'INTERFERENCE' COMBINING ART AND LIGHT . Painting and frame/housing construction George Sfougaras, Electronic circuitry, light configuration and programming Paul Rudman.

'INTERFERENCE'  COMBINING ART AND LIGHT .  A collaborative project involving the paintings of George Sfougaras and the scientific and technical skills of Dr Paul Rudman.


Some time ago, I posted about the painting entitled 'Space and Time.' (see this blog http://georgesfougaras.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/manipulating-surface.html ).
Also see Paul's excellent Blog on this topic describing in detail his work:

https://lightingartblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/messing-with-an-arduino-6-done/

This large painting aimed to demonstrate that visual 'interference on the painting surface could enhance the experience of looking.  I was convinced, and still am, that objects strategically placed on the surface of a painting, added value, rather than creating visual dissonance. 

The addition of a lighting source, created an additional element to the appearance and meaning of the painting; see below:

It took  significant time investment and a number of experiments by  Paul Rudman, to arrive at the work that is shown in the video below. Paul incorporated tiny LEDs (used originally in large clusters for street illumination) mounted on metal heat dispersers, controlled by a specifically designed/programmable Arduino circuit. Significantly, this is a unique configuration designed to cast deep shadows across the painted surface. The fading effect allows for a smooth transition of the warm light across the painting.

In the interim whilst Paul and I continued to ruminate on the best approach for creating a moving light source that would act upon the image and before Paul cleverly combined the tiny and very powerful LEDs (relevant information and explanation by Dr Rudman will be provided alongside the exhibited works) several other painting and experiments ensued, as shown below:

'Bearing Witness', alludes to the tragic events of recent years. The diverse ethnicities of the  'victims' refer to the indiscriminate nature of these acts.  Printed  3D cubes and votive offerings; fragments of memories and images of a mausoleum; braille and  painted shadows.  These images are further accentuated by powerful LED lights, strategically placed withing the frame, to add further meaning to the painting. 

'Paul Conneally' are a series of portrait paintings based on self-portrait photography by local poet and artist, Paul Conneally. These too are currently being illuminated by Paul Rudman. 

Paul Conneally. Large portrait on birch plywood. 189 fragments cut and reassembled in a technique that imitates that of cut-up poetry. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut-up_technique

Paul Conneally - Light sequence randomized. Video of timers and lights based on the portrait shown below.

Further experiments making up this body of work are shown below: 

'Broken' Cut and reconstructed birch plywood.

'Broken' in progress below.

'GONE' Acrylic on 1 cm hardwood cubes.

SECOND LIFE WORKS

The following works were made in Second life, by importing photographs of original 3D paintings and manipulating them in virtual space.  The finished outcomes were exported, enhanced and printed as Giclee prints on German etching paper.