MMAM（FTP） Coursework Module Assignment Four Tutor’s Report, 29 February 2024

MMAM ( FTP ) Coursework Module: Assignment Four Tutor’s Report, 29 February 2024

Brief: Choose a medium you have not worked in before and demonstrate any aspect that inspires you about the final project. Seek help and advice from those group members who favour that medium, and in turn help others to explore your favourite medium.

Overview: This assignment is designed to give the MA students a taste of multitasking. Creative professionals often work on several projects simultaneously, and this is where time management, discipline and application all come into play. While they are busy with their tasks for the final project, Assignment Four is a free brief with a stipulation that they help others on the course. Supporting fellow professionals while under pressure themselves will test their patience and generosity, not to mention how willing they are to work as a team.

Jemisha Badhuri

Jem is a 3D and sound specialist, so she chose to explore the 2D world of photography, while helping Jonathan work in sound for the first time. She submitted a series of photographs in a harsh tonal black and white, taken in and around the studio. She titled the series ‘Work in progress’. Most of the photographs were of Alyson’s bench, which, while not the tidiest, wasn’t the most representative, either. On the whole I feel Jem hasn’t gone far enough, literally and creatively, to produce this piece. While she worked with Jonathan to create her photographs, and helped him with his assignment, I understand that she refused to help others who approached her for assistance. This is not in the spirit of the course. Grade: C+

Patrick Bright

Patrick worked with Griff and Rita to explore the tricky medium of epoxy resin. Unfortunately, no other member of the course came forward to help him, which both surprised and disappointed me. It has to be said, though, that none of them count resin art among their specialisms. I was impressed with Patrick’s new-found enthusiasm for this medium, which is far removed from his key subject of freehand drawing. He made seven cuboid paperweights, each containing a dead scorpion suspended in transparent resin. Five were posed to appear at rest, one was poised with its sting ready to strike and one was curled up in death. He gave a paperweight to each of us. While all were well made, I remain unsure how they relate to the final project. Grade: D–

Jonathan Danners

Jonathan worked with Jem to learn the basics of sound. Sound does not, necessarily, need to be technically advanced to be effective, but to create something truly captivating and inspiring requires an ear for the medium. Jonathan’s three-minute soundscape was of a man screaming. As the scream went on and on, the distortion was adjusted to reveal that the screaming was actually a woman (Jem). This effect requires a higher level of technical ability and equipment, which makes me wonder whether Jem had a greater hand in its creation than might be assumed. Jonathan can be commended on his work helping Jem with her photography. Grade: B–

Alyson Lang

Alyson has mastered most artistic mediums, but stop-motion film is her least explored. For this she worked with Ludya at Alyson’s home studio, thereby neglecting their work on the installation. This is the perfect example of failure to multitask that could set a bigger project behind schedule. Ludya, who is in charge of time management, should have had more foresight. Alyson, however, managed to captivate everyone who watched her short film. She borrowed radio components from the salvage bags and created a stop-motion clip whereby six components inside a radio each ‘ate’ one another until only one was left. That piece was so sad in its lonely prison, it threw itself onto an electrode and burst into flames. A very moving and poignant film. Grade: A–

Ludya Parak

Ludya is an accomplished stop-motion artist and clearly had a strong hand in Alyson’s film. She chose to work in clay for her own project, and for once submitted it on time and without a special-consideration form. She fired her statuette in Alyson’s kiln, then painted and glazed it herself. It was striking in its simplicity and, under normal circumstances, would earn her a decent grade. However, I wonder how a face melting into the ground, its mouth set in a hopeless yawn and eyes pleading heavenwards is inspired by the final project, which so far has run smoothly and is firmly on course? Strangely, both Ludya and Jonathan created an artwork around a scream; one could almost say Jonathan’s soundscape accompanies Ludya’s sculpture. Grade: C–

Cameron Wesley

Cameron Wesley did not submit any work for Assignment Four, having partially withdrawn from the course. However, he remains in touch with his team and engaged with the final project. Grade: Ungraded

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Patrick, 29 February 2024:

Jem Badhuri

What did you think of Alyson’s film?

Patrick Bright

It was fine. I mean, you can tell she worked with Ludya. It’s Ludya’s style.

Jem Badhuri

Gela loved it. Shame Alyson wasn’t there to get her grade and see what everyone else had done.

Patrick Bright

She popped in earlier. Apparently she had a hospital appointment.

Jem Badhuri

That’s what everyone said. I wonder what’s wrong with her.

Patrick Bright

You can’t ask, in case it’s something ‘down below’.

Jem Badhuri

Is that why no one asks? Anyway, thank you for my paperweight, Pat. I’ll treasure it as a memento of the MA .

