What connections can you make between your final project and the rest of your work this semester?
From my final projects in both studio and Seminar, I can definitely see connections to other work I have done this semester as well as improvement. In studio, we started the year by doing weekly collages. These collages did not necessarily have outlines for what they could be about. Usually when I am given creative freedom, I struggle in the beginning trying to form an idea of what I want to do. I learned through doing a collage each day for a week, to force myself to be creative and come up with an idea portraying how I was feeling and what was inspiring around me. This was helpful when coming up for a final project idea. In seminar, we did lots of readings, annotating, and had class discussions which allowed me to better understand what we were learning. We would also do short free writing. assignments, like the time when we had to make a sort of collage poem but writing rules and passing paper around the class. This was similar to the studio collages and I felt the free-wrying aspect of this really helped when I had to develop my ideas for my final paper.
Here is an example of one of my favorite collages I made in studio for my weekly collage assignment.
How did the research you did in seminar affect your choices in studio?
For my final project, Nancy recommended me to watch a video that showed discouragement of smoking in an artistic way. It was called “Stromae – quand chest ?” It showed how death was caused by smoking and I think using the media in this way really allows individuals think things in a different way. In seminar I wrote a lot about how the media portrays what we see and do. The video I made in studio is a form of media and shows the pleasurable side of smoking and what it is like. This video Nancy showed me really inspired me for both seminar and studio. For other projects we did in seminar that affects other work I did in studio, I felt the symbolic ecology assignment was helpful. In studio, all work we do is mostly visual yet this assignment for seminar forced me to view these objects in my life that had an effect on me.
This are examples of one of the objects I chose for seminar, my camera. The picture on the right was a drawing design of a camera and I used it to explain how I view the world, through a lens.
How did research with materials and writing making affect your final piece?
Research definitely allowed me to expand my thesis and keep writing in seminar. For a research paper, the research is definitely the main part of what drives the paper so after first hand interviews, online database searches and videos, I felt this influenced my choices especially the videos because visual representations tend to stick with me more. This helped for studio because I was able to make short video showing smoking in the pleasurable way.
A screenshot from Stromae – quand c’est, which I used as research.
A screenshot from the video I made for studio. I felt this was my best visual showing how smoking is pleasurable but also over-taking beauty.
What was the turning point for this work? What made the idea come together?
What really made this idea come together was the fact that I did first hand research and interviews here at the school. Sometimes the problem is right in front of you and from interviewing the health services and other students I got a much better first hand source. I felt this helped my paper more than the online written sources from databases. It added a whole new element to the paper. Once I hear the opinion of the problem straight from other individuals around me, I am better able to understand a create based on what they have to say. This really made the paper more relatable for students/faculty in the New School. For studio, when I visited Moma Ps1, I was really insured by the old-school vibes and crumbling paint which is why I wanted to make my video seem as if it were an older, film like video.
Here was one old film projector that inspired me at Ps1
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I wish that I would have spoke a little more in class. I usually have ideas and opinions but I never felt comfortable to say them to the class or when I was about to, someone else would say it before me. However I feel better expressing my ideas in an artistic way rather than just saying them aloud.
An example of a template for one of the first projects we did in studio, an instructional booklet. I find that I am better able to express my ideas visually.
If there was a next iteration of this project, what would it be?
I think the next iteration would be to make a more full scale exhibition. I think having the writing we do in seminar create another art piece that would be in the exhibit too. Finding a space for us to exhibit our work in a more professional way than just the classroom would help up especially for the future.
I would want my exhibit to be in Moma Ps1 in this particular spot.
How is this project related to work in other classes? (be specific about other work)
This project relates back to my sustainable systems and photography class. In my photography elective, we learn how to take pictures better so I can see this being more helpful when I was filming my video for studio. For my sustainable systems class, We did a project about what problems we feel are prominent here in New York City. Just like here in seminar and studio I brought up the topic of smoking. It is very helpful when the other classes connect to one another because I feel when I learn about it in multiple classes, I get the viewpoint of the topic in different ways.
In sustainable Systems we had to research a topic and I chose ocean trash and one thing that pollutes the air and water is smoke and cigarettes. This was a poster I had my describing it.
What themes and working methods can you see emerging through your work?
I can definitely see themes of problems here in New York City emerging through my work. My final project talked about smoking and I was inspired to do it based on the smoking problem that bothered me here at the New School. Coming from a small town in Connecticut to New York City is a big change and I can honestly say that I have been very influenced by my surroundings. Seeing all of what others are doing with their busy lives in the city inspires me to work harder.
Photographs of some collages I made in studio showing how New York has impacted me.
