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The 10 works 2 weeks project is designed to give Art IV students direction in their art. In two weeks, we must create 10 small works. Then, we repeat. We round it off with one work in three weeks, tying it all together.
For the first 10 works 2 weeks, I executed every idea that popped up in my head until I had 10 works. I ended up with three wire and newspaper sculptures, a deconstructed iPod and watch, a toy car, two performance pieces, a sheet of math homework, and an acrylic painting. I loved how I had the freedom do anything I thought of. For example, one of the performance pieces went like this:
A small 8'' x 10'' black canvas hangs on the wall, a foot above the floor. A person sits criss-crossed while facing the canvas. The person and the canvas are close; a sign that the person has all of their attention focused on the canvas. They have a fine paintbrush in their hand, and they're squinting at the canvas. They begin to paint with precision, with exactitude, with utmost fragility.. except - they use black paint. The person uses black paint on a black canvas - they are painting nothing.
To put it short, the critiques did not go well.
The class had little interest in the works. My art had personal meanings and a lot of connections to my childhood. I liked the work because of the nostalgia it gave me. But the thing is, nostalgia is subjective. Essentially, I made art that no one can appreciate.
Even though these pieces failed, it was a good thing that I experimented. I learned that personal art should go on the side; it is something that is just for me. I get a lot out of making personal art, so I am going to continue to make it - I just won't present it or make it the focus of my artistic career. I have a different website for that now; if you are interested, check it out by clicking here.
From boring the class, I learned that I have to make my art more powerful. Specifically, more offensive. Not with nudity, not with profanity, no --- I'm talking about busting people's bubbles of pride.
Instead of telling the viewer, for example, "TV manipulates the viewer and feeds them lies," a well known and accepted fact, I will say, "YOU are an IDIOT for subjecting yourself to manipulations and lies - you are an idiot for watching TV." Insults stick more than proverbs. This new strategy feels more immature, for sure, but controversial things tend to stand out. I want to make an audience argue at me - the ultimate sign that my message has hit them and stuck with them.
For the first 10 works 2 weeks, I executed every idea that popped up in my head until I had 10 works. I ended up with three wire and newspaper sculptures, a deconstructed iPod and watch, a toy car, two performance pieces, a sheet of math homework, and an acrylic painting. I loved how I had the freedom do anything I thought of. For example, one of the performance pieces went like this:
A small 8'' x 10'' black canvas hangs on the wall, a foot above the floor. A person sits criss-crossed while facing the canvas. The person and the canvas are close; a sign that the person has all of their attention focused on the canvas. They have a fine paintbrush in their hand, and they're squinting at the canvas. They begin to paint with precision, with exactitude, with utmost fragility.. except - they use black paint. The person uses black paint on a black canvas - they are painting nothing.
To put it short, the critiques did not go well.
The class had little interest in the works. My art had personal meanings and a lot of connections to my childhood. I liked the work because of the nostalgia it gave me. But the thing is, nostalgia is subjective. Essentially, I made art that no one can appreciate.
Even though these pieces failed, it was a good thing that I experimented. I learned that personal art should go on the side; it is something that is just for me. I get a lot out of making personal art, so I am going to continue to make it - I just won't present it or make it the focus of my artistic career. I have a different website for that now; if you are interested, check it out by clicking here.
From boring the class, I learned that I have to make my art more powerful. Specifically, more offensive. Not with nudity, not with profanity, no --- I'm talking about busting people's bubbles of pride.
Instead of telling the viewer, for example, "TV manipulates the viewer and feeds them lies," a well known and accepted fact, I will say, "YOU are an IDIOT for subjecting yourself to manipulations and lies - you are an idiot for watching TV." Insults stick more than proverbs. This new strategy feels more immature, for sure, but controversial things tend to stand out. I want to make an audience argue at me - the ultimate sign that my message has hit them and stuck with them.