Repetition/Series

Rochester Institute of Technology

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Theses

Thesis/Dissertation Collections

2006

Repetition/Series

Anthony Trinchera

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ROCHESTERINSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

A Thesis Submittedto the

Faculty

The College of

Imaging

In

Candidacy

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Repetition/Series

By

Anthony

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Introduction

Thebasis for_mythesisisa minimalistapproachto_makingartthrough the

exploration of_process, series and repetition. _{Thematically,}thecore oftheartworkthatI

produce revolves around a simplificationoftheformsanddesignsthatI chooseto

portray. _{Artistically,}I aminterested invarious qualitiesincludingline,flatnessofshapes

and simplified color range as_theyare appliedto thetwo-dimensional. Thismannerof

working stems fromadesireIhavetoforgorealisticdepictionof_my subjectsinfavorof

a more abstracted approach.

Workingwithin aneducational_framework, Ipreferredto_relyon_{my intuitive}

abilities and utilize repetitivetechnique fortheproduction of artwork. _Havingabandoned

anypreset notions ofimageand_form,I soughttofocusontheoutgrowthofideasthat

sprung froma_purelyformaland mediadrivenmethodology. Itwas_myintentionto use

repetitious methods of_{working in}ordertoexploredeepersubconsciousissueswithin

myself andinvestigatetherolethatprocess plays in_accessingpersonal content.

Fourprojectsbest illustrate mythesisgoals. Sinceprocessisa_primaryelement

involvedin_mythesis, Iwilldescribethesevariousprojectsin detailandtalkaboutthe

many issuesthatarose_duringtheevolution ofthese series. Ishall also discuss_my

inspirationsforwork,cite arthistoricalreferencesand analyze_mythesis exhibition. I

willformacritical evaluationof_{the work,discussing}therelative successes andfailures

Four Series

1. Handprints

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The basis for mythesisworkbegan roughly midwaythrough_{my first}quarterat

RIT. Iwas_dealingwithalotoffrustration because I hadn'tcreated artonaregularbasis

foraboutthreeyears andfound it very difficulttoplunge back intoalifethatwouldsee

artas a_dailyoccurrence. IcametoRIT_thinkingthatI could gobackto thekindof

art-making I'ddoneseveral years_{before, namely}largenon-representational oil paintings. I

hadtried thisapproachto_makingartinthe_beginningof_myfirstquarter at_RIT,but

attemptingtobeginagainfromwhereI'dleftoff several years beforeproved

unsuccessful. Toomuchtimehadpassedformetostill retaininterest in_myprevious

mannerof_working,andIfeltasthoughI hadtosomehow regain_myenthusiasmforart

ingeneral. AtthetimeIthought_{tryingsomething}new and_completelydifferentwould

helptoinspireme_creatively andrecapture_mypassionfor_makingart.

I madearather spontaneousdecisiontouse4"x

6"

index cards as_{my working}

surface. I'dusedthecardsforan earlier classassignment and realizedthatI enjoyed

themas a_workingsurfacebecauseoftheirsmall_formatand sense ofimmediacy. This

formatwas _somethingthatIwas not usedtoandit forcedmetoadjust_mymanner of

workingto suitthe sizelimitation. Sincethearea ofthecard surface wasso_miniscule,I

hadtodecide howtoutilizethespacethrough technique. I couldnot executeintricate,

detailed drawingsor paintings on_cards,butatthesame_time,I wantedto_trysomething

atypicalofwhatI would_{normally have}done.

Actingon_impulse,Iplaced some cards onthefloorof_my studio and crushedbits

of a charcoal stickintothemwith_myfoot. Iexploredvarious patternsanddesigns on

several cards andthengathered some oftheblack dust fromthecrushed charcoal sticks.

Thisdustwas combined with water and smeared ontothecards_{using my hands. I}tried

manydifferentwaysof_applyingthewet mediato thesurface ofthecards and_eventually

settledon_creatingindividualprints of_myhands,palmsidedown. Ienjoyedthe

immediacyand ease of_{the process,}whichallowed metowork_{rapidly making}oneprint

after another. I foundtheimage created_{bymy hand}tobean_interestingabstraction

representationthatretainedfigurativecharacteristics. _{Aesthetically,}each print was aflat

formwith_virtuallyno_detail,butremained_easilyrecognizable as ahand. Mostofthe

printswerecomposedof six elements: _mypalmandthefiveseparatefingers. Yet I did

varytheimagestoa certain extent_byprintingsinglefingersandnopalm or vice versa.

SometimesI would_simplyprintonefinger_byitselfor_trydifferentcombinations.

Throughthisprocess, IbelievethatIwas_workingthroughadesireto_portrayafigurative

element within_mywork_usingmyselfastheimpetus.

Astheproject_{progressed,many}changes occurred with regardto_imagery and

materials. Throughrepetition,I was abletopushtheinherentpotential ofthecardformat

processtogrow and_transform,and as_such,I initiatedvarious changesincludingthe

employment ofblackacrylic paint and collage. _Usingthisnew mediahadadirecteffect

onthe_{imagery being}produced andfostered changesto theprintedimagesthemselves. I

foundthat_makinga print with acrylic paint asopposedto _usingwet, groundcharcoal

yieldeddifferentresultsbecausethereaction of_each, when coupled withtheindexcards,

was notthesame. The resultingformstookondifferentcharacteristicsdictatedbythe

media. For_example, a print madewithcharcoalwould produceasomewhatlighterand

blurrierimagethanone madewithacrylic paint.

Whentheprojectwas_finished, I'dcreatedabout300+handprints [Fig. _1]thatI

affixedto_my studiowall_duringthecourseoftheseries. Theprintsdisplayedmultiple

variationson_form,techniqueand contentall basedaroundthelikenessof_myhand [Fig.

2]. Since I'dworkedonthe_majorityoftheprintsina rapid_manner,Iwas notalways

aware ofwhat was_occurringwithintheprintsthemselves. _Generally,Iwould make a

print, setit_aside,andthen_immediatelymovetoonto thenextone. _{However,taking}the

timetoobservethefinishedseries allowed metorecognizethatI was_dealingwith

imagerybasedonfigurativeand spur-of-the-momentactions. The printsthemselveshad

a_very"quick"lookabout_{them,meaning it}was_visuallyevidentthatI'dcreatedthemat a

briskpace. This

"fast"

lookwasrecognizablethroughsplattersofpaint or wet_charcoal,

andmovements of_{my hand}onthepaper_surface,which created"smeared"or

"wiped-across"

qualities.

Throughplacementon_{the wall,}I could see series within series_occurringand

groupingsthatwere created_merelybychance and random positioning. Intermsof

particular_groupand represented a specific portionoftime thatI'dspentonthem. I did

not set outtocreate self-portraiture per se or depictthehuman formrealistically,but my

ownindividualrepresentationhad beenmade so_clearlythatIcannot_denythepersonal

account_beingportrayed. _Ultimately Iwas_creatinga_very personal statement_using

repetitiontoshow eachindividualmarkI'dmade. Ithinktheentireseriesfunctionsasan

account of a period within_mylifethatsaw_myenthusiasmforartretvirning. Inaway,it

serves as anin-depth document fromwhichI couldtraceapassageoftime_bythemarks

myhand hadmade. _Bylookingatcertain groups of_cards,I could recounttheamount of

time spent_duringa particular session or_identifywhena change ortransformationto the

processhadoccurred.

