Final write- up

Magnetism Division

 

My work has come together to reflect Magnetism and Control in relation to the Manchester Music Scene of the 1970s and 1980s and the band Joy Division. The city became a 'magnet' drawing people in, a mass of people all attracted to places where they were sure to experience a vibrant and interesting time.

Ian Curtis from the band Joy Division has been a very influential part of my work. Listening to his lyrics filled with imagery of desolation and emptiness. Trying to portray his struggle with depression and epilepsy, he was as controlling as he was uncontrollable.

The idea of controlling the reaction through magnetism, and magnetic systems:
Resin entrapments containg iron filings, connected on the fabric using magnets, representative of the uncontrollable reaction of mass of people being attracted to the music scene and how the music controlled them.
Resin entrapped straws, representative of the electrmagnetic systems in the brain in relation to how Ian Curtis suffered from epilepsy and his fight to take control of it.

'Confusion in her eyes that says it all.

She's lost control.'

The piece is a delicate response to my reasearch about the Manchester Music Scene but thinking more about the scientific elements and creating a regimented controlled structure of a magnetic form.

Unit X summary

Reflecting on how Unit X has been over the past few months, I have so much appreciation for having the opportunity to work in such a fantastic environment as Hotspur House. It helped me generate so many ideas by just looking around the workspace, there was always some visual inspiration.

 Also I have furthered my knowledge about the Manchester Music Scene, in particular about Joy Division and Ian Curtis. I didn't think that that was the way my project was going to go, but I went with it and I'm really pleased that I did. During this project I have experimented with many different types of materials such as magnets. I have found that the link between textiles and science is very interesting and it is something that I would like to explore more in future projects. 

I look forward to our exhibition, we have a lovely space and hopefully it will generate a lot of people visiting the gallery at blank space. I think we have pushed the boundaries of Textiles and the outcome of our work from this project has been created from quite industrial materials.

It has been the best project for me so far in terms of pushing me to really explore what I want from my work, and having time to think abut the processes.

Postcard image ideas

Another possible image for the postcard..

Postcard ideas

I would maybe like this to be the image I eventually put on the potcard..


Textile In Practice


Hannah Sulek - hansulek@hotmail.com

Magnetism Division


Im not sure about the name yet but I was thinking as Joy division and magnetism have been the main foucus of the project it might be a good idea..

Hanging Resin Straws

Experimenting with ways of displaying the resin casts, using magnets attached through the fabric attracted to the iron filings set in the resin. I intend to use a similar idea for my exhibition, through the connection of magnetismand making a hanging form with threads falling through the fabric also.

Resin Straws

Thinking of ways to create this linear connection. I initially didn'tthink this idea of setting the resin in drinking straws would work, I thought the resin would just stick and would'nt peel off.. However I am really pleased with how they have formed. I intend to try several ieas I have of how to display the straws, by entrapping them in fabric and also having them attached by the magnets to see how they hang..

The brain and magnetic activity

Thinking of ways to connect my samples through magnetism. Making networking systems using magnets and magnetic painted threads.. Taking inspiration from imgaes of how wires can be connected to the body, in particular the brain, as it is a main example of a networking system. Also relating back to my past thoughts about Ian Curtis and his struggle to control his epilepsy. Linking these ideas, of trying to control something through magnetism..

Resin entrapments

Experimenting more with the iron filings entrapped in resin, then using a magnet to create movement within them. Also trying to create some kind of ordre and thinking about how I could possibly embroider them onto fabric, or use magnets to connect them to something. Still thinking how to create this idea of a magnetic network, and making connections.

Eva Hesse

I have been very much inspired by the work of Eva Hesse, her drawings and structured pieces express ideas of ordered arrangements in a regimented style. I have been applying a similar idea to my own work, creating somekind of control and order to how I have structured my samples. For myfinal exhibition piece I plan to make a series of hanging forms as part of a instalation piece and I think Eva Hesse has so many amazing examples of this. In particular I have been looking at how she arranges her pieces within the sapce in order to make as big an impact as possible, she seems to keep the arrangment very structured and tidy, this is what i would like my work to portary also as our group have discussed the ideas of a space that is quite clinical and clean looking, in keeping with our collaboration of textiles and science.

Victoria May

From seeing this image in the book By Hand her aim was to illustrate the idea of heaviness as a comfort.
This really reminded me of the piece I made entrpping the iron filings into the fabric, I di like the weight of the fabric caused by the metal, and this is what she has created here.

Metal Paste

I made my own metal paste using metal powder, glue and water. I then painted it onto the fabric. I was quite difficult to stitch into but the idea of the sample is to portray the idea of opposites attracting like magnets.

Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst, "In and Out of Love (White Paintings and Live Butterflies)", installation view, 1991

Still thinking about this idea of conrolling the reaction and entrapping it somehow. This piece by Damien Hirst keeping the butterflys in a closed-off environment and controlling what they do in just one space. Its making me think how I can use space and take control of the reaction within my piece, entrapping the reaction.

Entrapped iron filings

Still thinking about the ieda of control and entrapment. Here I have made a regimented structure of small pockets each holding a small amount of iron filings. Thie piece has quite a weight to it and I intend to really experiment with this idea and make bigger samples using a similar structure. Each if the french knots represents the electromagnets in the brain and the networking systems are shown through the loose threads. The iron rusted when i bleachedthe fabric and left it dampbut I quite like the colour left on the fabric and I intend to explore this more.

