Kinetic Sculptures

Cardboard Automata

Maya and I constructed a 5 by 3 foot wooden box that would make the black and white checker board pattern on the front move in and out of the box. We projected an image onto the box of a person in a deep but almost restless state of sleep. The image consists solely of a female's face; frantically moving her eyes back in forth as if she was dreaming. The gears would pushed the gears in and out of the box disrupting the image.

Even though the motor wasn't image working and couldn't distort the image how it was intended to, the film was still moving creating it's own distortion. The idea behind this motorized automata was the fact that we are thinking and imagining every minute of our day, but the cycle is always being disrupted.

The machine, though was unable to function to its original intention, found a new meaning to its creators and viewers. The motor spun at a consistent rate, the room filled with it's constant sound of struggle and friction. The image in the from moved and almost seemed brought to life by the motor though there was no real connection between them. The dowel continuously splintered as the motor struggled to spin it. This shows not only the illusion and abstraction of how a motor can interact with your piece (is it actually the one responsible for the movement), but also the fact that maybe the beauty is placed on the motors failure to bring results and in this case, distorting the image on the frontal portion of our autonoma.

Final Automaton

Au-to-ma-ta

so here's my final project in the time class.

I was inspired by my boyfriend. We were snowboarding one day when he said to me, "I wish I could do a flip on my board." So I thought to myself and I came up with this project. Depicted on the canvas are two photographs that I took of him snowboarding. I then attached the canvas to the motor, which is mounted on a board on a box. The canvas then spins in a clockwise motion, making the pictures "flip".

Kinetic Piece

For our kinetic structure, Garrett and I created a grass-growing machine. The final result did not go as well as planned. However, other touches were added that we originally had not counted on. For example, at the center of our structure there is an egg-shaped gear. Upon completing the structure, we realized how the shape helped to symbolize rebirth/growth, which was the exact theme of our project, being the reproduction of grass.

Kinetics

Grace Brown and I had a ball with our kinetic project. Focusing on a satirical view of religion, we created a talking Jesus portrait.
We knew we wanted to do something that might make people laugh or feel uncomfortable; I wanted the audience to walk away affected emotionally. Many sketches and meetings with Michelle later, Grace and I headed to Lowe's and bought the necessary supplies. Using plywood as our backing we printed out on photo paper and collaged a traditional Jesus portrait using hot glue to adhere. For the frame we cut down moulding and nailed to into the plywood. We chose to lacquer the pieces of moulding gold for a more Renaissance/Gothic feel-- easily stereotyped as a more Baroque aesthetic, the gold exalts the subject matter, who here happens to be Jesus.
As far as the mechanics went, we cut out a strip from the plywood backing right there Jesus's mouth would be. This served as a track for the dowel that attached to the mouth shaped cut-out we used as the kinetic part of this project. A sanded, oblong piece of plywood was connected to the motor. A vertical dowel (placed to run along the oblong gear) connected to the horizontal one, which caused the mouth to move.
Placed on a table that was draped with white, two church candles flanked the portrait. It ended up being three feet wide by three and a half feet tall. Its size and the presentation made it appear to be on an altar. Darwinism playing in the background provided the comic.. or rather sacrilegious.. aspect we were going for.

Big picture: Jesus sitting on an altar, speaking Darwinism to his beloved congregation.

The collage gave a more modern feel to the portrait-- it wasn't perfectly aligned, and the image was slightly pixellated. This is what we wanted. Printed from technology and rearranged for the twentieth century, a religion after such a long history undergoes slight changes, cracks, falls apart, despite the gold frame and the period style in which it is presented. Where it looks almost perfect and old, juxtaposed with this is the crystal clear voice of Darwinism coming straight from the savior's mouth. The fight between science and religion is an old one.





The video is an informal record of our success at getting the kinetic part of our project to work. It was really exciting at the time, though I wish later we had documented the whole project better. That was something I certainly learned from the Time class experience.

Endurance Performance

For my endurance performance, I chose to show how we appear when we perform the daily ritual of watching television. We essentially become a blank wall. I became a television facing a blank wall for three hours, virtually unmoving (except to change poses in the chair where I was sitting when I needed to).
It was extremely difficult for me to stay in the same spot for three hours even though I was able to shift a bit, especially with the cardboard television on my head. My sight was taken away from me (there were no holes in the TV) which I suppose doubled as facing a fear (I am very afraid of losing my sight!).
In comparison to actually watching TV, sitting in the chair doing absolutely nothing for that amount of time was certainly a task. When we watch TV, time seems to fly by as we have something to focus our brains on. During my performance I found my mind wandering, trying to think of stories and other useless things in order to make the time go by faster.

