2007 – 2015 11 Examples - Dan Dowland · 2020-01-29 · Daniel Dowland of: 46, Theydon Road,...

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DanDowlandOldGlories

2007–201511Examples

CONTACTT : 0 0 4 4 ( 0 ) 7 4 9 6 0 7 4 3 8 0 E : d a n d o w l a n d @ g m a i l . c o m

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Tokenis+cthemespermeateallofthisseries,onethatappropriatesthecommunallyacknowledgedvaluesoftheU.S.flaginordertoenterintoadialogueaboutwhatitisto‘own’ortorejectthesevalueswhentheyaregraphicallyrepresentedinmediathatarenotrepresentedina‘classical’ordeferen+almanner.

Laterintheseriesaformofpictographicornota+onallanguagedevelopsallowingusto‘read’digressivetropesintotheactualbuildofthepieces.

Yetallofthesepiecesuseretrogressiveelementsofwhathasbecomea‘consumerist’societydespitethefactthattheoriginalvisionoftheAmericanFoundingFatherswasnotpremisedonconsumerism.

Allimagesarelowresolu+on.Highresolu+onversionsareavailable.Theinforma+onhereindisclosedisandremainsatall+mesConfiden+alInforma+onwhetherofavisual,technical,commercial,opera+onalorfinancialnaturerela+ngtothebusiness,andaffairsof:

DanielDowlandof:46,TheydonRoad,London,E59NAUnitedKingdom.Itisnotfordistribu+oninanyformwhatsoeverwithoutthepriorpermissionofDanielDowland.London.May2015.

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Discussion.

Buildinguponthenascentdepic+onsofthemono-mythsofthepreviouspiecesinthisseries,‘DollaroverDream’exploitsthoseelementsbutalsointroducesanen+relynewanduniquemediumwithwhichtodoso.Revisi+ngtheshoddyandfirehosematerialscul+vatesanewtemporallybasedstorytellingfreedom.Thetople^ofthispiecedepictslongersec+onsoffirehosethatmightrepresenttheFoundingFatherDreamsofindividualsequalbutwithboundlessopportuni+estoextendthemselves.However,aswemovefurthertotheright(or,poli+callyRight,)thecolorgreenstartstopermeateitsinfluencethroughtheblueoftheini+aldreamandassuchthoseindividualsbecomeshorter,lessenedinstatureandselfsubvertedyets+llaaachedtothesurfaceoftheini+almime+c.

Theinforma+onhereindisclosedisandremainsatall+mesConfiden+alInforma+onwhetherofavisual,technical,commercial,opera+onalorfinancialnaturerela+ngtothebusiness,andaffairsof:DanielDowlandof:46,TheydonRoad,London,E59NAUnitedKingdom.Itisnotfordistribu+oninanyformwhatsoeverwithoutthepriorpermissionofDanielDowland.London.May2015.

ArHstsInsight.

ImadethispiecearoundanideabyBenjaminFranklin,anAmericanFoundingFatherwhoappearsontheAmerican$50billwhosaidwordstotheeffectthatthereisnogreaterthreattoAmericanfreedomthanawell-organizedbank.SoItooktheblueoftheU.S.flagandfadeditoutintothegreenoftheAmericanDollar.IthenfadedtheredoftheflagintoorangeandthenwhitesymbolizingthelossoftheAmericandreaminthefaceofthebankingindustries.SidngontopofthesecolorsareblacktubeswithwhitetopsthatsymbolizetheslavesthatbuiltAmerica.

‘DollarOverDream’Acryliconshoddy,firehose,epoxyresin.

2mx1mx10cmAnabstrac*onoftheAmericanFlag.

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Discussion.

TheimagineddeferenceshowntotheimageoftheU.S.flagisexaminedinlightofitsinabilitytosufficientlyencapsulatethespectrumofreali+esthatthisimagesupports.Socie+esseekmeaningacrossthebio-psychosocialspectrumthatisnotcommissionedonthebasisofevidence.Hence,thecolorreversalinthisdepic+onactsasanaidememoiretotheideathattheoverallpiececarries.Whichisthatofthegradualbleachingoutofthepromiseofthesemiologythatappertainstothisformofgraphic.Thatpromiseisbothreversedandfadingeveninitsactualmanifesta+on.