Theentire experience_{had been veryliberating}formebecause Inolonger felt

heldback_byanypersonal artistic constraintsor expectations. Itwas_veryfreeingtocast

aside certain_previouslyheldnotionsIhadabout_makingart such as_creatingrealistic or

visuallycorrectrepresentationsof subject_{matter,i.e., figures,} objects. In_addition,I

wasn'tconcerned withtraditional aspects relatedtoart such ashigh-gradematerials and

the "proper"usage and application of media Inthe_beginningI didn'tcare or even give

muchthought to themannerinwhichthefinishedprintslooked. In_{that respect,} Iwas

moreinterested in repeating certainprocess-driven steps. Iwas_{working spontaneously}

and atsucharapid pacethatifa printdidn'tlook particularly_{appealing, I}would_simply

setitaside and move ontothenextone. Atthesame_time,throughexploration and

experimentation,I became invested inthismethod of_{producing in}multiples.

Oneof_myother previousnotionsfor_makingart wasthe traditionalmanner of

creatingsingle, individualpaintings,drawings,prints,orsculpturesthatcouldbe

regarded asindependentefforts. With_repetition, I feltthateachindividualprint

functionedas a part of a_groupaesthetic. Inother_words,I didn'tregardtheprints as

separatefinishedpiecesthatcould standontheirownasindividualworksofart. The

power ofthe series camefromthe sheer_quantityofprints,which worktogethertoforma

largerwhole.

Itwas_duringthesesessionsthatI firstexperienced atrue_feeling of rhythm

throughrepetition. _By"rhythm"I meanthatI'dachieveda senseof comfort with_my

work process andaphysical connectionto theactof_creatingart. _Havingcome froman

Abstract Expressionistbackgroundand assomeone whoenjoysphysical_{activity,being}

"in-the-moment"

and"one"withtheartworkisa sensationthat_{I very}often strivefor.

Frequently,theprocess of_creatingartis formebothphysical as well as psychological.

FortheHandprint_Project,I was_{using my}physical self as atoolfor_{creatingthe work,}

with_{my handfunctioning}asthedirectmeansfortheapplication ofmediato thesurface.

Mydecisiontoworkinthismannerstemmedfroma_feelingof physicalcomfortin

placingwetcharcoalorpaint onto_{my hands}and_formingtheimages directly. _My

interest inthismethod wasestablished_verysoon afterthefirst fewprintsbecausethe

visual _qualityofthehandprints combined withthecorporeal component neededto

producetheimageswas_{veryappealing}tome. Ienjoyedthecreation oftheprints

physically because Iwasabletomove about as opposedto_{sitting in}one place and

working. This_feelingof movementcontributedto theexecution oftheprintsin_many

ways. Forexample,Imade someprintsthatcould_onlyhave beenexecuted_bystanding

hardonto a card. Alloftheseactions were anefforttoachieve certain visualeffects, but

atthesame_time,Icouldtell_bythemovementsIwas_makingifa print wouldbe

successful or not. In a_way, itwas_verycomparabletoexerciseandthe_feelingof

satisfaction one can experience whenthe_bodyandmind arein fixedunison.

The Handprintseries ended whenIbecamenolonger interested in thestyle ofthe

imagery andtheprocess neededtoproducethework. I feltasthough_nothingmorecould

be donewiththeseries andthat thelimitsofthetechniquehad beenpushedasfarasI

couldtake them. _{After producing} so_{manyprints, the}excitementI'dexperiencedatthe

beginninghadwornoff andIfeltitwastime tostart_{something different. I}wasstill_very

interested_{in exploring}repetition, but Iwantedtochannel_myenthusiasm and_{energy for}

thismethodina newdirection.

Eachnewseries ofartworkthatIcreatedyieldeda personal_{challenge,namely}

findingatechniquethatwouldfitinwiththerepetitivemannerthatIwishedtocontinue.

Towork_repetitivelymeans_havingthepatiencetodothesame_thingover and over again.

Thiscanbecome verymonotonous, even_tedious, soitwasimportant formetofind

techniques thatwouldbeinterestingenoughtoworkwith. Oneoftheproblems Ifaced

when_workinginmultipleswasthat the techniqueinvolved hadtolend itselfto the

repetition. Thisexplorationledtomuch experimentation with_myartist materialsinorder

2. Drip-Paintings

Fig. 3. Untitled_{(DripPaintings),}2004.

AftertheHandprintproject, I continuedtowork_repetitivelyontheindexcards,

usingacrylic paintwith variousbrushes. Aftermuch_{experimentation,}I abandonedthe

practiceof_applyingpaint_directlyto thecardswith abrushand settled on atechniqueof

bendingthecardslengthwiseinahalf-moonstyle and_dippingtheminto a separate

containers of watertintedwith_red,blueorpurple paint. Aswiththe_Handprints,I

wantedto_keepthecolor rangetoa minimum andtheforms simplistic sothatIcould

replicatetheprocess withease. When Ipulleda cardoutofthe_{container, I}could retain a

smallamountof water ontheshortend and_tipit insuch a_wayastohavetheexcess

waterrundownthecenterlengthwise. Theresult was ahalf-moonstain ofdilutedacrylic

paintwithalineor_dripcomingoutofthecenter.

After Imade severaldozenofthesesmallindexcarddrip-paintingsinrapid

succession, Inoticedthat theseries was_lackinga certain visual component. Ifoundthe

shapeI'dcreatedtobeaesthetically pleasing,buttheimageitselfwastoo_emptyand

simplistic,asif itwerejusta_workingexercise rather than afinishedpiece or partofa

series.

ThesolutionIcame_upwith wastoadd a"highlight"toeachdampenedcard.

Thisconsisted of a_small, semi-circularblobof_{concentrated,} or_straight,paint appliedto

theintersectionofthehalf-moonstain andthe_drip[Fig. 3]. Executed inthis manner, the

blobofpaintblendedinwiththe _surroundingforms. Inoticedthatwith each changeI

made,myprocessbecamemorecomplexandinvolvedmore steps. _{Consequently,}I

neededtoadjust_mytechnique to suit eachnewmodification. IrealizedthatI neededto

work muchfaster because Ihadtoaddthepainthighlightwhilethesurface ofthecard

was stilldamp. _Timingwas_everythingwiththisprojectandIpracticedthetechnique

repeatedly inordertoachieve thesense of rhythmthatI desired.

Withthisprojectin_{particular, there}wasakindof push-pullIwas_experiencing

with regardto theamount ofcontrol_{I actually}maintained over what washappening. On

theone_hand,Idevelopedthis techniquethroughtrial and errorandfeltcomfortable

overallwithit. However,Ineverfelt incomplete controlbecause Iwas_workingwiththe

effectthat_gravitywas_havingonthewater and paper. Thislackof control was _exciting

tomebecause Iwasneveronehundredpercentsureof what wouldhappenwhenI tilted

thecards. Sometimes Imisjudgedandthewater would_dripinadirectionIhadn't

intended_resulting inaruinedcard. Therewas an elementof chance_involved, anditwas

almost asifIwere_bettingonwhetherornotI couldbe successfulatthis technique. If I

with and could addto theseries. IfI were_incorrect, Iwouldhavetodealwiththe

frustrationofwastedtimeandeffort,somethingthatcouldbreak mysenseofrhythm.

This lackof control wasreinforced whenIenlargedthescaleof thepaintings. I

feltthatI'dpushedthepotentialoftheindexcardsfarenough and nolongerexperienced

the same sense of challengefromthe smallformat. _{By increasing}the scale, thedifficulty

in_makingthepaintings would_intensifyandI would againbetestedin_myabilityproduce

thepaintingsto_mysatisfaction. Iwas also curiousto seetheresultsfrom using larger

quantities of paint andwater onbiggersheets of paper.

