Kira

WEEK 11 ASSIGNMENT

Final Conceptual Portrait

For the conceptual portrait assignment, I wanted to capture what items mean the most to the people I know and those in my life. I myself am somewhat of a maximalist, I collect random items that have personal meaning to me. I often wonder which things from my house are most important to me, and so the idea for this project was born. I asked myself and several others, “If your house was on fire, what three items would you grab?”. I gave each participant these guidelines: 1. Set a timer for 3 minutes, this is how long you have to accumulate your 3 items. 2. Leave your laptops, phones and financial documents aside (assume those have been salvaged). And 3. Lay them out on the floor, take a photo, and tell me what each item is and why they are so important to you.

It was super interesting to see the outcome of this prompt. There were many patterns and overlaps between the items chosen. Despite who these people were… childhood friends, new friends, classmates, family members… there were obvious repeats. One recurring theme illustrated that the monetary value of the items chosen often took the back seat. Old stuffed animals and photographs were common… things that didn’t cost a lot but mean the most. This taught me that in times of desperation, we seek comfort and see the most importance in memories and intangible moments, rather than our most “valuable” possessions.

WEEK 10 NOTES

Conceptual Portrait Proposal

A concept I enjoy exploring is the way in which specific items can hold so much meaning to a person. Personally, I am a maximalist through and through, I collect items that stand out to me, and over time I grow attached to them. I connect sentimental meanings to everyday items and feel as though parting with them would be as if I were leaving a piece of me behind.

For the conceptual portrait, I wish to explore these attachments we form to tangible items. I plan on asking a group of diverse individuals which items mean the most to them and why. In the age of over-consumption and capitalism, I want to see just a few items that people couldn’t fathom parting with.

For this project I was very much inspired and moved by the art piece “Everything in my Father’s wallet” by Sara Angelucci. I would imagine that these found items, untouched from her father’s wallet ten years after his passing, hold whirlwinds of emotion for Sara herself. And yet to the common person, there is a sense of mystery. Why were these items important to him? Why did they hold a place in his wallet which he carried everywhere? What are the stories being told through these photographs, cards and notes? How do they formulate a portrait of a person? These were all questions running through my mind upon studying this art piece, and questions I want to address in my own conceptual portrait.

Everything in my Father’s wallet / Everything in my wallet by Sara Angelucci.

I also enjoyed On Kawara’s work in which he takes a more logical, mathemetical approach to portraiture. Through framing lists, places visited, people met and postcards sent as portraits of himself and of others, Kawara explores the concept that portraits are not restrained to a visual depiction of a person’s face or outward identity. Rather, these mundane everyday depictions of our actions display a much more realistic and accurate depiction of who we are.

WEEK 9 ASSIGNMENT

My Final Audio File – “A Walk In The Forest”

Join me for a pleasant walk in the forest, until danger appears. All noises made indoors, with my mouth, or with various items found in my room.
  • I made some changes to this final draft to make the ending fade out more organically.

WEEK 8 ASSIGNMENT

My Audio File Draft – “A Walk In The Forest”

My audio piece was a personal experiment more than anything. Without worrying about the authenticity of the final file, but rather, focusing on my limits personally, I approached this project with a conceptual mindset. I brainstormed ways that I could create convincing outdoor noises within the boundaries of my bedroom. Listen closely, and you will hear the whistles of various birds (me whistling), my footsteps on the crunchy forest floor (me walking in one place on a pile of plastic wrap), the wind sighing through the trees (my breathing), the rustling of bushes and greenery (me shaking around the spider plant in my room), and more. I wanted this project to be immersive for the viewer, a testament to their ability to dismantle an audio file and better understand all that went into it.

During this week I also participated in Alannah’s audio piece. She took a much different approach to her composition, an emotional and sentimental recollection of motherly figures. I enjoyed answering Alannah’s prompts for her piece and through speaking for her, I really felt the diversity of conceptual art. There are truly no limits with experimental and conceptual art, and the meaning behind the pieces we produce mean so much more than the refinement of the finished project. Whether these final pieces be humorous, emotional, or beautiful, they mean so much to the creator and can cause a viewer (or listener) to look inwards and find personal context and symbolism.

WEEK 7 NOTES

John Cage – 4’33” (For Orchestra and Soloist)

  • Silent orchestra: the composer and musicians act as though the stage is engulfed in sound.  All visual behaviours assume noise, but the listener is only met with silence. Only the noise of sheet music turning, arms lifting, and the general breathing of performer and person within the crowd can be heard. 

