Masked Identity

With this assignment I was inspired by words. As humans we communicate most everything through verbal language, and that is often the only form of communication that we can rely on for a picture of a person's identity. Because I am naturally an introvert and I do not enjoy speaking most of the time, I feel that I have an interesting relationship with words, and I have my whole life. I grew up in a home with a lot of verbal abuse, so I also know that words have power and the way that they are used is very important. To focus this idea I found my inspiration from the saying, "from the mouth the heart speaks."

I wanted my mask to cover the shoulders and most of the chest to give the visual that the heart plays an important role in communication. From there my mask covers the face and extends out in a phonograph shape, also representing the communication of verbal words. To push this idea further, I had the phonograph-type shape recede back in, but I left the metal wire exposed on the inside. The wire is patterned similarly to a spider web, but it is hard and rigid because of the material it is made with. With our words we often spin webs and can hurt others and trap ourselves, and this is what this structure represents. Also through the indent back into the structure, I wanted to express the way that we choose not to speak at times, or recede back from our words, and yet we still have harsh and hurtful words going through our minds behind the scenes. I know I can't speak for all people, but I will often plan out a confrontation or a conversation, but once I see that person and begin to talk to them, I draw back in and end up saying nothing at all.

I have a very complex relationship with words in that I struggle expressing myself through language, and yet I often find that the times I do speak, I end up only expressing my negative feeling and hurtful words. That is also a reason that I dance. Through dance I can express all of my feelings, without words. This is why I chose to take my pictures in the aerial silk- it is part of my identity, and I often use it as a covering and a way to avoid verbal communication. There are so many complex feelings and thoughts that went into this project that I am not actually sure I can communicate effectively through words (which is the very reason this project has meaning to me), but my hope is that my mask will communicate these ideas beyond what words can.

Process Pictures:

Final Photos:

Paper Stacking

Process Pictures:

Paper Stacking From Life Final Pictures:

For my paper stacked fruit I began by observing my apple and then tracing the basic shape of it and cutting out the rest of the pieces based on those shapes. After I finished the rough shape of the apple, I sanded it down to finish it.

Inspiration for created piece:

I was inspired by the following ballet and the way that the dancers movement resembled breathing and the heart beat. With my piece I wanted to embody this movement and create a piece that would have a breath of its own. I stacked a series of triangles and glued them in a specific sequence in order to make the form move on its own and create interesting negative space.

Invented Paper Stacking Piece Final Pictures:

Drawings:

Gregor's Room

Vocabulary list from my reading of The Metamorphosis: 

dissipate- to cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish.
arbitrary- not planned or chosen for a particular reason; not based on reason or evidence; done without concern for what is fair or right.
diminutive- very small
admonitions- a criticism or warning about behavior. 
shoddy- Inferior, imitative, or pretentious articles or matter. Pretentious vulgarity. 

My response to The Metamorphosis:
I love this story. The most interesting part of this story to me is the relationship between father and son. To me, I saw the father as having a hold on Gregor, which led me to create the bed as a symbol of the father- the head board representing the fingers of the father coming down and holding onto Gregor, trapping him in his bed. I felt that Gregor's transformation into a dung beetle was brought on by his father's business failure and his constant disappointment in Gregor. I also thought that Gregor's military background was an important element of the story because it made Gregor's life as a traveling salesman all the more discouraging and disappointing. As a lieutenant in the military, I can only imagine how humiliating it must have been for Gregor to come home from the war only to work in such a demanding and belittling job as a salesman. I included his military hat in a box representing Gregor's past, along with sales documents and cigarettes. Also to tie in the relationship between father and son, I added Gregor's dad's shiny, gold buttons to Gregor's wings to leave the mark of the father on Gregor's transformed state. The buttons also make Gregor seem somewhat human like- I purposely formed his wings like coat tails and included the buttons to show that he was still a human in a bug's body. I think Kafka's bizarre story is a tremendous insight on family relationships, personal pride, and the truth that we become what we perceive ourselves to be. 

In Process Photographs:

Final Project:

Drawings:

It's About Time

Response to Lick and Lather by Janine Antoni:

Janine Antoni is an intriguing artist who looks at life in a unique way that I would never have. In the video and article, they explained some of the pieces that she has created, including "Lick and Lather." This is a piece that displays a series of busts that Antoni carved out of soap and chocolate and transformed by licking the chocolate and bathing herself with the soap. I am inspired by the thought and insight that was put into the concept of Antoni's project. Although I did not have a personal connection or any revelation when creating my own soap piece, I hope as the semester progresses I will be able to include more personal insights in each of my future projects. 

In Process Pictures:

Finished Product:

Time Base Process:

1. I began by burning my first sculpture. 

2. Then I inserted popcorn kernels in its side and head, hoping that they would pop in the microwave.

3. But it didn't go exactly as planned...

4. After microwaving him, I melted the pieces together. 

5. I then punctured holes in it with a drill bit and using needle and thread I ran string through the piece.

6. I then melted a candle over it.

7. I melted a base to the bottom using some left over soap.