THE GENERAL IDEA
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Everyone knows the dangers of plugging 200 things into a single socket. It's ludicrously dangerous and works as a metaphor for the way we're over-taxing the planet.

In this exhibition. 'Earth with wires plugged in' will be the central image whilst a system of wires and 4-way adaptors would let other picture 'plug into' the overstretched earth.

AIMS
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To be fun and interesting.
To capture people's attention for an extended period of time.
To underline the reckless abandon with which we abuse the planet.

COLLABORATION
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I hope to attain the collaboration of a multitude of artists all over the globe. Each will offer their own perspective of what is a problem affecting our planet, from an environmental perspective. Panels will be 25x25cm, meeting the wire-placement specifications exactly so different pictures can seemingly contain the same wire.

As the exhibition continues, the audience will also be given the opportunity to integrate their own images into the exhibition, submitting images, which will be added to and perhaps replace previously existing pieces. As the audience involves themself, they will begin to pay more thought to the issues.

ETC
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An EARLY example of what it may look like is below. With a diverse range of styles in pictures and tens of quality images, it'll look more impressive yet.

If you'd like to get involved, please submit pictures as either 300dpi digital images or PM me for an address if you want to send traditional art. I'd love to see work in progress or thumbnails in this thread though!

There is also a template with rules here. As long as your submission is in-theme, the only rules to really note are the measurements (5mm thick wires at specific places).
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Let me know what you think!

Stay funky,
- Bez

Here's an example of a piece. In this one, the heart plays the part of the '4-way adaptor-type-thingy', though I used plugs to keep the theme running. Also not the best example because it only really works from one angle.

It's decrying the love of money.

I think this is an awesome idea, and a collab that I am genuinly interested in. Can't wait to see the finished product

This is another pic - one I started last night and kinda finished just now.

About aeroplanes, this is more 'literal' with the 4-way adaptor and the composition looks OK from 3 directions - something that'll help when it comes to putting pieces together.

At 6/14/08 02:37 PM, Shea08 wrote: I think this is an awesome idea, and a collab that I am genuinly interested in. Can't wait to see the finished product

Thanks! Do you have any ideas for what you'll do?

At 6/14/08 04:04 PM, mranarchy wrote: heh...this looks awesome, I'd love to contribute.

Brilliant!

I'm a little confused on the Idea of submitting it. are we welcome to?, or is this thread just a commentary on the project?

It's an attempt to get more contributors from outside Scotland. I'd love for everyone interested to start submitting stuff!

If so, is there a specific background colour to be used? for the wires too?,

No palette guidelines. Originally, I suggested the bg be 'black or a very dark colour', but experiments and feedback, I decided that having varied background colours works well, letting folk express themselves further. As long as the positioning is kept EXACT, wires will seem to flow, even if they're changing colour.

The wires, plugs/adaptors and sizing connect it enough, visually.

How do we know where to place the points where the wires join up to the pic?

Download the .tif I linked to in the first post. It should make it all clear.

Wires should be 5mm thick at the point they enter/exit and should be 165mm from one corner and 80mm from the other. If using outlines in your style, maybe don't count the outlines as part of the 5mm width guideline.

This is still happening.

Umm...do I have to mail it to you or can I just post it here?

At 7/8/08 05:44 PM, Nqkoi1 wrote: Umm...do I have to mail it to you or can I just post it here?

I'd love to see other folks' WIP in this thread, but for the final thing, I'd hope for a much larger image, so it looks good when printed and put onto the walls where it's displayed.

Assuming you're working digitally, I'd hope for a 300dpi image (make sure the wires are aligned properly like in the template.

You could e-mail me it, or upload it somewhere and send a link. Whichever is easier.

aciddimensions (insert 'at' symbol here) gmail.com

I don't want bots crawling the web to find my e-mail and send me spam.

Well I sent you an e-mail,but overall this is what I made.Scaled down of course.

All of this stuff is brilliant.Keep up the good work!

At 7/8/08 07:00 PM, Nqkoi1 wrote: Well I sent you an e-mail,but overall this is what I made.Scaled down of course.

Great stuff!

My gripe is that it's only 72dpi and it looks a bit pixelly even when I printed it at 50% size (so I could print with my a4 printer). At the full 25x25cm size, it'll be worse when examined up-close. Upscaling in photoshop will reduce the pixelly quality but it'll just be a bit blurry.

It's not an egregious fault though.

For others joining in however, please work at 300dpi (assuming you're working digitally) - the file should be 2953x2953 pixels. so we'll see your details nice and sharp and it'll look awesome after I pay to have them all nicely printed.

This is incredibly cool and awesome.
Would you mind if I sent it to you, because (as with your canvas and other medium shots) I really do perfer traditional, and I think it would be awesome.

plus it would be a nice use of the wood I have in my back yard.\

PM me if this is okay (and shipping information please!)

At 7/9/08 11:36 AM, HahaBears wrote: This is incredibly cool and awesome.
Would you mind if I sent it to you, because (as with your canvas and other medium shots) I really do perfer traditional, and I think it would be awesome.

That would be great!

Be sure to measure the wires carefully! ;-)

Also - just in case anyone didn't realise, you can rotate the template 90 or 180 degrees - if you can't make your pic so it works from all 4 angles, don't automatically have the wire coming on from the left. We'll need every orientation.

Below is a glimpse of what we have so far. Included is 'nqkoil's piece, Lynn's piece and a new painting of the earth by me that WON'T be used. I've been given some great ideas for the central earth piece and I promise it will be grungy, dirty and suitably depressing.