‘DreamFade-1’Acryliconshoddy,firehoseandepoxyresin.

1.5mx1mx10cmAnabstractedAmericanFlag.

ArHstsinsight.

IreversedthecolorsoftheU.S.flagandplacedthe‘stars’oftheflagonadeliberatelylowqualityboardbackgroundtoenhancetheideaoftheinabilityofanyflagtosummarizeanyna+onsreachandexpecta+ons.IusedblacktoppedabstractfiguresrisingfromthesurfaceoftheflagtosymbolizetheslaveswhohelpedbuildtheAmericanna+on.

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‘DreamFade-2’Acryliconshoddy,firehoseandepoxyresin.

1.5mx1mx10cmAnabstractedanddissembledAmericanflag.

Discussion.

Thelong-termcondi+onofthatwhichisperceivedasbeingcertainandinviolateisexaminedinthispiece.Deliquescencegovernsourpercep+onsofthereversedcolorsoftheUnitedStatesflag.Yetitsfadingismo+leandhasasenseofenergyalmostasifinthecollapseofonestate,anotheriscreatedandtheuniversalbiologicalsubstratesandsystemsofthinkingthatsupportthispieceinformasociallyderivedphenomenaforirrespec+veofcountryandcontext.


ArHstsInsight.

UsingcomplementarycolorsinthispiecemeantIcouldexaminetheideaofareversaloffortunethatunderliesthekeysignifiersintheU.S.flag.TheflagisfallingtopiecesbecausetheAmericanDreamisitselfalwaysinastateofperpetualcollapse,andyet,despitethesesubversionstheoverallpieces+llretainsarecognizablecoherence.

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‘History,RepeatAVerMe’Acryliconshoddy,firehoseandepoxyresin.

0.5mx1mx500cmAnabstractedAmericanFlag.

Discussion.

Eachpartofthispieceisakeysignifierfortheother.Notjustthesurface‘other’butalsothesubconscious‘other’.Apopula+onwhohascommunallyacknowledgedagroupspectrumofsignificancetobeencapsulatedinaflag,whichisitselfasociallyderivedphenomena.informsthedevelopmentofinterven+onsirrespec+veofcountrycontextsandculture.Indoingsoitfeedsonitself.Thisworkexaminesthefeedbackloopthatresultsthatofexpecta+onderivingcontextandmeaningandviceversa. Theinforma+onhereindisclosedisandremainsatall+mesConfiden+alInforma+onwhetherofavisual,technical,commercial,opera+onalorfinancialnaturerela+ngtothebusiness,andaffairsof:

DanielDowlandof:46,TheydonRoad,London,E59NAUnitedKingdom.Itisnotfordistribu+oninanyformwhatsoeverwithoutthepriorpermissionofDanielDowland.London.May2015.

ArHstsinsight.

InthispieceIwantedtoshowthatthegraphicshumansusetorealizeacollec+veunconsciousareselfsuppor+ng–eachpartfeedingofftheotherinademonstra+onofautotelicismthatweareallsupposedto‘buyinto’.Sotheblacktubes‘supply’theideasforonepartoftheflagintoanotherpartandviceversainaneverendingcycleofcommunallyaccepteddelusion.

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‘SuffocaHon’

Acryliconshoddy,firehoseandepoxyresin.0.5mx1mx0.5m

AnabstractedAmericanFlag.

Discussion.

Theideaoftheoppressivenatureofconsumerismanditsabilitytocreateasuffoca+ngsenseofoppressionintheideologiesthatliebehindtheU.S.flagareexaminedinthispiece.CrushedintoandyetpartoftheU.S.flagarekeysignifiers,thebyproductofanothersystemofsocalled‘consumerchoices’.Theuseofapar+allysubmergedchairissomethingofadark,comedicmoment–perhapssta+ngthatwechoosetositon,andthereforeignore,theimpactofthatso-calledchoice.TheuseoffadingcolorsisreflectedinthisculturaldiasporawiththegreenoftheflagreferringtotheAmericanDollaranditsimpactonthecurrentinfatua+onwithdebtanditsrela+onshipwithconsumerism.


