Ballpoint Pen Animation titled Woe-man

Click on this quick-time inserted copy of the animation that was projected on to the rat installation at the Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition, held at Museum Africa recently. Don't worry about the fact that it is blurred - when opened, the animation runs smoothly and is totally focussed. The title of the piece is Woe-man as explained in the post below - follow the link provided. I have reloaded the animation of the carpet installation titled Infectious, now complete and much better quality. Follow the link provided. The two animations were looped for members visiting the exhibition to enjoy both of them. The exhibition comes down this Sunday and hopefully within the next two to three weeks videos of the two pieces will be made and available for viewing on this blog.

Eugene Hon's sculptures featured in Ceramics Art and Perception, issue 81

Cover Ceramics Art and Perception; Issue 81 Featuring my work

It has taken 24 years for my work to feature in an international magazine, even though I have had numerous articles written about my work in local publications. My work is represented in all the major art galleries in South Africa and in numerous private collections locally and abroad. This can partly be attributed to the cultural boycott, effective during the apartheid era. Another reason is most certainly the impact of my position as dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Johannesburg; a term of six years during which I did not produce ceramics actively. I trust the article will provide insight into my ceramic concepts and showcase the diverse styles, techniques and processes of my ceramic sculptures since the start of my ceramic career in 1986.

The article was written by Ingrid Stevens, associate professor and head of Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa. She has written numerous reviews on my work; covering a number of exhibitions during my ceramic career.The article is published in the latest issue of Ceramics Art and Perception, issue 81 (2010), the only academic accredited research income generating publication.

Hon honoured as a Fellow of Ceramics Southern Africa

I was selected as one of eleven ceramists, the first fellows of Ceramics Southern Africa; we were honoured at the opening of the current Gauteng regional exhibition in Johannesburg. The exhibition opened at Museum Africa last Sunday, during which each recipient received a certificate (image above). 

'The first Fellows have been selected not only for the consistently high quality of their work but also for their commitment to Ceramics Southern Africa over the years' (National Ceramics, Number 93/Spring 2010; page30).

The First Fellows of Ceramics Southern Africa include, John Shirley, Digby Hoets, Drury Brandt, Jerice Doeg, Dineke den Bakker, Elza Sullivan, Gail de Klerk, Minette Zaaiman, Wendy Goldblatt and Querardien van Vliet. Each fellow had to submit work for the Ultra-furn Regional exhibition; organised by CERAMICS Southern Africa Gauteng Region. I was requested to facilitate the display of the exhibition. For more information about the exhibition see invitation details included below.

Images of my work on display at the exhibition will be posted shortly.

New projected animation conceived in ballpoint pen drawings in the form of an Artist Book.

Big Shots, Ballpoint pen drawing.

Contemplating the production of an artist book.
For a while now I have been contemplating creating an artist book. The idea is to capitalize on my unique approach to ballpoint pen drawings. My critics have always been complimentary of my drawings. Some mentioned that the ceramic sculptures are too methodical in their construction and therefore 'bled of all passion' (Cruise, 1996). 

Inner sleeve and title page design

Encouragement.
In December I visited my friend Hylton Nel, the renowned South African Ceramist. He stated that I should consider focussing on producing Artist Books. He suggested that I relaunch my career as an artist, focussing on this exciting and creative output option. I am however in the process of creating a new video for projection onto the rat installation. The projection is based on one of the bully series of ballpoint pen drawings, titled Big Shots (featured above). Follow the link provided to gain insight into related works and reference material; blog post titled BIG SHOTS RAW WAR WOE MAN - A failure of masculinity. The work is to be featured at the Ceramics Southern Africa regional exhibition to be opened next weekend - the title of the final work will be Woe man.  The idea of animating some of my drawings is equally exciting - the response to the projection had been very positive. 

Brainstorming ideas and text.

Artists Books
I have read extensively on the subject of artist's books during our winter recess - in between watching  the recent soccer/football world cup matches. I will shed more light on the subject of Artist's Books in a future blog entry - for an introduction into understanding the complexity of the product look no further than the written work by Johanna Drucker.

Big-shot creating a storm.

Big-shot firing

Whilst shopping recently I came across and purchased two small bound sketch books, produced by Daler-Rowney (A5-150 grams acid free cartridge paper) that served as another stimulus to pursue the idea. The final creative inspiration came in response to an exhibition of artists books in the FADA gallery three weeks ago. David Patton the previous head of Department for Visual Arts (FADA) has written a number of papers and a catalogue on the subject and curated a comprehensive exhibition on this complex creative output (a few years ago). 

The gang

For the purpose of this blog post, I thought it necessary to showcase the development of the idea; the creative endeavour would have a dual purpose;  the creative concept and directive for the animation (visual reference for the motion graphic artists) and an initial prototype exploring my own creative parameters for  the idea/concept of an artist book. 

Firing away mindlessly

The standoff

The images posted here do not include text, I am in the process of incorporating the text and reviewing the layout and construction of the final product - An Artist Book also to be titled  Woe-man. The concept behind the work will be explicated once the animation is posted together with photographs of the projected installation.

Crime in SA is sublimated civil war

Three different creative outputs; a projected installation, artist book and video.
The fact that I will have three different creative outputs exploring the same creative theme is interesting from a R&D perspective, seen in the context of specifically practice-led research. 

Suffering abuse

By the end of the project I hope to have the rat installation with the projection of the animated drawing sequence. A video of the projected installation will be filmed and edited and available in an edition of five - ten. I also hope to complete the artist book, complete with text; also available in a limited edition. 

The spirit of a wounded nation flows away with its blood

Polluted

The specific product outcomes will appeal to hopefully a different set of viewer and a review of the final products would assist me in my creative output - working towards a one person exhibition and a new direction for me as an artist, ceramic artist and or ceramic sculptor. 

Disillusionment and despair