Thank you for a great semester!

Congratulations on some excellent final projects. Thank you all so much for a wonderful semester. Stay in touch and keep me posted on your adventures. I want to hear all about your travels to learn about the world, awesome internships, projects, grad school plans, dream jobs and of course medical school!

Here are some pics/videos I grabbed at final presentations. Sorry I managed not to get every person/project 😆 I really thought I got everyone. I’ll have to have a reunion one day so we can all catch up!

Good luck to all of you! Happy holidays!!

Bonus Selfie

Kim-Victor

My inspiration for my final project is Victor and myself. He has become a muse whom has opened my world into a more artistic form. I realized that things in my life should not be limited unless it is necessary.

Bonus Selfie

     

        This book marker is my inspiration for my final project. This is made by Maria Velonica. She made it based on news paper and memories. That influenced me to create one memory book that based on memories of this three month of art class. 

*BONUS SELFIE*-Leslie Wilson

The color palette of my artwork

The final draft of “Into the Modern World”

The first image on the top were the colors I used to fill in my art piece. I wanted to show the color palette, since I believe the colors helped achieve the mood I wanted to portray. As for the draft, I needed to create one to test out the colors;and to make sure I had at least one practice run before I started the original. 

Rebecca Tobias - Final Project

In my midterm, I decided to paint my own self-portrait using a photograph of myself as a guide, which ended up with me having paint all over my hands and wrists. For the final, the task was to somehow connect what we learned in the class as well as from the trip so I thought that was impossible without making a parody song. In the video, I referenced Cindy Sherman, Ana Mendieta, Shantell Martin, Ani Liu, and Andy Warhol. With the lyrics, I aimed to poke fun at how we present ourselves to others because of economy’s domination of social life. “The first stage of the economy’s domination of social life brought about an evident degradation of being into having — human fulfillment was no longer equated with what one was, but with what one possessed. The present stage, in which social life has become completely occupied by the accumulated productions of the economy, is bringing about a general shift from having to appearing — all “having” must now derive its immediate prestige and its ultimate purpose from appearances. At the same time all individual reality has become social, in the sense that it is shaped by social forces and is directly dependent on them. Individual reality is allowed to appear only insofar as it is not actually real” (The Society of the Spectacle). We pretend to have what we don’t. We cannot help but lie. We flaunt what we have for others to see what they don’t have. “The connections of personality and identity with material objects also make us into commodities” (The Art of Self Invention). We judge by what we see, so might as well accept it and say, “Judge me, yes!” "Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at” (Ways of Seeing).

Lyrics to Judge me, Yes! - (Thank U, Next Parody)

https://youtu.be/fI7bwAdWkAU

Thought I’d end up with paint on my wrist, but I can’t

Took some selfies each week, now I look and laugh

Even found some new artists, and for Sherman, I'm thankful

Exposing our image filled culture

was like a chameleon

One used up blood, she captured nature

And she portrayed pain, Mendieta’s amazing

I’ve heard and I've learned

We judge by what we see

“Look what I have, look what you don't, b”

And for that I say

Judge me, yes! (x3)

I’m so effin’ grateful for my things

Judge me, yes! (x3)

Spent more time reading things

We don’t just write quotes for nothing

Plus sometimes she collects

Then we start up our discussions

I know they say, “You can't draw like that!”

This one said, “Nah”

Last name is Martin

Now she works with Puma

One used her mouth, She used bacteria,

And Liu was her name, now you might say, “it’s disgusting”

I've heard and I've learned

We judge by what we see

“Look what I have, look what you don't, b”

And for that I say,

Judge me, yes! (x3)

I'm so effin’ grateful for my things

Judge me, yes! (x3)

I'm so effin’ grateful for my things

Judge me, yes! (x3)

One day our image will convey, reality without distortion

Pretending to have what we don't

For example our fashion

Economy takes over all our lives

we can't help but lie

God forbid someone's watching

Least we don't look like trash

“I got so much stuff, I got so much money”

It’s time for my fame, Warhol said I get fifteen.

