Artist's Statement, Due Tuesday October 25th
* I'm posting mine below:
Future Bear: Past Imperfect
Part One: Faith’s Arrow
In the first “issue” of this collaborative project between myself and writer Julian Chambliss, we meet our hero Future Bear as she prepares to leave the future for the past. Her mission, to save our planet from the ravages of climate change, is only vaguely hinted at by scientists Skallgards and Bush; in fact, as the story develops, it seems clear that she will need to find her own strategy to complete the mission. When she arrives at her destination in the past, however, she is without her gear, lost and in trouble. Will she survive this initial encounter with humans from our time? And if she does survive, how will she convince us to save ourselves from a future without hope?
I created the Future Bear piece during a 2008 workshop with Kansas City printmaker Hugh Merrill. At the time, I was experimenting with combining digital and traditional approaches to image-making. I was also just months away from my first visit to Antarctica and polar exploration was on my mind (okay, it was more like an obsession). I was reading the epic adventures of explorers like Shackleton, Amundsen and Scott, enthralled with the grand narratives and heroic figures of their life or death experiences.
When Future Bear emerged in my sketchbook, I immediately liked the idea of a similar type of hero, one that seemed to be lifted from the pages of an adventure/ sci-fi comic, but whose narrative had to be invented by the viewer. After a few more works featuring Future Bear and a TEDx talk in which I described the polar bear as a visual symbol for global climate change, I became interested in expanding the Future Bear pieces into a more intricate narrative. My colleague, Julian Chambliss, an urban historian and comic authority who also presented at TEDx Orlando in 2010, saw an opportunity to write his first comic script. Both of us were intrigued by the possibilities of a collaboration in which he provided the story and I provided the images.
It has been a lot of fun to see my character come to life through Julian’s vivid imagination. In his script, Future Bear has taken on the identities of both mother and hero, a protagonist who possesses great strengths and abilities, but who is vulnerable just like us. I have enjoyed the challenges of working from a script and telling a story through images. The wall-based format of the current installation of screen prints came from a wide range of comics, both classic and contemporary. These colorful graphic images are arranged in a sequence from left to right, with the text appearing in the “gutters” or gaps in between. The text reveals the characters’ voices and details of the action, giving the viewer a richer understanding of the narrative. The digitally printed “wallpaper” background reflects my ongoing fascination with retro-futuristic scientific imagery and reminds the viewer of our scientific past as we consider the future.
Stay tuned for the next issue in which viewers will encounter the “Bear Squad” and discover the identity of Future Bear’s closest ally.
14 comments:
After spending six months abroad, I arrived home and realized that I saw the world completely different. It was like I grew four inches and had an entirely new perspective. Now that I knew more about other cultures and their roles with my own, I was more aware of my surroundings and the impact they had on me. The body of work I have created has to do with multiculturalism. After being abroad I was exposed to a variety of cultures, Asian, S.E Asian, European, Scandinavian, and Latin American. I was delighted to learn about our differences, but even more surprised and intrigued to learn about our similarities. What we share and what we differ on is so interesting. My body of work aims to explore these differences and highlight the similarities between cultures. Whether it is through the people, the religion, the beliefs, the practices, we all are more similar than we know. All it takes is a fresh perspective and taking the time to explore and look. The screen prints are sized to be extra-large postcards. I love this motif behind it because it reinforces the movement and fluidity involved of the concept. The screen prints were made with two different screens and using techniques and materials like screen filler and photo emulsions, rainbows rolls, and inverted screens.
In this series of screen prints, I have chose to bring to light the unrealistic expectations of beauty that women are faced with in our society. In my work I emphasize the extreme conditions women go to through a blatant exaggeration of the female form. I seek to blur the line between what is percieved as being "high-fashion" and that which is sickly. Having struggled with anorexia in the past, I draw upon my own personal experiences in an attempt to depict not only the morbidity of the fashion world but also the eloquence in sickness and frailty. My elongated females, an extention of myself, are meant to mimic the poses of fashion models while probing the question: is this real beauty?
In the majority of my artworks to date, I have been interested in exploring the concept of control and the ongoing struggle for or against it. My print series entitled “a psychopath is still a path” is an attempt to accentuate the nature of the psychological state of psychopaths and the manner in which they are viewed by the public at large. Both are exceedingly messy and mixed areas. By definition, psychopaths are generally understood to have no control over urges and carry out actions that a “normal” person would baulk at. They are chaotic but in a disturbing poised manner. There is an underlining tension between chaos and control, of being something at once volatile and measured. Going off of that theme, outsiders (or people who do not engage in psychopathic tendencies) tend to at once be fearful and fascinated by people with this mental condition. I am attempting to communicate these concepts by using humor, to almost flip the “deviant” behavior, putting it in a positive light. Thus, I have created what one might be call a “self help book” that goes in the other direction.
