Background
Born in rural Co. Wexford, Ireland, in 1975,
Fortune’s artistic practice spans the formats of writing, video and photography.
Working predominantly in video and photography, his work explores the
circumstantial boundaries between art and culture, folklore and interpretation
and fact and fiction.
Fortunes’ practice revolves around the collection of
material. He does not script or storyboard, instead he generates material out of
the relationships and experiences he develops with the people and circumstances
he encounters. Fortune combines the stand-alone idiosyncrasies of people and
incidents in everyday life, with complex and visually careful and contemplative
treatments that adeptly handle the aesthetics of repetition, humour, obscurity,
strangeness and intimacy.
In much of his video work the camera remains static,
where editing is only ever employed out of necessity rather than luxury. Although referring to the form of the documentary, all evidence of
the documentary or narrator is removed. The intimate nature of the relationships
with the people and circumstances he encounters, and the subsequent reflective
treatment of the material at hand is a key feature of his work.
Much of Fortune’s work borrows heavily from accepted
contemporary methodologies of recording, documenting and presenting
information. As a result, he utilises the mediums of home videos, snap
photography and the printed media within his work.
Example of his work
The Kitchen Sessions
http://www.thekitchensessions.ie/Welcome_files/The%20Kitchen%20Sessions%20Book.pdf
Images from the Whitethorn Three Part Video Work 2009
The work I did with Michael was invaluable, he provided support for my ideas, which were numerous! plus technical knowledge and know how. I gained a confidence in using digital media, exploring ideas through to being confident to deliver a digital media scheme in school.
He took us through stop motion animation which I am a great fan of, as it only requires a camera and a little imagination.
First session with Micahel we were placed in groups and asked to make a stop motion animation using props that were in the classroom, below is our version of The Life of Robby the robot by David, Joanna, Jean and my self..
"The High Court has ordered that a 65-year-old woman be sent to prison over her refusal to allow the ESB and Eirgrid access to her land to complete a power line." Irish Times
Images from the Whitethorn Three Part Video Work 2009
The work I did with Michael was invaluable, he provided support for my ideas, which were numerous! plus technical knowledge and know how. I gained a confidence in using digital media, exploring ideas through to being confident to deliver a digital media scheme in school.
He took us through stop motion animation which I am a great fan of, as it only requires a camera and a little imagination.
First session with Micahel we were placed in groups and asked to make a stop motion animation using props that were in the classroom, below is our version of The Life of Robby the robot by David, Joanna, Jean and my self..
Students at work with Michael Fortune
I was asked to produce a piece a work using a photo essay as the format, this was difficult because it required a project based on photographs but about a subject that was thousands of miles away "Burning Issues". I toyed with numerous ideas, and brain stormed to find the idea that best fitted the brief and my personal life, work and interests.I am very practical so when I read about Grandmothers in Uganda sorting out a problem for them selves I was interested in finding out more, I did some research on the charity involved in helping the women get the programme of the ground, I researched the women them selves as well as a wider search into the history of fuel less cookers (or hay boxes).
I found out that they have been used for hundreds of years possibly even thousands of years to help cook food with out the use of fire wood. It is a great way of conserving energy, time and valuable resources.
This made me think about how I could use the same method of cooking my food at home in East Clare and help reduce the amount of fuel I use. I also thought how interesting that people who live in impoverished conditions are aware of the dwindling resources that there are and to be able to do something about it that supports their way of life, makes life easier for them and benefits the local and global environment.
I then compared this " do it for your self" mind set with the women who had been put in prison over Christmas because she didn't want to let ESB cut down her trees on her own land so they could put in large pillion's to carry electricity.
"The High Court has ordered that a 65-year-old woman be sent to prison over her refusal to allow the ESB and Eirgrid access to her land to complete a power line." Irish Times
(This would make a great topic for discussion in CSPE, it has social justice issues as well as national and global implications i.e. deforestation in Africa as well as mono tree production in Ireland links)
I went on to research my fuel less cooker see photo essay below, it tells it's own story:
No comments:
Post a Comment