Marla Hlady – Basement Bass

  • A bass speaker is recorded in this audio, taking form as a rotating circle on the floor. It feels as though the sound radiates through you as you listen, becoming a symphony with the additional white noise of the air vents and droning fans, etc. It is said that “when a viewer stands on the floor, they feel the sound as much as they hear it”.

Daniel Olson – Thumbrolley

  • This artist manipulates toy musical instruments, finding art and music in an unlikely place. This is different from conventional music or the scoring of films for many reasons. In commercial music, expensive equipment is expected. Olson shows that music can be made no matter the material or instrument, it all depends on the creativity and vision of the artist. Olson keeps the listener interested through a dynamic composition of nostalgic noises; I found I was reminded of my own childhood upon listening to Thumbtrolley. 

My 1st Audio Proposal – A Quiet Morning in 60 Seconds

  • My mornings are quiet on principle, but when more attention is directed to the sounds and noises I make as I toast my raisin bread and scoop out orange marmalade, or open and close the fridge while swaying on that one creaky floorboard in my kitchen, I realize this silence has many sounds. I developed this idea through John Cage’s work, as he emphasizes the beauty of silence, stating that sound is acting: it gets higher and lower, louder and quieter, inevitably morphing into a sculpture of sorts. 

My Updated Audio Proposal – A Walk in the Forest

  • In an attempt to dig deeper and create an audio art piece that has a “catch” per se, I decided I would attempt to make all the natural and organic noises of a pleasant walk in the forest, entirely with my mouth or with the help of objects around my room. I would then adjust specific noises as needed in GarageBand, changing pitch, adding reverb, altering volume… whatever felt necessary. This proposal went in a separate direction from my original idea (recording my morning), and was largely inspired by the audio “Piss Record” by Matthew Sawyer, because like Sawyer, I documented and embellished human noises in order to create something of a much different meaning.
A text I sent to my mom so she didn’t question the eccentric noises coming from my bedroom

WEEK 6 ASSIGNMENTS

Notes on the article “Turn and Face the Strange” by Darcey Steinke

            Not seeing faces in daily life has obviously been a struggle for all. Whether it be misunderstandings or outright confusion and miscommunication, the most expressive half of the human face being shielded for the entire world certainly has its difficulties. One specific example that I have felt the pressure in, is in part-time jobs. It can be extremely difficult to understand what a customer needs and what kind of mood they are in.        

I found the plague mask worn by a man in Hellerdon, England especially intriguing. Like something out of a sci-fi horror movie, these masks were worn during the 17th century to protect against the plague. I found this specific anecdote interesting because of the public reactions such an apparatus or protective gear can inspire. The concept of these current times of strife, sickness and loss being framed as a post-apocalyptic dystopia honestly doesn’t feel that far off the mark. Creepy and unsettling masks that can instill a sense of fear in the viewer is intriguing; it creates a parallel in the unsettling times we are enduring.

Without my face in this current age, I feel stripped of an identity at times, but also comforted.  In the past, I often felt as though I didn’t wish to show my face to the world. Hiding behind hair and shrinking into myself, there have been times when I’ve wanted to disappear and go unnoticed. While my self-confidence has improved tenfold in recent years, and I’ve become more appreciative of the person I show the world, I still desire that feeling of sinking into the shadows. Masks have become a shield to many people, allowing for an increased sense of anonymity and safety in the untrodden territories of the current day. Facing the public in the midst of a global pandemic is much less social than before, it’s harder to connect and it’s harder to communicate. But sometimes that’s what we want. Less sociable connections with passerby, and more safety – both physically and mentally. 

Transformation 1: “Go Clean Your Room”

Progress Photos of This Transformation

Transformation 2: “Pill Mask”

This facial transformation largely builds on the previous, relating much to the mental health struggles that have been ever-so-enhanced by the pandemic. For me, medication and anti-depressants are something that has been vital to my COVID-19 experience, helping me survive the loneliness and inevitable feelings of helplessness. People talk a lot about how to survive this virus on a physical level… wear masks, distance, stay home, etc… but the mental impact of the past year of isolation is something that is less talked about. This recreation is also clearly inspired by the work of Jan Hakon Erichsen and her series “How-To Survive a Deadly Virus” talked about during class.