Iincreasedthe scale_{gradually,going from the}small indexcards and somewhat

largerpiecesof papertobigger22"

x30"sheets. Iwantedtocontinue withthesame

basicshape,buttheincreasein scale required adifferentmanner of_creatingtheprincipal

forms. Iwas unableto_dipthe piecesof paperintothewaterbecause _theyweretoo_bigto

fit intoa container. Asa_solution,I decidedto_applythedilutedpaintto thesurfacewith

alarge brush. The half-moonshape was_{easyto recreate,}butthechallenge was inthe

actual_tiltingoftheselargersheets ofpaperand theapplicationofthehighlight. The

largesheets wereheavierandrequiredbothof_{my hands}to_steadythepaper whileI

manipulatedthe _dripdownthecenter. Itwas_{very clumsy in}thebeginningandIhadto

practicethisquite abitbefore Icould makeall ofthestepsworkinunison.

Acuriousvisualelementbecameapparent_earlyonintheseries whenI was still

usingindexcards and_{experimenting}withthehighlightarea. Icreatedthis shape_purely

outof experimentation ofmaterialsanddidnotintendforittoberepresentative of_any

particularsubject. _However,InoticedthatwhenItook thefinishedpaintingswiththe

highlightadded andturned them_{horizontally,they}appearedtohaveafigure-like quality.

Theshape oftheimagecombined withtheflesh-likecolors Iwas_usingmadethe

half-moonform look likean abstractversionof awoman'sbreast inprofile. The_drip

resembled a_veryelongated_nipple, which appearedasthoughitwere_beingpulled right

offtheedge ofthepaper.

I believethat_{this series, along}withtheHandprint_Project,representsapersonal,

albeit_{subconscious,} returnto thefigureas asource ofsubjectmatter. Ihadnotdone_any

in-depthstudiesofthehuman_bodyforseveral_years, soIwasn't_readynordid I desireto

jumprightinand make paintingsbasedon_{proportionally}corrector realistic

representations. _However,Iwas atthe time_doingsomefigurative _drawingonalimited

basis,slowly working my way backtocomprehensive studies ofthehuman form. Ifelta

certain amountofcomfortin studyingasubjectI'dhadprevious experiencewithandI

believethisenjoymentinfluencedthe_DripPaintings. The human_bodyhasalwaysbeen

a source offascination for_me,butI'dnever explorediton as abstract alevelasIhad

withthisproject. I'vealwaysbeen drawntothefigurebecauseof_myinterestinphysical

activityandhowthehuman_bodyfunctions,that_is,themechanics ofit.

Ithinkthat_{subconsciously I} desired_verymuchtoexplorethefigure_{in my}

painting, but Iwantedtodo it_repetitivelyand createimagesthroughdistortionand

simplification ofform. Since I'dbeen_drawingmyentire lifeandhad becomewell

versedinthisformoffigurative _art,I believedI couldbranchout and make

representations inan unorthodoxmanner. As Ihad_before,I didnot set concrete goalsfor

achieving these results, but insteadworkedthroughanintuitiveprocessbasedon

conceptsthatwerefamiliartome.

3.Fold-OverPaintings

Fig. 4. Gorilla_Gods,2004. Fig. 5.Hand+Heads,2004.

For mynextproject,I againsought out anewtechnique touseforrepetition. As

withtheprevious_{two series,} Iexperienced a_feelingthatI'dtaken theprocess asfarasI

couldand nolonger desiredtowork withthesame method. _Lookingback,Ican make

the_very clear observationthat_{my desire}andenthusiasmfor usingcertaintechniques

weresomewhat_{fleeting,lasting} as_longasseveralmonths or as short as afewweeks.

Aftera certain amountoftimehadpassed, IwouldbegintofeelthatI'dexhausted allof

thepossibilitiesforaparticular repetitiveaction. Thesense of_monotonyassociatedwith

repetitionand_performingthe same setof steps_repeatedly wouldbegintowear onmeto

thepoint whereIcouldnolongercontinue. _{Eventually,my}interest forthese techniques

wouldrunitscourse. Iconsider_myuseofrepetitiontobea conceptbasedon_creating

artworkthroughmeansthatwere_temporaryintheiremployment. Iwould work onthese

projectsat suchanintensepacethat_mysessions seemedlike_short,forcefulburstsof

creativitythatwouldlastseveral weeksor months. Oncethe_energywas expendedthe

project was over. Iwas unabletocontinue same methodfor_{very long}and neededto

effect a changeinthemannerthatI created art. _{This is how}Iwouldmovefromone

projectto thenext.

I was_primarilyconcerned with_creatingpaintingsinwaysthatwere unfamiliarto

me. I'dexperienced enjoymentfromthe_findingof newtechniquesand wishedto

continue on a paththatwould sustain a sense of wondermentthroughdiscovery. Attimes

I wouldfeellikeaninventorwhohasmade a significantbreakthroughand experiences a

rushof excitementfrom_havingdeveloped_somethingnew.

I beganthenext_bodyofwork_byplacingsomelatexpaintinto 16oz. plastic

containers and_dribblingitalittle bitat atimeontothesurface of some sheets of colored

paper. _Mydecisiontouselatexwasbasedon severalfactors. Itwas_readily available

(I'd already hadsomein my possession) and couldbeusedinlargequantitiesfor

minimal expense. Inaddition,Iwasinterested inthethick_qualityofthepaint. The

thicknessofthepaintdidnot allowforexcessive_{spreading(something}Ididnot_desire),

but itwas stillfluidenoughforme createdesignsthrough_pouringand_dribbling actions.

After I'ddribbledadesignon_{the paper,}Iwouldfoldonehalfofthesheet over

andthenpullthe twohalvesapartinaRorschachink blotteststyle. _Myarrival atthis

method wastheresultofrandomexperimentationwithmaterials andtimespent_deciding

iftheprocess was_interestingenoughtocontinue. IhadtoaskmyselfifIwouldfeel

comfortable enough withthisnewfoundtechniqueandiftheimagesproduced were

visually satisfying. I_{based my}satisfactionabouttheimageson whatIconsideredtobe

aestheticallyinteresting. Asan_artist,Ihave certainstandardsthatare_verypersonal with

regardtowhatI likeordislike. Specifically,Iwas_{searching for}a methodof repetition

thatwould produce_{imageryemploying}boldcolor,strongcontrast,andsimplificationof

form. Ibelievethiswas anefforton_myparttoform imagesof a graphicnaturethat

wouldina sense catchtheviewer's eyethrough_swirlingdesigns, symmetryand vivid

color. I was_seekingtoproduce workthatwasnot subtleandcouldalso draw itsvisual

powerfrommass numbers. _{Bycreatingvibrant, attention-grabbing}paintingsinlarge

quantities rather_{than small,}Ibelievedtheimpactcouldbe strengthened visually.

Asthe series progressedI begantoformulateimagesthatwerefigure-like in

appearance, but still_largelyabstracted. These individual_forms,oneper sheetof_paper,

werebornout ofthe movementsI'dmade whileIwas_dribblingthepaintfromthe

containers. I foundenjoymentin creating swirls andloopswith_{the paint,} andlikenedthe

movementstogestural sweepsthatone might execute_duringmoretraditionaldrawing.

I'dagain returnedtothefigureasa source of_inspiration,butthistimeIwasmore aware

of_my subject matter. Traditionalfigure_drawinghadatthis pointbecomearegular

occurrence forme andthis_{undoubtedly influenced}these fold-overpaintings. Thefirst

set ofimagestookon a gorilla-like appearance andIreferredto theseasthe"Gorilla

Gods"

[Fig. 4]. Thoughthesepaintingsdidnotlook_fullyhumanand possessed qualities

of a somewhat

"animal"

nature,theycould still_{be clearly}readasfigurativein

appearance.

The Gorilla Godpaintings werebasedon a_verysymmetrical method of creation.

