#vciii

Body Extension Assignment Design Sketches

Body Extension Project (Reflection After the Event Score Performance in Class)

My proposal for the body extension assignment augments eyesight and appearances based on night-time urban camouflage, while restricting the sense of touch. The premise of the augmentation is to disguise myself in reflective surfaces across my sleeves on a dark turtleneck shirt, while wearing a chrome mask. The inspiration behind this augmentation, in an artistic and conceptual level, is that of Nick Cave’s soundsuits. Cave’s soundsuits hide the wearer’s body and “conceals race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment” (http://www.jackshainman.com/artists/nick-cave/). In terms of a deeper conceptual level, the inspiration comes from my observation of sunglasses while listening to Loreena McKennitt’s Marrakesh Night Market.

I find the concept of hiding oneself in plain sight to be interesting, as I find anonymity to be intriguing in our internet driven society filled with hidden personas. When one goes on the internet, they have the option to choose their identity, and they can mold it accordingly with their own security in mind. Security is a top priority with this augmentation, as it serves a function in hiding oneself from potential harassers while also allowing the wearer to look behind (in case there are any incoming threats) through the collection of mirrors on the gloves and sleeves without physically turning around. During my many commutes, I occasionally encounter harassers who try to flirt with me (even though I express no interest), and it is made even worse when I wear makeup on that day just to look nice and professional (I did not ask to be flirted with). Additionally, there are times when I commute during the late hours of the night (borderline midnight to be exact), which would lead me to walk from the PG Plaza Metro Station to my house for thirty-five minutes. Naturally, under those circumstances, I tend to be cautious, and there are moments when I wish that I could see who is behind me without turning around. The mirrors, mask, and even the shirt itself serve to hide the wearer and see what lays behind. The chrome mask hides the face, while the wearer can still see the world as is. The mirrors on the sleeves are adjustable, and as previously stated they allow the wearer to look behind themselves when the wearer lifts their arms. Additional mirrors on the gloves serve the same purpose as the ones on the sleeves. The black fabric serves as a means of camouflaging with the shadows of the night, as the wearer’s contours blend into the night. The wearer is free to express themselves while hiding their age, race, and facial features.  

Event Score:With the gloves, shirt, and mask put on, the I engage in a reflective (pun intended) dance, in which I observe the entire room through the mirrors on my sleeves and gloves. I then stretch my hands accordingly in order to position the reflective mirrors. Additionally, I contort my shoulders forward with my hands on my waist in order to see through the mirrors on my shoulders.

Body Extension Project (Reflection After the Event Score Performance in Class)

My proposal for the body extension assignment augments eyesight and appearances based on night-time urban camouflage, while restricting the sense of touch. The premise of the augmentation is to disguise myself in reflective surfaces across my sleeves on a dark turtleneck shirt, while wearing a chrome mask. The inspiration behind this augmentation, in an artistic and conceptual level, is that of Nick Cave’s soundsuits. Cave’s soundsuits hide the wearer’s body and “conceals race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment” (http://www.jackshainman.com/artists/nick-cave/). In terms of a deeper conceptual level, the inspiration comes from my observation of sunglasses while listening to Loreena McKennitt’s Marrakesh Night Market.

I find the concept of hiding oneself in plain sight to be interesting, as I find anonymity to be intriguing in our internet driven society filled with hidden personas. When one goes on the internet, they have the option to choose their identity, and they can mold it accordingly with their own security in mind. Security is a top priority with this augmentation, as it serves a function in hiding oneself from potential harassers while also allowing the wearer to look behind (in case there are any incoming threats) through the collection of mirrors on the gloves and sleeves without physically turning around. During my many commutes, I occasionally encounter harassers who try to flirt with me (even though I express no interest), and it is made even worse when I wear makeup on that day just to look nice and professional (I did not ask to be flirted with). Additionally, there are times when I commute during the late hours of the night (borderline midnight to be exact), which would lead me to walk from the PG Plaza Metro Station to my house for thirty-five minutes. Naturally, under those circumstances, I tend to be cautious, and there are moments when I wish that I could see who is behind me without turning around. The mirrors, mask, and even the shirt itself serve to hide the wearer and see what lays behind. The chrome mask hides the face, while the wearer can still see the world as is. The mirrors on the sleeves are adjustable, and as previously stated they allow the wearer to look behind themselves when the wearer lifts their arms. Additional mirrors on the gloves serve the same purpose as the ones on the sleeves. The black fabric serves as a means of camouflaging with the shadows of the night, as the wearer’s contours blend into the night. The wearer is free to express themselves while hiding their age, race, and facial features.   

Event Score: With the gloves, shirt, and mask put on, the I engage in a reflective (pun intended) dance, in which I observe the entire room through the mirrors on my sleeves and gloves. I then stretch my hands accordingly in order to position the reflective mirrors. Additionally, I contort my shoulders forward with my hands on my waist in order to see through the mirrors on my shoulders.

Assignment #4: Body Extension Project

My proposal for the body extension assignment augments eyesight and appearances based on night-time urban camouflage. The premise of the augmentation is to disguise myself in reflective surfaces across my sleeves on a dark turtleneck shirt, while wearing a chrome mask. The inspiration behind this augmentation, in an artistic and conceptual level, is that of Nick Cave’s soundsuits. Cave’s soundsuits hide the wearer’s body and “conceals race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment” (http://www.jackshainman.com/artists/nick-cave/). In terms of a deeper conceptual level, the inspiration comes from my observation of sunglasses while listening to Loreena McKennitt’s Marrakesh Night Market.

I find the concept of hiding oneself in plain sight to be interesting, as I find anonymity to be intriguing in our internet driven society filled with hidden personas. When one goes on the internet, they have the option to choose their identity, and they can mold it accordingly with their own security in mind. Security is a top priority with this augmentation, as it serves a function in hiding oneself from potential harassers while also allowing the wearer to look behind (in case there are any incoming threats) through the collection of mirrors on the gloves and sleeves without physically turning around. During my many commutes, I occasionally encounter harassers who try to flirt with me (even though I express no interest), and it is made even worse when I wear makeup on that day just to look nice and professional (I did not ask to be flirted with). Additionally, there are times when I commute during the late hours of the night (borderline midnight to be exact), which would lead me to walk from the PG Plaza Metro Station to my house for thirty-five minutes. Naturally, under those circumstances, I tend to be cautious, and there are moments when I wish that I could see who is behind me without turning around. The mirrors, mask, and even the shirt itself serve to hide the wearer and see what lays behind. The chrome mask hides the face, while the wearer can still see the world as is. The mirrors on the sleeves are adjustable, and as previously stated they allow the wearer to look behind themselves when the wearer lifts their arms. Additional mirrors on the gloves serve the same purpose as the ones on the sleeves. The black fabric serves as a means of camouflaging with the shadows of the night, as the wearer’s contours blend into the night. The wearer is free to express themselves while hiding their age, race, and facial features.   

Event Score: With the gloves, shirt, and mask put on, the I engage in the dark. I walk across the stage as though I’m commuting, and I stop in the middle when I hear someone. With a volunteer in the stage, I ask them to approach me from the back, while I see them through my mirrors on my sleeves. Once I see them, I can proceed to indicate that I can see them, and run swiftly through the dark.

Icarus Automaton Illustrations and Conceptual Colors

Tulie Mitiuriev

An ongoing struggle was made in how the cams needed to work without jamming each other, so constant work was created in deliberation and craft, in which I constantly referred to the illustration of the came works while working on them in real life.

VC3 Automaton Pictures

Automaton Project

Comprehensive Drawing for Assignment #1

Artist References: Frank Gehry and Buckminster Fuller