FMP - Research on Artists

Today I have primary researching artist Yayoi Kusama and Edmund de Waal. I have decided to research into these artist as they have have been imprinted into my brain for months or years by something capturing they have said.

I've been interested in  Yayoi Kusama for a couple of years now but have never come around around into researching her. But when I decided on the theme of my project she instantly came to my mind. I think I may base my work largely around her as she is such a interesting character and her life and work really unifies with my theme.

I decided to watch a few documentaries on her and to take note to get a clearer idea on her. These are some of the video I watched:

Here are my notes from the clips:

I really enjoyed what she had to say as some of the things she comes out with is quite random. From hearing these things she had to say has helped me think that I could base my work on quotes she and/or other artist have said, which sound like absolute nonsense but at the same time mean a lot to and show there character and mental illness.

Sketchbook: Kusama's work and my favourite things she said during the videos I watched

Edmund de Waal is another artist that has intrigued me by what he has to say. From what I know of de Waal does not suffer from a mental illness but after watching BBC Four's program What Do Artist Do All Day  that featuring de Waal last year he has always been at the back of my mind and have been wanting an excuse on using within in work. Here's the program I episode I watched featuring him:

After watching this program this one line de Waal said has stuck in my head ever since, "By repeating them [his work] it's not industrious at all... it has got the sense of spending time. One person spending time."

I really like that quote as to me not all artwork needs a meaning it can simply be an urge that needs to be done. I also wonder whether this urge artists have is linked to some kind of mental illness ,is it revealing the artist of some kind of emotion. But as I right this i'm wondering if i'm contradicting what de Waal is saying but thinking to much into it!

Sketchbook: Notes from the TV program and sketches of potential ideas


From here I think I'm going to decide whether I should look at more artist to base my work on. I will also do some sketches on interesting artist say.