I have chosen to do this series using screen-printing because of the flat quality that screen-printing lends to work. This inherent attribute of screen-printing mirrors the sort of emotional detachment that is associated with the mental state of psychopaths as well as giving the prints the graphic quality that most pamphlets and brochures have. Wide ranges of techniques have been utilized overall in this series, from photo emulsion to the autographic positive method.
Monuments are found throughout many cultures, symbolizing a historic event or remembering a population’s cultural heritage. The diverse view of memorializing found among cultures fascinated me in the realm of anthropology. By incorporating my major, anthropology I seek to enlighten a different interpretation of how monuments are perceived through a non-western point of view. The body of work I have created encompasses the opposed view of how monuments should be represented, built and maintained, while also displacing them from their current environment, as monuments are frequently used to improve the appearance of a city or location. By choosing specific world renown monuments, shrinking them in size and placing them within nature, the symbolism and connotation alters the general perception of the monument. The series involves a monument showcased in white to reveal the prospect of a ghost form, with black silhouettes to signify the possibility of passerby’s to a now roadside monument. Photo emulsion and autographic positive method, as well as inversion and rainbow rolls were used to generate this series of prints.
Whether this is, a historical event, a thought process, a creation of an object or a relationship, an emotional reaction, or even a mere moment of life, in the known world we live in it all happens in space. This space might be something from a simple room, to any available space on earth or universe. Therefore, and since I am interested in the creation of depth and space on a two dimensional surface, such as a paper, I have decided to place and portray my thoughts within mysterious landscapes that are first composed in my thoughts, and then portrayed on a piece of paper through screen printing and the application of layers of paint, and color. Within these imaginary landscapes, that combine the human made part, and the natural part, such as the tree(s), I am revealing my feelings and emotions towards, not only the economic crisis in my country, Greece, but also the crisis of a culture. Both these crisis are happening due to the restrictions and austerity measures opposed by organizations, such as the European Union, on the Greek people, and is causing all these dramatic events, that people watch on the news all over the world, to unfold. By mentioning crisis of a culture, I want to to emphasize the fact that Greeks at this moment are not only reacting to the stricter economic conditions being forced upon them, but in a big extent, and maybe even unconsciously, to the changes that are occurring to the way of life they are used to and the corrupt environment that everyone until now was prospering from. Finally, through the mystery imposed to the work, I want to question the future, and the end results that all this chaos will bring.
As an artist I am interested in creating images that make the viewer reflect on aspects of the world that would not normally be considered. On one level, questions of living according to social norms and the perspective of being inside the mind of a socially unacceptable individual, such as Nikola Tesla, are considered. In conjunction to this, uncertainties of what are considered acceptable with the use of the technological advances of Tesla’s ideas in the modern ere are also contemplated.
I incorporate Tesla’s personal difficulties concerning his inner turmoil while trying to function and interact within the world as the basis for the narrative behind my work. I integrate his inventions regarding electricity and imagery that are symbols of some of his more idiosyncratic personality traits.
Using screen printing allows for a flat, graphic depiction of an image, which aids in the concept of the work; revealing the simplicity and truth behind complicated ideas and a misunderstood personality. Screen printing also comes across unrealistic, with the lack of detail and the use of brilliant colors, which adds to the mythical quality of Tesla and his ideas.
As I’ve grown up in the state of Florida, I’ve watched development and growth change the environment around me. Through studying Environmental Studies in college, I’ve slowly realized that not only is this ugly industry sprawling across our nation, but it’s destroying the habitat of our native animals. As humans, we have developed native lands into parking lots, highways, shopping malls, and abandoned, degraded fragments.
With this in mind, I’ve began to wonder where these animals are forced to live in the midst of over population and expansion. Sometimes my mind wonders curiously and I tend to think of these animals occupying particularly non-native habitats. If no territory is left for these panthers, bears, tortoises, foxes, and other native animals, then where will they flourish?
The use of color in my work helps to depict an environment that’s fleeting and was once there. The backgrounds in my images are represented with the colors of local Florida habitats, reminiscent of the everglades, wetlands, forested uplands and the scrub. The animals I’ve chosen to illustrate are animals that face habitat degradation fragmentation at an alarming rate. Populations are in decline and suffering from lack genetic diversity due to such small population sizes. We have forced this struggle upon our native animals by neglecting to develop our landscape in a sustainable manner. Through my art, I hope people look at the landscape in a different manner, and ask themselves what they think should naturally exist in their surrounding environment.
In my series of screen prints, I have chosen to explore the subject of personal growth, balance and development through cultural spiritual practices. In particular, I focused on using Gods and Goddesses from Buddhist, Tibetan, and Hindu religions. I chose to commence my series with a powerful image of Ganesha. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshiped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. I wanted this print to set the tone for the rest of my series; my objective is through these processes one can reach an inner spiritual balance. Ganesha is also shown with his specific mudra, I intend for each print have a distinct mudra. They can all be used to help relieve an issue or help strengthen. For my second print, I decided to literally make it personal by using a photo taken of myself, in traditional yoga lotus pose. I used myself to show how this journey is personal, and that I follow these meditative practices of yoga or relaxation in order to reach my own sense of balance and harmony. I also chose to be doing the Prithivi Mudra or Earth Mudra, which helps restore equilibrium and trust. The rest of my prints will be showing other important figures I feel best represent my own personal salvation.
