Keyana Wilkins

[caseylaurenart-blog]

Performance Art Project

I often worry about how much I should be sharing with others about my feelings. How much is too much? Or how much is too little? The way you respond to “how are you?” can dictate an entire conversation, not always for the better. So, the simplest answer is usually “I’m fine.” It’s short, simple, and perfectly ambiguous. 

I wanted to play with the concept of truth in our daily conversations, particularly with the phrase “I’m fine.” I realized that I have repeated that so frequently that it has become an automatic response. It’s a bizarre combination of three words that live in a perpetual gray zone of truth and lies. It’s like a verbal shield to protect me from any potentially uncomfortable situations. I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine. But am I?

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Casey!

I felt like this was an endurance performance. The persistent asking of “How are you” sometimes gets you to think differently each time you are asked. If you don’t want to elaborate or express your true feelings, most people say they are fine. Sometimes, when asked how you are genuinely feeling, they genuinely want to know deep down how you are, and that’s hard to pull back when each “how are you?” is asked. The artist is visible, and a title is shown on the YouTube page but not in the video clip itself. I like that the film only lasts 3 minutes, but it gets the point across. Your finished performance is compelling and thought-provoking emotionally and personally. Your quality of the recording is fantastic, and the performance was executed at a high level! Was this done with a newer phone or camera? Great performance!

[ktwclassqueen]

Waiting For Love

Performance Art

I sit in a protective seated position to represent an alertness as I wait for love. My body position speaks to my guarded nature. Romantic elements soften my stoic appearance with a burgundy lipstick color choice; loose curls, the soft pink color of the nightgown, and the use of vintage clothing harking back to an idealized glamour of the past. I read from the poetry book The Rabbit Box written by Joesph Pintauro and designed by Norman LaLiberte (1970) to further the patient, endurance associated with the process of finding love. There is a special awareness of pain while embracing vulnerability. As I sit as still as possible, my goal is to demonstrate the strength and resilience of the rabbit, the symbol of love. 

I am paralleling the innocent, intimacy of the animal to myself. The location in front of the window acts as the barrier to the outside world, literally and figuratively. In a literal sense, a form of window shopping, and in a figurative sense, protective layer from hurt; I’m safe in my space. This is an exploration into my own balance of self preservation and vulnerability, through physical endurance to represent emotional hurdles.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Kendall!

I love the elegance of the poem with your video clip. This very subtle love poem ties in your personal love experiences in just a short five minutes. I felt like this was an endurance performance to sit for 5 minutes in a beautiful gown with burgundy lips stick, and loose curls to set the mood. The artist is visible, and I love your black and white title and credits at the end. Your finished performance was compelling and thought-provoking as it seemed as you were speaking the poem from your mind as you looked out the window, waiting for your love. Your quality of the recording was excellent. Did you read the poem and put it in the voice-over, or did someone else read while filming? I think it would have been very mesmerizing if you were softly speaking the poem under your breath as you looked out the window. Great performance!

[scox32]

Performance Art Project

I got the idea for this project when thinking of things that I could film in my apartment. I thought about how when I tell people I have OCD they always think I am a germaphobe, or one of the other stereotypes that the media portrays. In actuality, OCD manifests differently for everyone who has it. For me it has a lot to do with physical appearance stuff. I find myself taking forever to get ready because I am constantly redoing or changing things. This video was actually about 10 minutes long but I sped it up to make it easier to watch. This is pretty typical of what getting ready looks like for me. I was just trying to get a decent braid in my hair but by the end my arms hurt and I didn’t want to try anymore. I was surprised how much endurance this took, and how self conscious I felt knowing people would be watching this imperfect and intimate process for me. I hope this project can help shine light on how mental illnesses present so differently in everyone who has them.  

Vimeo Link: https://vimeo.com/482471908/54ec187d8c 

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Samantha!

I love your endurance throughout this film! I share the same type of mental illness, as well. I am OCD about how things are done all the time, and in the end, it stresses me out! I felt the struggles in this video, so I don't do my hair; haha, I just throw it up in a bun every day or leave it down. In a world we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the little things, and seeing raw moments of people inspires people to know they are not alone and to have grace with ourselves. The artist is visible, and the title is presented on the Vimeo page but not in the video itself. I like that the video is only 3 minutes for the viewer, but I understand the struggle to focus on the hair for ten or more minutes. Your performance was compelling and thought-provoking by connecting with the audience's OCD emotionally and physically. The quality of the performance was good and well executed at a high level.

