For my Series project, I chose to display imagery that was, of course, culturally relevant, while also examining the nature of conflict, controversy, and technology, using the 1940′s as a starting point. The notion that evolution, progress, and enhanced knowledge has, in many ways, been a catalyst for our own demise was something that I wanted to highlight, and since the subject matter was focused on our country’s downward spiral, I thought I would use large, dynamic numbers to countdown from 10 all the way to 1, with a literal ‘bomb’ going off in the first image and a figurative one, set to explode, in the final one.
The countdown, in my mind, serves as the most influential component in terms of movement, motion, and implied time. The physical aesthetic, created by pulling images off larger works or photos and combining them with each other while applying blending modes, also contributes to this element. The colors, in most cases, are sharp with abrupt transitions and contrast; this is intended to prevent viewers from finding themselves too comfortable, which might produce unintended results, and keep people’s minds moving while they interact with images that they know very well in some cases and, at least in my case, some they wish they knew better.
Another primary component that is worth considering is that, in many of my classes, we are viewing conflict, dissension, and turmoil across social media feeds, televised news coverage, print media, etc. As many might agree, this is all being provided for our consumption with a sense of cinematic drama and an underlying ability to control our exposure to content tailored specifically for us: reality TV, steaming series that we can ‘binge-watch, etc.’ I suppose I made an effort to disrupt that with my project, by creating images that are, hopefully, quite accessible upon first impression, but end up requiring a bit of closer analysis and critical thought.
annaxmalina
jbbartram-illu
theartofmadeline
turnnoffyourmind
kianamaiart
romaincrisis
origamiaround
