INTRODUCTION My thesis collection aims to explore the nature of human interactions in the digital age. It will address both issues of in person and online interactions through interactive, immersive and tactile works of both jewelry and larger sculptural forms. I will be working primarily with synthetic materials including 3D printed nylon, resin, and acrylics; while also continuing to develop my metalsmithing abilities as a way to support the synthetic work. This work feels particularly relevant now, when people are stuck inside and away from their loved ones. Today we must completely rely on digital communication, there is no opportunity for physical contact which is a vital part of the work that I am making. The loss of a physical show has removed what I feel would have been a critical part of the statement I am making, the ability to touch each piece while also discussing it with others. I hope to be able to ďŹ nd a studio space soon so I can ďŹ nish making the work and also display it in a solo exhibition in the fall.
GOALS The goal of this collection was to identify and explore how humans connect with one another. I aim to use synthetic materials alongside traditional metalsmithing materials to create contrast which sheds light on the differences between digital communication and traditional forms of communication.
MEANS Using both 3D printed and hand fabricated parts, I will attempt to create pieces which use color, text and materiality to create contrast which highlights different ways in which humans are able to communicate with one another. I will design pieces in Rhinoceros 5 and Grasshopper 3D using parametric algorithms and traditional 3D modeling techniques.
ARTIST STATEMENT My jewelry is an extension of my deepest self. My body of work is informed by my own observations of the world around me, both in person and online. This work explores intimacy and strives to create spaces for people to connect with one another. It has grown from a collection of 3D printed jewelry into an expansive study of perception and human connections which features both jewelry and sculpture. Color, contrast, form, and surface treatment play a role in the visual story I am telling. Mirrored surfaces are contrasted with wearable tactile forms that create tension to draw the viewer in and to bring others into their personal space. Interactivity also plays a role in activating the work, viewers are encouraged to touch, wear and photograph each piece in order to spark conversation. The fluidity found in the 3D modeling process and the transformation to tangible objects allow me to speak an intuitive creative language and tell a visual story. 3D printed parts are dyed by hand with fabric dyes and alcohol inks. The process is unpredictable and allows me to embrace fluidity and spontaneity within pieces that are otherwise rigid. Color is a vital part of the work; it brings contrast to the harsh computer-generated surfaces and allows me to project my emotions into each piece. All of these elements combine to create an immersive, wearable experience unique to each viewer.
INFLUENCES PHILOSOPHY Philosophy has been my primary source of both inspiration and text that is featured within some of the pieces of my collection. I looked towards several postmodernist philosophers and writers for source material. Philosophers include Jean Baudrillard, Marshall McLuhan, and Jean-Paul Sartre. I also drew influence from “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett, which explores absurdist ideals and how humans rely on one another for support. Jean Baudrillard’s words can be found on the back of “Artifact II,” one of the first pieces I had 3D printed, this piece sat on my bench for several months before I gave it color and made it wearable, finishing it felt like an important turning point in the collection. It features the words “We live in a world where there is more and more information, and less and less meaning,” from Simulacra and Simulation. M arshall McLuhan’s argument that “the medium is the message” has also played a critical role in how I use materials in my collection. Early on I made the choice to work primarily with synthetic materials such as nylon and acrylic instead of with traditional jewelry materials. The mediums I chose to work in were in support of the idea that a synthetic material contrasted with a traditional material would provide a parallel to how I feel about traditional means of communication versus digital communication. The medium is in fact the message in this case, while each of the pieces that I made have visual messages, the message at the core of each piece can really only be understood when the viewer understands the materiality and tactility. I nfluences from Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” can be found in “NTBD Ring.” The back of the ring features the words “Nothing to be done” written over and over until it no longer looks like text. The process of making this piece became almost meditative and gave me the opportunity to dig into the meaning of the worlds until they start to feel like gibberish.
INFLUENCES ARTISTS I looked to several different artists for inspiration, both for visual inspiration and in how these artists talk about their goals for their work. Influences include Hilma Af Klint, Refik Anadol, Robert Smithson and Dan Flavin. Hilma Af Klint’s “Paintings for the Future” have influenced much of the work I’ve made since I first encountered her work at the Guggenheim Museum. Her work is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and I find the abstract forms and bold colors to be captivating, her influences can be seen in many of my formal and color choices.
Refik Anadol’s “Machine Hallucination” at Artechhouse in New York City provided inspiration for the “glitchy” visuals I created both as the branding for the collection and several of the models that were never printed.
Dan Flavin’s neon light installations were the main influence of the photography of the collection as well as parts of the exhibition which would have featured long strands of programmed LED lights and walls washed with blocks of light.
