Project 4:Invisible Places Made Visible

THE INSPIRATION:
World travelling graffiti artist ABOVE’s work

THE PLACE:
Graffiti Alley in Ann Arbor, MI, beside the Michigan Theater

WHy:

Beside the Michigan Theater, where the A&D School’s mandatory lectures are every Thursday, there is Graffiti Alley. Graffiti Alley is a well known place here in Ann Arbor. It is where strange mean dress up in outfits and play on upside down trashcans. It is where we sneak out of the Penny Stamps distinguished lecture series.  It is where photo shoots of sorts often take place. It is were amateur graffiti artist go to practice spraying. It is where those foreign to Ann Arbor feel unsafe passing by.

  The walls of graffiti alley have so many layers of graffiti that it’s often difficult to appreciate what is around it. Even when there is a piece of graffiti standing out amongst the others, it still gets muted by the surrounding colors, sprays, and stencils.

HOW:
To make the invisible aspects as well as expose the potential of graffiti alley, I want to take white spray paint and do various, consistent stencils over the colorful walls. Because of the walls being so suffocated by layers of color, the white stencils will stand out. For stencils I would like to make a variety of gallery-like frames to place around selected graffiti. This would help to separate the space and bring attention to the work. In addition a friendly sign with arrows pointing down the alley will read “Welcome to Graffiti Gally”.  

THE PROCESS

¡Took Preliminary Photos, to make a rough plan

¡Set Time, had to be strategic

¡Gathered Materials: tape, spray paint, stencils

¡Went to Work/Problem Solved

THE DURING

Random guy dancing....to michal Jackson the entire time....

THE AFTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My classmates suggested using real frames, but I thought this was beyond what the wall was criminal wise. For the owners to rip off a frame as opposed to just painting over the layers of paint would be annoying. However it could be interesting to play with this in the future with maybe a easy way to remove the frame from the brick wall.

i was harder than I thought to separate the varying spray paint on the wall. The frames I placed ended up being more random. I would like to have some of the frames filled with blank white to suggest needing to be sprayed. Additionally I would still like to attempt to frame works through the alley which are lost.

I would like to re-do this project to improve it's effectiveness. The white paint in some areas was segregated as I liked, but not as strong. I did end up just experimenting and playing with the paint. I learned a lot from attempting this and could do so better next time with more planning as well as experience. The paint would be liquid as opposed to sprayed. Also the frames themselves would vary more with decorated edges, circles and ovals, and size to clearly read as frames. 

artist’s Statement

Overall with “Graffiti Gally” I would like for those passing by to feel safe and welcomed. Also for those who have dwelled around the alley or go through it to stop and relook at the space to gain a new appreciation.

Final Plant Housing

SO.....my original plant is dead, but it wasn't my fault.

It could in fact still be alive somewhere wondering where I am and missing the comfort of my voice and room. I like to think it happily got mixed up with some trash that happened to be healthy and is alive on the outskirts of a waste dump good and well. Of course this is wishful thinking because it is probably dead.

My original housing did not hold up so well being out of bone dry clay with no way for water to escape.

Momentarily I transferred it to a paper cup because it is all I had available. In order to water my plant I often would just take the cup to the sink and give it water. After being away from my plant for over a week while on vacation it became sick. Probably because it missed me. It's leaves turned brown and were wilting, but within two days I saw improvement in it's health. Unfortunately when rushing to class I left my sick plant beside the sink. When I came home it was not beside the sink. I frantically looked everywhere for my plant and asked my housemates. Our housemaid threw it away thinking it was garbage by accident.

As devestated as I was I knew I had to get another one. So I did not get one, but two. My plant surely wouldn't get sick from missing me if it had a friend. Additionally, I could not find my original plant and so I instead bought a plant that would be be thrown away. I bought cacti. It adopted a cacti (small, flower-like green cactus) as well as a cactus strawflower (larger with yellow flower) and cactus moon grafted (smaller with pink budding).

These cacti would not be mistaken as my previous plant for trash. In addition to their look, their care is extrememly easy, much like my baby peperomia. Cacti need lots of light, water when soil is dry, and protection from frost. To further ensure that my plants would not be mistaken for trash and thrown away, I chose to encase them in a housing unit, which needed to be looked at.

