Happy Accident 2006

THE FUTURE?

Please complete the Happy Accident questionnaire and place it in box below. Thank you.

For further Information about this exhibition contact k.foster@lcc.arts.ac.uk

This section is probably the most difficult for me. The purpose of this exhibition is to help me decide what to do with my work. I desire the rigour of other peoples opinions to support my future actions but this unknown quantity leaves me cautious as I have never worked in this way before.

“Most directors who have been around for a while, acquire a gaunt, soul-scarred look associated with fighter pilots who have survived a war.” (Jack Cardiff, British Cinematographer born 1914)

I wish to create work that can make the viewer think carefully about some of the major problems that our society needs to tackle. I feel that designers have a social responsibility and must not work in a vacuum. I have begun to understand how I can use humour to aid this process. My former tactics of rants and polemics have turned audiences off. I have lost many an argument this way. This can be a waste of one’s energy.

“The Four Levels of Comedy: Make your friends laugh, Make strangers laugh, Get paid to make strangers laugh, and Make people talk like you because it’s so much fun.” (Jerry Seinfeld, US Comedian born 1954)

I am now too ancient to have deep and meaningful conversations that stretch into the night but I still have questions that I would like to have answered. What is it that we need to do to make sense of Art, Design and Communication practice? I hope that this exhibition will contribute to the debate in this College and beyond.

Happy Accident 2006

Above - Word Puzzle © Karl Foster 2005, Pixel Based Image. Produced for ‘Tin Gods’ exhibition. This image was created using random selection and is intended to work in a similar way to The Key of Dreams by Rene Magritte 1898 - 1967. This process can be expanded and used as a narrative exercise for learners.

Right spread - The Neon Chicken and the Rubber Duck (Immigration with Michael Howard) © Karl Foster 2005, Pixel Based Image. Produced for ‘Tin Gods’ exhibition. This image is the start of series of Comic Strips based on current events. I have yet to take this forward but recent feedback from students has made me consider the creation of a moving image piece based on this image.

Far right spread - Hope © Karl Foster 2005, Pixel Based Image. Produced for ‘Tin Gods’ exhibition. When I studied under Chris Sharrock at CSM in 1989 he insisted that illustration and text should not be contained in the same image. The image should communicate all the ideas the Illustrator intends and not rely on explanatory text. This narrative requires no text. I also think that it would work well as a moving image piece.

Happy Accident 2006

The Pool Guy © Karl A. Foster 2000, Acrylic and Watercolour. Illustration for a magazine article. The article centred on a fake historian travelling around Britain re-enacting famous scenes from the past. I decided to depict two scenes in the same image; The Spanish Armada taking place in a municipal swimming pool and the Roman invasion of Britannia by sea. The absurdity of this image made me think that I could actually use humour legiti-mately for once. I find rubber ducks ridiculous and this image was crying out for something extra. I decided that I would try to place something ridiculous in all my future commissions.

Happy Accident 2006

Top - The Chicken Roaster © Karl A. Foster 2000, Acrylic and Watercolour. Illustration for a magazine article. I admire the work of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, particularly their sitcom Seinfeld. In one episode a giant red neon sign in the shape of a chicken was causing problems for the main characters. This image of the neon chicken stuck with me. In this image I have produced a general view of the articles content. The main action is contained within the RV but in the distance a rest stop diner’s roof is graced with a red neon chicken. Humour I decided is what my work needs. I would try to develop this as a strength.

Bottom Left and Right - The Chicken Roaster roughs showing the development of this illustration. The left hand image was produced by me in about 10 seconds. I wanted to include the Neon Chicken so this focused my mind. The right hand image shows how I explained the content of the illustration to the art director in a drawing that I sent to her by Fax.

Happy Accident 2006

Happy Accident 2006

Happy Accident 2006

Happy Accident 2006