College Honors Program

Date of Creation

5-1-2022

Document Type

Campus Access Only

First Advisor

Cristi Rinklin

Second Advisor

Stephanie Yuhl

Abstract

Allumination investigates the intersection between social justice and visual art in hopes of encouraging conversations about power and access. Throughout much of my undergraduate education, I studied social movements and the necessity to persist through moments of slow change in order to follow a more radical agenda move toward justice. The injustices of today are not new, rather, they manifest in new ways for each generation; the polarized socio-political context in which I am coming of age is foundational to the motivation behind this project. Social change and artistic movements inform one another, and I believe in the power of art to make otherwise tip-toed-around conversations more approachable. As I delved into my own artistic practice, I looked to influential justice-driven artists including Elizabeth Catlett, Justyne Fischer, and Sonya Clark to inform my process. Just as social movements build in increments, so does my artwork. Aluminum ebbs and flows across my sculptures to explore the relationship between the seen and unseen systems upholding oppression. Techniques including repetition, layering, reflection, and connection serve as tools for inquiry. The materiality of aluminum enables me to explore the entanglement of power dynamics, physical and intellectual reflection, and the interconnectedness of our collective humanity.

Download

Share

COinS