While on a trip to salvation army for another class I came across a green floppy hat. I wasn't sure how, but I knew fer sure that I wanted to make it my cacti's new home. I did so by also purchasing a bowl which seemed to have the same circumference as the hat's top. 

From my sewing kit I took my seam ripper and ripped the seams of the hat and realized there was a lining beneath it. 

This small yellow bowl was placed inside the lining and the outer fabric was fastened to the bowl which special, waterproof, plastic-fabric glue.

Though not completely wearable due to balance, I doubt my plant will be mistake for trash again.

Project 3: Waste: Tape Figure-When is it Enough?

The Inspiration

The whole idea from my project esteemed from being sick and missing CFC the day of the waste project. While reaching for my handy dandy "sick pack" filled with all the essentials, I noticed how many usueless pill bottles I had. A lot of my medicine bottles were from expired pills or antibiotics I didn't complete taking.  This got me thinking of the physical waste associated with mass producing legal bottles and medicine which end up in my medicine bag. I thought of my previous project, which focused on entheogens, which are often illegal, contrasting with these legalized drugs. My curiosity also wondered towards how many other people probably have prescription drugs left over in their possession.  how transparent was this legal, physical waste? 

Thus my project idea formed.

The Process

I took kitchen plastic wrap and wrapped my armature, which happened to be my friend Mike. 

He was a good participant. 

After wrapping whatever part of him in the plastic wrap I would build up layers of clear packaging tape. These layers formed the shape of the sculpture as well as built strength in various parts. For example, in the knees I made sure to build up extra layers for support. 

Next I cut my armature out carefully, removed the structure, ripped out excess plastic wrap (to make it more clear), and then tapped it back together.

I had to do this in sections to get the right shapes. If I were to wrap him all at once not only would it be extremely uncomfortable for him, but also it would be difficult to cut out. 

The Final Product

After connecting the pieces back together gravity stuck and my tape man was not as tall as my friend Mike. This made the piece come off as a child as opposed to an adult, which was not my original intent. 

Regardless I think it still held and maybe even added to my concept.

I collected pill bottles from many of my friends as well as recieved donations from UHS and CVS.

The tape figure is completely filled with pill bottles from feet to stomach, where it is meant to look as if it is ripping it open.

Ideally I would like to collect more pill bottles to place coming out of the stomach and spilling onto the ground. Some of my classmates got the impression that the figure was pushing the pills back into its stomach or consuming it through the stomach. 

With more pills it would also be easier to counter weight the figure and have it stand up on its own, which it cannot fully do now. I would like to place this sculpture in an appropriate public place, such as near a pharmacy or drug store (don't tell CVS!). I would tape the feet down securely to the ground and cover it up with more pill bottles, which would be spilling out of the transparent, faceless figure.

Project 3: Waste: Proposal

    Materials: Ceram wrap, clear packaging tape, pill bottles (prescription, off the shelf)

Project: Make a “tape man” life size and fill it with pill bottles. Position and level filled to with bottle to be determined. 

Would like to either have the tape man ripping his stomach or torso open and having the bottles fall out. 

OR have the pill bottles visibly being regurgitated starting from the ‘waist’ (possible name pun?) up through the 

esophagus trail and through to the mouth. Either position would have bottles scattered around the feet of the tape man.

Why: To go off of my last project dealing with entheogens, illegal drugs used for spiritual context. These easily accessible shelf and prescription drugs are consumed and even wasted with pills/liquid still left if not desirable for abuse. The bottles, which are produced to seal and protect the various drugs are usually disposed, not recycled or used for a different, more efficient reason. This sculpture/instillation is showing not only how we can use this “waste” in a different way, but also making a political statement on our consumption/waste of legal drugs.

Nature Paragraph: Thoughts and Connections

   2/20/11

    When I think of nature I don’t think of trees and being submerged in the wilderness by myself as most people seem to. Instead I think of enjoying it as it comes weather negative or positive. When I’m walking on my way to class and feel obligated to stop and observe the sky or a deer passing by I think it’s magical. Often I’ll be walking along the cement sidewalk listening to my ipod when these moments occur. This is what makes it even more special…..it’s unexpected and forces me out of my man made world for a moment to appreciate it.