Progress Photos and Brainstormings of This Transformation

Transformation 3: Silenced Screams

Building on the theme of mental turmoil I developed in this week’s assignments, this facial transformation expresses the frustrations that have come with the pandemic that we all feel. Sometimes it feels like you just want to scream… begging for this “new normal” to end. Back to what we knew: back to visiting friends and family, being amongst crowds, and living freely. So much is lost nowadays, when half of everyone’s faces are covered. For this transformation, I was inspired by Nina Katchadourian’s Lavatory Self-Portraits, and using materials that are commonplace and close at hand. Our masks are a necessity now… like putting on shoes to leave the house, or making sure you have your wallet before getting groceries. I decided to create art by painting how I feel on the inside lately, onto a mask that would otherwise be discarded.

Progress Photos of This Transformation

WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENTS

1 min with Jenna, still, on FaceTime

Social Distancing Video Portrait

I was inspired by Adad Hannah’s ability to depict how art can connect people, no matter the physical distance or circumstance. I took this video portrait project in a slightly different direction, as social distancing and quarantine has meant something different for me. For me personally, the act of social distancing, or quarantine rather, has meant a whole lot of FaceTime to stay connected with my friends. Not being able to see those who mean the most to me in person has been extremely difficult, but at least these moments through screens and technology allow some relief. I’ve spent hours upon hours chatting with my friend Jenna on FaceTime the past year, so I felt this format of video footage was perfect. Even a video taken with kilometres of distance between us, offers the same energy and mood captured by Adad Hannah’s social distance video portraits.

WEEK 3 ASSIGNMENTS

Defenestration Project

Description

For the Defenestration project, I wanted to take my origami swan outside so she could see the light of day. During the pandemic I’ve been doing a lot of crafts, one of them being learning origami. I’ve hung all sorts of swans from the ceiling in my bedroom, and something about looking at them swaying above me is very peaceful. I decided one of my swans deserved to feel the outdoors on her wings, and so I brought her outside and let her fly. I didn’t have any windows without screens to throw her out of, but was inspired by John Baldessari’s Throwing Three Balls in the Air to Get a Straight Line, and instead threw the swan into the air in different locations. I played with different framing techniques as well as shadow and light to create some pretty dynamic photos that I’m proud of! I especially love that if you blur your eyes, the origami swan almost appears lifelike, like a real bird flying up into the air towards the tops of the trees.

Artist Instructions

Making Changes – Lee Walton – “Rearrange items and objects in the city silently, then walk away.”

Sitting – Lee Walton – “Sit uncomfortably close to strangers on benches… don’t say anything.”

Ladder Climb – Jon Sasaki – “Try to climb an unsupported ladder.”

Dead End – Jon Sasaki – “Drive a van down a tight dead end, do a 3 (… or 6.. or 8… or 12) point turn to exit.”

The distance I can be from my son – Lenka Clayton – “Allow your child to roam free and record how long they make it before you feel you must catch up to them.”

WEEK 2 ASSIGNMENTS

Be Still for One Hour Exercise

For this weeks assignment, I decided to take a humorous route while also staying true to the characteristics of Abramovic’s work. I thought it would be funny if I sat on the toilet for an hour. The first 15 minutes of the hour passed without struggle, but I started to feel bored and restless as time went on. I counted the tiles in the shower in front of me, considered what the proper way to put the toilet paper on is.. (I still don’t know? Should the paper be under or over?) and became more and more aware of the hard porcelain I was sitting on. At one point (maybe 40 minutes in?) my mom knocked on the door and asked if I was okay, to which I responded “yes, just sitting on the toilet!” I listened to the sounds of my house, the whirring of the filter on my fish tank echoing through the hall, the swooshing cycle of the dishwasher, creaks and groans of the house… Things I normally wouldn’t pay any mind to. Overall, this exercise was physically taxing at times, but also relaxing. Upon being still for one hour, I have a newfound appreciation for Marina Abramovic’s work, and all performance artists for that matter.

Short clip from the end of my time-lapse sitting on the toilet.