The design foreach_paintingwasformed_byits_beingreproduced almost_identicallyon

each side ofthe sheetthrough the _foldingof onehalfontotheotherhalf. I'd become

attractedto _symmetrybecause itwasineffect abyproduct oftheprocess. I was once

again_dealingwiththeelement of chance andtheexcitement relatedtoa_feelingofthe

unknown. Inorderforanimagetobecreated,Ihadtospeculate astohowthedribbled

paint would react onceitwasfolded fromoneside ofthepapertotheother. Thenature

ofthepaint_{(its verythick,}fluid_quality) wassuchthatthedribbled design Icreatedon

theonehalfwould change as aresultofpressure exertedfromthe_foldingaction. This

time, thesignificantlackof control was an even stronger componentoftheprocessthan

myprevious series. I_frequentlyexperiencedsurpriseand amazementattheresults ofthe

foldedsheetsofpaper. In many_{cases, the}finisheddesignwouldbe_completelydifferent

fromwhatI'dexpected andthissense of wondermentfueled myenthusiasmforthe

process.

FollowingtheGorilla Godpieces, whichconstitutedthe largestset offold-over

paintings, Icontinuedwiththefold-over_technique,butmovedontoexplore new

imagery. I chosethis time todealwiththehuman_bodymore_{directly bycreating} six

fold-overpaintingsofhands ina straight-on view. Thehandsexhibitedan appearanceof

reachingupwardtowardafacethatI'dcollagedintotheopen spacebetweenthem [Fig.

5]. This_break-up ofthespacesettheseHand+Headpaintings apartbecausethe_strong

quality of_symmetry, whichcharacterizedthe Gorilla_Gods,was nowdiminished_bythe

introductionof aforeignelementintotheopenarea Theadditionoftheface-imagewas

anefforton_mypartto_{fill up}a significantamount of_empty spaceinthepicture plane

and_portraya more accurate_renderingofhumancharacteristics. Thesewere not_fully

formedhuman_figures,butrather, componentsrelatedto thehuman_body

-namelythe

headwithfacialfeatures,andtwohands. Iwas_attemptingtorepresentthehuman form

more_{realistically,}but Iwantedtoapproachthismannerofdepiction gradually because I

wasstillintheprocess of_returningtofigurativerepresentation.

4. Tony-Heads

Fig. 6._TonyHeads,2005.

The final seriesIfocusedonwasthe seriesthatrelied moreontraditionalartistic

methodsof creationthan_any other. _Drawingisan_abilitythathasalways come_naturally

tomeandisan_{activity in}whichI am_{constantly involved. It}wasthrough theact of a

certainkind of_{drawing, namely}stream-of-consciousness_drawing,thatIhadproduced

theimageofthe facethatwas_eventually collagedintotheHand+Headpaintings and

becamethefocus of_mylastseries. Thisgenericfacewas not new_{to me,} butrather

somethingthatadorned_mynotebooks,padsof_{paper, folders, etc.,}foryears. I'dcreated

thiscartoon-like image spontaneouslythrough_sketchingas_waytodealwith

uninteresting, monotonousor protracted momentsin mylife. Ilookthis typeof

sketchingas a_copingmechanismthatis_calmingtome. I supposethedrawn head itself

cameaboutbecauseof_mylifelonginterest inthedepictionofthehuman figure.

When I startedtousethe_{face in myartwork,} I changeditslightly so asto

resemble_myownhead. Atfirst,trueself-portraiture was not_myaimbecause Iwas

seekingtoavoid moretraditionalapproachesto thecreationofart. _Yet,with_{my first}two

seriesI was_delvingbackinto_myinterest inthehuman figurethroughabstraction. Inthe

third series, I'dmade a consciousdecisionto showfurther identifiable humanattributes

in_mypaintings. I believethischoice carried overintoadeliberateobjectiveto_portray

an even more recognizable representation ofthehuman form. Forme,nothingwasmore

recognizablethan_myownhead. Ialsowantedtouse asubjectthatwasfamiliartome so

that Icould more_easilyreplicateit fora series.

Thefacewas a_verysimple_design,justa_{drawingusually done}on whichever

piece of paperwas_readilyavailabletome. Ienjoyedthe_simplicityoftheformand

noticedthatIcouldreproduceitwith ease. Sinceitwas_somethingthatIwasfamiliar

with, Ididnothavetospendalotoftime_practicingthe_wayinwhichIwantedtheimage

tolook. Thechallenge wasin_{increasingthe scale,} whichis somethingthatIdecidedto

do _earlyonbecause_{upto that point, the}face had been justa_tinysketch. Sincethe sketch

was_somethingthatI'dreplicated countlesstimeson a minisculelevel (Iwould_usually

do manyofthemat a_time),myinterest inthesmallnessofit hadceased. _Myintentwas

tomaketheface a more prominent andvisibleimage.

Startingout,I used alarge_{house-painting}brushwith_black, and_{occasionally,}

dark blueacrylicpainton sheets of paperthatwere22"x30". As I'ddonein the_past, I

experimentedwith_mymaterialsuntilI becamesettledinto a seriesofactionsforthe

productionof eachindividual image. _IncreasingthescalemeantthatIwouldhaveto

producetheheadina manner_verydifferentfrom thediminutive facesIwas usedto

making. _Now,Iwas_spendingmoretime_producingtheindividual featuresand as a

result, theface hadbecomemuchmore complex. Theprocesstoproducejustonehead

wasfarmore_involvingatthisscaleIneededto_employ a seriesofbrushstrokesthat

would work withrepetition.

After spendingsometimeand_lettingtheseries _develop, I decidedto take the

projectinadifferent direction_bymakingsome simple offsetmonoprintsfromthewet

acrylic pieces [Fig. 6]. _Makingprints seemedlikealogical_stepto takebecausewiththis

approach,Icould replicatetheheadalmostimmediately. Once I'dpressed ablanksheet

of paper ontothewetacrylic _drawing,Iwouldhave aninstantaneous_copyoftheoriginal.

After_doingjustafewof_{these monoprints,}Inoticedthat_theypossessedcertain

visual qualities separatefromtheoriginaldrawings. Therewastheclearindicationofthe

brushstrokesevidentintheprints and a particular roughness offormthatwas caused_by

the contactbetweenthetwosheetsofpaper. _{Additionally,}theoriginaldrawings

themselveshad beenaltered_slightlyfromthe_pressingofthepaper. Asa resultofthis

contact, thelineswereflattened_makingthemfatterandthicker. _{Since my}ownheadwas

thecatalystforthis seriesof_{paintings, theirforms,}despite_beingabstractedand

simplified,retainedforthemost_part,mytrueanatomical proportions. Withthe

monoprintingprocess,myfaceandhead had become distortedto thepointof_being

almostunrecognizable. Theheadwas muchheavierandbulkier. Itwas asifanewhead

wasformedwith_onlyafewof_myfeatures remaining. Seeing_myownheadalteredin

thatmannerwas_{something I'd}not_expected,andas aresultitwas abitstartling.

After producingafairamountofdrawingsand_monoprints,Iincreasedthescale

ofthese"Tony-Heads"inanefforttofurtherchallenge myself andbreak_awayfromthe

monotonyoftheprocess. Iacquiredsome_{photo-backdrop}paperwhichcamein_very

large_{rolls,roughly}9'

x40', andcutitdowninto fourseparate rolls each_measuringabout

53"

x 16'. After_tackingtherollstoa_wall, Iproceededtouseblack latexpaint withlarge

house paintingbrushestodraw large headsone after anotheras_quicklyasI could. I

foundthat the_{best way}toexecutethisrepetitive action wastostart atthe_topofthehead

andwork_{my waydown, filling} inthefeaturesofthefaceas Iwent along. Thismethod

of_drawingwasquite_contraryto the techniquesI'd_{traditionally}used. In_drawing,I'd

become accustomedtofirst_renderingtheoverall shape ofthesubject andthen_filling in

thedetailsafterward. Butthesefundamental elements of_drawingwereirrelevanttothis

particular processbecause Iwas not_seekingtomake an accurate_renderingof_{my face.}

TheTony-Headsacted asakindoficonorsymbolfromwhichIwas _derivingacertain

utilitarian use

-namelyasourceforrepetitious action. Insteadof eachhead_functioning

as a conventional self-portrait with_finelydetailedfacial attributes,Iwas_usingtheimage

as akindofmass producedcharacterthatwas_extremely graphicinnature:a_flattened,

simplified_form,which seemedtofloatonthewhitesurface ofthepaper.

