Date of Award
Spring 5-30-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Furniture
First Advisor
Christopher Rose
Second Advisor
Emily Cornell Du Houx
Third Advisor
Lothar Windels
Abstract
We are what we know. Our previous knowledge and the world around us informs our perception however there is much to which we are not attuned. There is a constant ebb and flow to our relation with input, the senses adapting as needed. Given the plethora of outside noise we have developed the capacity to block that which is unimportant or unnecessary. We are attuned to certain frequencies of reception however much is lost in the din.
This thesis explores the disruption of the senses through deep exploration into materiality and the defying of expectations. Common materials such as metal, wood, plastic and glass are used but through innovative application and repetition they are reinvented, transformed. Furniture is the scale for the majority of the created objects which provides an accessible entry point of engagement. Investigations include site-specific installations which allow for a shift in perspective and scope. Photography and animation are used to isolate a moment or magnify change over time. Experimentation is a critical factor toward the exposure of the unexpected, overlooked or unknown. Revelation of the subsurface is achieved not only through the action of creation but active engagement by the viewer.
Fragmentation of sensory experience is most prescient through amplification or dissolution. Volume can be overwhelming and demand the focus of attention. Context dependent silence may be deafening and elicit a similar response. Either scenario alters our awareness toward the perceived point of origin. Frequency is a means of disruption in this investigation, applying not only to sound but synesthesia.
Both the alteration of material expectation and disruption of input serve the same purpose, to develop a more acute sensitivity to phenomena. The work strives to be an alchemy of the senses turning the ordinary lead-like state of perception into pure sensitive gold.
Recommended Citation
Pick, Andrew, "Frequency" (2016). Masters Theses. 40.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/40
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