Project 3: Social-Ecological Space and Materiality Performative Objects (Time and Site)

Title   “Es-top”(The way Persians pronounce stop(pause))

May 16th, 2017

(220.70 cm)

Wood, Plexiglass, Altered Clock, Chair

Map

Prototype

Full picture of the object

Detail photo of the object

Site  Avenue A, between 13th and 14th street

May 16th, 2017

30 minutes

The performance of the object at the site

I simply sat on the chair closing my eyes and remained silent. Sometimes I opened my eyes and just stared at people passing while the sand was pouring on my head.

“Es-top”

The video partly shows how the object functions and my performance, and it also captures a part of people interactions.

Reflection

Making a performative object was far more difficult than making a non-functional piece. There is a lot more that needs to be considered; such as how the body interacts with the objects. Having to perform my work outside was also another challenge. The weather, the people passing and how they react are some of what you can’t control when performing in public. Most people just passed by(which I guess is normal in New York.) However, some complemented me on the aesthetics of the performance and the object. A few people just stood looking and left without asking anything. If I was to perform the same thing, I would design a garment specifically for the project so that it attracts more attention. I might also try to sit on the floor while the sand is pouring. Overall, it was a different experience and it made me think a lot about how I present my future work and where I get inspired from.

 Self Evaluation/ My Current Way of Thinking

Moving away from home was a hard step; One that I took 2 years ago. At first it was exciting. Everything was so different. But time goes by and you realize everything is almost the same. The streets look different, you meet people and experience things that weren’t even possible back at Iran but by the end of the day you have the same things expected from you that you need to take care of. Yes, you do change but a big part of you stays pretty much the same and thats were you try to remember the very first reason that dragged you all the way here. Sometimes the reason is clear and you know exactly what you have to, and sometimes you feel lost. Its hard to find a reason for it. Maybe its simply the process of growing. The change even effects your very simple everyday tasks. There is no more food on the table when you get home, no more clean shirts hanging in your closet and most importantly there is no one waiting for you. On the other hand, you are”free” to make any choice. That freedom of choice wasn’t really something familiar for someone like me from Iran. So you really have to be in charge and control everything that happens around you.

Thats not all. When you move even something like talking to others doesn’t feel the same when your talking in another language. It takes time for you to feel comfortable with all thats happening around you but eventually, you will. I guess moving here changed me as a person more than it did as an artist. In my work I very much have the same aesthetics and Inspirations. People come to New York to get inspired, but for me  its a bit hard to put away all my culture and memories and start getting inspired by things that I feel completely disconnected from. Coming from such a closed cultural and religious society I feel the need to make a change. That sometimes makes me question if fashion is the way to go. However, I feel like most other forms of art are very distant from average people. I look at fashion as a way of communicating with a larger crowd of people than just intellectuals gathered at a gallery. A lot of professors have told me in the past year that my concepts and how I try to communicate through my work belongs to the world of fine arts. I don’t disagree, but there is a reason for my choice. I sometimes struggle convincing myself if it is a good enough reason to change my whole path of life but by the end of it, my decision remains pretty much the same. I feel a need for educated people in the fashion industry in Iran. There a lot that needs to be done for this industry to grow and evolve there. In a country were there is little close to no freedom of speech or thought, what you wear becomes one of the only ways of expression. Having a dress code under strict laws forced by the government even makes fashion political. Now I’m not trying to be the hero of the story. I just feel like when you notice something is wrong, you need to make a change, even if its a very small one. I guess this is what motivates me and drags me out of bed every morning to come to Parsons and try to learn what others know better. You never know what might happen. Even a sentence your professor mentions in class might change your direction.

Anyways, it has been a hard year but as long as you make sure you know something more by the end of the day, the hard work you put in pays off. I am currently far away from where I want to stand in life. However, when you know your at the right place at the right time, you kind of know the rest is gonna be just fine. Getting into Parsons was once my goal; now it just feels like a step. Whats more to come both scares me and excites me at the same time. Im not even close to figuring out what life is, but I know that as long as your taking your little steps towards what you believe in, your gonna end up exactly where you needed to be.

Weekly Sketches:

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 02/02

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 02/08

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 02/15

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 02/22

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 03/01

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 03/08

Weekly Sketches/ Vignettes submissions 03/15

Assignment 02 (Texture Still Life)

Assignment 03 (Midterm)

Assignment 04 (2-Point Perspective Cityscape drawing)

Assignment 05 (Final: Composite 3-Point Perspective Cityscape drawing)

Resiliency and Repair story:

Systems Map:

Process pictures:

Final work:

+ Read the following article “Designer Tom Dixon Unveils His ‘Secret’ Project With Ikea. Write a reflection on how it connects with the themes of our class. How does it relate to your work this semester? Do you aspire towards similar practices in your final project? Does it change how you think about mass produced designs?

In his new project with Ikea Dixon tries to design products under his own name, but have them mass produced. As Marcus Engman, the head of design at Ikea said “Nobody wants to do throwaway objects — nobody.” That is why Dixon tries to use a better quality and material and design objects which last longer.

The article calls it  “longevity.” The criteria used in both Dixon project and our projects is very similar. However, the process of mass producing something is very different. There is not much about the resiliency or the repair of the objects said. I guess the focus is the design and quality in his work.

SYSTEMS MAP: How has an acknowledgment of material limits been incorporated into your final project? Create a graphic map/diagram/photo collage or 3D model that illustrates the specific systems that your final project design involves. How are you intentionally choosing materials? Where have they been sourced from? How were they transported and created? What systems do they involve over 50 years? Which of systems might be vulnerable due to climate change over 50 years? How do these materials interact with air, water, energy and climate systems? Must include at least 20 systems.

REPAIR AND RESILIENCY STORY: An illustration or paragraph that explains clearly how your final project design can be repaired. How will it be repaired and/or used in new ways over the next 50 years?