I’m Natalie Alvarenga, a first year student in the Design and Technology program at Parsons, from Miami, FL.
At the start of the year, last semester, most of the projects were more specific with less space for exploration. At the end of first semester most of the last projects allowed for more freedom and original concepts to be explored. The second semester helps lead projects in a certain direction, but allows for most creativity to be lead in a personal direction.
I appreciated how most of my projects from my first semester were focused on the exploration of the city, and the second semester focused more on the history of subcultures within the city to inform our work.
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What connections do you see between your academic studies and studio making?
Similarities: My research paper has a connection to my collaborative studio project because both explore the notion of subcultures. My seminar paper focused on the study Harajuku’s subculture and the other focused on 80’s rise of HipHop in NYC through the research of Fab Five Freddy, using this as inspiration for my garment creation.
What skills did you learn in one course that you utilized in another?
One thing I learned was to explore materials and to experiment with it and challenge the limitations to make materials look like something separate from itself, something new. This carried on through almost all of my projects to make them unique by using various materials that are occasionally unexpected.
Differences: There is a broad spectrum of projects, variety of media is used in my work. There is lots of exploration of the body and fashion in my work as well. First semester mainly allowed me to explore various materials for creating art.
What themes and working methods emerge in several courses?
A prominent themes in my work is the focus on the body through use of technology and fashion through both semesters. I was able to explore the body by creating garments, products, performance art pieces and photography. My methods of creating are based on trial and error with heavy experimentation.
What made some projects/papers more exciting? What did you enjoy most about these?
The exploration of subcultures, hearing stories, watching films and especially getting to hear from one of the artists from the 80’s subculture in the east village, as well as visiting the club 57 exhibit at the MoMA was the best part to see these topics explored in class come to life.
.Fab Five Freddy’s work at MoMA vs his work on the streets of nyc in the 80’s.
When could further research have helped? What about making/writing?
Some further research could have helped with most of my time projects, like my current video final, as well as my costume/performance art project. Somehow they come together in the end, but it is very experimental. In these areas more research would help in the planning and process for clear plans. For my writing, I feel this semester helped with my organization of topics through compiling research and quotes in my research tables.
Course Highlights !
One of my favorite projects this semester was my collaborative project to create a garment for Fashion Studio inspired by combining the styles of 2 artists from 80’s subcultures. My two were Fab Five Freddy and John Sex in collaboration with Ashlee Valle.
Planning included drafting ideas, drawing separate croquis, then combining our design into one succesful look.
From this drawing we began from the base of a blue blazer and up-cycled it into our own creation inspired by the looks of John Sex and Fred Brathwaite.
We created an exaggerated stillouette from the blazer with a snake wrapped around inspired by John Sex. Then we added the 3D graffiti component around the jacket inspired by Freddy’s famous graffiti art work.
From my first semester, one of my highlights was one of my projects for my Studio class. We explored a garden in East Village and use it to inspire our creation, where we could choose the outcome. I visited the garden and gathered research on site by taking photos. Then I created a piece from the collection of data, I chose a book. This was one of the most interesting methods of learning I have ever experienced, since I got to interact with my environment and create something inspired by such an experience.
I planned this piece by making a list of ideas, then deciding on the concept of a surreal story book.
I gathered my materials: mirrors, fabric, paper, markers, and flowers to create the physical book. But before beginning this process I had to organize my photoshoot and create the garment she would wear. The garment was very sustainable, because I was able to repurpose white fabric scraps to construct the flowy piece. After this I found my model and shot the photos on site of the garden in east village. My concept included the idea of an etherial woman exploring the environment around her leading up to the garden. Then I printed the pages for my book and created a surreal collage of images with mixed media, including paper and ink. The mirror was conceptually included as a theme of reflection within the garden to portray my experience there. It was used in the cover with the pieces of mirror and in the images.
Conclusion:
My future interests include the use of technology like coding and programming, mixed with photography, fashion and interactive design work.
Some new question I want to pursue is: what can I create through the use of technologies like AR and VR and how will these technologies improve and transform?
Many of the projects I worked on this semester will definitely inform my future work and inspire future ideas, like themes of the body to the exploration of my environment.
I am so excited to be learning coding next semester, even though I am intimidated, it is a challenging subject I would love to tackle and grow with.
