Another turn

(Oct 19th. 2009)

Since my presentation in class of my final project, I’ve found myself going in circles, in cycles. As the conceptual part of it became stronger, the representational aspect of it was becoming weaker. I realized I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but I wasn’t too sure that the way I was intending to do it would get the message across. After the feedback I got from Mark, one of my teachers, I understood I needed to offer the audience a bigger reward if I wanted them to cross the boundaries, to step over their comfort zone. I did come up with what I thought to be a better piece*, but my meeting with Kathleen tonight took me for a ride into the unexpected.

The most important points of my chat with Kathleen were that I needed to narrow my thoughts. Right now, I’m finding all the possible connections between my various concerns, and it’s taking me nowhere but inside my own mind. To materialize my thoughts, it is imperative that I bring it down to the following: What am I trying to say? What’s limiting me from saying it? Is it possible to narrow down my ideas into ONE thing? Each thought I had developed to a point larger than what I can handle in the 4 months I have left. I do want to push myself, I just don’t want to hung me just yet. These are my notes from today’s meeting:

-I need to find resources to put the piece together. Money issues are poking my back once in a while. I try not to get too distracted by my financial situation, but sometimes the ghosts do mellow by to remind me of the huge debt my graduation entails.

-interview people. What’s the “general public” view on art? Expression? Freedom? The current situation worldwide? What worries the “masses”?

-(Kathleen, in response to my financial concern and the money limitations to put my piece together) “You don’t need the metal. You don’t need magnets” I LOVE THE METAPHOR, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE SO.

-Lack of financial resources. To make art, to starve, to make money... What is it going to be? How do I pay my rent? Bank incident (they made a mistake that “cost” me $5000)

-My concerns: FREEDOM // FAIRNESS // THE COLLECTIVE // BALANCE // EVOLUTION

“Art is not a system, is a gesture” (Kathleen)

-Can I comment on the world as a whole? Can I find a way to represent ALL I’m concerned with? How do I break apart the chain into separate links. Focus on one topic. DO NOT GENERALIZE. **Go DEEP into one thing**

-Write a letter to the bank. A personal complaint of what has been imposed that restricts my freedom, and my growth as a human being. Which elements of the system are holding ME back from evolving? Personal experience.

-The bank as a representative entity of this “machine”

-Set of 3 letters. Write to those entities that give me NO choice.
game
write to learn
look for dialogue.

-Take risks!!!

*I thought of hanging a blank canvas, with a steel plate on the back, and have bits and pieces of my art on a magnet sheet, to give people the chance to create something; a collective art piece.