ArHstsInsight.

ThegreenoftheflagturnstoblueshowingthefadingoftheAmericandreamintothecravingformoneywhilstthepipesarethefeelingsofthepeoplewhositontopofthisfadeddreamonthepar+allysubmergedchair.Gofigure.

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Discussion.

PalletFlag’,constructedasitisfromthrowawayconsumeristtransporta+onmaterials,reiteratestheabilityofpartsoftheAmericanDreamaspersonifiedbytheU.S.flagtotranscenditself.‘Meaningness’thereforeevolvesthroughthefluidicstarsthatalsohaveelementalreferencestothebuaerfly,acreaturethattransformsitselfintoanalmostmys+calbeautyfromimmobilityandanapparentexternalcrudity.Yetinthispiecetheyareaaachedtoagreenbackgroundthatrepresentsnotonlythegreenof‘supernature’andofhope,butalsothegreenoftheAmericanpetrodollar,towhichthepaper(andthereforetransient)representa+onsofbuaerfliesaaachedtothegreenofsuch‘change’remainveryfirmlyaaached.

‘PalletFlag’Plas+c,wood,paper,acrylic.

140cmx90cmx12cmAnabstractedUnitedStatesflag.


ArHstsInsight.

Iusedapallettocreatethisitera+onoftheU.S.flagasIthoughtitagreatanalogyfortheconsumersocietythatAmericasupports.Thepalletiswhatiso^enusedtocarryandtransportgoodsandbyusinganemptypallet,Ifeltitmadeacommentonthatsociety.

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Discussion.

HerethestarsoftheU.S.flagaredenotedwithblackplas+csthatarethemselvesderivedfromoil,anintrinsicoftheAmericaneconomy.Thefactthatthepieceisalsoopenendedandsharplypointedseemstoindicatethatthereisthepoten+alforthetropetoredevelopitself.Thattheworkismadeofrecycledmaterialsandthatthestarsoftheflagareblack,notwhite,andmadeofplas+c,afunc+onofoilisanironybutatthesame+mealessoninaspira+on.

‘LongSharpFlag’Plas+c,wood,paper,acrylic.



ArHstsInsight.

IfeltthataCaribbeaninfluencewouldbeaninteres+ngstar+ngpointfordepic+ngtheU.S.flag,asthecountryhashadsuchalas+nginfluenceonCaribbeanculturesandthatitmightbeagoodstar+ngpointforadialogueaboutthepowerofthepetrodollaroverthem.SoIusedblackplas+ctodenotethestarsoftheflagitselfanoilderiva+veandhadthemgrowingfromagreen/pastoralbackgroundwiththejaggedredarmsoftheflagindica+ngthesavageryofsuchinfluence.

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‘ShortSharpFlag’Plas+c,wood,paper,acrylic.


Discussion.

Apparentlyindirectopposi+ontoLongSharpFlag,ShortSharpFlagdepictstheplas+ciza+onofthestarsoftheUnioninwhite,perhapsthereforederivedfromoil.butatthesame+medenyingtheoriginsoftheirmaking–notdirty,blackandoily,butsqueakycleananden+relyremovedfromtheirorigins.Again,thenaturalistgreencolora+onandthewoodenstructurewouldseemtolendthemselvestotheideathatthereisadisconnec+onbetweenthefutureoftheAmericanDreamanditsorigins.


ArHstsInsight.

Usingnaturalmaterialsandnaturalinksinthispieceallowedmetocounterpoisetheplas+cstarsposi+on.Ineffect,thisenhancestheideathatAmericathatwasoncebasedonanaturalis+csetofsmallerna+ons(‘FirstNa+ons’)isnowaplas+cizedderiva+veofthatnascentcountry.ThenaturalmaterialsIusedarealsopre-formedandagainstelementsdiscardedfrommanufacturingprocessesaddtothecounterpoisingeffectofthepiece.