Throughout my life I have developed a keen interest in psychology and how individuals view the world. In this series I’m focusing more closely on perceptions involving children whether it be how they would perceive the world or how the world would perceive them. In the works that I have created thus far I have incorporated symbols from Alice in Wonderland and the general spirit of fairy tales. Each of my prints carries this Alice-like character, modeled more after the original Alice Liddell, and roughly depicts her walking on a path. On her journey Lacie, as I have wryly named her, will come across different people and situations. I hope to recreate and utilize that sense of childhood sense of imagination, wonder, knowing, and effortless cruelty. While Lacie discovers the world and finds new thoughts and troubles, I am digging up old thoughts and troubles. Through Lacie I have been recovering my old way of thinking and seeing the world. Adulthood, and the expectations that come with it, tends to blind and bind people. As a child I did not know everything but I did know my own mind. In a way, this series is about finding that balance between how you perceived things as a child and how you perceive them as an adult. I use screen-printing to create solid lines and colors in order to create an illustrative feeling. The techniques I use to create these images involve a mixture of screen filler and photo emulsion.
I grew up in a quiet suburb, and wasn’t exposed to city life until much later. During my first trip to New York, I remember being in awe of the giant spaces created, yet being crushed together with others down narrow entrances and exits. I remember being forced to turn left here, walk through a revolving door that literally cut me off from my parents, and separated by others in stairways. My visits to New York as a child and stays in Rome when I became older showed me the importance in architectural choices as far as managing the movement of individuals. Cities are monumental gathering places for people. Any given day, there can be millions of people crammed together, rushing past one another. Urban architecture is made to accommodate these moving masses, it is an attempt to create order and control over individuals and their actions. Most interestingly, while pushing people together physically, it separates them emotionally. That isolation created in the city can be so dehumanizing.
My work shows show everyday urban spaces separate individuals. Cut off from people through a revolving door, forced to walk apart on a split street, or stuck on separate escalators, the individuals are silhouetted to show how depersonalized they are. With the use of screen printing, I am able to create multiples of an image. This makes the work more accessible.
I will email you the word version with changes tracked...keep working on it!
After spending six months abroad, I arrived home and realized that I saw the world completely differently. It was like I grew four inches and had an entirely new perspective. Now that I know more about other cultures and how they compare with my own, I am more aware of my surroundings and the impact they have on me. This series of screen prints focuses on the impact of multiculturalism, specifically with my perspective on the cultures I became acquainted with on my travels Asian, S.E Asian, European, Scandinavian, and Latin American.These images explore the differences while highlighting the similarities between cultures. Whether it is through ourselves, our religion, beliefs, or practices, we all are more similar than we know. The screen prints are sized to be like extra-large postcards. I love this motif because it reinforces the movement and fluidity involved in travel.. The screen prints were made with two different screens using techniques and materials like screen filler and photo emulsion, rainbow rolls, and inverted stencils. The graphic quality of the images and the colors I’ve chosen...
Kelly...will also send through email (but I added a few more changes to this one):
In this series of screen prints, I have chosen to bring to light the unrealistic expectations of beauty with which women are faced in our society. In my work I emphasize the extremes to which women will go seeking a blatant exaggeration of the female form. In this work, I attempted to blur the line between what is perceived as "high-fashion" and that which looks sickly. Having struggled with anorexia in the past, I draw upon my own personal experiences in an attempt to depict not only the morbidity of the fashion world, but also the strained eloquence expressed through sickness and frailty. These elongated female forms are an extension of myself, meant to mimic the poses of fashion models while probing the question: what is real beauty?
I am working with this subject matter through screen printing because...
Morgan
Monuments, found throughout many cultures, function as symbols of historic events or as memorials of cultural heritage. As an anthropology major, the diverse approaches to memorializing found among different cultures fascinates me. Through this series of prints, I seek to illuminate a non-western interpretation of how monuments are perceived. These images encompass an alternative view of how monuments can be represented, built and maintained. By choosing specific world renown monuments, shrinking them in size and placing them within nature away from their original contexts, I am attempting to challenge our western perception of the function of the monument. The series depicts monuments as ghost images in white with black silhouettes to signify the possibility of passersby seeing the once grand object as a mere roadside attraction..... (former last sentence doesn’t conclude very well, starts a new idea, try another final sentence).
Over my four years at school I have noticed many trends in the relationships of my peers. There has been a growing void between physical and emotional intimacy. It seems that people will become physically close much quicker than becoming emotionally intimate. My project deals with male and female interactions with eachother. Through the use of color and composition I am attempting to portray the void that is left when physical intimacy comes before emotional intimacy. I am using photographs from my senior project involving the same content. I am taking black and white photographs and turning them into photo emulsion stencils which are then relayed on to my paper to make my images.b
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