Critique

When looking at all of the final works for time I really enjoyed how the overall accomplishment with everyone. One that I really thought was entertaining was Phil Yannella's. This was interesting how he went about displaying himself. The cocoon setup he had was very entertaining and showed a lot of his planning. He had to find others to wrap him up which shows his careful planning and trust in others. With all the others doing something strenuous Phil showed something that not only took others but gave him a relaxing setup and a different view on the assignment. With all the passers watching and wondering what or who was inside the cocoon I could not help to think what most of the people thought about the paper that had blown off of his setup. One thing that is a big part of people thinking today is the environment and toilet paper flying from an art project into nature I think would be something people may not take lightly. After leaving Phil I wondered if he had enjoyed the task or if he was simply bored and/ aggravated with lying in a single position for the amount of time he did. The wind being Incorporated into the act was a nice variable and helped with the flow of the set. In all I think that he did his job well and the hammock and toilet paper were overall good decisions.

endurance performance

For my performance, I scrubbed a bus stop with a toothbrush for three hours. I did not allow myself to speak to or make eye contact with anyone during the piece. I also refused to move out of the way for anyone.

Throughout the time I was there, many people came through to wait for their buses. I could tell that I was making them uncomfortable. Many people wouldn't even come into the bus stop- they would just stand outside and stare. Some tried to speak to me and became frustrated when I wouldn't answer- some just laughed.

It was a very strange experience for me. There were times where I was so fixed on my task that I couldn't think of anything else. I would just scrub so furiously that I would scrape my knuckles on the pavement. Other times, my mind would wander and my scrubbing would slow down. The task was painful. My hands and feet became so cold that I couldn't feel them any longer and when I finally stood up it was difficult to walk. My knuckles and knees were scraped and bruised and my arm became very sore.

What I found to be the most interesting was the wear on my toothbrush. It was far more apparent than the physical and mental wear on my body.

When I was finished, the sun had dried the water and I could see that I did not make even the smallest impact on the bus stop. The floor was just as dirty as it had been. I however, was a mess. I was filthy, sore, cut up and both physically and mentally exhausted. Obviously the bus stop had more of an impact on me than I had had on it.

recording time

For my personal record of time, I kept a sort of time line for my shift at the Box Of Books library. I've noticed throughout the year that it's always the same people coming and going at the same times, so I recorded their library card numbers and how long they stayed in comparison to others.
I've noticed that I can know where I am in my shift without even looking at the clock now.

critical anaylisis

I decided to do a critical analysis of Lauren Carlie's performance as a marionette dangling from the tree outside Canon hall. she had herself strung up as it were by ropes attached to a iconic cross shaped controller, though she was controlled by the pulling of her ropes from below due to a simple eye hook system. dressed as a ballerina she was the picturesque icon of a puppet. giving the viewer and the user the ability to control her legs and arms she did not resist any of the abuses she was shown. I truly must applaud Lauren for this as she did not break character for anyone even though it was cold, early, and some of the people who interacted were less than polite. she placed a small chair near her performance site in order to give the viewer the idea that maybe she was getting ready to take a break from all this hanging around any time. that she was completely incapable of this wasn't even a concern the simple placement of the chair gave the impression that it could indeed happen. over all Id like to say that Laurens piece was a magnificent performance, and showed that she could indeed endure some troubling and uncomfortable situations.

Final Endurance Piece

I chose to do a critical analysis on Holly Pasquarellas endurance piece. For her piece she meditated on the hill outside of Reimer while being blindfolded. For this, she would be surrendering herself in public without her vision. She had to rely on her other senses like smell and mostly sound to get an idea of what was going on around her. I think she chose something that is interesting and something everyone should try.

After seeing her do this, I have been paying more attention too my surroundings and sounds alike. One thing I would change about her piece was fabric coordination. She was laying on a striped beach towel while wearing a black and white bandana, it just didn't look pieced together. It seemed her concept was the main focus which is good because you do not need to have fancy things for this project, just trust in your surroundings.