However,making my head intoa symbol oriconwasa_wayformetoplace

myself_directlyintothework and adda personalcomponenttoit. At_first,Ideniedthe

factthatthese_reallywere self-portraits. NomatterhowmuchI attemptedtolookatthese

paintings as separatefrommyself-_{icons or symbolswithout personal}

meaningor

attachment

-there wastheundeniablefactthat_{theylooked very}muchlikeme. Ithink

therewasstill anelement oftheimpersonal in_creatingso_manyof_them,theideathat

individual_identitycanbelost amongmassnumbers, but portrayingmyselfinthismanner

could not stiflethefact thatthesewere_{very large}representations of_myownphysical

form,no matterhowabstractI'dmadethem.

I believethatwiththisparticular_series,Ifeltthestrongestconnectionboth

physicallyand_{psychologically} to theactual process. Thiswasdueto thefactthatIwas

usingtechniqueswithwhichIwas experienced. _{Consequently,} I didn'tneedtogo

through theprogressionof_{familiarizing}myself with_mybrushesand paintor spendtime

learninghowthematerials wouldbehave. Thepreviousthreeserieshadrelied on

techniques thatwere unfamiliartome andwerenot"standard"methodsfor_creating art.

Theywere alsobasedon more complicated_procedures,which required moreattention

and practiceforexecution. _Therefore,Ineededtospendtime _learninghowtheprocesses

wouldoperate andtakemore carein_implementingsaidtechniques.

Influences. Inspirations and Comparisons

When Ibegantheworkthatwouldconstitute_mythesis,Idrew inspirationfroma

number of_influences,whichacted as_pre-existingconstantsthatI was always

subconsciouslyawareof.

TheinfluenceofAsianart was a point of referencethatI could_{clearly look}toor

atleast beconscious of as aninspiration forcertain projects. _My interestin Asianartand

philosophy goesbacka number of years and_duringthis timeI'vecometo_identifymore

stronglywithEasternmethodsofdepictionthanWestern. _Myowneducationissteeped

inaWesternperspectivetorender_{realistically}when_depictinga_subject,be ita

landscape,figure,object, etc. Froman_earlyage,Iwas adept at_{this method, especially}

whenitcametodrawing. _However,as I studiedAsianart andbecameaware ofthe

philosophybehindit,Irealizedthatrealistic representationdoesnothavetobethemain

objective of art. _Accordingly,Ibecamemoreinterestedinsimplification offormand

flatnessofcolor as_theyare appliedto_paintinganddrawing.

I was_particularlyattractedto traditionalChinesewatercolor_paintingandink

drawingwherein_{the subjects,} whicharetakenfrom_life,are simplifieddownto their

basic structure and coloris limitedinitsusage. Chineseartistsdevelopedmethods and

techniquesfortheportrayalofspecific subjectsthatwerebasedon strict rulesof

depiction. For_instance, intraditional_{Chinese painting}theportrayal ofabirdorflower is

basedon a series of_meticulously developed brushstrokesand movementsofthehandand

wrist. _{The resultingdrawing}or_paintingis_usuallycomprisedof aflattened imageor

imagesthatdoesnot place emphasis on suchWestern-basedconcepts as_{volume, weight,}

lightand shadow. Chineseartistsbelievedthat_byportrayinga subjectinthismanner

theycould capturetheinneressenceofit [Fig. 7]. To_{these artists,}itwas moreimportant

tofocusonthesubject'sspiritualexistence and_trytoprojectthisconcept_visuallyrather

than_{concentrating}onthesubject'soutward appearance.

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Myattractionto thiskindof artworkisnot_purelyaesthetic. I enjoytheartwork

for its _simplicityandthegraphic _{quality itexudes,}but I alsoaa^nire and aminfluenced

bytheChineseartists'

searchforknowledge andthepursuitofacertainlevel of

perfectionthroughrepetition and practiceoftechnique. I seeacorrelationbetweenthis

method of_learningand_myown searchforakindofperfectionthroughrepeated actions

andtechniques. _{In my}own_work,I very clearly set standardsbasedon aestheticsfor

myselftofollowwithregardtoeachspecific series andpracticed_mytechniqueover and

overinordertoattainalevelof perfectionin_mymind.

I needto take a momenthereto_clarifywhatI mean_by "perfect". Theterm

"perfect"

canbeinterpretedinanumber ofdifferentways, but formost people"perfect"

is_typicallyassociated withtheideathat_somethingis flawless. I am_usingthe termhere

toexpress whatIfeeltobeapersonalideal andindividualinterpretationofthework and

process. _Myintentionwastopush myselftoa point wheretheimagesIproduced could

berefined nofurther. Seeninthis way,perfectionmeant akindof self-satisfactionthat

I'd_trulymadethebestpossibleefforttoproduce_myart. _Mylevelof perfectionhadto

bebasedon_something; adegree_bywhichIwas_judgingwhether or not a serieswas

working. Thephysical satisfaction orcomfortI experiencedwasnot attainableunlessthe

outcome,meaningtheimage_beingproduced,wasto_myliking. As avisual_artist,I had

tobase_myjudgmentas towhether_somethingwas_working or not onwhatIwas

producingaesthetically. In_{the end,} likeChineseartists, thevisual resultiswhatIwas

strivingforthroughpractice oftechnique. If IfeltthatI couldattainthissatisfaction

physicallywithout_{the visuals,}thentherewouldbeno pointin creatingart.

Chineseartwork constitutes_myfirstrealexposureto theart of_Asia,butoverthe

years_myinteresthasextendedfurther intootherregions and countriesformallyreferred

toas"Oriental". Withinthelastseveral_years,I'vestudiedJapaneseart, specifically, the

woodblock prints oftheUkiyo-egenre. These_works, whichderivemuch oftheirstyle

and_{philosophy from}theart of_China,arecharacterized_byflat, simplifiedformsthat

demonstratea_highlydecorativequality.

The Ukiyo-egenreisdividedintotwo timeperiods: theEdo Periodfromthe late

1670'stoabout 1_867, andtheMeijiPeriod from 1867 tocirca 1912. _Ukiyo,meaning,

"floatingworld",isa referencetothe_youngculturethatflourished inthecities ofEdo

(modern_dayTokyo),Kyoto andOsaka. Theseartistscombined restrictedcolorwith

extremely intricatepatterns and_{designs,usuallyincorporating}blackoutlinetoconfine

theirshapes [Figs. _8,9]. Subjects_{includedlandscapes,}the theaterand pleasurequarters.

Often,Ukiyo-e artistswould_portraya person_wearinga_finelydetailedgarment, withthe

figure itselfrepresented_byafewdarkoutlines. This simplifyingofthehumanformwas,

Fig. 8.

Kunisada The Hour ofthe_Snake,1856.

Fig. 9.

Kunisada The Fifty-Three Stations ofthe Tokaido,1852.

likethatused_bythe_{Chinese,something}theJapaneseartists stroveforinan effortto

capturetheinnerqualities oftheirsubjects ratherthantheirtrue outward appearance.