Controlling the attraction

Recently from researching for my contextualising practice essay I have broadened my knowledge about Communism and how it had such a huge imapct on design and art. I have taken this idea of very regemented structure when making these pieces. I wanted to control the attraction of the magnets, and so Ive made these small samples entrapping iron filings and embedding the magnets within the fabric to see the kind of movement the magnets cause, but to keep this reaction within a small, controlled environment.

Sketchbook drawings

Thinking about the structure of the sample and how I can apply this the other ideas. Looking at the movment of the iron filings an then eventually how they settle into place.

CV

Curriculum Vitae Hannah Sulek

Personal Details

Name: Hannah Michele Sulek

Email: hansulek@hotmail.com  

Blog:   http://hansulek.blogspot.co.uk/

 Practice

Currently my practice reflects conceptual art-based pieces, connecting my love for embroidery and also history. I enjoy researching for projects as some of the projects I have done reflect quite sensitive issues or events, and so it does often require a lot of historical research. I’m constantly reading about artists and designers in order to gain a clear understanding of the type of concept I would like my own work to reflect.

My most recent project has allowed me to be a part of a collaborative group, and we have meetings on a regular basis discussing our current ideas and also sharing ideas about other members in the groups work. The theme for the project has been ‘Interrogating Manchester’, and I have been looking at how the city is a ‘magnet’ for drawing people in on mass, I then related this idea to the Manchester Music Scene, in particular the band member of Joy Division Ian Curtis and how he suffered from epilepsy. I have make connections with this research relating the ideas about magnetism to the electromagnetic activity in the brain. I have been entrapping iron filings and magnets in fabrics and seeing the different reactions I can create, hopefully these ideas will be shown in a final piece to be exhibited.

Education and Qualifications

GCSE’s St Gabriels R.C High School – (2003-2008)

(A*)- 1 - Music

(A)- 6- Physical Education, Religious Studies, English Literature, English Language, History, Art and Design.

(B)- Mathematics

(C)- Additional Science

A levels Holy Cross Sixth Form College- (2008-2010)

(A)- Art and Design

(B)- History

(A) Textiles –As level.

BTEC Manchester School of Art- (2010-2011)

Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Distinction

Work experience

Forensic Investigation – Bradford Park (2007)

I spent a week work-shadowing a Forensic Investigator, I was shown all the different department within Forensics, including DNA, Footprints and Fingerprints. I found my week there extremely fascinating and I was able to approach what I had seen in a creative way as it was all very visual.

Imagining Bury (2009)

I was given the opportunity to participate in a group project called ‘Imagining Bury’ with the artist Emily Campbell. We were able to take part in several workshops leading up to creating a public art piece to be part of the new Townside Health Centre. During the workshops we were set a creative writing task about inspirational sites around Bury and we related them to images we later developed using photoshop.

St Mary’s Hospital ( Annie Harrison) (2012)

Earlier this year I worked with the Textile Artist Annie Harrison over a few days helping her construct and installation piece. She was willing to let us tell her our opinions and possible ideas of the positioning of the piece. The exhibition was at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

Whitworth Art Gallery, ‘Serious About Art’ (2012)

I spent a weekend doing some work experience with Textile Artist Kate Egan, helping as an assistant with the workshops. Together with the people taking part in the workshops we made a collaborative piece and also helped them with techniques such as stitch.

Employment

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum (2010-present)

During my time working at the Museum I have gained a variety of skills, the job requires me to be very versatile as I work I the Museum Galleries and in the Cafe. Whilst working in the Galleries I do 30 minute demonstrations of the old textile machinery and each time I work there I learn something new. It has been a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge about the Textile Industry. Also I run craft sessions with the children visiting the Museum during the school holidays.

Hollister Co (2012-present)

From working in retail, there is a great contrast in comparison to my other job, but again I have gained skills from working in Hollister, as customer care is the main thing the managers expect from their employees and it has also developed my communication skills.

Referees

Kate Egan
Head of Textiles in Practice
Manchester School of Art Manchester Metropolitan University
Tony Ratcliffe Programme Leader, Foundation Art and Design Manchester School of Art

Annie Harrison

www.annieharrison.co.uk

Louise Jacobson

Helmshore Mills Textile Museum

Magnetic paint sample

Using magnetic paint on fabric and hand-stitch. Thinking about networking the threads and connecting the fabrics coated in magnetic paint together.

Joy division and Ian Curtis

From researching the Mancheter music scene Ive gathered certain information about the journey of the band Joy Division and their troubled band member Ian Curtis. At first I was attracted to the design of the album cover Unknown Pleasures as it reminded me of one of my samples from the last project, in the sample I had used drawn thread work. However it also made me think that a magnet could maybe be attracting the lines in that direction. Also I became quite interested that Ian Curtis suffered from epliepsy and it made me think about the functioning of the brain and that I could somehow link my idea about magnetism to the electromagnetic fields in the brain. 

Sketchbook drawings, magnetic particles

Some drawings from my unit x sketchbook of paramagnetic nanoparticles. Thinking about the arrangement of the particles across the space, an clusters in a confined area.

Ahmed Mater

http://ahmedmater.com/artwork/magnetism/fre/tim-mackintosh-smith/

'Ahmed Mater gives a twist to a magnet and sets in motion tens of thousands of particles of iron, a multitude of tiny satellites that forms a single swirling nimbus.'

Just really love the simplicity of the materials and the shapes the filings create from movement.