“Touching The Untouchable”: Time as Material and the Fragmented Self in the Maximodern Era Shori V. Sims © 2024 Shori V. Sims ALL RIGHTS RESERVED shorisims.

Author

Shori V. SimsFollow

Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Sculpture

First Advisor

Angela Dufrense

Second Advisor

Heather Rowe

Third Advisor

Devan Shimoyama

Abstract

In the conventional division of disciplines, film/video/moving images and stationary sculpture are categorized as formal and conceptual opposites. In my work and in this thesis, I am arguing that moving images constitute a form of sculpture in the style of assemblage by the manipulation of time around them. Yes, the image is flat and stationary on its own: but the cut of time which it represents exists multi-dimensionally (spatially and temporally) to be combined in a collage-like manner. In my practice, moving images constitute a form of assemblage that manipulates time and space in ways normally attributed to sculpture.

This thesis employs multi-disciplinary approaches, incorporating insights from psychology, cultural studies, and media analysis. It begins by exploring the role of cultural symbols in identity construction and the influence of media and the moving image on identity misidentification and misplacement, before incorporating in part a series of examples from my own work created during my time at RISD (that is: 2022-2024). It continues with a critical examination of cultural and social/societal dynamics, highlighting the impact of symbolism and language on identity formation. It concludes by investigating identity through deconstruction, and reconstruction through disidentification.

A central observation of the thesis is the fragmentation of the self in the era which we currently occupy, where individuals navigate a world saturated with symbols distributed through media. The liquid, ever-changing nature of nature and time. This is exemplified through case studies including the reality television shows The Real World and Susunu! Denpa Shōnen, two programs notable for their widespread popularity and early codifying of the genre, presenting narratives of individuals seeking fame and identity – positioned as constants – through media exposure.

Recommended Citation

Sims, Shori V., "“Touching The Untouchable”: Time as Material and the Fragmented Self in the Maximodern Era Shori V. Sims © 2024 Shori V. Sims ALL RIGHTS RESERVED shorisims." (2024). Masters Theses. 1349.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/1349

Creative Commons License

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