Susan Stewart Question Response

1. The body is the primary mode of perceiving scale.

I find this to be quite true as the U.S. standard of measurement for twelve inches is called a 'foot'. People constantly compare the height of buildings to the height of people and it does make sense because buildings are designed to accommodate the measurements of the average human being in order to make them comfortable moving around in. In the books about dinosaurs I used to read when I was younger, the author would consistently place a human being next to the dinosaur for scale. This is likely because we are all familiar with what the average measurements of a human being are. We can all use this base knowledge to help comprehend something that is less familiar, such as the size of a dinosaur or a building.

2. The capacity of objects are to serve as traces of authentic experience.

Objects do act as physical reminders of past events. I still have a grass model of a grass hopper that I was given around age ten by a crafts maker on a street corner when I was visiting New York with my family. The actual experience was me and my family walking around New York and seeing the sights but the grass hopper that was given to me by the crafts maker is a reminder of this authentic experience. 

3. The souvenir reduces the public, the monumental, and the three dimensional into the miniature, that which can be enveloped by the body.

Souvenirs do have the ability to represent the very culture of its surroundings whether they be physical or ideological. The purpose of most souvenirs is to embody what experiences commonly take place there. For example if you go to Paris it will not be difficult to find a miniature Eiffel Tower in Paris France nor will it be difficult to find a local souvenir that relates to Ponce de Leon or Pedro Menendez because our town came to be by their actions. Souvenirs act as an embodiment to the visual and cultural aspects you experience when visiting other areas and they allow you to recall these experience via a visual aid. I can still remember the damp feeling of walking down winding, misty paths of flowers and foliage every time I see the vase my mother bought at a botanical garden. 

4. Nostalgia cannot be sustained without loss.

I am inclined to agree with this because nostalgia refers to a longing for a happy memory that is from the past. Therefore, we must 'lose' some of our memory in order to feel nostalgic about something. If we remembered everything we experienced perfectly then it may prove difficult to have nostalgia. But, when we recall a memory, typically a happy one, we might experience the same happy feelings we did at that moment and have a desire to reclaim them. For instance, not too long ago I was looking over old family photos and found one of my family at a house I used to live in up north. I had many good experiences there and I enjoyed going on after dinner walks all around town seeing the sights such as the library, the movie theater, and the general store. Seeing this photo brought back those happy memories and it was quite interesting as I had not thought about that home for quite a long time.  

5. To have a souvenir of the exotic is to possess both a specimen and a trophy. 

A souvenir is not a difficult thing to obtain but a truly exotic one can be quite an addition to your life experiences. To be able to sort through the mountain of common, unimpressive, and poorly made souvenirs you find at most tourist destinations and find something worth while to take back home is quite the accomplishment. The souvenir is quite the specimen because it is interesting to look at because it is uncommon but it is also a trophy due to the unlikely event you would be able to find a souvenir worthy of pulling out your wallet. Unfortunately our local St. George Street is no exception to having a plethora of useless souvenirs. So many of the shops have dried out alligator heads, sea shells, and nearly every other generic souvenir you can think of which makes it quite the success to find something that will truly represent a memorable expression of St. Augustine.      

Soap Carving and Alteration Phase

 This is my second carving that is more anatomically correct.

 By placing the fox figure against the soap and carving out an outline I have found that it makes the figure a little more simple to carve.

 Here is the final carving and it turned out quite well.

 The following two photos are my first but less successful fox carving that will be used for the additives and the subtractions.

Subtraction: Carving line

 These two images show a line i carved down its back from its nose to its tail. This is not only a subtraction but also a set up for the next substantive.

 Subtraction: Microwaved for 40 seconds

The following three images show the result of putting my carving in the microwave for forty seconds. As I expected, the carving down the back did help direct the expansion of the soap which gave it a mutated back and caused the head to fall off. 

 Additive: Blue and Brown Paint

I added the paint in the following three photos to make the sculpture more visible in order to show what is happening to my carving and to see how the paint with react to the following steps.

 Additive: Vegetable Oil poured on the sculpture

In these two photos I added vegetable oil to see if there was any reaction because I know some soap is made with vegetable oil and I was curious to see if adding more to a finished product would cause anything to happen. There was no chemical reaction but it appears that the surface has been weakened slightly because the legs seem thinner. 

