This year, RISD did not offer their infamous bike drawing as a hometest (!!) Instead, they assigned these three words as prompts: deconstruct, light, contain. I chose contain.
• deconstruct | ˌdēkənˈstrəkt | verb [with obj.] | reduce (something) to its constituent parts in order to reinterpret it
Make a work in response to the process or result of the deconstruction.
Create a title for the work.
• light | līt | noun | the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible
verb [with obj.] | provide with light or lighting; illuminate
Create a work using light or the illusion of light.
Create a title for the work.
• contain | kənˈtān | verb [with obj.] | have or hold (someone or something) within | container | kənˈtānər | noun | an object that can be used to hold or transport something
Identify what you want to contain.
Create a container for it.
Create a title for the work.
I decided to use a theme in my two responses. I picked “bubbles” as my theme, and my first piece answered this through a more literal approach. I wanted to represent contain in two ways and answer both parts of the definition: to have or hold within and an object that can be used to hold something. The bubblegum is literally holding objects inside- the ingredients used to make bubblegum. However, not only are the ingredients being physically held, but they are also used within bubblegum (Does that make any sense?), and they are contained in that sense.
In my second response, I took the figurative approach. What I was thinking was that when you have an idea, a "lightbulb” goes off. These two concepts are commonly associated with thought bubbles, which are often used to represent thinking and creativity/knowledge. I thought it would be interesting to show a lamp knocked over on its side, casting a shadow (which forms a type of “bubble”), and inside the shadow there are objects that are used when developing ideas. I included a notepad, pencils, paint, etc.
To be honest, I’m not very pleased with how either piece turned out. To me, both responses are lacking some visual interest. I do think that the second piece is more successful than the first, but there are still areas where the details could have been pushed.
I won’t get my decision letter until early April, so in the meantime…all I can do is forget about it and then either be happily surprised or a little disappointed in a few months. I tried not to get my hopes up too much for RISD, just because it’s such a good school.
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