Worshop with high school students Creteil, July 2009
Workshop/ Atelier
I propose working with a group (ex:high school students) in the framework of a project based on my personal work “Combat: manual for daily survival”.
Combat, is a “photographic performance”, an action more than a result, a work by an artist who uses photography as the basis of her expression. Miki Nitadori transfers portraits and self-portraits in black onto textiles. The “identity photographs” are enlarged onto colorfully printed textiles and stretched onto canvas. The subjects are shown in full frames with hand gestures signifying “the tools for daily survival”. These gestures do not say how to continue to live but they are symbolic representations of will and a manifestation of life.
http://www.mikinitadori.com/combat.html
The final work will be photography (individual self portrait) transferred onto Regional ( If it exist) printed textiles.
Eventually it may extend to other forms of creation, such as mail art, printing a poster, and creating small books. During the exhibition, I would like to show the stages of creation through photography and video.
Content of the project
What is Combat?
Discussion about what “combat” means to each individual.
What is “combat” in daily context?
Introduction to my work.
Presentation of our goal in the project.
Introduction to photography through self-portraits
Lecture and practical work on portraits and self-portraits.
Self image as a form of affirmation /expression/communication
Finding a way to affirm oneself through self-portrait.
Using your image as a way to express an idea.
Giving your self-image to a public to communicate.
Physical movements
Lecture on symbolism in the hand gestures.
Creating a hand gesture.
Printed textiles as reflection of society
Lecture on symbolism in patterns.
How does textile pattern reflect our daily life?
Choosing the textiles according to individual vision of their daily environment /society.
Transferring self-portrait with a gesture on printed textiles
Digital Image treatment (scanning, cleaning, and transforming into graphic image).
Transferring the portrait on the printed textiles (experimenting with different possibilities).
Framing it on the canvas.
Exhibition
Planning the exhibition, installing an exhibition, designing an invitation card, sending invitations, planning an opening (presentation of works by students, interviewing the public and students, creating a happening, organizing a silent auction).
Participants: optional
An assistant : to film and help students do the practical work
A contemporary dancer : to assist students to understand movements and gestures
A historian specialized in regional textiles / patterns
A curator : to assist in building this exhibition
Ideal working conditions: 12 students per class