I've heard and I've learned

we Judge by what we see

Look deep inside, we’re all made of the same thing

And for that I say judge me yes

Judge me, yes! (x3)

I'm so effin’ grateful for my things

Judge me, yes! (x3)

I'm so effin’ grateful for my things

Judge me, yes! (x6) Works Cited

Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture. Tauris, 2007.

Debord, Guy. Society of the Spectacle. Black & Red, 2016.

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Penguin Group, 1972.

Vincents Final

"Adulting"

As life moves on, we can't get that time back. Life moves on super fast, that includes technology, art, life, and even ourselves. It's a natural way of life. I bring up that point because as a teen entering their 20’s you start to see the bigger picture of life. And honestly it's scary. You start to have more worries, and your against the world as fight on your own. In other words called “Adulting”. 

After this summer, my eyes open wider to what it means to grow up. One morning waking up to the house completely empty. The Uhaul truck starting up engine louder than the morning birds trying to wake you up. My sisters, brothers and my mom all packed up in their car ready to go. My mom hops in uhaul, they say their last goodbye and they pull off. And as i witness the uhaul drive away in the distance, the image gets smaller and smaller and smaller. As uhaul truck gets smaller, for some reason my heart did too. 

Months has passed, living now in the basement, playing with my puppy trying catch up on my bill. Hair gets longer, hygiene not on very healthy level, beard growing as excessive rate with bags under my eyes. Signs of all being stressed out. Knowing my mom moved away, I know I have to adjust and adapt. 

The subject of my project is “Adulting”. The main purpose i chose adulting as my subject for the final is because as growing up I see what it really means to have responsibility. We all grow up, and we all see the difficulty of it. Doing things on time, sleeping early, paying bills and cooking your own dishes. All these doesn't sound fun especially growing up and being spoiled by our parents we kinda take them for granted. The content of my image is suppose to bring painful happiness. Yes it's sad growing up and experience reality, but you start to look at life in bigger picture and start to cherish things a lot better. 

My art project is heavily inspired by artist, Kevin Sampson. He based his art into making sculptures. His beliefs is that he makes unique sculptures, not the greatest art but it reveals that he has a gift in it. So my idea was to create a sculpture of my physical “Home” into smaller frame. The home i've lived in my whole life, it means alot to me even on a spiritual level.

How I began on starting my project was by going to dollar store and buying all things i need to make it. Includes cardboard, color paper, glue, sticks, scissors and 3 shoe boxes. From there i put 3 boxes ontop of each other and glew paper around the 3 boxes to make it look like a 1 story building. The use color paper to create the outing of it with windows. To make special it's going to be christmas theme.

The way it compares to Kevin’s art is by creating sculptures. Using your own ideas and tools are creating “nothing” to “something” with tools. Bringing a gift from artist to real life. My self portrait will convey the feeling of tranquility if someone looks at my art. You feel as home, with touch of christmas spirit. And what makes my final different than midterm is by couple of way; One way, was the art it self, the midterm was on poster and this one is going to be sculpture 3D image. Secondly would be the idea, yes i used the idea of home in my first project but i wanted to bring the idea of home on another level for the final, into way deeper and spiritual feeling than a cultural one. It influenced me make this change because I never appreciated my family until their gone, so this project is closer to me like any other. 

The spectacle of my art project is supposed to bring glow and lights to into. Christmas lights as the color since it's the season, but it's supposed to bring life to the house. Yeah the house isnt greatest thing, but your spectacle of looking at it should feel lively. 

This project is going to be mean alot me. Creating this brought emotions, tears and love throughout. I got close to my sister as she helps create it, but the thought process emotionally reaches out to me on deeper meaning. As i explained my project in class, i would want you to feel like if your in my shoes and also open the eyes for my class on how it feels to grow up and “Adult”. To cherish life because as I said, when is gone, you can't take gain it back. That also adulting is never fun.

