Abstract

My work focuses on the senses that we take for granted when we experience art. We often disregard how our bodies work in relation to living our daily lives. In my piece, the Mechanics of Interaction, I highlight the experience of intertwined senses, in particular sight, touch, and sound. My thesis sculpture, the Mechanics of Interaction, is based on an attempt to avoid a purely visual experience of art. I try to redirect the audience away from the hierarchy of senses where sight is privileged. Many artworks tend to accentuate the combination of vision and thought as an "expression." Sight plays a dominant role in the world of art. I see this dominance as problematic. I also believe that the connection between seeing and thinking is a concept within Western culture that allows one to connect vision with intellect. In my piece, I try to push the other senses in the domain of thought--a kind of thinking with the body. Instead of accentuating the mind/sight relationship, I align the other senses with the experience of art, where one sense does not dominate the others. The mechanical nature of my work allows the audience to approach it not only as an object to look at, but as an object to interact with physically. The Mechanics of Interactions is a large piece that consists of gears and cranks that people can turn to ring a large quantity of bells for a multi-sensory experience of perception.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Kinetic sculpture--Themes, motives; Installations (Art)--Themes, motives; Sound in art; Motion in art

Publication Date

12-1-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Fine Arts Studio (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School for American Crafts (CIAS)

Advisor

Miokovic, Alexander

Advisor/Committee Member

DeZarn, Dan

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: NB1272 .T35 2011

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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