FINAL: Stars & Stripes

Concept & procedure

My concept is to use the American flag as an image that encompasses nationality and democracy and juxtapose it with the role of the United States in the Vietnam War. My family fled Vietnam during bitter warfare, coming to the United States in search of refuge. I want to embody the processes of immigration, as well as explore the dichotomy of first-generation Americans and their hyphenated identities based on their cultural and ethnic background.

The piece is to be hung in between two walls in a corner. I will first construct an American flag, with the classic thirteen stripes and with some sort of image in the blue space where the stars usually occupy. Instead of painting the white stars, I will then etch the stars on the image in the blue space. Additionally, I will etch the white stripes as well. After this, I will use project directly on the back of the piece so that the video – which will be a compilation of archival footage of the war and surrounding footage (like newsreels, etc.)  – will shine through into the etched white.

Precursory readings

Reading these passages gave me more insight to how art can be presented within a frame, and those pieces can appeal to certain sense. Most of my art is very visual and I hope to incite a powerful feeling or sentiment within oneself. However, “A Spell of the Sensuous” pushed me further to appeal to senses in a more exact fashion. It encouraged me to make something that can be more interactive. Going forward, that is something I hope to strive for in the pieces that I make. I want there to be something so drastic that one can physically feel it or smell it or taste it without having to ever physically interact with it.

As far as my visual responses go, I chose to include screen grabs from the articles themselves. I have very vested interests in typography and I wanted to include them to quite literally have a visual connection between the response and the original text.

Progress – May 7

I have constructed the piece onto the chipboard. By way of acrylic paint and medium, I have painted the red and white stripes and blue space on the board. I did have painters tape on hand, but I elected to do everything by hand because a rougher composition aligns better with the concept of the piece (which is, in itself, a visual composition of a blurred identity). I have also made the boat with the southern Vietnamese flag in the blue space. It is to be laser etched later tonight – the stars in the blue space and the white stripes. I have measured everything so that it should come out perfectly in the laser cutter

Additional progress – May 9

The final piece has shifted considerably since the proposal. Due to time restraints and some temporary insanity, I had to change the piece and its composition. I was only alotted enough time to etch either the stars or the stripes in. I figured the stars were more integral to the semiotic understanding of the piece, so I elected to etch them in instead. However, I was only able to complete one round of etching before the laser lab closed. Therefore, I decided to separate the two and have the final be read as more of a diptych. The physical separation of the blue stars with the Vietnamese flag and the red and white stripes allow for the concept to still be applicable.

I am pleased with the way the final came out. However, the projection was completely out of the picture because of how thick the chipboard was. I was hoping that with enough etching that it would be possible for the projection to shine through. I realize that this was a standard case of improper time management. However, I still believe that the concept can come through even with a lesser visual product. However, the way I see it is “less is more”. I am happy with this piece, although I do wish that I could see my original proposal with the flag lighting up with the projected video on the back.

Installation

“I am the American flag that waves. I wave and wave… for democracy, for equality, for justice. I wave for those that seek out justice or come from injustice. It’s all I can do… to wave. Perhaps that all I’ll ever do… ”