Final Project

What I did is grabbed my old acoustic guitar and spray painted it 3 times just to make sure the whole guitar is covered completely white.  Once the paint dries, I grabbed a big black Sharpie marker and started drawing out music symbols.  The notes you see that are on the side of the guitar are actual notes from a song called "Time" by Pink Floyd.  It as a song I thought was appropriate to listen to while planning this project out.
The subject of this project is music.  We al listen to music no matter what.  It's everywhere, it's one of the things we all need to survive.  We would all dance to it, sing to it, or just listen to it.
Music can help us with our emotions.  We all listen to something whenever we feel a certain emotion.  We all view music in a different way, which relates to the spectacle:  Point of View.  We all have our own point of view towards things.  This still functions today as it did back then.  We all view things differently and give out our own opinions and ideas.  Not everyone is going to have the same views and ideas.
However, my point of view in music is that it helps me escape from reality, which is what I've shown in the back of the guitar for this project.  I would listen to it and focus only on the music.
This is completely different from the mid-term project I presented.  However, the only thing I would consider both projects to be similar is the abstraction used in both projects.  What influenced me in making these changes is that I really enjoy music and wanted to express it by using a musical instrument.
I was inspired by Shantell Martin with her work on using a black marker and draw abstractions.  I wanted to combine her work and my idea in music.
What this project can convey towards the audience is to show how music can play a really important thing in life.  As I mentioned earlier, it is something that we all need to survive.  We all have our different taste in music, which is what makes everyone different and special.

Final Project-Kimberly Rivera

'VICTOR TORRES'

'Illustration Drawing'

'Abstract Duct Tape'

'Untitled Muse'

Influential Artists

The exploration of various ideas has led the subject of my project to be my muse, Victor Torres. He is the masculine version of my self portraiture. By assembling materials that consists of the spectacle, and media, I used different influential artists to create this piece. Every detail in my artwork was inspired by the following artists: Shantell Martin, Kevin Sampson, Joshua Miels, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Ana Medieta and Dread Scott "The idea of self as a convenience has a strong appeal" (Finkelstein 135). Personal identity allows me to see myself in another person. One by one, each artist's work guided me to the end result.

The process of the project was overwhelming, but exhilarating. In the beginning, my interest sparked from Shantell Martin's unique drawings from using only a black marker. Also, Joshua Miels, a contemporary portrait artist who captures the emotions of human beings through his paintings. Instead of a black marker, I used a colorful palette. As the canvas, I displayed Victor Torres to be the work of art. The vivid colors that were drawn on his face reminded me of Andy Warhol's pop art so I divided his face into four series. After I took a photo, the images resembled the work of Dread Scott. The Wanted, created on 2014 as a community-based project. exhibited these photographs to look like mug shots. He drew innocent individuals with untrue and misrepresented information that are often used in police sketches. As a violent scene, I drew a silhouette shooting target figure to represent Ana Medieta's unforgotten artwork. These pictures were not enough to stand alone so I used Kevin Sampon's idea of using random objects to create an assemblage. I used an old USPS priority mail box to show the photos and duct tape to add abstract. I crossed out the words like Jean-Michel Basquiat then wrote "Muse" throughout the platform and used a black sharpie to draw uncoordinated illustrations. The thought-process was so simple-minded until I realized that it did not have to be that way.

This art piece would categorize as a collage and mixed media. Based on the different compositions, it conveys a message of representation. "Publicity persuades us of such a transformation by showing us people who have apparently been transformed and are, as a result, eviable" (Berger 131). The subject appears attractive and artistic. He is an advertisement for consumers who want be a muse. Therefore, the method is to draw on one's face, and take a selfie so there can be a chance to be talked about in a room full of people one day.

This self-portrait tells a story to the audience. Every feature has a meaning, it just takes time to understand what it means. The difference between my first self-portrait and this current self-portrait are the subject, awareness, and assemblage. I used a male as a model, the awareness is not focused on mental illness, but exposure, and the objects are easy to use materials. I did not want to only focus on myself as a person who has a lot things going on in their mind. Throughout this semester, the appreciation for art influenced these changes that helped me explore my own artistry.

