Project Introduction
This project served my group and I quite the laundry list of challenges to manage. We tasked ourselves (I think accidentally) with highlighting our own backgrounds within the context of Union Square and ultimately this lead us down a path ending in a lack of cohesion and clarity. Other groups worked seamlessly to create an installation aiding first the use of the park and then their own backgrounds whereas I felt we did the reverse of that. Had we done what other groups had (concerning the needs of aesthetic and cohesion first) then I believe we could’ve been more successful.
Project Description and Documentation
1) Project Description — Walking into the exhibit visitors will be welcomed by imagery representing the four contributing artist’s backgrounds. Viewers will be able to interact with the environment, allowing them to walk away with fragments of each of us. As a team, we worked together to weave our own backgrounds into the four edges of the park. Our goal was not to transform the park into something else but rather emphasize ourselves within it. To do this we incorporated some of the most prominent aspects of our hometowns through independent art installations, sprinkled throughout the park. The idea was not to be cohesive but to express individuality. We used the hexagon motif to not only tie our pieces together but to also tie them to Union Square.
Process/Concept Development
2) Concept Development – For the part that I developed I was able to draw most of my inspiration from the shapes around Union Square, for example, the hexagon motif throughout the works but also utilizing the shape of the subway station throughout my poster. In my poster I use this shape as a sparse pattern throughout the background. My poster’s main text feature is based on a small detail that rounds off the edges of the subway stop support beams. (I re-inserted specific examples of these details in some process photos below.)
Final Reflection
As a team, I think we struggled, after seeing other groups work successfully to add a cohesive piece of art to the park I in part regretted pieces of our process. I don’t think our goal was ever to make just one piece but to instead find a way to better incorporate ourselves into the park. Perhaps this was our weakness. Our communication was poor and this I think contributed greatly to our collective downfall as well. Ultimately between misunderstanding the intent of the piece and miscommunication of our group I am not wholly disappointed with our final piece. However, if I were to do things again I would approach it in an entirely different way. I agree with everything that was touched on in critique. The project ended up feeling disjointed and unorganized, these aspects I would work hard to correct if given a chance to re-design this installation. I was pleased that my poster was able to shine through the disorganization. I think our group struggled to find an overarching tone/aesthetic the way other groups did and I hoped my poster would maybe be able to provide that and I think to an extent it did, with this I was satisfied. Overall this was a great learning experience for me personally, I felt myself growing a lot and I was very grateful for the growth in my problem-solving capabilities.