Lino Printing
After researching Mimmo Rotella, I produced a series of media experiments that consisted of torn paper, newspaper and photographs, this was done to show how air pollution blights the atmosphere of an environment. To further develop this however, i wanted to incorporate data printed onto the collage, so that the observer could understand the severity of this global issue. This idea to utilise data to promote a point was inspired from my research of Alex Williamson's digital creations, where he would overlay powerful imagery with statistics to connote his attitudes towards an issue. To therefore do this using physical materials, i decided that a lino print would be most effective, since it would enable me to create the bold print needed to exaggerate the point.
My first lino print can be seen above, where i used a statistic taken from the WHO website, which stated that over 1 million people in china died from air pollution in 2012. I decided that this would be an important statistic to present, since it provided an idea of the scale and the major impact it can have on a human population. China is the country that in 2012 had the highest number of people dying from air pollution, which is a result of the countries naturally large population and also the poor living conditions present in industrial areas. Nevertheless this figure was chosen as it showed the incredibly high volume of deaths sustained in a single country.
From my first lino print (above), i determined that the stamp would need to be larger since it would make it easier to effectively sculpt each letter. Since the initial lino block was too small, it meant that the information was harder to present as there was less room for information to be fitted on.
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I printed my first lino print onto a black and white copy of a collage i made inspired by Mimmo Rotella. I chose for the copy to be in black and white since i wanted the printed statement to be emphasised and the focal point of the piece. Therefore i used a red ink and printed it onto the centre of the paper, so that the observers eyes were drawn to the centre where they could analyse the information and then visually see the impact from the surrounding images meshed together.
After my first lino print, i decided to repeat the process since i found it an effective way to display the information in a style reminiscent of Alex Williamson. Using what i learnt from my first experiment, i ensured that the block was larger than the previous experiment, so that i was able to effectively sculpt each letter and provide more information if needed. I again used a statistic published by the WHO, which stated that in 2012, over 6.5 million people died worldwide from diseases caused by air pollution. I reduced the length of the official statement so that all the key information was provided and so it would have a more striking impact on the reader. My carving can be seen on the right and my first print that was done on blank paper can be seen below.
For this print, i wanted to see if the statement would have the same impact if it was printed on a full colour collage as oppose to a black and white one. I determined that it was still striking, however for my first attempt at this particular print, i did not apply enough ink so the text was not entirely legible and therefore not efficient at displaying the information.
To the right, is the lino print i created after experimenting with how to best present data. I applied more ink to this print so that the information was the focal point of the collage, highlighting its significance. I also chose the mixture of a red and brown ink, so that the text was reminiscent of the burning involved in producing the toxic chemicals that ultimately trigger air pollution.
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The collage on the right is inspired by Mimmo Rotella and Alex Williamson, since it collates their artistic styles and presents the information effectively. both Mimmo Rotella and Alex Williamson created collages to connote an idea, however Williamson's work is done digitally, whilst Rotella utilises basic materials such as paper and old advertisement posters. From their disparate mediums, they are able to create unique effects and present information differently, with Rotella being able to use textures to depict physical decay and Williamson being able to layer text graphically. Therefore from using lino printing techniques, i am able to culminate the styles and present information on air pollution effectively, with it being reminiscent of both of the artists' work.
Lino Prints for Final Piece
For my final piece, i made a mix media collage that incorporated aspects from each of the artists that i studied, as well as experiments throughout this investigation. Alex Williamson is the artist that inspired me to present my attitudes towards air pollution and to show its effects through incorporating and layering data into the collage. Since Alex Williamson, does it digitally he can just copy the text directly onto the collage, however as i made my final piece using physical materials, i found that the best way to replicate this layout of information, was by using lino prints.
I collected data from the WHO (World Health Organisation) website, which posts current statistics on the impacts of air pollution. I found that the most significant pieces of data were: that 7 million people a year die from polluted air and that 91% of the world's population is exposed to toxic air particles. To further emphasise the significance and severity of this information, i made a separate print that just had 7,000,000 on it, so that this information can be printed several times. Moreover, i also created a print with the word 'Severe' on it, since if air pollution was to be summarised with one word, this would be most accurate due to the various health hazards it can have on people and the physical impacts it can have on places. These lino prints therefore were all used in my final piece to provide the most shocking information about air pollution, making the viewer realise the severity of the impacts of air pollution.
