Methods of Inquiry

Yoyoba Thurshdy Joba

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Mapping final

The previous post is the final concept and project created for this mapping project. After extensive collaboration with Natialie Giannos I had prepared to do an in class interview with this new figure, the manifestation of my psyche, his purpose is allow for objective interaction with my own work. In the past I have struggled to imbed intent into my pieces as thoroughly as I intend to imbed craft. In order to remedy this no matter where a project originates by claiming it to be someone els’s work I am able to look at it and derive intention just as one would with a piece in a museum not as critique necessarily but rather for sheer intention. This analyzed intention is then able to be placed on the piece so whether or not a certain brush stroke in a painting a blade of grass in a photo or king in a wire sculpture was initially intentional or simply a side effect of making, it can become intentional by the hand of my conscious and subconscious mind who itself is unable to interact with any outside viewer only my own because it exists in my mind.

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Jonah has since been removed from this project. As a maker his context is irrationally influenced by emotion biases and instinctive action and reaction. As a manifestation of his ideal artistic attributes I am objectively a better student and overall artist than he. As such I have taken the prerogative to do his mapping project for him. Here you see one of a series of self portrait photographs of myself. As a manifestation of Jonah’s thoughts I may exist in the same public spaces but am able to act and react outside of is human fleshiness. Because of this, I am unable to react to others and they are not actively conscious of my existence.

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Concept 1

The initial concept was to create a figure representing the concept of an artist’s alter ego. It’s lowered opacity meant to resemble the concept of a blank slate that while I recognize the utility of this concept it exists merely as a concept in relation to my work and practice. I recognize the utility of a potential alter ego but have yet to put shape to it besides my own silhouette. 

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The head pelvis legs cast with the assistance of Natalie Giannos the feet were all my own though. He is now able to sit unsupported one leg resting on the ground one on the chair. all that is left are his hands the resemblance is uncanny.

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the process first begun.

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About a year ago I covered myself in packing tape over the course of a week. Molting the shell every day, this piece came to be. While I do not intend by any means to attempt to recreate this position this work will act as a rough draft of my next piece to come. 

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While searching for inspiration for the final project @endiposkovic​ turned me on to an artist Charles Ray. Originally looking at his pieces “Yes” and “No,” I have found myself enthralled by the concepts he ventures into of instance and questioning and realizing reality. Among these I have found his works “Firetruck” “Unpainted Sculpture” and “All my Clothes” particularly inspiring.

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33 Artists in 3 Acts

In the past month or so I have been reading a book by Sarah Thorton titled “33 Artists in 3 Acts.” When I say reading I more accurately mean spent time at some point reading. I have found myself Compelled by Thorton’s experience of incredibly influential contemporary artists. Of the sections that I have read the dichotomy of two artists I have found particularly potent, Ai Wei Wei and Jeff Koons. Aside from almost completely opposite methods of practice and styles of production what stands out about these artists is their, respective, powerful presences. Ai exists as an artist of pure expression he refuses to rehearse or write speeches and talks and actively speaks his mind conscious of the incredible consequences, as well as impact, of his work. Koons, though, is the artist I found more intriguing in this light not because a significant admiration for his practice but rather because I find his overly rehearsed and larger than life persona. In part one of this book Thorton leads her readers into a deeper understanding of Koons’ presence. As the section closes she begins to hint at the concept that Koons himself and the work he produces are a product not a product of him but rather a persona. She suggests that perhaps Koons exists as a fabricated character turning his life into a subtle artistic expression. 

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update hot glue is an incredible low-cost bandaid for cardboard cuts. It burns a little though.

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creating 6 foot cardboard constructs has proven quite difficult thank god for this new innovation by Jonahs Incorporated. Able imitate the human hands ability to hold triangular prism this low cost clamp is a great gift for birthdays, graduations, even baby showers.

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after 6 hours of planning and laser cutting construction had begun. by hour 3 the worker had unionized and by hour 5 we had to halt construction while he protested for more better working conditions, health insurance, higher wages and more glue. 

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on Tuesday I received a compliment for being early to class

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3 hours later and sixty 3.75″x47″ planks of corrugated cardboard are cut and ready to assemble. I am excited to push forward with construction, less excited to cut another one-hundred pieces. It truly is dumbfounding the sheer amount a material required to create a structurally sound cylinder and just a surprising to imagine that such a flimsy material will be able to hold over 150 lbs of human.

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body extension project individual concept brainstorm. 

in order to complicate the design as well as further define my actions and abilities the construct would be three layers: (1) a piece of this chipboard shaped to the ellipse defined by my shoulder hips butt and face (2) an exterior piece of chip board formed to make a cylinder (3) in between the inner and outer chip board would be a fill of sorts to provide rigidity and allow the extension to exist as its own entity. 

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body extension ideation

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mini project: one minute sculpture inspired by the work of Erwin Wurm.

In collaboration with @nataliecnye. 

In cooperation with Ryan Mcdonald and Seth Andrews.

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Synopsis of the Sequence Project

The process of my central idea started in class before the actual project was introduced. Endi Poskovic gave a presentation about artist Francesca Woodman, talking about her work as a college student and mentioning that she committed suicide. This later led me to think about how anyone associated with the University of Michigan may have been affected by suicide and or depression. I introduced my interest to the group, and after a bit of digging around, we decided to choose one person associated with the university who committed suicide, Sarah Goddard Power, only as the official starting point required for the assignment. We then decided to go in a very general direction and form and anti-depression and anti-suicide campaign targeted towards anyone on campus. As our idea developed, we decided to incorporate three main elements to our project; a GIF that would be posted on social media, posters that would be hung up around campus, and get well cards that would be personally given to those who may be suffering from depression. These three elements are all interrelated, yet are also each strong enough to be able to independently deliver a message.

            To center our project, we developed a few characters that were each meant to represent a general person on campus who is battling depression. We did this by collaging the three members of our group together, which is also how we were technically represented in our project. The text we used in all of our elements was derived from University of Michigan based articles about Sarah Goddard Power; however, the text was abstracted through erasure poems to fit specific messages we wanted to deliver. The background photos to all of the visuals were taken by our group and are all of places around Central Campus; the shutter speed was intentionally slowed in order to add the aesthetic of motion blur while also concealing the identity of anyone who was photographed. Overall, I believe that this project was a definite success and I am very pleased with my group and I produced.