Final Performance-Blind

For my final performance, I sat blindfolded for three hours. I painted 3 paintings in this time the way I normally paint when I am at home- with my hands.

Now, one may think that this is an easy task and can be done regularly. But to be blind is extremely difficult. Not only did I have to place the paints in a strategic order, but I also had to remember that order, as well as keep them in that order by counting, feeling, hoping, and memorization. Now this is a fear for me, due to the fact that I already have bad eyesight. Without my glasses don't expect me to see who you are until your up close. As i get older I notice my eyesight getting worse and worse and I always say that it would be my luck to wind up blind in 30 years or something. This negative thought got me thinking. As an artist, what would it be like for me to create? How hard would it be? What would they look like? So this performance in which I faced my fear was a perfect time for me to figure this out. My method of working was to keep finding the edges of the paper and to feel around to where I had already applied the paint. It was also based on A LOT of memory as to what color I just put down and what shape I made with it. It would up being a challenge, but in the end I was so grateful that I was able to take that blindfold off.

Artistic Critique of Harriet Smith

Harriet's piece was my favorite overall. It was a very simple act of just standing in various places around the powell dining center. She stood holding a tray of food and staring into space. She wore a brown chunky sweater and grey pants with a few red checkered patches and brown doc martin-like boots. On her back she wore an orange and teal designed school back pack. Her food looked untouched and quite cold by the time that we got there. All the colors in the room and on her plate of food really worked together with her clothing and hair which is what really made an impact on me. She did not talk to anyone and she kept a very straight face. Here eyes looked pretty blank but she seemed to be looking at either tables with people at them or empty tables. Her curly brown hair and piercing brown eyes really made if feel somewhat eery and people eating probably didn't feel too comfortable.

Harriet's piece had a lot of meaning to it and I think it was something that a lot of people could relate to. Theres always those times that you feel pretty alone during a meal because no one is around to eat with you. You ask the question, where do I sit? Should I sit with people I'm somewhat acquainted with? Should I sit alone? As I watched Harriet walk from one place to another, holding that blank stare, I tried to imagine a kind of dialogue going on in her head. I imagined her picturing a table full of her closest friends or a table full of her loving relatives. I kept expecting her to finally make a decision but she just held her pose. The viewer begins to almost sympathize with her and wish she would just sit somewhere. She made me think about how many other people actually do something like this on a daily basis? Kids with no friends, getting made fun of, getting shooed away or pointed at and whispered about. Someone from our class tried to invite her to sit down but she refused because her performance piece did not allow her to. Although, if she was not performing and actually had nowhere to sit, a small gesture like that would have been appreciated.

Harriet's piece just really made me curious because of the awkwardness of it and the emotion in it. I had been read her proposal before viewing her piece and I believe that really helped me get attached and think about what she was doing and why. It was a very daring thing to do and I bet she was ridiculed by a few people but it was affective. A very memorable piece to me, well done!

Endurance performance: Illusion

For 3 hours, 8-11am, I designated my time soley to the task of constructing a wall out of the materials in Canakadea River. I had no idea how how tall this building would end up being and it's exact aesthetics. I picked rocks up of all varying sizes, including one that was too large and ended up causing me an injury during the performance. The process was extensive, repetitive, and physically exhausting.
My intentions was the solidify myself into the illusion of being alone; creating an environment untouched by any human influence. Through the creation of a stone wall, an organic separation was being created between the Alfred University institution and myself in the river. As I carried up rocks, I placed human made items (rappers, wire, terracotta bricks) in front of the wall to keep it out of the illusion I was creating and maintaining.
The difficulties in this endurance performance were hydration, extensive physical exhaustion, and injuries from falling rocks being transported to higher levels. At 9:30am, I had obtained a rock that was quite large and dense. Upon placing it on higher elevations as I climbed up the tree, it fell ontop of me and my fingers were cut quite deep around the nail and down the finger. I continued, compromised by the limited use of my left hand, and had to switch to smaller rocks and started using wood found in the creek to use on the wall. Following the endurance performance at 11am I left and sought medical attention for the injuries.