     Occasionally when I do feel a desire to be submerged in nature I don’t want to take the traditional hike or climb. I want to be on the water. During the summer my favorite place to be is out on a small motorized boat off a quiet coast of Lake Michigan. I like to go far enough to not hear the sounds of car’s or people’s voices being carried, but close enough to observe the coast. Personally I don’t feel the need to eliminate all technology to appreciate nature.

        When I think of nature I think of it’s beauty even through destruction. Over the summer I watched as a red and white lightening rolled in over the water towards my town. With high speed winds and harsh rainfall it storm caused damage to our town, but I still loved watching how beautiful it was despite the destruction. Overall nature is unpredictable with it’s changing moods and surprises yet constant with it’s cycles. To me this is what makes is so exciting, interesting, and intriguing.  

Project 2: Entheogenic: Process & End Result

Drawing on torn, brown paper with pencil:

The Inking Process:

Presented to Class:

 Still in the workings, Cutting out & Experimenting:

Ideally I would like to see this piece in a gallery space carefully articulated with string running through it. 

So far I only have it cut out, which caused the paper to shrivel even after ironing. To solve this I might have to paint layers of acylic paint onto the back or maybe mount my piece. I just don't want to loose that delicate space I cut out, which makes it more than a drawing due to the shadows it creates.

Project 2: Small Projects

The three 'small' projects

I may have gotten carried away with the three 'small' projects assignment leading up to a larger project in the future. As long as I can remember I have experimented and tried various mediums in art outside of class. Since coming to college I have not only attempted as well as conquered new tools, materials, and processes on my own, but have also been forced to do so. With that said I wanted to go back to some forms of art I haven't touched in awhile.

 So this is what I did:


Drawing

 

Why: From my brainstorm I came up with a lot of idea related to "creative vs. analytical" leading to "artisitic vs. scienticfic" and so on. So this drawing is meant to represent how science and creativity can and should be one with the continuing drawing

How: Drawing endlessly and letting the picture take over.

Drawing is something I have missed to my surprise. After taking 3 college drawing classes in a row I came to despise drawing all together. 

With this project I intended to cut out the large, continuously morphing blog of a drawing and make it into a paper sculpture of sorts. As I went on with the drawing I found that I became overly detailed. The thought of destroying my detail with an exacto knife was too much to bare so I decided to keep it as a drawing.

Mixed Media

 

Why: Once again the root of this idea is creative meets scientific. So the parts of my portrait exposed to various layers are anatomically correct, but my history and experiences who make up myself are also embedded within the piece with maps. The maps are of Memphis, my hometown place in my brain because that is the place that made up most of who I am. On my neck there is a map of Florence, Italy which changed the course of my life much how the pulse in my neck seems to. And lastly back behind my head in wood burning is a loose map of Ann Arbor, where I am continuing to form.

How:This was formed using an image I photoshopped showing the various layers of myself including my skeleton, muscle tissue, skin, and inner history as well as creativity. Indian inks, acrylics, and wood burning were used.

Photoshop

Why: Combinations of various things lead up to an experience. Much like with entheogens. The history and treatment of a plant meets the history, feelings, memories, etc. of the person consuming it. This is what creates the negative and/or positive hallucogenic experience the person undergoes with entheogens. Combinations typically take time before they are accepted or rejected. This is due to the viewer's history, feelings, memories, knowledge, etc. meeting the combination in which they are viewing. In this case it is the editing of my photographed subject, which is a friend of mine whom is double jointed. With double joints, a genetic combination, she can bend her arms beyond what most people can. By further editing this unique feature she has the viewer is challenged to accept or reject the combinations.

How: A ridiculous amount of patience, editing, and open mindedness




These all turned out to be a little more work than I think was desired as well as expected. Reasoning for the 'blow up' of each project I attribute to actually being interested in what I was creating. It's been awhile.....Looking forward to continuing to work!