WEEK 1 ASSIGNMENTS

Sol Lewitt – Notes

Sol Lewitt expresses the premise that “the idea is the machine that makes the art” by emphasizing that without the planning and preparatory stages of creating a work, the art would cease to exist. In fact, Lewitt stresses that the true work of art lies in it’s written instructions, diagrams, and planning phases, not in it’s finished product and aesthetics. The artist’s “loving hand” seems to be a tool that allows for Lewitt’s ideas to come alive. The collaboration of the hands of many artists coming together to create works such as the mural shown in this video, displays the importance and value of collaboration in contemporary art. This collaboration takes stress off of the artist’s craftsmanship and instead emphasizes their ideas and concepts.

Yoko Ono – Notes

I believe the boundaries between the artworks that Yoko Ono describes lie in the different performative experiences possible from each idea. A “painting to be stepped on”, a “painting to shake hands”, and a “painting for the wind” all define different contemporary art experiences that Ono introduces. To me, I feel that the artworks are not the paintings, materials, nor visual elements involved, but rather, are the different ways the public digest these experiences. The art lies in the idea, the process, and the performance of the work.   Yoko Ono challenges the viewer in many ways through these concepts. She takes emphasis off of finished product, or aesthetic appeal, and instead invites you to destroy your work… place it on the ground and let people walk on it, cut holes in it, etc. By doing so, Ono challenges the viewpoint that importance lies in finished products, which is often times what we as artists fall victim to. I like all of these concepts. I think it’s refreshing to hear a different perspective on creating, how to produce works, and simply, what art is.

Bruce Nauman – Notes

Bruce Nauman’s works were especially interesting to me. In many of his works, he is the subject and “sculpture”. One particular piece that frames an every-day, insignificant action as art, are his “Wall/Floor Positions”. These are black and white stills and videos where Nauman puts himself in different contortions and positions on the floor. By framing these positions as such, Bruce challenges the viewer’s perception of what art is.

Wall/Floor Positions – 1968

Nauman also possesses an interest in sounds, whether they be monotonous, everyday sounds, or cutting, jarring exclamations. An example of a work in which Nauman puts these everyday actions to use is through his sound corridors at the Tate Modern. The viewer walks through hallways that fade from silence to sound, and back again. It challenges the viewer, or rather, listener, to pay mind to sounds that may be ignored or tuned out in daily life, instead, establishing them as art.

Kilometre Exercise Brainstorming

For the kilometre concept exercise, I had a few different ideas. I first thought of going for a 1km walk in which I gathered the strangest objects I could find. I wanted to delve deeper, so I considered going for the same walk and instead photographing directly below me every 50 metres. I thought it would be interesting to digest different terrains, and how they change, paying mind to something I otherwise wouldn’t on an everyday walk. I was excited about this idea, but my procrastination came back to bite me, because by Monday (the day before this exercise was due, and when I was planning on taking my photographs!) the ground was covered in a thick layer of snow. Any diversity in the terrain on a 1km walk was no longer visible. Defeated, I decided to walk nonetheless, staring at the ground and waiting for an idea to come to me. I began noticing different tracks and prints in the snow that I would usually trod over and ignore completely, and so my idea was born! On a kilometre walk, I took photos of all the interesting prints in the snow I could find.

Prints in the Snow on a 1km Walk

One thought on “Kira

  1. Hi Kira,
    W1: Notes on Sol Lewitt, Yoko Ono, Nauman complete, I appreciate your Kilometre image and description, and how you created a task for yourself, but made discoveries and documented them – good thinking and process.
    W2: Image of Abramovic/Stillness gesture, and description – good that you suffered through the whole hour, thanks for pushing yourself to a slightly absurd point – the bathroom might be the only safe place for performance art these days… video doesn’t work FYI – talk to Nathan!
    W3: 6 Good conceptual sentences, Defenestration image and description – glad you used many views, and played with composition, could push more absurd things out the window – to create tension
    W4: 1 Distancing video portrait, and description – complete, could be a bit more inventive or play with zoom in a surprising way – but generally a fair sense of the moment!

    Work is complete, try to show more evidence of historical precedents for the work in your notes/descriptions,
    good understanding of conceptual ideas at play, try to boost your evidence of technical investment and effort in the excercises if possible – and keep trying to take interesting paths and show evidence of experimentation and adventurousness.

    If you would like to talk with me about your work in progress, readings, exercises, one-on-one comments on your work, and grades – send me an email in the morning to book a 15 minute appointment during the optional contact hours: Thursdays 11:30-2

    And you can show up to a zoom meeting with Nathan anytime during these hours to ask your questions, and get tech support for using software and finishing your projects:
    Mondays and Thursdays 11:30-4pm

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