INFLUENCES POPULAR CULTURE One of my primary influences was the album “A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships” by The 1975 and several of the music videos which accompany the album. A few songs stand out including, “Love it if we Made it,” “Sincerity is Scary,” and “I Like America & America Likes me.” The posters which accompany each song also influenced the collection branding.
PROCESS Throughout the development of this collection I took photographs of my process to use on social media. These photographs became a source of inspiration and several were used in the branding in glitched forms.
MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES Materials for this collection include a wide variety of synthetic materials alongside traditional metalsmithing materials. Synthetics include 3D printed Polyamide nylon, laser cut acrylic, neoprene foam, PVC tubing, plastics and epoxy. Traditional materials include sterling silver, 14k gold plating, and stainless steel. I also incorporated LED lights in both the photography and the proposed exhibition. In order to bring this collection to life I needed to learn a few new skills. Most notably I learned how to use Grasshopper 3D, a parametric modeling software which gave me the ability to quickly iterate new designs. I also explored various ways of coloring 3D printed pieces, including synthetic fabric dyes and spray paints before settling on alcohol based inks for final color finishes. I also developed new techniques within Rhino 5, Photoshop and Illustrator. Traditional metalsmithing techniques used include: soldering, riveting, filing, sawing, engraving, forging and polishing.
EXHIBITION PLANS
“Fragmented Realities” was originally scheduled for April 3rd, 2020 at The Adorned Studios on Monroe Ave. I am planning on rescheduling this exhibition for Fall or Winter 2020/21. The exhibition will include several large scale, interactive installation pieces with LED lights that can be controlled by visitors. It will also feature a live musical and visual performance by Ghost Pepper, a local electronic alternative band.
DIGITAL PROCESS RHINO 5 My primary mode of making this collection was in Rhino 5. I most often began with line drawings which I was able to bring into three dimensions using a variety of Rhino tools including: extrusion, pipe, twist, bend, and array.
GRASSHOPPER 3D Grasshopper 3D is a parametric modeling program which uses algorithms to build models based on a set of parameters. Grasshopper allowed me to streamline my ideation process and became a useful tool for digital sketching. Models that came out of Grasshopper were often manipulated in Rhino before being printed.
FORMAL CHOICES Many of the forms in this collection are mathematical in nature, they are neat and orderly. In order to provide contrast to the many rigid and geometric forms I added a few pieces made with seemingly random “strings.” Each of these strings represents a thought, feeling or idea that is meant to be communicated in some way. “Fragmented,” “Artifice,” and “Code” all use these strings in slightly different ways. “Fragmented” is meant to be held on opposite sides by two different people, with the strings in between showing how words and thoughts can become knotted and deeply intertwined. “Artifice” is a ring and is meant to create a much more intimate space for the two people sharing it, while “Fragmented” is extremely rigid, “Artifice” is much smaller and more flexible, indicating how much of a difference physical distance can make within a relationship. This is particularly relevant in the age of social distancing, when physical touch is discouraged, and distance is an act of caring and protection. Another form I found myself particularly drawn to was the Voronoi, a mathematically generated pattern which I most often extruded and used a point attractor to cluster in one small area. A Voronoi in its simplest form is based on the shortest distance to an object. These forms also feel particularly relevant in our current age, a Voronoi diagram can be used to help determine how many people can be in any particular space with a 6-foot distance between them. The original intent behind the Voronoi used in this collection was to demonstrate how humans cluster into groups, and how thoughts can often shift as an interaction draws closer. Many of the Voronoi pieces have subtle height differences which indicates how humans are pulled into interactions with others.
CODE
3D Printed Nylon, LED Lights
code /kĹ?d/ program instructions.
ARTIFACE
3D Printed Nylon, Human Hands
FRAGMENTED 3D Printed Nylon, Human Hands
REALITY
3D Printed Nylon, LED Lights
ARTIFACT I
3D Printed Nylon, Sterling Silver, PVC Tubing
“We live in a world where there is more and more information, and less and less meaning�
-Jean Baudrillard
CODEX 3D Printed Nylon
DEVIATION 3D Printed Nylon, Sterling Silver, Nylon Cord
ARTIFACT II 3D Printed Nylon, Latex Glove
ECHO 3D Printed Nylon, Acrylic, Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel
PLANETARY 3D Printed Nylon, Sterling Silver, Copper
“Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.�
-Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
“Nothing to be done.” “I’m beginning to come round to that opinion. All my life I’ve tried to put it from me, saying Vladimir, be reasonable, you haven’t yet tried everything. And I resumed the struggle.”
-Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
WAITING 3D Printed Nylon, Sterling Silver