Date of Award

Spring 5-30-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Furniture

First Advisor

Patricia Johnson

Second Advisor

Christopher Specce

Third Advisor

Justin Sirotin

Abstract

I am interested in dialogues of connection – from our ongoing internal ramblings, to the moments where strangers do not feel like strangers, to the conversations that wander late into the night. Our connections are the foundations of the human experience; they give weight to the every-day and ground us in time and place.

Today, our digital devices have become invaluable tools for bringing people together. No matter where we ind our physical selves, we have the ability to tap into our digital worlds and access our most intimate social circles. But our seemingly insatiable desire for constant communication often alters the content of our conversations, encouraging rapid exchanges centered around control, character count, and speed.

Contemporary sociologists worry that the disjunctive communication style of texts, Tweets, and Snaps is damaging our ability to engage in focused thought and conversation - dialogues critical to the development of our relationships. If our relationships are central to the human experience, we owe it to ourselves to explore the ways in which our daily interactions can expand beyond the simple exchange of words.

Even in a digital age, there is an indisputable link between our social interactions and the physical spaces in which these interactions occur. Whether in our homes, restaurants, or on the streets, my work explores how objects within these environments can invite us to engage in internal and external dialogues. After all, our digital devices are just tools. And if it is a surface for social interaction, a printed memory, or a collection of objects that contain our own histories, we should not forget that the world around us contains a richness of other tools that can aid us in the pursuit of connection.

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