Title: "Materialistic"
Medium: Mixed Media + Found Object April 2016 Size: 33.02 cm x 33..02 cm Exhibition Text The main focus for this project was to create an art piece that resembles materialism while being displayed in a completely different environment. I use a form of mixed media by incorporating distinct elements while trying to get a point across. It uses Robert Rauschenberg's art as an inspiration, going off of his same techniques. My original intention was to create a piece that is odd to viewer but that conveys a deep message within. All is self made with-in the medium. |
Process
Planning Before anything, the first step was to sketch and brainstorm ideas. This part was the most time consuming. Since I was so indecisive, it took me a while of research and lots of brainstorming to finally get my ideas together. I went from ideas such as abortion to addiction and then, it finally hit me. I wanted to do something that touched up a combination of feminism and materialism. To do so, I knew that I had to incorporate some found objects that all girls use to enhance their physical appearance. So the images below, were my thoughts in this process. |
Creating
The basic component of my project was the base. The process for creating my final piece is more thoroughly described below...
The basic component of my project was the base. The process for creating my final piece is more thoroughly described below...
BaseThe base was a thick, ring-like, styrofoam piece in which I stuck red flowers in, along with green little leaves in between each one. This was placed on the outer side of the ring, and right afterwards, I started gluing objects on top. I chose red because besides it being a very vibrant color, it has it's own meaning.
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Found ObjectsOne of the main intentions of my project was to add found objects actually found within my house that would represent or could actually help enhance the physical appearance of any girl. So for that, some of the items I included were razors, make-up, brushes, tweezers, creams and sponges, and of course, nail products. I also included a purple, spiral wire in the middle that stretched from side to side to represent hair rollers.
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PlacementAfter being done with the piece itself, I headed towards a local place and took the final pictures of this process. To this, I added some more things, which include a sparkly heel, a thick necklace, and a purse to enhance it even more; all while my mom helped me hold it up above the water and facing the trees, with a feeling as if she was ready to let it all float away freely. I took the photographs on a cloudy day to make the mood more suitable for the meaning behind my piece.
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Photographing
Since I began working on this project, I had set expectations for it and since the beginning, i had pictured the outcome in my mind. Aside from the object I had made, I added a sparkly heel, a purse, and a thick necklace to the presentation. These all also have their own meaning which is why I had to incorporate them into the project and the final photograph as well. This part of the process didn't take as long as I thought, and the setting I chose was just right, because it also helped enhance what my project is supposed to represent, which is materialism. |
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Artist Inspiration
My artist inspiration for this piece came from Robert Rauschenberg. Not only did he belong to the pop art movement, but he also had a tendency of putting random, non-traditional objects together; incorporating different mediums in his work as well. This is what made his work attracting to me, that he gets the viewer thinking once his art is presented, that the meaning of his artwork isn't easily identified. The random elements engage the viewer and arise a wide variety of perspectives, which is what I attempted to do in my piece as well; get the viewer wondering why things such as make-up and a heel are being raised up high near water and trees. |
Meaning of the Piece
The meaning behind this piece it to represent the world of materialism that we live in. Women are judged by their appearance, not their intelligence, their talents, or their potential, but only for what they physically have to present. Every little thing has it's unique meaning in this project, starting with the red flowers and the leaves. These are both meant to connect towards nature in a way that expresses the fact that this is our world, but it is also a part of being a female, you're just expected to do more. To many, the color red also represents love, and in my piece, I attempt sarcasm as if we loved going through all of this. The elements in it, such as the make-up, the cream and the brushes are normal, but I also added the element of the pointy tweezers standing up and the earrings, the razors, the eyelash curler and the wire spiral to represent the painful things we use in attempt to look good at times or to improve our overall appearance. The heel, the necklace and the purse are distinct things that women use as well in an attempt to do this.
The placement of my piece changes it's aesthetic as I tried to convey two different things; one in the object itself and one in the environment I placed it in, I try to get the point across that these things are sometimes necessary because we are women, and those are our standards, but at the same time, that this is our world and our expectations are often higher than any others. I decided to position my piece up in the air instead of down low or actually on top of the water so that in the final photograph, the whole view of the environment was captured. I believe that materialism is very well present in today's society, and my project resembles a glimpse of what this means to me as well as many other women.
The meaning behind this piece it to represent the world of materialism that we live in. Women are judged by their appearance, not their intelligence, their talents, or their potential, but only for what they physically have to present. Every little thing has it's unique meaning in this project, starting with the red flowers and the leaves. These are both meant to connect towards nature in a way that expresses the fact that this is our world, but it is also a part of being a female, you're just expected to do more. To many, the color red also represents love, and in my piece, I attempt sarcasm as if we loved going through all of this. The elements in it, such as the make-up, the cream and the brushes are normal, but I also added the element of the pointy tweezers standing up and the earrings, the razors, the eyelash curler and the wire spiral to represent the painful things we use in attempt to look good at times or to improve our overall appearance. The heel, the necklace and the purse are distinct things that women use as well in an attempt to do this.
The placement of my piece changes it's aesthetic as I tried to convey two different things; one in the object itself and one in the environment I placed it in, I try to get the point across that these things are sometimes necessary because we are women, and those are our standards, but at the same time, that this is our world and our expectations are often higher than any others. I decided to position my piece up in the air instead of down low or actually on top of the water so that in the final photograph, the whole view of the environment was captured. I believe that materialism is very well present in today's society, and my project resembles a glimpse of what this means to me as well as many other women.
Reflection
I am really pleased with the fact that I was able to imagine the outcome of this project before hand and truly like it with out having so many complications throughout the process. The most difficult part, for me, was to come up with ideas I felt comfortable with, because sometimes good ideas would come to me, but I couldn't find a good meaning of them without making it sound so cliche, so I'd eventually move on and continue to brainstorm. I feel like my goals were accomplished successfully even though my time to complete it was reduced.
I am really pleased with the fact that I was able to imagine the outcome of this project before hand and truly like it with out having so many complications throughout the process. The most difficult part, for me, was to come up with ideas I felt comfortable with, because sometimes good ideas would come to me, but I couldn't find a good meaning of them without making it sound so cliche, so I'd eventually move on and continue to brainstorm. I feel like my goals were accomplished successfully even though my time to complete it was reduced.