The media and its images influence identity and self presentation by promoting someone or something as an unrealistic public display. "Glamour cannot exist without personal social envy being a common and widespread emotion" (Berger 148). The spectacle is a mass media that produces exaggerated content that captures consumers' interest. It is shown in advertisements, social media, and promotional fields. My project exists in the spectacle as a display that shows detailed aspects of my muse, Victor. Society tends to admire the idea of becoming known. My artwork depicts the standards of connecting with an individual who has the ability to expose your status and aspiration. Art is meaningful especially if it is about you.

References

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Penguin, 1972.

Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture. Tauris, 2007.

Xyon VS Thanos

My art project is based upon one of the artists that I have saw in the Paul Robeson Galleries in the Rutgers University In the Newark Museum was called Kedar. For my final project, I have decided to make A subject based upon “comic Imagination. To me I have goals for to create my own comic book character based upon myself and to put my own character out there in certain comic stories. But mainly, to embrace myself throughout arts, creativity and livelihood. At the same time I view myself as coming across struggles and hardships in the future in A way, but I find ways around to succeed whether or not if the path is short or long.

I have used painting materials like acrylic and oil paint alongside with this art project I have used Foam board instead of hard boards. The name of the artist that I was inspired that made me wanted to do this project, his name was Kevin Darmaine. I was inspired by his comic book art and his art is based upon the good life in the black/african american community. The difference between my final and my midterm portrait, I had added more color and depth into my own imagery, but with my midterm i had just used drawing and shapes during with that depth.

What influenced the changes within my self-image is when  I wanted see how I would stand out If I were to make my art comic book poster and out of my imaginary creativity. (Claiming Identity is an ordinary occurrence, Finklestien, pg.122) My character Xayadarah Xyons “Xyon” is the character based off from myself and Thanos is known as A mad titian, A fictional supervillain and one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe.

The media and the images had help to influence and identify self presentation is showing yourself and embracing like how other artists embrace their own arts in their own ways. (Film and the mass media are technologies that have transformed telltale details into forensic clues and promoted their importance. Finklestien, pg 8)  Every human being that is an artist has ways of expressing and embracing their nature of art, everybody has artistic gifts. The media might judge differently goods and bads but own art is something we can capture within the point of our views and others. (Being in public and learning how to behave toward an audience of strangers is part of the narrative who produces a sense of self Finklestien, pg. 92)

The spectacle is defined by A visually striking performance or a display, something who you can see from your very own eyes. Within spectacles, we manage to function today by continuing doing what we love and how we can succeed in our own morals and values from arts.

My project have exist and address in this spectacle by showing much more improvement of something small who had turned into something bigger than what used to be before. It had addressed to something major of the outcomes after you encountered with many little obstacles and now you have done so, it's a possibility that things will fall in place.

Description: During The Infinity War, the heroes including Captain America, Iron Man,  Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and many other heroes were fighting the war against a mad titian name Thanos. His main goal is to collect all six infinity stones to erase half of the universe within the snap of his fingers. His plan includes erasing half of human population, animal population and nature population. Unfortunately his plan was a success after defeating the heroes, but the battle was not over yet. There are more heroes out there that still remains to join the battle including Captain Marvel and Ant-Man. Military agent Nick Fury had summoned Captain Marvel before his body was disintegrated and turned into dust. Xayadarah’s friends and his parents have been disintegrated as well and he was aware that there is a war that's coming. So therefore he had faced off some monsters, blood on his claws and now the mere cub who grown into a beast have confronted the mad titan to the confrontation. Will he Win against Thanos? We shall she.

References: Finklestien, J (2007) The Art of self invention

Inspired by: Kevin Darmaine “Kedar” Paul Robeson Galleries

                                                           Kevin Darmaine "Kedar" inspiration