Courses

Ellen Wise

Ellen Wise is a visual artist from Essex, United Kingdom. She deals with intrusive thoughts and sound, focusing on the horror element of the everyday experience of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She uses mediums such as film and audio to creatively explore the ‘fight or flight’ mind-set that occurs with OCD. Her work often focuses on habitual actions and movements. Ellen also uses photography in her research to document small details of texture and investigate the particular importance of texture in rituals such as handwashing. Ellen exhibited in the IADT student show In the Making: Bread, (Pallas Projects, 2023).

Ellen Wise, Believe in Me, video, 2023, 2 minutes 29 seconds. This work explores using strong statements that can cause worry within the format of an origami fortune teller, a game with 'answers' that most people can find relatable to their life situation and how they feel. The ‘answers’ on the fortune teller can be unnerving for many people, and can potentially trigger intrusive thinking.

Ellen Wise, She is Thinking, video, 2022, 2 minutes 14 seconds. This video explores the intrusive thoughts of obsessive compulsive disorder and the stress that can be created using regular objects and activities to portray high fixation and obsession. I use video and sound to heighten the emotions revolving around OCD. I personify obsession using a character I call Lynn Trusive, the keeper of intrusive thoughts.

Ellen Wise, Looking for Answers, video, 2023, 48 seconds. Ouija boards are usually used in hope to contact the dead, whether or not they truly work is unknown. Although the planchette moves on its own the answers do not change, in order to question the Ouija board's authenticity and portray intrusive thinking.

Ellen Wise, *Unforseen*, photograph, 2023. An origami fortune teller presented with the striking colours red and black is being held up into a spotlight to bring a sense of Importance to an object that realistically, is only made out of paper. The results inside the paper do not hold any guarantees, however have general phrases of which any person could relate to in some shape or form. Leading to at least a small element of belief that the fortune teller could be telling the truth.

Project Description

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is central to my work. I explore how everyday objects and scenarios can become imbued with a sense of foreboding. Sound is the guide to intrusive thoughts throughout my work. I use sound as the driving factor to create a feeling of anxiety, whilst my visuals may not present anything very obviously threatening. There is a suggestion of underlying worry in my work, which stems from an obsessive necessity to stay safe. My latest work focuses on intrusive thoughts and the belief system can lie behind these thoughts. One of my videos features an origami fortune teller, and it explores how even very generalised statements can cause worry, because most people can find them relatable to their life situation and how they feel. The ‘answers’ on the fortune teller can be unnerving for many people, and can potentially trigger intrusive thinking

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Thesis - Is the Sonic Neglected Within Contemporary Art?

The subject of sound within contemporary art is discussed within this thesis to understand the lack of conversation revolving around the sonic in art. It is to ask the question of if sound art is a generally undervalued art practice by artists and if this affects the audience’s views on sound art.

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