Ukiyoisalso ahomonymforthe term"Sorrowful_World", whichrefersto the_earthly

plane ofdeathandrebirthfromwhichBuddhistssought

release.1

Morerecently,I'vebecomeaware of_contemporaryJapaneseartists _including

Takashi Murakami andYoshitomo Nara. Theworkoftheseartists_{has its influence} in

Japanese comicbookart or

"manga"

as well as_{cartoons, posters,} and signage. In

Murakami's Super FlatManifesto,hestates, "Theworld of thefuturemightbe likeJapan

is_today

-superflat. _Society, customs, art,culture: all are_extremelytwo-dimensional."2

Isee a connectionbetweenthistypeof_philosophyand_myown work. For_instance,my

Hand+HeadFold-Oversas well astheTony-Heads,withtheirstarkblackoutline and

almostcartoonish_appearance,are similartoJapanesesigns andpictograms which canbe

foundall over cities such asTokyo.

Murakamitoohasworkedwith repetitionin hisown_work,usingtheimageshe

creates as statements onthenotion oftheindividual_livingamongthemasses. Printssuch

asFlower _{(Superflat) (2003)} [Fig._10]andKiller Pink₍₂₀₀₅₎ [Fig. _{11] employ identical}

images,butinseparate ways. Flower_(Superflat) utilizes abundantflower/humanface

imagerycrammedtogetherforthe purpose of_fillingtheentireareaofthepictureplane.

Whilethesame asFlower _(Superflat),the_imageryofKiller Pinkis lessplentiful. Inthis

work,Murakamiincreasesthesizeoftheflower/face_{forms, showing}themin close-up

and_{spreadingthem out, leaving}moreroomfornegative space. The_imageryofboth

worksiscomposedofthesameflower/facesymbolrepeated_manytimes, withthe_only

difference_amongthem_beingcolor and size.

Fig. 10.T.Murakami Flower(Superflat),2003 Fig. 11. T. Murakami Killer_Pink,2005.

Murakamicontinuesthis theme of repetitioninthe_{two prints,} Louis Vuitton Eye

Love_Superflat, Black₍₂₀₀₃₎ [Fig. _12] and Louis Vuitton Eye Love_Superflat, White [Fig.

13]. These_{two works,} whichdepictsimple designsand_symbols, are_{virtually identical}

exceptforthe_differingcolorarrangements: ablack backgroundfortheformerand a

whitebackgroundforthelatter.

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Fig. 12. Takashi Murakami_5/acA,2003. Fig.13. Takashi Murakami White,2003.

Murakami'sworkoften carrieswithit thethemeofmassproductionas_wayof

commenting onhisown society's obsessionwithconsumerism andtheJapanese' loveof

allthingsmaterial. Throughhisart,Murakamicreates_{sculptures, paintings,drawings,}

toys,blow-updolls,books and videosthatfocusonbright, _{eye-catchingimagery,}which

are reminiscent ofthe_{seemingly infinite}numberof materialproducts availableto the

Japanesepeople. Alloftheseartworks are_commerciallyreproducedforMurakami who

marketsthem tothepublic.

Though Asianarthas hada profound impacton_myrecent_work,Iamstill_very

interested inmuchthatEuropeandAmerica havetooffer. Oneartist whohashada

significantinfluenceon_myrecent workistheAmerican Jonathan Borofsky. His

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conceptual methodsof_creatingwere_particularlyinfluential_beginningwith_my

Handprintseries.

Borofsky(b. ₁₉₄₂₎ isregarded as one ofthepioneers ofinstallationart,and more

precisely artthatis labeled "site specific". Heisalsoknown forworkthat_{is purely}

conceptualinnature.Borofsky's conceptual modeof_creatingis_particularlyevidentin

oneofhisearlier workstitled_CountingFrom 1 To 3227146 [Fig. 14]. Basedalmost

solelyonthenotion of_repetition, Borofsky's34-inch highstackof plain8

V2"

x 11"

graph papercontained numbers_goingfrom1 intothemillionswrittenonthepages.

Borofsky gave_upartin favorof_{counting full}time. The artistsaidthathewasinterested

inthe consecutive natureof_countingandthefact thatnumbersare suchan

Fig.14. Jonathan_{Borofsky Counting}From 1 To 3227146.

part of_everyday life. He_states,"Numbers arelikeGod. _Theyconnect usalltogetherin

a_{way nothing}elsedoes. Like

magic."3

Borofskycontinuedwiththeprojectforseveral

years,butexpanded uponit_bysketchingand_doodlingonthepagesashewas counting.

Eventually,thosesketchesbecamethe artist's main_focus,buthedidnot_{stop counting}

altogether. _Countingas a project_mayhavecometoan_end,but_Borofskycontinuedto

count_byusingnumbers as a_wayto signhisdrawings. _{He simply}carried onfromthe

lastnumber he hadwritten onthegraph paperandusedthesubsequent numbersashis

signature on most ofhis laterartwork.

Anothercharacteristic ofBorofsky'sworkisthatitcannotbelabeledas_belonging

to_anyparticular style. Hisworkis essentiallymulti-facetedintermsofthemediahe

uses andtheprojectsheundertakes. Notonetorestricthimselfto_onlyoneformof

art-making, _Borofskyhasbeen knowntoworkin_{drawing,painting, sculpture, printmaking,}

video, film,soundproductionand ahostofothermedia. I feela connectiontothis

mannerof_creatingartbecausealthough_{I primarily}work with_{two-dimensional media,}I

donotwishtolimitmyselftoone ortwospecificstyles. EachprojectIworked onfor

mythesiswas_verydifferent fromtheonethatcamebeforein bothprocess and_imagery

created.

Borofsky'

s _abilityto_carryoutprojects like_Countingisrepresentative ofthe

artist's_{extraordinary}sense ofdisciplineasit isappliedtohisart andlife. To count_day

inand_dayoutwithoutfail forseveral yearsdemonstratesadrivethatcanbe describedas

obsessiveinnature. To _me,disciplineis_{very important}and remains a_necessity, which

extendsintomuch of_{my daily}life. Iamthe typeofperson who needs a certain amount

ofstructurein_mylife, soitwould_onlymakesenseforthistofilter intomymethodsfor

creatingart. Like many_people,I gothroughcertain_dailyrituals. One very important

dailyritualIhaveisexercise. For manyyears nowI havedevotedacertain amountof

time _everydayto_workingout. This_dailyritualhasgottentothepoint of_being

automatic,somethingI don'tthinkabout or_question,Ijust do it. _Myhabit forexercise

grew out of a needto_keepmybodyinshape_following severalmajorinjuries. Iam

driven_bytheneedtobe functionalinlifeand ratherthan_{relyingdrugs,}theexercise

servesto _keepme_physically sound and abletodothethingsIwantto_do,including

makingart. Asa_result,if Idonot exercise and maintainthatlevelofdisciplineand

functionality,Ifeelasif I'm_losingcontrol.

Likeexercise, art, especiallydrawing,requires a certain amount of practice or

timespent_doingthephysicalactinorderfortheartisttoremainadept atit. Formyself,

ifIrefrainfrom_drawingforanextendedperiod,Ibecome"rusty"whenIreturntoitand not abletoproduce attheartisticlevels I have formyself. If Icease_drawingforawhile,

I'malways abletoreturnto_{my former}desirable_level,butnotwithoutmuch practice.

Hypothetically,if I'dtakenanextendedleavefroma series andthen tried toreturnit

immediately,Iwouldhavebeenunsuccessful. Iwouldhave hadto take time towork

back upto thatparticularlevel ofart making.

These levelsrefertofeelingsI_{have in my}mind astowhatIthink_myart should

look like. _Again,it ismatterofpersonaltasteastowhether ornot a_drawingor_painting

I've creatediswhatIconsidertobe"good."

