Thesis Critique 2/4

You Left This Here (2010) Photo/Text on Cardstock/Interactive

I was up for critique in this Friday's class. Our group would usually have Gerry but that day we had Derek. I presented Derek and the rest of the crit group with my experimental project "You Left This Here" and my Self Archive. In showing my former experiments in trying to construct Self though design I was able to fill in those who have not seen my work (most of those in my group now had not) on the direction I was now heading in for our exhibition. What the YLTH project did was evoke memories of 'universal' events signified by certain items of objects, this includes holidays and other such life events like graduations or weddings. When presented to the group I talked about how most of my work has a 'pay it forward' quality where my intentions are to give my audience the chance to investigate themselves in terms of identity, memories, and meaning. It brought me into my thesis project, I am putting together three books that utilize memories, objects of meaning, and written definitions of participants (including myself as a participant.) Displaying these things appropriately I am presenting these three books to my audience to play off of their imagination and.or wisdom (valid tools human beings use in identity experimentation and understanding.)

Derek seemed very enthusiastic about my idea, stating that a lot of contemporary art movements have been centered around engaging a society that had become so withdrawn into computer screens and plastic connections that have taken the place of face-to-face interaction. He also praised my idea of the book as a tool for displaying my content because of it's ability of hold a lot of content and demanding attention for more than a moment, as the viewer needs to put a certain amount of energy in holding it and turning the pages to access all the information. I was given several names which were very helpful because they focused on the act of interaction in works that would help me in considering how to set up my books in the 'perfect' display for the show.