‘BatonRougeFlag’Plas+c,wood,paper,acrylic.


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Discussion.

Towhatextentshouldweinterveneinsocialcondi+onsversustheindividualagencyandathle+cismoftheempoweredindividual?HowmuchdoesthesymbolismlatentintheU.S.flagholdusinthisformofthrall?ShouldwetakeanEpicureanorandAthenianposi+onontheinvestmentthattheindividualmakesintheirculturaldefini+onofthemselves.Howmuchisthatdefini+onasimposi+onratherthananindividuatedconstruct?Thispieceraisesmoretangibleques+onsthananyoftheothersinthisseriesandpositsfewtangibleanswers,foronlytheintangiblewillsuffice.


ArHstsInsight.

Iwantedtodesignapiecethatcaughtthenatureofajungleenclosure,hencetheuprightstructuresintheblueareasandtheyellow‘flower-likestars’growingfromoutoftheenclosedarea,theideabeingthattheblueflag(represen+ngtheidealismoftheAmericanDreamisbeleagueredandsurroundedbythe‘green’ofaforestofmoney.

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Discussion.

In‘ColdDeadFlag’,theideaofadisconnectbetweenthepast,naturallyderivedoriginsofwhatitistobeamemberoftheAmericanDreamisdevelopedtothepointofexquisitedenuda+on.Allthatremainsofthenaturalelementsarepoin+ngtothele^,gaucheandclumsy–thatremainsofthenaturefromwhichthematerialsarederived.Theperspec+veislookingbackwards,andtherefore,therootsofitsapparentoriginarenowunnatural,derivedfromindustrialprocessesthatareofthemselvesself-subver+ng.


‘ColdDeadFlag’Aluminum,woodacrylic,nylon.

210cmx70cmx10cmAnabstractedAmericanflagwithanAluminumbaseandextendedtails.

ArHstsInsight.

Iwantedtocreateanatmosphereoffluidityinthispiecebutalsooneofcontrasts.SoIusedorganicmaterialtocreatetheredandwhite‘tails’butmountedthemontoaroundedpre-manufacturedsteelsurface.Theorganictailsec+onshavebeencreatedtoshowthatthehopeoftheAmericanDream‘bleedsout’acrossthesurfaceofaworldbasedonmanufacturedproductswhilstthestarsrepresen+ngthestatesofAmericaarehiddenoutofsight–aweakenedrelevanceintheglobaleconomy.

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Discussion.

Introducingmirrorglassintothediscursiveprocessallowsustorealizethatthesemi-reflec+vesurfaceofthe‘ColdDeadFlag’hasachievedcri+cality.ItisalmostasiftheviewerisreflectedinthechangingyetdenaturedformofwhatitistobeengagedwithAmericanconsumerism.‘Buyinto’Americaandtheviewerwilleventuallyfaceuptotheconsequencesofwhatitistheyhavebecome.


ArHstsInsight.

Ilikedthetac+lityoftheinsula+onmaterialthatIusedfortheredandwhitestripes.Ifoundthatitsribbedtexturedgavebackadegradedirregularpa+nawhentreatedwithpigment.Theunevennessofthecolora+oniscomplementedbythedegradedandirregularsurfaceofthemirrorglassandtheegg-likestarsthatarethemselvesindividualencapsula+onsoftheoverallcolorscheme.

‘MirrorFlag’420voltmat,wood,paper,acrylic,mirrorglass.

120cmx55cmx2cmAnabstractedAmericanflagwithana<achedmirrorglasssec*on.

DanDowlandOldGlories

CONTACTT : 0 0 4 4 ( 0 ) 7 4 9 6 0 7 4 3 8 0 E : d a n d o w l a n d @ g m a i l . c o m

2007 – 2015 11 Examples - Dan Dowland · 2020-01-29 · Daniel Dowland of: 46, Theydon Road,...

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Transcript of 2007 – 2015 11 Examples - Dan Dowland · 2020-01-29 · Daniel Dowland of: 46, Theydon Road,...