Whitney Tickets
Images from the Whitney
Project Proposal
While visiting The Whitney Museum, I went in with a fairly negative mindset, hoping to draw out the most of my hatred for the pieces at the Biennial. I hadn’t seen the current Biennial yet, so I did not know what to expect. That said, I know already that I don’t particularly understand art when it gets very abstract, or very performative. I tend to have a preference for art that shows technical skill, therefore, I am drawn to things that are more realistic or functional.
Immediately upon entering the Biennial gallery, I saw large abstract paintings on nearly every wall. I was in for a treat. The first piece that truly sparked confusion to me was an abstract acrylic and vinyl painting, Untitled (Snag), by artist Cy Gavin (2022). The description for the painting talks about how the artist captures landscapes and the natural world through his painting. Frankly, I just didn’t see it. While I had a liking for the color palette, the actual subject matter or form was far too abstract for me to be very impressed.
As I went on looking through the Biennial pieces, I noticed a pattern for the types of pieces I was drawn toward as negative inspiration for the project. Art that had a beautiful or intriguing color palettes, but were so abstract I almost felt like a child could have painted them. There was a beauty to the usage of color, but the actual subject matter and drawings felt like no more than scribbles to me. Some examples include, but aren’t limited to— …blindfolded by Awilda Sterling-Duprey (2020), Private Storms by James Little (2021), Selections from an as- yet-untitled series by Ralph Lemon (2020-22), and Mountains Walking by Leidy Churchman (2022).
Based on this experience at the Biennial, it only felt right for me to start abstracting, myself. My project will consist of 2 parts. Both will relate to one another, yet will also be very unique in their own ways. The first part of my project will be a garment– shorts to be exact. The garment will be an abstraction of myself and identity, specifically through the use of color over form. I will be digitally fabricating an abstract pattern, and then print the pattern using the fabric printer. Then, of course, I will sew the fabric into a pair of shorts. Additionally, I will be making a sticker sheet to give stickers out on the day of critique. The sticker printer was a totally new experience for me out of the things we have done this semester. The stickers were also lots of fun and I’ve been looking for a way to use it again. For the stickers, I will be creating free-form abstractions using color palettes I will assemble by aesthetics. My hope is that there will be some weird abstraction that each classmate is personally drawn to that they can then take.
By doing this project I will be achieving two things. First, this project will be an opportunity for me to expand my color theory— something I am always trying to do as a visual artist. Second, this project will hopefully allow me to open my mind more to abstraction. My personal disliking for abstract art usually comes from ignorance or a lack of understanding. I know art does not have to be technical for it to be impressive, and I want to be able to loosen up my own boundaries in that sense.
Initial Sketches
Final Process
Final Product
Free-Form Sticker Sheet
Concluding Remarks
Overall I am extremely pleased with the outcome of this project. This project forced me out of my comfort zone by trying things I normally don’t do but I thought it was the perfect opportunity given the nature of the project. Abstraction, garment construction, and sticker printing are all things I’ve barely dabbled in throughout my life, and after this project, I think ill have to do all 3 much more frequently.
If I could change anything, it would probably be the sewing pattern for the pair of shorts I made. I copied the pattern using a pair of jeans, but my shorts did not have a zipper like the jeans did, but they had no stretch, similar to jeans. because of this, it is a bit difficult to get on, but once it is on it is very comfortable.
Funny enough, my work does not relate to anything I am doing in my other classes since this semester I have been taking a lot of my business requirements for my major. This class was my one making-focused class this semester, so I looked forward to it every week even though it is a 9am class. That said, my pathway is in fine art, so this class was a fantastic way for me to both develop new skills, and better my existing ones.
This project was very relevant to my own personal life outside of class, though. Even though I was trying new things, I still wanted to bring my own style into the pieces, and I think I’ve achieved that through the color palettes I chose, especially in the shorts. Additionally, I am always looking for new learning opportunities, and this project was a fantastic one to do just that.