Patrick Bright

You’re welcome, Jem. The scorpion will guard your papers and stop them blowing away. I made seven, so thought I might as well hand them out. I was going to let Griff have Cameron’s, but Gela spotted it and said she’d keep it for him.

Jem Badhuri

I feel like giving away my photographs, as they didn’t get me a good grade – but my dad likes to display any work I do, so I’ll take them home.

Patrick Bright

Here’s a thing: I thought your grade was unfairly low. Your photographs were more clearly inspired by the final project than anything the rest of us came up with.

Jem Badhuri

Thanks, Pat. I agree. Where did you get the scorpions? Aren’t they from hot countries?

Patrick Bright

They are, but there’s an artist I know through the shop. She mounts dried insects in frames, even dries them herself. I begged some specimens from her.

Jem Badhuri

Why would anyone do that? Scritchy-scratchy things! Yuck!

Patrick Bright

Not at all. Insects are grand. Perfect miniature machines with exquisite detail and symmetry. Flowers are nature’s artwork, but insects are nature’s engineering.

Jem Badhuri

I’ll take your word for it, Pat.

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Jonathan, 29 February 2024:

Jem Badhuri

Congratulations! You only got a B– but that’s high for you.

Jonathan Danners

Thanks. And for your help.

Jem Badhuri

Alyson must be delighted with an A– in her least favourite medium. Gela said her film is easily as good as anything Ludya would make.

Jonathan Danners

There’s no point complaining to Gela.

Jonathan Danners

What I mean is, she knows the two of them worked together. *We* worked together, after all. It was part of the brief.

Jem Badhuri

I don’t always pick up on these things, so have to ask or risk saying something that triggers someone. But out of interest, are you and Alyson still an item? Or has she gone back to her husband?

Jonathan Danners

One: what makes you think she ever left him? Two: if you don’t want to trigger someone, don’t say anything.

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Jonathan, 5 March 2024:

Jem

Is Alyson OK? She hasn’t been in the studio for weeks.

Jonathan

She has, you’ve just not bumped into her. She has work to do.

Jem

Did her husband find out about her affair with you?

Jonathan has left the group .

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Alyson, 5 March 2024:

Jem Badhuri

Hi Alyson! Sorry not to have bumped into you recently in the studio. Hope nothing’s wrong.

Alyson Lang

I’m busy with a big commission, so can only come in now and again. There’s nothing wrong, Jem, don’t worry.

Doodle message group [Private] Gela and Cameron, 5 March 2024:

Gela Nathaniel

Patrick made paperweights for Assignment Four and gave one to each of us. He left yours with me. Do you want it?

Cameron Wesley

It’s 2024. Who uses paper? Keep it. My loss is your gain, Gela!

Gela Nathaniel

It’s a scorpion in resin and I’ve already got one myself. Your boss has gone quiet, is she happy?

Cameron Wesley

Spoke to her this morning. The unit is back where it belongs. She said something about owing you something, and that she had to sort it? I could tell she felt she’d said too much, so I didn’t ask.

Gela Nathaniel

I know what she means. Tell her thanks from me. Missing you. I spend as little time in that viper’s nest of moaning, whingeing, back-stabbing sociopaths as humanly possible.

Cameron Wesley

Bit harsh, darling. Not young Jem, surely!

Gela Nathaniel

Jem the velociraptor? You never felt the full force of her ruthless ambition. And since when was I your darling?

Cameron Wesley

Sorry, old habits and all that. Send me an HR chit about my attitude and I’ll take the learnings forward.

Gela Nathaniel

Can you send me what you’ve done of your essay?

Cameron Wesley

Thought you could help me there.

Gela Nathaniel

You told me you’d already written something about burning out of the corporate world to pursue a different career, as it’s not that far from what actually happened.

Cameron Wesley

You’re right. Just found it in my files. It’s attached. Funny how writing about yourself brings out the truth, no matter how much you want to hide it.

Gela Nathaniel

What do you mean?

Cameron Wesley

Got the sinner’s urge to confess and said a bit too much.

Gela Nathaniel

That’s fine. I’ll delete anything inappropriate; fill in the gaps and you can scrape a discretionary.

Cameron Wesley

Should we discuss all this on here? The consensus is that Doodle can be accessed and read.

Gela Nathaniel

Urban myth. Theoretically, yes, but in practice that’s a legal path no one has ever gone down, in my experience. As soon as the course ends, everything is permanently deleted. Literally someone will have to die before this is accessed.

Cameron Wesley

Interesting. Thanks for that. Kiss-kiss.

Gela Nathaniel

Kiss-kiss.