Watching Mark Farid and Michael Landy speak about their work, I noticed how clearly they were articulating their practice. I’m at the beginning of my MA, and my practice still feels a little vague and it’s constantly evolving.
Mark’s bio describes how “his practice explores the intersection between the virtual and physical worlds, examining how new technologies shape individuals’ sense of self.”
Michael talks about “the constructive potential of destruction” and even his choice to draw weeds – the polar opposite of what we typically consider beautiful – feels considered.
There are infinite directions I could go, it’s easy to chop and change, but I want to create high impact work with a purpose that aligns with my interests.
When I was running Everpress, having a clear understanding of what our mission was and what we stood for made every decision easier. The same applies here. I think for me clarity is important.
So I started mapping my interests, and inspired by Michael Landy’s weed drawings (as opposed to flower) I used pairs of opposites to define the territory I’m working within.
| Sun / sky / light → Space Expansion | Ground Earth Void Darkness Death Tunnel Depth Cave Interior |
| Activity / movement / life → Doing Action Energy | Waiting Pause Stillness Boredom Meditation Rest Emptiness |
| Virtual reality world → 5 senses Perception Illusion Maya Simulation Donald Hoffman ref | Unknown What’s beyond Mystery Oneness God Religion Spirituality Self Sacred Infinite Absolute |
| Material → | Immaterial |
| Noise → Social media News Gossip Stories Narratives Distractions Chatter Overwhelm Distortion | Silence Stillness Presence Direct experience Wisdom Peace Clarity Now |
| Unconscious → | Conscious Awareness Presence Being Here & now |
| Mind / thoughts → Assumptions Judgements Projections Likes/dislikes | No thoughts Silence Clarity Witness Observer Truth |
| Ego / “I” → Limited Separate Restricted Division Boundary Isolated Contracted | All One Universal Connected Whole Freedom Unity Boundless Love |
Reflections & learning
Having this table gives me something to reference as my practice evolves. It means I can move with more intention, making work that’s genuinely aligned with what I’m into or what I want to communicate.
It captures my key interests right now: making work that uses the material to point toward the immaterial, that creates space for direct experience beyond narrative.