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About this character and the practice

This character, in addition to the use of him as both lens (to observe) and mouthpiece (to respond) is a reflection of my own 'Exploration' f the contemporary world.

About this character and the practice

There is something almost contradictory and amusingly ironic about the idea of a disabled explorer.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

My Background

My name is Robert Noble, I recently graduated from Staffordshire university (Fine Art Degree) While on this course I created the character 'the Victorian explorer' character who is employed as a tool to view the world in a unique way and respond by use of texts (authored by this character - myself) and artworks.

My Medium

There are a variety of Materials and Techniques employed within my works such as Acrylic and a small degree of oil paint, photo editing with digital software and sculptural elements. Moreover I find the metaphorical significance of the collision of the traditional mediums/techniques of drawing with the more modern techniques of digital technology to be not just a pragmatic and practical concern but also very apt for a character out of time - a 'time traveller' - as the character has emerged into the contemporary world, thereby taking it as his duty to 'explore ' and document it. By which hopefully revealing some of the more ridiculous facts within it.

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The genesis of the character:

The character was created back at the beginning of my University course, he was initially intended as a joke - a novelty which was a response to a project which had us take 'Selfies' and alter these, one of them was a joking portrayal of myself as an explorer. The character I soon realised was very much reflective of my journey though life and 'exploration' of Fine Art and thereby 'exploration' of the world using artworks from a historical context.

For the character a name was first come up with (to accompany him) after trying out a few variations - many of which were quite ridiculous, decided on the double barrelled Septimus-Smythe Fotheringale (with the letters esq. on the end partially inspired by the main character from Blackadder the 3rd). Of addition to the ornate and posh sounding name then needed to create a faux-provenance for this character (in order to lend authority and credibility to his comments and the artworks thus generated) additionally this character - acquired as well as a series of possessions and a bust has also a Biography written (which details certain aspects of his background) These 'items' of faux - provenance were displayed in a museum style way.

The artworks created are thus technically by this character, though as he is based upon me he does speak with my voice after a fashion.

Of the many potential uses for this character, written reviews have been quite the interesting aspect, these are not always but usually accompanied by artworks, but they do offer a chance to employ the fictional aspects in other non - practical, but still artwork related ways.