Shaun Kardinal analysis

Shaun Kardinal is an artist which uses embroidery, photography, collage, sculpture, self-portraits, buildings, installations, digital, video and screenprinting. Kardinal aims to make his compositions as cheap as possible when creating visual art. He has an interest in long-format television shows and books and so this could've been where he was inspired to create digital art forms as well as physical ones. It was his use of embroidery that caught my eye, due to the fragile nature of the thread used. Using thread would align with the reductive process as I would have to make holes in the surface to be able to produce a stitch.


Alterations (found and unbound) 2013

This is an installation piece that Kardinal produced by embroidering postcards and arranging them together to create a shape. Kardinal creates a curved shape using straight lines and so there is a contrast between these marks. The contrast between the individual lines and overall structure makes the installation appear fluid. By adding stitching around all of the postcards, Kardinal has formed a stable mood throughout the installation which encapsulates his delicate work. If this surround wasn't there then i think that the piece would look jarred as each postcard would tell its own story, whereas now, the installation has a calmer, more collected mood. Kardinal use of line is interesting as it is all linear and so these straight lines create rigid, geometric structures that become the focus of each postcard. This installation looks like a soundwave to me as its structure is oscillating. This fluctuating shape suggests a change in mood or experience. There is a wide variety of colour in this installation, which you would expect to give a confused feel to it. However, as the postcards are of landscapes, this means that the colour palette is still limited to a certain degree in terms of earthy colours. Therefore, this broad palette doesn't make the installation look confusing, instead it appears vibrant and diverse. This diversity is something that I can explore within my theme as I am looking at stereotypes. I can do this by using the reductive process as I would be puncturing holes into a surface with a needle and thread. Diversity is further enhanced by the colour palette as there are many different tones colour within the installation. I notice that there isn't much white in the postcards themselves and so the installation has been placed in a white background so that the colours are more prominent. Adding more colour to the postcards using thread means that the vibrant nature of the landscape is accentuated. Additionally, adding thread means that layering is used which as a result, adds another dimension to the installation due to the thickness of the thread. There is a contrast between the smooth postcard and the rougher thread which means there is different textures within the installation which makes it more interesting. This contrast is quite subtle as thread still provides a delicacy to the postcard which they wouldn't have previously had.

One of the compositions used in Alterations (found and unbound) 2013

This postcard particularly caught my attention due to the use of colour. Kardinal has selected an orange thread which is in the same palette in terms of warmth as the rock in the postcard. This means that the thread has a subtle presence but can still clearly be seen as it is not an exact match to the rock. He has also contrasted this orange with a blue thread which makes the composition more appealing due to its complementary appearance. Using less blue than orange means that the blue provides an influx of vibrancy amongst the other colours. As it is in the middle of the postcard, it acts as a focal point amongst the warm colours around it. The diagonal use of line from one vertical section of orange to another ensures that the viewer's eye extends across the entire postcard. The embroidery doesn't cover the entirety of the postcard and so this still allows the context of the photograph beneath to be seen, and so this embroidery becomes a focal point.