the image looks like I think it would feel to be the girl underwater....if that makes any sense! The images are dream like, so beautiful and peaceful to observe, it makes me want to be that girl, and experience what she is experiencing. I have recently been doing a lot of film and photography work, and this photographer has really inspired my choice of lighting and subject.

Pipilotti Rist

I recently visited the Pipilotti Rist exhibition at the Hayward Gallery which I found to be a refreshing experience. Unlike many exhibitions which I find to be hard work in a way (often involving a lot of reading about the work, trying to work out what is going on, etc), this was just such a relaxing experience. Videos are projected onto floating bits of fabric, creating a dreamlike effect, and the viewer is invited to lie back on bean bags. I think these films really encourage some sort of infantile desire within the viewer, they are the sort of videos that you want to watch, and its a pleasant experience to be surrounded by them. I also like her projections into objects like shells, which you have to peer in to view.  

Gunnar Aagaard Anderson

Lynda Benglis