4D Project: Word on the Street, Collage

4D Project: Word on the Street

For this final text project, I knew that I wanted to use my family and friends to make the project more personal, while also placing focus on the words. I won’t go too much into what this means to me so that there is open interpretation for all . What I wanted to focus on artistically was making all of these photos and texts seem cohesive through a similar calligraphy for the “I AM” text, and with the black and white filter, as well as the frame of cropping. I am really happy with the amount of detail I achieved in these (since I am NOT an experienced photographer), and the overall theme and placement of my words! I know a large aspect of this was meant to take place in the outdoors, but I chose to stay focused on a more plain yet textured background outside so that the focal point could remain on the people and their eyes. 

Here’s my exercise for 4D! Of few of my favorite pics from some inspirational small poems placed around campus.

Here’s some examples of street art/text that I liked to go along with the reading response for 4D...especially like the “vandalism” one! So clean and contradicts what I would think of vandalism as. (Fun fact: the term vandal got its connotation/meaning from the tribe existing during the 5th century, hired by Italy as mercenaries but later sacking the city, making the word “vandal” a term also meaning those who wreck and steal :D )

Since I read this interview second to Holzer’s, I drew a lot of parallels to their works. The one difference I spotted is the idea of originality. As artists, we always strive to be the best, the most original, the most viewed. Using text as art has never crossed my mind, but the thought of making both the text and the art it encompasses equally original and artistically enticing is crazy to me! Because Montgomery’s text works we’re usually longer in text then Holzer’s, I think it might have given him an advantage in making the pieces more unique. Robert stood out to me as an artist because of the different environments (artistically and culturally) he must have experienced when creating such works. Working in fashion must have been challenging because it involves so many different aspects, not to mention working with a large company such as Dior is a lot of pressure and is quite a brand to live up to through artwork.

I found this artical very interesting to read. It is rare that I read or hear of an artist interview - usually it is someone famous or a political icon, so this was a breath of fresh air! This idea alone sparked some interest in me about the interview process itself. If Celebs and politicians get this sort of media exposure, than why not artists? Are people less interested, or are artists simply not as concerned with their own publicity/presence? Anyways, (back to the actual interview), I loved thinking about how Jenny progressed as an artist. Moving from a medium like painting and into abstract/ word/performance maybe even internet/ digital can be very challenging - as we’ve all experienced. I think the importance here is how she created art through these more politically geared messages, while also making them easily accessible via outside displays. Interesting too how she said that now, most young folks rely on the internet and social media for similar artistic experiences and expression. Just like 4D has taught us, it’s up to current artists to keep up this trend in availability of artworks!

For my performance project, I wanted to try something I have never done before...tattooing. Because I think of myself as having a very high pain tolerance, i thought it would be interesting to give stick and poke tattooing a try! Its just what it sounds like, sticking and poking yourself (with a needle and ink) to create a series of dots in order to form an image on the skin. Though I made a mess and got ink all over everything and all over my other fingers, I am overall happy with the experience (though it is more faint than I would have thought). Its part a performance, and part tutorial!

Overall, I found this article very interesting as it opened up my eyes to all that performance art could be. One of my favorite quotes from this article was surrounding how performance art and other types "emerge during particular political and social climates". While really, performance art can be anything the artist makes it into, it seems most successful (or at least the most social hype - which is kind of an artist's version of success) pieces tend to be those including some sort of social or political commentary. This made sense to me because when tensions are roused, it is only natural that artists would react in such a way, and with such creativity and involvement. It was also interesting considering how performance art both fits in to every kind of art and at the same time, belongs to no one category. I think this aspect is what makes performance art such a powerful medium. It can be interactive (as it involves people, and you can imagine yourself in that position), and so vastly different from painting and sculpture that we are used to. Performance is, as the author stated, a vital catalyst in our future culture, as a way of attracting attention to a subject or cause and leaving the realm of possibilities wide open.

Exercise # 4, 4D on verbs!

For our next project, vanishing and becoming, the first thing I thought of was the process of art. Not only is art brought back to life through museums, galleries, and other exhibitions, the act of creating art is one that involves “vanishing and becoming”. Whether you are experienced as an artist or not, we all start out with no experience, a literal blank page, and have the power to make things vanish and become from our own hands. We can erase, destroy, sell works and continue the process. For me, this was a go to for a video. I have always wanted to record myself making art, and follow along with my techniques, all the while planning to destroy the piece at the end and symbolize this art making pattern. I tried to use seamless transitions and constant lighting to draw attention to the piece itself. I thought it was important to have a person (especially a face) as the subject in order to really show how art can come to life, regardless of skill, time, or process.

Here’s another try at the vanishing and becoming project 😐

Exercise #3: Music/ Video feat. Arya

4D: Music/Video Exercise Feat. ARYA

My Inspiration for this project was the contrast between natural life (like animals, those unaware of technology), and the overwhelming world of tech we live in today. I wanted to play with blurring and saturation of colors to emphasize the focal point of the gif which, to me, is the moment we best see the animal, and understand what they are experiencing. Though animals are cliche to post about, I do not care. I love animals and could watch these gifs all day. I loved being able  to single out both majestic and awkward moments that these animals experience (just as we all do). I had a hard time deciding what to do and/or incorporate to make these more unique but decided the best way of displaying animals is through their own actions.

Hummingbird 

Bovidae