Sometimestheselevelsare not permanent

inthemindofthe artist and change overtime. _Frequently, I will create_somethingthatI

thinkis first-rate and experience aparticularamount of excitementand sense of

accomplishment. Then Iwill putit_awayand notlookatitagainfora certain amount of

time,returnto_it, andconsideritsub par. Allof_myseriesemployed abstraction ofthe

figure insome_wayor anotherandIhaddifferentstandardsforeachthatwerebased on

how I feltatthe timeoftheircreation.

Ina number of_{ways,creating}art_{has been for}mecomparabletoakindof

physical_act, likeexercise. When Iwas_workingon a projectthatwould_employa

particular refined_technique,I could notjustcomeinfresh_everyday andproduce right

away. Each_daily session of workinvolved a certain amount of"warmup"

timewherein

Iwouldhavetodo afewpractice piecesbeforeI gotinto agrooveorrhythm. I would

see each_drawingor_paintingthatI made as a repetition or

"rep"

asit isreferredtoin

exerciseterms. Withcertain projectsIfeltas thoughIwasinconstant_{motion, going}

through the steps neededtocreate eachindividualpiece of work. Ibelievethediscipline

that was involvedin creatingthe serieshelpedmetobegintheprojects and sustain_my

interestthroughouttheirduration. Eachproject represents akindof_temporaryobsession

forme whereinIwas so engrossed intheprocessthatIhadto_keepgoinguntil_my

interest wavered. AttimeswhileI was_creatingthe_Tony-Heads,IfeltasthoughI were

workinginanAbstract Expressionist _{manner,something I'd}hadyears of experience

with.

Approachingartina physical _waywas_{something I veryclearly}intendedandI

think thishadadirectinfluenceon_{my decision}tousefigurative imagery. Like Willem

DeKooning, a_veryphysical_painter,Iwantedto_employ gestural sweepsofthebrushto

displaythepresence of_myhand_{makingthe marks,}butalso_conveyahumanelementto

theimagery. De Kooning's Womanseries ofthe 1950's [Fig. _15]depicts human females

Fig. 15. Willem de_KooningWoman_1,1950-52.

buried beneaththeartist's_{exceedinglyheavy,}physicalbrushworkand_thickly applied

paint. As_viewers,wecanlookathispaintings and_actuallytrace themarkshemade.

Though De Kooning'sworkhas beencharacterized as_making arathermisogynist

comment onthecultural stateof women_duringthemid-Twentieth_Century,healso

desiredtoshowhisownphysical _beingwithinhisart. Hecreated paintingsthat_portray

thehuman formthrough_imageryand atthesame_time,puthimselfintothework_by

makingthepresence ofhisownhandevident.

Conclusion

EachprojectIworked onfor mythesiswasan essential componentinthe

construction ofthelarger_bodyof work. Eachseries represented a certain amount of

learningthatIconsidervitalto_mydevelopmentasanartist. EventheseriesthatI

deemed lesssuccessful wereimportant_learningexperiencesthataided meinbetter

understandingthekindof artIhavechosentopursue. If Ithought thata particular

techniqueI was_tryingout was notworking,I would abandonitand move onto thenext

onewiththeknowledgeIhadgained. I'vediscoveredthat_{working in}thismanner

requires a certain amount oftimespentinordertorealize ifa project_{is going}tosucceed.

Trialand error remains one ofthe cornerstones of_myprocess andIsometimesdonot

realizethata seriesisn't_workinguntilI'veproduced alargenumber ofdrawingsand

paintings.

TheaspectIammost critical of was_mythesisexhibition. Theinstallationofthe

showwasin itselfan education andIlearneda greatdealaboutthe typeof artistI had

becomeas result oftheworkIproduced. _{Workingrepetitively,}andforthatmanner

conceptually,was_somethingthatwas_entirelynewtome. _{Consequently,}whenitcame

time toinstallthe show,Iwas abit lost. I hadalotof choicestodealwith_regardingthe

mannerinwhichthework should or couldbe displayed. _Displayhadbeenanissue for

methroughout the_thesis,but itwas _somethingthat_{I really only had}toaddress_during

critiques. WiththeshowI nowhadtomake some concretedecisionsabout problemsthat

previously had only been inthebackof_mymind. Thiswasthemost_troubling and

confusingquestion: HowdoI _displaythiswork?

Theproblem stemmedfromthefactthatIhada_very largeamount ofdrawings

andpaintingstochoosefrom anddecidehowtodisplay. Thisbrings_upanimportant

issuethatI'd been_dealingwith sincetheHandprintseries. _{When working inmultiples,} I

was confrontedwiththequestionof whetherthepiecesthatmade_upa series couldbe

displayedontheirown asindividualworksordid_theyneedtobe displayedtogetheras a

group? _Myconclusion wasthat_{it really}dependsontheseries.

The Handprintproject was such a vast and varied seriesthat insome_cases,

finishedprints couldin factworkasindividualpieces. _Still,therewere somethatweren't

as successful as others. Thiswas not a problembecausetheso-calledbadprints would

merge withinthelarger_groupas a whole. Amongstthe 300+printsthatI'dcreated,

groups within groupshadbeenformedwhichcould_verywellhavebeen displayed

separately. _However,Ibelievethat _displayingall ofthemtogethergavetheseriesits

visceral impact. The Fold-Overseries_essentiallyfunctionedthesame_wayasthe

Handprints inthat some ofthepaintings workedontheirownand somedidnot.

The groupaesthetic also appliedtothe_{Drip-Paintings,}butastheproject_evolved,

itbecamemore complex andthepaintingsbecamemoreindividualized. This

individualizationapplied_mainlyto thelaterpaintingsintheseriesthatwere spreadout

over several sheets of paper. With_{these paintings,}it becamemoredifficulttoinclude

them withthesmaller pieces_simplybecauseoftheamount of space_theyrequiredfor

display.

Theprojectthatrelied most on_groupdisplaywastheTony-Headseries,primarily

thelarger drawings. Thesequence of actions withthebrushyieldeddrawingsthatwere

very similarvisually. _Seeingonehead displayedonitsown would_probablynotelicit

much of a reactionfrom aviewer. ButI was_{concentrating}on_quantity, scale and sheer

numberswiththisprojectinparticular. Accordingly,the_groupdynamicworkedbest.

Thesefactorsaffected_myplanningofthethesis show, but_essentially,Iwas not

interestedin_{displayingany}ofthedrawingsorpaintings individually. Ihadcreatedthese

pieces as groups and wantedthem to_stayinthatformatfortheexhibition.

Forthe showIhadsecuredtheglass_display cases onthe thirdfloor_directly

abovetheBevier_GalleryatRIT. Imadethedecisiontouse this spacebecause ofthe

amount of workthatI wishedtoinclude. Itwas_simplynot possibleformetoshowall of

myworkinthe_gallerybecausetherewere eleven other graduate studentsinthe

exhibition andIneeded quite abitofwall space. I was requiredtouse some ofthespace

intheBevier_Gallery andthisconsisted oftwoportable walls pushedtogetherand a

couple oflectern-shapedpedestals. Iused one sideofthedoublewallstoinstallthe

Handprintproject andtheothersidetoexhibit somedrawings I hadmade. The

lectern-pedestalswereusedto holdsix sketchbooksthatIincluded becauseIthought the

drawingscontained withinthemcould_helptoillustratetherepetitivethemeI'dbeen

concentratingon. IwassatisfiedwiththeHandprint_display, but Ithought theother side

ofthewallwas unsuccessful. Itseemedratherbarrenwith _onlythreedrawingsonitand

thelecternsmadethesketchbooks seem out ofplace.

