[AJ] Australian Journey's Work Proposal - Jarred Objects

Aims/subject of the proposal

• What is the nature of the work you are proposing?

The work will be a set of nine 360 degree photographed objects, each held in glass jars suspended in liquid.  These jars will have fake specimen tags adding to their "authenticity".  These photographs will be presented as spinning objects within a browser.

• What is the subject matter of the work?

Drawing on the 360 degree views of items presented in the Australian Journey's Shoebox and my fascination with the jarred mud and sea creatures done on the Antarctic mission, and just generally with scientists historically taking specimens, this work will make comment on modern life now as the jarred items will include electronic and common household objects.

• How many works do you intend to produce for this project?

There will be one web page presented with these nine objects shown in a standard 3x3 grid, possibly spinning based on the mouse-over event.  Optionally, it would be fun if such spinning could be accelerated depending on user interaction, ie. fast or slow mouse-over.

Research/working process

• What's the historical or conceptual basis for your ideas?

History shows that we take specimens of existing objects for later study.  Within the Australian Journey's exhibit, you not only see evidence of this with the jarred objects, but with the entire "jarred" set of cases, holding, coins, dresses, wool, instruments, etc.

• How will you go about developing these ideas, and what visual material and other research will be involved?

 As a commentary on modern life, as if these items were found and jarred in the future, the objects will have a technological focus, highlighting the irony of placing electronic things in liquid.  Themes include communication, entertainment, technology,   Such items include:

1. a mobile phone (Nokia 8210)
2. an original iTalk iPod attachment
3. an XBox wireless headset
4. a post-it note with a shopping list written on it.
5. iPod headphones
6. a Micro-SD or SD card.
7. Concept of LCD TV printed onto Acetate or Tracing Paper to have an opaque object.
8. -
9. -

* Q. I'm looking for feedback and other ideas in regard to what items could be included. 

Methods and materials

• What methods and materials do you intend to use?

Cleaned Jars
Objects suspended using Gelatin.
Software options:

1. Using Nuke, model the jar and use 3D projection to build a 3D view of the object and use a camera to circle the object.
2. Using the photos themselves, present as a sequential image animation.

Background, etc.  Should be well-lit, all encompasing white background.

* Q. Is the 3D projection idea overkill?

* Q. How would such a bright environment be achieved?

• What new skills do you need to develop?

1. 3D Projection, ties in with my Digital Compositing complimentary.
2. Advance roll-over effect withing the browser... possibly using JQuery, as learned in first year.

Timeframe

• Give an outline and plan of your work in relation to the time available.

Week 3 - Have objects within jars, photographed with labels, etc.
Week 4 - Test 3D projection concept with photos and/or
Week 5 - Webpage setup and layout complete.
Week 6 - Mouse-over functionality introduced.
Week 7 - Review.

* Q. Does this seem reasonable?

Visual Materials

• Provide drawings, diagrams, related visual and research material which may be useful in developing your proposal.

Within the article, Making of Australian Journey's (8 October 2008), senior curator Martha Sear, stated:

"... amazing scientific material gathered on the voyage including – I think this is our favourite named object in the gallery - assorted sea gunk. It is stuff that was trawled up from the bottom of the ocean by the expedition and put in a jar. We have the jar, and you can see the little shrimps and strange creatures that were found under the sea."

Jar containing mud and sea residue.

Test Jar Image #1

Test Jar Image #2

Deadlines

• You should prepare a full-length detailed draft for discussion by the end of week one of semester, and the final version for approval by the end of week 2.