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‘The Fish, the Fisher, and the Threshold Between’

The pattern or actor entitled, ‘The Fish,’ McDonnell, 2021.

See discussion below.

You are invited to view in ‘full screen,’ accessed via the four square icon, in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

The pattern or actor entitled, ‘The Threshold Between 1,’ McDonnell, 2021.

See discussion below.

You are invited to view in ‘full screen,’ accessed via the four square icon, in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

The pattern or actor entitled, ‘The Fisher,’ McDonnell, 2021.

See discussion below.

You are invited to view in ‘full screen,’ accessed via the four square icon, in the bottom right hand side of the screen.

The pattern or actor entitled, ‘The Threshold Between 2,’ McDonnell, 2021.

See discussion below.

You are invited to view in ‘full screen,’ accessed via the four square icon, in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

The above, are four sperate smaller pieces of the larger response to prompt 4.

Due to restrictions on file type and size by the hosting server, this was the best way to display the overall intent.

The finished piece would be a longer video loop. The loop will cycle through each of the fisher and fish specific locations in the overall pattern, depicted on the surface of the water / air, the third actor, the ‘Threshold Between.’ In total, they form a larger loop the entitled ‘The Fish, the Fisher, and the Threshold Between,’ McDonnell, 2021.

This response was screened in its entirety during the end of term potluck. Which was a really nice time.

As with the response to prompt 3, interest was placed in the projection and collapse of the patterns between two, three and four (time) dimensions. The generative pattern of the larger loop, the changing of specific locations of the individual expressions of the fish and the fisher, is an attempt to collapse the larger four dimensional pattern back down to the two dimensional world of the Turkish carpets. As with the response to prompt 3, this is a study of the underlying patterns in the carpets. Patterns, to paraphrase the author Alexander, that grant a sense of ‘wholeness.’

Prompt 4.

Stage 1:

For the first week you are asked to identify a research question for the prompt and clearly state it in one sentence.’

‘How can we reveal the interconnectedness of things through pattern?’

This is the response that I have chosen to the above stage 1 of prompt 4.

It is also in further study of the concepts explored in Prompt 3.

Stage 3:

For the remaining time you will conduct your research practice and realize your findings. The final outcomes and conclusions are for you to discover but be prepared to present your findings at the end of the semester.’

See response to prompt four above, ‘The Fish, the Fisher and the Threshold Between,’ McDonnell, 2021. For this response I continued on with the video studies that I had started in prompt 3. Here I explore many of the same ideas and concepts around graphic and pattern depictions of non-dualist concepts of ‘wholeness’ or ‘interconnection.’

Below are design development studies from my sketch book. They detail the major addition or change; that being the addition of a third actor, ‘The Threshold Between.’

20 pages of Original Sketches and Studies for ‘The Fish, the Fisher, and the Threshold Between,’ McDonnell, 2021.

Here I would like to add some brief notes about a few areas of interest surrounding the piece. The following are included so that the reader (and myself) can gain a slightly better understanding of the intent of the piece.

1.

The White Border is Everything

The Fish, The Fisher, and the Threshold Between

Are Individual Expressions of,

Everything, the White Border

2.

The Rhythm or timing of the piece is designed around the breath of the viewer. It is the intention that the piece exists both ‘outside’ of the viewer, while attempting to engage with the viewer through the breath. Note the timing of the fisher’s wing beats. The timing of all three actors are designed to engage with the viewer’s breathing patterns.

3.

The complexity of the pattern is created by the interactions of three rather simple actors.

For example, the rather simple wave motion of the surface of the water/air, generates :

the flying motion of the fishers, the swimming motion of the fish

the seaming and un-seaming of the white border

the feeling of expansion and contraction of the breath

4.

The mixing of animal shapes. Again, like the inspiration for the rest of the piece, this comes from the selected text by Alexander.

Please note that the fish often take the shapes of the fisher, and vice versa. The large flower shape that dominates the blue, negative space. It is most prevalent when the fisher’s wings are fully extended.

Below are plates taken from individual frames of the video.

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