(B3) Concrete Poetry: Research, Figuring Things Out

Feeling stuck with the project. 
Need to have a regroup.

Who's the audience?
> People interested in poetry or wanting to get interested in poetry.
- Could as poets and poetry enthusiasts questions to find out more about the target audience.

What's the purpose of the project?
> Engage and entertain audience in poetry in a new way.
> Develop a visual version of a music score, representing performance art through visuals.
> Develop exciting visual way to experience poetry (through graphics).

What does this look like?

• Publication
  - Poems already exist in publication format, could do this but is it answering the brief?
  - Is it new and exciting? Not really, could be but would exist in a wealth of publications.
• Animation
  - Would be able to add motion into work if this feels appropriate, could push the performance element forward.
  - Would need to be placed somewhere for people to access.
• Film
  - Current poem using for this project has a film connected.
  - Isn't my area of expertise, could collab but is it appropriate?
• Photographs
  - Could incorporate these into the work but not have these BE the work.
• Posters
  - Would provide space for 2D work to be placed somewhere.
  - Feels as though it would need to be part of something bigger, exhibition or campaign?
• Website
  - Could be a space for people to access visually engaging and dynamic poetry.
  - Could be similar idea to 'An Ode to Normalcy' but with a different take on it, focusing on the type more than image but keeping the interaction a consideration. 
• Instagram account
  - Accessible to many.
  - Are there things like this out there? 
• Postcards
  - Not appropriate for this I don't think, again would need to be part of something bigger like na exhibition to be an appropriate outcome. 
• Performance piece
  - Would like the outcome to feel like a performance piece but be related to graphic design rather than fine art. 
  - Could relate to Fluxus and this feels appropriate as Concrete Poetry and Fluxus are interconnected. 

RESEARCH:

Dominique Vine, Dreams Archive: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/dominique-vine-dreams-archive-graphic-design-270418
> 'By playing with typography, format and materials, Dominique has produced an imaginative and comprehensive depiction of her subconscious mind.'
- Using these different materials to develop a visual that communicates something specific. 
> The dreams don't incorporate imagery to keep the focus on type and the power it holds.
> 'In order to create a strong framework, the designer decided on six overarching categories that the transcribed dreams could be arranged into and relegated each genre a specific colour scheme.'
- This idea of having categories for the words to fit into is really interesting, it could be a good technique to try with this poem, separating the words or sounds out and having rules for these.
- This would create a visual experience with structure, less ambiguous and therefore easier for the audience to understand. 
> Vine mentioned how the project was loosely inspired by concrete poetry, feel as though my project started with this basis and has evolved slightly, still incorporating these key themes and ideas of concrete poetry. 

Honda 'Keep Up' Advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO7BmPoL6a4
- Animated type creating an engaging experience for the audience, the type draws you in, not because of the way it's design but the way it's presented. The type comes with a concept and a challenge, really like the thought behind it. 
- Something like this could be a way to incorporate animation to develop a new experience.

Frederique Gagnon: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/frederique-gagnon-graphic-design-internationalwomensday-080318
> 'my interest lies especially in the tension that exists between language and its graphic container.'
- This idea of a 'graphic container' reminds me of the term 'graphic space' from previous research, thinking about how the areas that encapsulate the work. 
- How does this container affect the work? How can we take advantage of it?
> 'While moving the content away from its possible didactic origin, the page became the performative space for the physicality of language,' (Contemporary Ergonomics)
- The idea of a performative space on paper is really interesting, Gagnon's works have a lot of freedom and creativity on the page while also appearing considered and calculated.
- Bringing the element of performance to the project is really important here. Think about performance poetry and how this can translate to a visual. 
> “The concept proposed certain characteristics of early concrete poetry while following a more rigid grid to reference minimalism and the reductive aspects of modernism,” (A Seat at the Table)

- Taking concrete poetry and adding in styles from other movements helps prevent the works from looking stagnant or dated. They pick up a new tone presenting a fresh perspective on an existing movement. 

Contemporary Ergonomics

Contemporary Ergonomics

A Seat at the Table

REFLECTIONS:

• Feels as though my work is feeling closed off to the creativity as very stuck in a concrete poetry mindset. The basis of the brief stemmed from concrete poetry but it feels like it has more legs now and can push into other areas of design while keeping the foundations in concrete poetry. 
  - Could become more contemporary in the approach, don't want to lose sight of concrete poetry but need to not let if make me feel the brief is restricted.
• Finding common themes and working on these could be a great way to develop systematic visuals. 
  
• Keep the idea of performance, the work should be a performance of poetry through a visual medium.
  - Keep this in mind when moving forward, can drive the project in a direction.