Subtraction: Pouring on baking soda and vinegar  

These two photos show the aftermath of putting baking soda on my sculpture and then adding vinegar. There was a lot of fizzing and it did eat into the sculpture. 

 Subtraction/Addition: Open flame and candle wax

These three photos show how I took a lit candle and ran it over the surface of the sculpture. Not only did it cause some burn marks but it also added the red wax you can see in the photos as the candle melted. 

 Additive: Glue over surface of sculpture

I poured glue all over the sculpture in order to get an interesting design and accentuate the numerous curves and divot in the sculpture. 

 Additive: Sprinkles poured over sculpture

I poured sprinkles over the sculpture because I thought I would look a little more like some type of ice cream dish. It now does resemble a serving of ice cream.

 These final photos are my completely altered sculpture on its temporary base.

These three photos showcase the completed soap sculpture that has been altered and put upon its permanent base. I modeled the base to display the piece of soap as this great object worthy of recognition, almost like an academy award but in reality it is simply a irregularly shaped piece of soap. In a way it is ironic as the base was made to be this very attention grabbing structure but the item it is presenting is not something that can be readily describable in any artistic terms. The colors we chosen to accentuate the colors use in the soap sculpture but in a darker color in order to better showcase the soap itself rather than draw attention to the base. 

Paper City Assignment

This is the base for the "bell chime." It is made from a single piece of paper and will provide some lift from the ground so it is more unconventional.

 Here are pieces from my second piece called the "saw mill." On the left is the base which needs to be solid in order to support the heavy roof and in the middle is the actually support attachment for the roof that the columns will fit in.

 Here the saw mill piece has had its columns installed and is ready for the roof to be put on.

 I decided to include multiple pillars in the bell chime piece not only for structural support but also because it is provides a sense of solidity while still being open to the viewer.

 The bell chime piece has been completed and the pendulum can swing freely back and forth to hit the "gong."

 The saw mill has been completed as well and is ready to saw paper logs with its rotating paper saw blade.

Architectural Relief Assignment

For this Project I incorporated elements of both Gothic and Japanese architecture. Gothic structures tend to be very tall, slender, and are accented by stained glass. Japanese structures of the Asuka period are made mainly of wood , use negative space, and are more curved than linear especially in regards to the roof line.

 The base has been started and resembles a Gothic church. The sides have windows made of paper and clear tape while the front door resembles a Japanese rice paper door made of tracing paper, masking tape, and very thin pieces of balsa wood. The base has also been textured to represent bricks by cutting into in with a razor knife.

 The second and third levels of the structure have been put into place and the same type of window from the previous layer has been installed so that there is a nice flow that keeps true to the Gothic style.

 The assignment is nearly done at this point. I added balsa wood shingles as a roof line to better incorporate the Japanese era. Japanese banners have also been strung from sections of the structure using string which creates an interesting 3-D effect. The Sides have been enclosed with both white and black paper and masking tape in the shape of buildings to centralize the structure itself.

The piece has been completed and is now supported by a base of wood and is mounted in the hallway.

Janine Antoni Response

Loss and Desire Video

The pieces created by Janine Antoni are all thought-provoking if not a little eccentric in regards to the mediums she uses and the messages she conveys. However, the piece that I took the greatest interest in and was perhaps the most relatable, was her video entitled, "Touch." The idea of being able to walk along the horizon (an impossible feat to be sure) was actually achieved in an artistic form. As Janine walked across the tight-rope it truly looked as though she were walking along the horizon. I enjoy the idea of adventure, exploration, and travel and this piece makes such concepts seem more attainable or more artistically approachable. Such things are emotions that many people have and Janine was able to make them appear within reach by undermining the commonly held belief that one cannot reach the horizon, that it is always in the distance. She incorporates her own body into the piece as a testament to her belief that the human body itself can be used as an instrument in creating art. Upon seeing the video it did cause me to have that feeling of 'eureka' when you are exposed to a new way of looking at a subject that you had previously only seen in a straight forward manner. This piece provides me with a helpful reminder to try and think in a less linear fashion and try to reach for ideas and artistic forms of expression that are less readily available. Ideas that are inspired by even common daily sights but taken in a way that is irregular. These ideas are often some of the most inspiring and encourage evaluation or analysis which in turn leads to new forms of thought.