Leslie Hinton
Arth555/Film555
Dr. Cooley
December 17, 2001


Annotated Bibliography


Synopsis of research: In the early part of this term, my interests in autobiographical impulse were in regards to a repetitive process such as mark making . Marks that are considered obsessive. I found the work of Yayoi Kusama, Liza Lau, and Agnes Martin prime candidates for this research project. There was a plethora of information in relation to their work which I began to collect. As this study developed so did the intrigue of how this material would be interpreted by studio faculty within the University that I am currently attending. With encouragement of Dr. Cooley it was decided that I should in fact conduct interviews with these professors. This became a deciding factor to my final research. The amount of information and the richness of what was revealed to me through this personal information on the artist’s approach to their work, their studio space, thought processes behind their work etc. was too important not to include into the presentation. I would have to alter my original premise pertaining to an obsessive style of repetitive mark making ---because I learned from the interviews that none of the artist worked in a similar way as Lau, Kusama, or Martin. I could not find a strong enough relation to the artistic practices of these obsessive practitioners of the mark with the intentional marking of the professors---so I made a decision not to include the first part of my research into the final presentation. Each faculty member has a distinct methodology to their work that has developed after decades of study and practice. I was able to integrate the texts we discussed in class along with find significant correlations between authors and artists. This help further shed light upon their work in terms of the autobiographical impulse.



Lyons, Robert. Personal Interview. November 2007.

This interview proved to be a substantial gain in my research. Firstly he sheds light upon the motivating factors of his artwork, as well as the environment from which he is most inspired/motivated. He gives a history of his process including distinct memories from his undergraduate career. The key points of this interview cause me to sway my presentation on the terms that I find the aspect of work space pertinent as an autobiographical impulse that is a determining factor within the mindset of the artist and is important for the outcome of their work.

Scotchie, Virginia. Personal Interview. November 2007.

This dialogue revealed much about this artist interpretation of everyday objects into her work. Where her forms have originated. This was pertinent to my research on the visual autobiographical documentation. She gave me a background on her history as an artist---with special attention to work ethic and I introduced questions concerning her workspace. Addition incorporating questions concerning mind set before approaching work---what sorts of ’rituals’ or key factors must be in place before attempting to work. Discussion of repetition of form as well as introducing negative space as a way of surface decoration. My research began to sway even further into concerns regarding the artists personal space, where they create, how they approach their work---what must take place before hand.

Schneckloth, Sara. Questionnaire via e-mail. December 2007.

The highlights of this Questionnaire in terms of the responses were Professor Schneckloth’s in-depth description to her artistic practices. Her extreme consciousness and hyper awareness to her physiological connection to her mark making. This type of visual manifesting of memories through her process was invaluable to the research. The concentration of her questioning the idea as the human mind as a storage vessel for memory----out springs her Emotional Reliquaries. Her responses reveal insight into not only to her approach but as well the space in which she creates--regarding it as a sanctuary.

www.saraschneckloth.com. Visited throughout research.

This website further permeated meaning and a backdrop for the questionnaire responses. Giving a greater visual understanding through a well documented portfolio of imagery. This imagery allowed for a better appreciation of the intention for their creation, as well as depicting what Professor Scneckloth’s impulses are as an artists and autobiographically. It proved to be useful as providing pictures for the presentation itself.

http://web.mac.com/ROBERTFLYON/RFLs_Site/Welcome.html. Visited throughout research.

Professor Lyon’s website was a tool of substantial use. In it he gives an artists statement. His justification for the materials that he incorporates in his work. The interests he has in his creative intentions---how this has in fact changed overtime as technological advances have thrusted themselves upon our society. As well this website was important for its images that proved to be useful in the presentation itself.



http://people.cas.sc.edu/scotchie/pages/biography.html. ‘Biographical information on Virginia
Scotchie’

This website was informative in terms of giving accounts of the artist’s areas of interest, inspiration, along with an in-depth bibliography of reviews and periodicals that would further be beneficial to research. Additionally this was a good source for accumulating imagery for the presentation itself along with


Barthes, Roland. Roland Barthes on Roland Barthes.

Excerpts of this were significant in the author’s description of the body as a tool for writing as well as his photographs of his studio space. Once again I found a parallel between his techniques and those described by Schneckloth


Kuhn, Annette. Family Secrets: Acts of Memory and Imagination (London: Verso, 2002)

This article was helpful in it’s mention of memory in terms of creating a huge springboard for creating whether it be through film, texts, or works of art. This was applicable to the information that Sara Schneckloth shared regarding her creative process, her usage of memory as a catalyst for her work.


LeJeune, “The Autobiographical Pact” & “The Autobiographical Pact (bis),” in On
Autobiography (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1989),3- 30 & 119-137

I used LeJeune’s definition of what he describes as falling into the category of autobiographical. Since in my own presentation the term is somewhat broad, I consider an artist space as being autobiographical , thus I needed a broad definition such as LeJeune’s.


Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy.

I was able to use this text to my advantage when incorporating the material from Robert Lyons interview into the presentation. I found that their philosophy on their work practices similar. Lyon’s longs for solitude and introspection in order to gain momentum for his artistic work. While Descartes similarly relies upon the study of his own self to catalyst him into productivity.
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