Final Performance Piece: John Galt Speech

Typically, I wouldn't have regarded a formal speech as a work of fine art. But due to its length, and thus mental endurance required, I found the John Galt Speech of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged a suitable undertaking for my performance piece. My goal in reciting the one hundred-plus pages was to breathe life into the tenants of the Objectivist philosophy, a school of thought some have called practical only between the pages of a book. I consider my act of speaking a way to expose Ayn Rand's work to the practices of the real world, something an individual can take away and actively use, only if they sat in for only a few minutes. The speech is rich with information and allows for the audience to come and go as they please.

My choice for Holmes auditorium's red curtains and simple lighted podium reflected the simplicity and efficiency of Ayn Rand's world while my own attire was a nod to descriptions of John Galt in the novel itself.

The act of speaking for three hours was a challenging and tiring affair. My tongue swelled and made it hard to pronounce words as the hundreds of sentences went by. There were moments that I felt my mouth being directed by the words on the page, on seeming auto-pilot. It was at these times I had to re-engage the text and the thoughts being conveyed so as to remain under the persona of John Galt. I wanted to avoid the image of mere dictation, of babbling words. I wanted to remain emotionally engaged with what I was saying. I think I succeeded in doing this, though the increasing lethargy of my tongue and the cinching of my throat towards the end did cause occasional lapses in the flow of the speech.

(I attempted recording the speech, but the volume from the auditorium speakers was too loud for the sensitivity of the microphone recorder)

(Full Text of the Speech- http://amberandchaos.com/?page_id=106)

Critical Analysis

As I walked up to Ari Hendershot inside the bus stop at Alfred State, it was not difficult to understand what she was doing, but the challenge was to figure out why she was scrubbing the bus stop floor. I feel her piece was a lot like mine in the sense that we were both spending unnecessary time on something that could be completed so quickly only if we had a different tool to use. Also, we both were doing a task for three hours where the results would quickly disappear. For me at least, I felt that we both tried to embraced nonsense.

While observing Ari, one thing that stood out was where she left her bag and shoes. They were placed right outside the bus stop and it almost seemed like she could have been walking along the sidewalk, on her way to get to "work", and when she was done with her job she'd pick it up and leave. If I were to see this happening (like it most likely did), it would give me as a viewer a clear understanding of the beginning and end to the piece.

Artist Critique

LIAnn sat on a towel on the ground in-between Cannon and Baressi. She was armed with a box of clementines and a book. In her statement she said she was going to eat the entire box (about 20) of clementines within the 3 hours provided. As we approached LIAnn, it looked as though she was just having a little picnic in the sun. But as we got close my mind shifted gears. She had already ate a lot of the box, and was spelling a word. What was the word going to be was all I wondered. She was not allowed to speak to any of us, so as we walked around her, she kind of reminded me of an animal in a cage at a zoo- on display. This made me think hard about the reason of her performance. Although i saw that her reasoning was to exemplify the "concepts of consumption and excess", I saw it almost as a critique on us as humans, always putting others on display (especially the famous). But her idea to me, goes along with what I thought because when people are put on display it usually is way too much, which reminded me of her consumption of all 20 clementines.

Critical Analysis

On Friday, within the stark institution of Alfred State, Ari Hendershot scrubbed the platform of a bus stop with a toothbrush. Clothed only in a sweater and jeans (no shoes) I immediately felt empathy for her as I was currently damning the chilly weather under my own layers. She was on dirty, cold rock--probably pebbles and glass digging into her skin--working vigorously to cleanse a public area, armed only with a small tooth-cleaning device and a muddy, unsatisfying cup of water.

In our critiques, we'd talked briefly about the notion of imagining the past and future of these performances (beyond our group's encounter with them). I wonder how busy the traffic actually is at that bus stop, and how A-Staters responded to her presence. And what went through her mind as she first knelt down to polish off her first square inch of concrete (probably the miserable anticipation of three hours in freezing, self-conscious discomfort)? Mostly, I wanted to know if in the end she had actually succeeded in cleaning her area--maybe she made it dirtier by spreading around the filth? After all, it was a tiny cup of reused, un-refilled water.

This latter thought, I believe, is the crux of Ari's performance. She is uncomfortable, exposed, and reenacting a task usually reserved for those of a lower caste (excuse the lack of political correctness)--yet, the result of her efforts are ultimately disappointing and, well, dirtier. It is a debby-downer of a message, but this performance is about how hard work sometimes gains us nothing (and in some cases, sets us further back). Ari reminds us that, like the dirt on the floor of a bus stop, inanity is indelible.