The onlyconcretedecision Imadebefore_installingtheworkonthe thirdfloor

wasthatIwantedtohavethelarge_Tony-Heads, doneon 16'pieces of_{photo-backdrop}

paper, linethe two shorter glasscases,runningthelengthof each wall. Thesetwocases

were of equal length,_{roughly 45'. My}purpose wastohavetheHeadsvisible fromthe

gallerybelow. However,I didnotwanttheTony-Headstobe_fullyvisiblefromthe

gallery,butrather_slightlyobscuredbytheledge formed_bythe_{open-ceiling gap}ofthe

gallery. _{Essentially,my intent}wastohavetheHeadsappearto_{be peeking}overtheledge

ifone wereto standineitherthefrontorbackofthegallery. As_such,I hadto_hangthem

attheproperheight. If_theyweretoohighortoo_low, the_peekingeffect wouldn'twork.

Aftersometrialanderror,Iwas abletoachievethisand was_verypleasedwiththe_{way it}

turnedout.

Mymain concernwas withthemiddle glass case onthe thirdfloorwhere mostof

thework wasondisplay. Thiswasthe longestof_{the three walls,} about_56', andprovided

thelargestspacefor display. Iwas_verytornabout what artworktoinclude inthis space

andhow itshouldbeexhibited. I knewthatIwantedtoincludecertain_things,butwas

unsure about other works. In_{the end,}Iresolvedto_carryouttheentireinstallationwith

no setplaninmind. Thisprovedto_{be very difficult.}

I hadseparated outeachseriesonthewall. Whilesome oftheprojects worked

wellinthe_display, othersdidnot. Iwas satisfiedwiththe_displayoftheFold-Over

paintings and another_{piece, the}BillsProject. ButafterIwas_finished,Irealizedthat

therewas alotofunusedwall spacethatdiminishedtheexhibitas a whole. In_addition,

theoveralllackof cohesiveness_amongthe series as_theyrelatedtoeach other_was,I

think, confusingtoviewers.

Mostofthepieceshad been_{hungrelatively quickly}withpush-pins. _Myreason

forthismannerof_hangingwasthatsincethepieces wereproduced_quickly,Ithought

theyshouldbe_hungina_waythatwoulddemonstratethisaspect. _Mygoal wastocreate

aninformalatmosphere withinthe installationthatwouldreflecttheprocessesI had

employedtoproducethework. _Ultimately,Ifailedtoachievethisobjective andan

overall sense of_formalitywasestablishedwiththeinstallationthatIfeltwasout ofplace

forthistypeof work. Itwasa_veryneat and_orderlyexhibitandIbelievethatwasthe

problem.

Myartwork_essentiallyprojectsa_feelingoftheunconventional. Itis_ultimately

conceptualinnatureand as _such, itshouldbeexhibitedina mannerthatemphasizesthis

notion. I donotthink thiswas achievedwith_mythesis show. _However,I realizenow

thatIneededtogothrough thisexperience inordertounderstandthatthereisaproper or

atleastbetter way fortheworktobeexhibited. Althoughtheshowwasadisappointment

tomeoverall,itwasa_verypositive _learningexperienceforthefuture. _Thus, Inowfeel

more confident andabletodealwith_exhibiting thisartworkin itsfinished form.

Inow recognizethat this typeof artworkrequires a spacethatisopentonew

conceptsinartratherthanatraditional_gallery setting. _Lookingbackon_{the thesis show,}

thechangesI wouldhavemadeinvolve_makingabetterefforttoillustratethecontrolled

chaosthatIexperiencewhenIproduce repetitively. Ifrepetitionisthemainideaofthis

work, thenit issomethingthat shouldbeemphasized.

InthefutureIwouldliketoexperiment withthe_displayoftheworkinvarious

ways. Oneofthe ideas I have isto takeworkfromseveral oftheseries and combineit in

a_{veryunorganized,} almosthaphazardstyle. I envision_obtainingalargewallspace and

crammingitwithdrawingsandpaintings untilthewallitselfdisappears behindthe

artwork. Iwouldalso tiketomovebeyondasimple wall-type ofdisplay,_{utilizing floor}

space,tables, desks,shelves, etc.,inan effortto_displayworkson paperinastacked

manner.

Final Thoughts

Asa result of_myexhibitionandthefactthatitwas supposedtorepresentthe

culminationof_{my thesis,}Irealizedthat_myoriginalintention forthethesiswasunclear

tomyselfas well astoothers. I knewthatthe thesiswas supposedtoserve as an

investigationof anideaandIhad a ratherdifficult_time, atleast inthe_beginning,of

clearlyidentifyingthatidea. Withregardto the threeaspects of_process, series and

repetition, Iwasn't_{necessarilytrying}toexplore whether onewas moreimportantthan

theothers. _Yet,whenIbegan my second_year, IthoughtIwas mostinterested inthe

processof_makingart. In_{this paper,}I've goneinto detail abouttheactual processesI

underwentto create_{the artwork,} butasImoved closerto theconclusion of_mythesis

work, itseemedthatrepetition was_reallythemostimportant thingtome. _Lookingback,

itwastheactof_repeatingtoachieve a meditative sense of rhythm and alevelof

perfectionintechnique thatbroughtmethemost_joyand satisfaction asan artist.

OneoftheconceptsIstruggled within_displayingthework was whethertoshow

orillustratetheprocessfromstarttofinish. Thisapproach meantthatIwouldhave

shown allofthedrawingsor paintingsfroma givenseries regardless of whetherIthought

theyweregoodorbad. _Bydisplayingthework ona_{wall, the}viewerwould_probablynot

havemuch_{difficulty deciphering}theoverall concept_beingpresented. _{However,during}

thecourse ofthethesisI cametorealizethatalthough processwas_{something I} was

indeed_{very interestedin,}itwasnotthe_{idea I ultimately}wishedto_conveytoviewers.

Consequently,I focused_primarilyon_showingthedrawingsand paintingsthatIfeltbest

representedaparticular series. Thisisa concept_directlyrelatedtoaesthetics andthe

feelingthatasan_artist,I amstill_veryconcernedwith_{creating visually pleasing}artwork.

Inconclusion,I believethethesishastaughtme_{that process,} andinparticular

repetition,remain a_primarymeans of_locatingmeaning, functionandformwithin visual

artwork.

Endnotes

Wikipedia contributors,"Ukiyo-e,"

Wikipedia, The FreeEncyclopedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/inde\.php?title=Ukiyo-e&oldid=5978347S.

Takashi_Murakami, SuperFlat (Tokyo: Madra Publishing Co. Ltd.,2000), p.4.

3

Ann_Curran, "Jonathan _{Borofsky Nobody}Knows His_{Name, Everybody}Has HisNumber,"

CarnegieMellon_{Magazine, Spring2002,} www.cmu.edu/magazine/02spring/borofsky.html.

List ofIllustrations

Fig. 1:_{Anthony Trinchera,MeatHooks, 2003,}mixed_{media, three}hundred 4x6 in.

indexcards.

Fig. 2: _Trinchera,detailofFig. 1.

Fig. 3:_Trinchera, Untitled_{(DripPaintings),2004,}acrylicon_{paper, varying}sizes.

Fig. 4: _Trinchera,Gorilla _{Gods, 2004,}latexandblackgessoon_paper,sixteen 19x25 in.

sheets.

Fig. 5: _Trinchera,Hand+_{Heads, 2004,}acrylic andlatexonpaper,four 19x25 Vi in.

sheets.

Fig. 6: _{Trinchera,TonyHeads, 2005,}latexon_{paper, two}22 x30 in. sheets.

Fig. 7: WuChangshuo_{Flowers, 1910,}watercolor andinkonpaper,artcyclopedia.com, www.artcyclopedia.com/nationalities/chinese.html (accessed June _15, 2006).

Fig. 8: _{Kunisada, The Hour of}the_{Snake, 1856,} woodblock_print, Hans _OlofJoha