Master's Project Proposal

Lynda Cornwell
MA Drawing As Process
May 2007

Working Title: Waiting for the sun to shine
(If the sun doesn’t come out soon I shall have to go in search of it – new title ‘In Search of the Sun’.)

In recent years I have become fascinated with colour and light, occasionally using light in my own work. Ancient civilisations, for example the Egyptians, used light and reflective materials to adorn their buildings and make them beacons of spirituality. Jewels and coloured glass were used to capture brilliance and decorate all manner of utensils and jewellery the world over (and they still are, witness Damien Hirst’s ‘Beyond Belief’). Stained glass was an important art form in the Medieval era, and has remained so throughout the centuries, with painters like John Piper creating cartoons for church windows, and Joseph Albers experimenting with glass mosaics of found objects. Artists such as Dan Flavin have used ‘new’ lighting fixtures – often industrial versions –in their work.

I have identified that what I enjoy most about such works is the effect of GLOW, gained either from light passing through something such as stained glass windows, or light being emitted from the piece. I also admire witty or clever work – Richard Box’s field of fluorescent tubes lit from above by electricity cables refers back to Flavin’s pieces but with new observations to make – it is both intriguing and a comment on the danger of being too close to pylons and the leakage from overhead cables. (One wonders about leakage from underground cables too.)

Talking of pollution, using recycled materials is ‘green’ and can lead to ingenious artworks. David Batchelor has used old television screens, plastic bottles, and more, in his work with light. Batchelor talks of wanting to ‘transport’ the viewer by immersing him in the light and hue generated by his works – he likens it to cinema or a musical composition where viewers are held enthralled, involved in the event.

James Turrell describes his work as 3D drawings or paintings not sculpture, ‘So this was a work that came out of painting in three dimensions much more than out of sculpture. I do enjoy looking at light as a material, but we don’t tend to accord it the privilege of materiality. But I wanted to see it as material to feel it occupy a space.’.

For my Masters Project I felt I had to use light – the exact form of this changes on a regular basis as I experiment with new materials, new methods and new ideas. I intend to create installations of colour and light, using, preferably, natural light. Nothing is more wondrous than sunlight when it suddenly lights up a previously gloomy space. My aim is to capture this strong source of light and redirect it towards my fabricated objects and so create a glow of coloured light. If I can use recycled materials, so much the better.

Light is used to treat depression; colour is used to alter mood. Colour and light are hugely powerful tools in creating a healthy environment. Artwork that uses both has the potential to improve wellbeing. Batchelor’s aim of transporting the viewer and involving him/her in the work strikes a chord with me and this is what I also aspire to.