Update: Identity Project

My Identity Thesis Project I have decided to use only paper. The background is in newspaper, I will be creating an embroidery from my Hmong culture background and within that is a maze. Surrounding the sign is collages of feminists things such as Tampon labels, or food label ingredients because in life, there are a lot of things that makeup who we are. I chose paper as a form because growing up, it was known in my tradition that "Females" were less valued and they're not powerful or that they're not worth anything. And that relates to paper because though money is made from paper, just regular paper isn't worth anything or valued for.


I'll be sure to update this post with photos this weekend!

UPDATE:

Instead of doing the maze and collages of backgrounds, I was going to draw 3 figures that look like male, they're dressed in suits but have their heads covered with the embroidery of my culture on it so it covers the faces. I am going to use 18x24 drawing paper, the background would be pink to symbolize being a female. Somewhere on the paper would be the words, "Accept me now" with a huge question mark behind the words. I'm using pencil to draw out the 3 figures because unlike pens or markers, they don't leave a permanent mark, signifying that in this world, females aren't expected to leave any mark behind, though there are traces even when being erased. I know this is a big last minute change but the more I thought on my project, more and more ideas started coming. Its crazy!

 

UPDATE End Result:

 

I noticed I changed the way I wanted to do my Identity Project quite a few times. In the end I didn't add the words because I wanted the project to speak for itself instead of adding words to it. Overall, I thought I did good for the first project. Not only that but the class I thought did wonderful. I feel this project really opened all of us up to each other and created that comfort in the class. Also I'm glad this project gave us all the chance to share a part of ourselves and a part of our lives together even though quite a lot of them were deeply personal. 

Text Notes: Kentridge & Goldin

Pre-Questions for William Kentridge

1. Why document residue of abuses with the emotional complexity of amnesty?
2. Why is it in black and white only?
3. How do you make documenting a part of your everyday life?

Pre-Questions for Nan Goldin

1. How do one withstand the test of time?
2. How did you get started with photographing yourself and friends?
3. How does one differentiate themselves from just taking a "regular" photo?

Notes: William Kentridge

• Born in Johannesburg, South Africa
• His artworks seems to have a great deal with politics in South Africa
• When he was young he saw a photo with a person's head blown off and that has left an impression from then onward
• He works with all sorts of medium
• His experiences from his childhood to growing up shows in his artworks a lot

Notes: Nan Goldin

• Impacted by the death of her friends and drug usage
• Her sister committed suicide and she ran away from home at a young age
• In the beginning her pictures were not seen by the public but by the people whom she had taken pictures of but later, everyone was able to view them and it became a hit
• She searches for the intimacy she lost with her sister
• Was in an abusive relationship that had her hospitalized

Post Questions for William Kentridge

1. Out of all your mediums, which is your favorite and why?
2. If you were not living in South Africa, where would you like to live?
3. Is everything based on real life experiences or events?

Post Questions for Nan Goldin

1. How come you had no intention of becoming a career artist even though you did so much with photographing?
2. Are you still looking for that intimacy you lost with your sister?
3. Is any of your friends still struggling with drugs or other life threatening situations?

Project: Identity

5 Touchpoints

1. I moved a lot my childhood
2. Being a female
3. My Dad and I never seeing eye to eye
4. After graduating high school, I took a year off to think what I really wanted to do with my life
5. And lastly, changing the fact maybe I didn't want to be a cartoonist but incorporate everything I loved into Graphic Design


Adjectives

1. Difficult
2. Expectations
3. Struggles
4. Disappointment
5. Standards
6. Label
7. Worthless
8. Mainstream
9. Ordinary
10. Predominant


Metaphors

1. A roomful of clones
2. A women window shopping, looking through glasses of how she should portray herself to be
3. A global map or globe of Earth, having the females dress in their traditional clothing with strings attached and connected to each of them
4. A girl looking at a mirror to reflect what is expected of her
5. A maze of expectations to complete to get out




- MV

New Beginnings...

The start of Concept Studio feels great. I am excited for the challenges and risks I want to take. I feel as an artist you shouldn't limit yourself to just one thing but try something new, for you never know what works for you and what doesn't. There were some questions on the powerpoint that Prof. Rothrock showed that was very interesting and I find myself always asking the same questions from time to time.

For me, art is life. I chose art because I couldn't see myself in anything but making and simply living art. I tried imagining myself in an office job, working 8-5 inside a cubicle doing something I don't love or have a care in the world for and that just isn't me and I know for a fact I wouldn't be happy at all.

The last question on the powerpoint was "What do you want to do with Art?"
I think I'm still trying to find the gist of that answer but for now, it's still changing and evolving for the time.
I look forward to this class and learning more about art.

Now its onto the 10 page autobiography and reading about artists!


-MV