I very much enjoy this idea. Can't wait to see it finished.

Someone asked via PM if they could submit more than one entry. The answer is 'YES'!

As long as all your pictures are of a quality standard (visually) and fit within the theme, submit as many as you'd like.

I don't plan on necessarily filling every patch of wall - instead, there may be different 'strands' running around with sizable 'white space' - but a single metre squared can fit 16 25x25cm pictures, so I don't think I'll be likely to start cutting entries due to sheer number.

At 7/9/08 06:48 PM, HandsomeJake wrote: I very much enjoy this idea. Can't wait to see it finished.

Cheers!

You should join in - I like your recent digital manipulations.

This is a brilliant idea! I'd love to contribute!

hey, just two questions:
1) where exactly will this be exhibited?
2) what are you printing on (I don't want my canvas type thing to be oddly thick)

If you reply to me today, I think I can get started right away!

At 7/10/08 08:00 AM, McJesus wrote: This is a brilliant idea! I'd love to contribute!

Cheers! Please do so!

At 7/10/08 01:07 PM, HahaBears wrote: hey, just two questions:
1) where exactly will this be exhibited?

The first location will be TchaiOVna - a local hipster teashop (it has an amazing selection of teas and a laid-back atmosphere which is conducive to examining the art on the wall).

There's normally a different exhibition there each month or two and the owner's enthusiastic about the idea.

After I've gotten it all together for there and learned the full logistics of the process, I'll start scouting for other places it could go and also put together a proposal for the Gallery of Modern Art. Consider the teashop the first location of what will hopefully be a sort of touring exhibition.

2) what are you printing on (I don't want my canvas type thing to be oddly thick)

I'm hoping to source some white foamboard. I'd get them printed on normal photo-quality paper, then spray-mount them all onto that.

I'm not sure exactly how thick it is, but maybe 1.2 cm in total.

At 7/10/08 02:56 PM, Bezman wrote:

2) what are you printing on (I don't want my canvas type thing to be oddly thick)

I'm hoping to source some white foamboard. I'd get them printed on normal photo-quality paper, then spray-mount them all onto that.

I'm not sure exactly how thick it is, but maybe 1.2 cm in total.

Awesome, this is great. That thickness probably would go well with the wood that I have, so I'm totally ready to do this

haha this is ridiculous
So I was worried about the thickness of the wood, I thought it would be too thick and stick out, now that you've said the foamboard will be like 1.5 cm I think my wood will be waaay to thin because it's only .5 cm thick. On the other hand, I don't have to scrap the idea because I do have another sheet that meets the size, but it's about the shittiest and most wheathered peice you can find.
And on my third hand, this isn't neccessarily a bad thing, right? The worn effect might mesh with the whole theme of the project.

At 7/10/08 08:45 PM, HahaBears wrote: haha this is ridiculous
So I was worried about the thickness of the wood, I thought it would be too thick and stick out, now that you've said the foamboard will be like 1.5 cm I think my wood will be waaay to thin because it's only .5 cm thick. On the other hand, I don't have to scrap the idea because I do have another sheet that meets the size, but it's about the shittiest and most wheathered peice you can find.
And on my third hand, this isn't neccessarily a bad thing, right? The worn effect might mesh with the whole theme of the project.

Okay, so I actually got my hands on some scraps of the foamboard that my college used during their exhibition and that's 5mm thick. I should be able to get more of that and the whole thing will marginally over 5mm thick. (Whilst photographic paper has some width, it's under 0.5mm.)

So it sounds like your original wood will be perfect!

At 7/10/08 07:32 AM, Bezman wrote: Cheers!

You should join in - I like your recent digital manipulations.

I'm flattered, Bezzy. I very well may do that.

There hasn't been any art in this thread for a while.

Here's a new WIP.

I can't wait to see the outcome of this. If I get a new air compressor soon I might join. :]

At 7/16/08 11:46 PM, Ansel wrote: Wait, is that a dreamcast?

Sure is! Probably my 2nd-favourite console.

Great idea for a collaboration, looks like you definitely know what you're doing. Nice work :]
At 7/17/08 12:00 AM, Lamoureux wrote: I can't wait to see the outcome of this. If I get a new air compressor soon I might join. :]

Great! I'm hoping for as many contributions as possible at this stage.

Is this still alive somewhat?
I kinda cut a couple blocks for painting and am already finished one of my paintings...

At 7/17/08 09:11 PM, HahaBears wrote: Is this still alive somewhat?

Definitely! I've been spreading the word and have gotten a couple more pieces from other Glaswegians and shitloads of interest from local artists and art students. I'm away for a while so don't expect updates.

I kinda cut a couple blocks for painting and am already finished one of my paintings...

Awesome! Can we get a preview?

Try to be as exact as you can with the dimensions of course and keep the corners as right angles - I got an acrylic piece last Sunday that was cut slightly squint, meaning two sides will be 24.3cm when it's straightened. It just puts your work at an unnecessary disadvantage.

Pictures are a comin'
I must sand down the edges then, because I used a crappy jigsaw on a makeshift bench, so the lines are somewhat wobbley

Awesome pictures!!! Love to contribute.. but I am very poor when it comes to being artistic. Good luck with this collab!

Dear everyone,

the deadline is September 13th.

At 7/18/08 07:54 PM, UnknownFear wrote: Awesome pictures!!! Love to contribute.. but I am very poor when it comes to being artistic. Good luck with this collab!

Cheers! You could always try - worst that can happen is that you end up with a rejected pic, but learn some skills in the process.