Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
The impact land has on the human experience goes beyond aesthetic beauty and resources; it constructs cultural and societal ideals in varying regions. My interest is within the relationship between man and land. Seeing the cultural shift in perspective of land, as I moved residence from Indiana to Montana, heightened my awareness of the differences with land across regions. Decisions made with land, such as what is private and what is public, are the starting point of my research.
When looking at a National Park such as Yellowstone, we are confronted by land that is supposedly wild and natural. In reality, the lands within the park are somewhat of a construct as the wildlife is managed, fires suppressed, and designated paths for the wandering tourist. This prescribed experience brings a foreseeable encounter that was once otherwise a land of discovery. Objects of representation prove our existence as a society and can be communicable icons. The objects chosen are to fit within my stereotypical view of a Euro-American experience coming to the American West.
Ceramic as a material allows me to create objects of permanence. This preservation of form can allow for a long lasting concept that will continue to conduct dialogue with the viewer for any number of years forward. The concepts correlated with my objects are ones of continued growth and development as populations increase and our presence expands.
Mentor Name
Julia Galloway
The Prescribed West
UC Ballroom
The impact land has on the human experience goes beyond aesthetic beauty and resources; it constructs cultural and societal ideals in varying regions. My interest is within the relationship between man and land. Seeing the cultural shift in perspective of land, as I moved residence from Indiana to Montana, heightened my awareness of the differences with land across regions. Decisions made with land, such as what is private and what is public, are the starting point of my research.
When looking at a National Park such as Yellowstone, we are confronted by land that is supposedly wild and natural. In reality, the lands within the park are somewhat of a construct as the wildlife is managed, fires suppressed, and designated paths for the wandering tourist. This prescribed experience brings a foreseeable encounter that was once otherwise a land of discovery. Objects of representation prove our existence as a society and can be communicable icons. The objects chosen are to fit within my stereotypical view of a Euro-American experience coming to the American West.
Ceramic as a material allows me to create objects of permanence. This preservation of form can allow for a long lasting concept that will continue to conduct dialogue with the viewer for any number of years forward. The concepts correlated with my objects are ones of continued growth and development as populations increase and our presence expands.