Great performance!

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Zen-Tangle Performance Art - Artist Statement

For my Performance, Zen-tangle Art, it is communicated in a personal and social issue. Personally, I struggle to control my anxiety and just recently discovered Zen-tangle art at my work. We have a class called “Social Group” at the high school for special needs kids to help them find ways to manage their emotions and stress. This inspired me as it was calming for me when I participated. It also got my creative juices following again. By merely putting on meditative music and draw away keeps the stress away and re-grounds your soul. It is a social issue in times like this. People are stressed and have their schedules full, financially, emotionally, and physically. Realistically, to stay sane, we need something to help us escape and refocus on the simple and happy things in life. I want the audience to experience how relaxing a Zen-tangle can be even on a bigger scale. Sitting in the warm sun, listening to the birds, and drawing calms the brain from this chaotic world. I believe what people drew reflects their thinking process and their emotions through these patterns. My overarching goal is to radiate peace and calm in our chaotic world, relax and release, and pause time for what matters most.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Module 4: Grapefruit Exercise 

PEA PIECE 

Carry a bag of peas. 

Leave a pea wherever you go.

BEAT PIECE

Listen to a heartbeat. 

This was first performed in 1965 at the East End Theatre, New York, by people coming on stage and lying on each other’s body to listen. 

VOICE PIECE FOR SOPRANO

Scream. 

1. against the wind

2. against the wall

3. against the sky

This experience was enjoyable! I would say the scream one seemed easy but then realized how uncomfortable it was to scream loud outside, let alone take a picture of myself doing that. I learned how awkward my face looked when screaming, but then it makes you change your facial expression just looking at it because it makes you feel it. Thankfully no one was outside, but I couldn't see if anyone had heard me and felt concerned why I was screaming. I love the heartbeat project! I liked taking the time to listen to my son, daughter, and husband's heartbeat. I make you feel alive and comforting to hear the heartbeat slow time down and enjoy the moment. My family did think it was a little weird, but my kids enjoyed their heart hug. The pea project felt awkward to me. Probably because I thought there was no creative way to take these photos. I tried many different angles, and I didn't go anywhere extravagant this week due to how busy we were at home. Overall this was an entertaining exercise.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Module 4: Links to Performance Artists

Electric Stimulus to Face by Daito Manabe

For this Performance art project, it was extremely intriguing. At first, I thought it was bizarre seeing all their faces motioning the same expressions with the beat of the music, but it caught my attention almost like looking at those holiday house lights that go to music but instead its facial expressions. It's interesting to see each face express the movement in their unique way. 

 Bike Lanes by Casey Neistat (activism)

I loved this video! It seemed like the cop couldn't back up his facts. At first, I didn't think I would be interested, but then when he started to actively run into things in the bike line, it made a great point! He is so bold and gutsy to risk his bike, body, and other objects around him to prove his point. I agreed with his statement at the end of the video, "ticket the people who block the bike lane, not the bikers." 

 Staging by Maria Hassabi

Her performance art piece was mesmerizing to see her stage people in different settings and have one body part move at a time. She fills her white space to make everything feel balanced. All the people wear many colors and shapes in their shirts. She captures the audience's attention as if it were a sculpture in slow motion focusing on one section at a time. 

 Legend by Candice Breitz 

I loved this performance art project! With how everything has been going this year, this is how most choirs, churches, and families get together nowadays. It sounds good with signing as a choir over video. They all look like they are having a great time. I love seeing each of their vibes, and the harmony blends well. Their body movements express their personalities. 

 Vanessa Beecroft (suffering + beauty)

I love the natural beauty she puts into her performance art projects. As everyone has flaws and we are all shaped and look differently, she has a space for every person in a unique and perfect correlation as a whole. I like that she goes for what is raw and real. She wants her audience to make their assumptions about the artwork. The audience may feel uncomfortable because people are not used to this form of art in a modern setting, so people tend to act strangely. This is why I like her art as it makes the audience react in their way, and the point of her art sees the audience response and not the art itself. 

 The Raft by Bill Viola

The slow-motion of this art project makes you look at each person and their reactions and movement. Overall, I enjoy slow-motion videos as it captures little details in slower snapshots instead of seeing something happens quickly and maybe only seeing one or two people's reactions and movements. 

 Roll of a Woman by Javid Rezvani 

This video made me laugh so hard as I tried to figure out her concept and what she was talking about. At first, I honestly thought she was talking about orgasms, but then I kept seeing bathroom clips, and then it got me thinking, maybe she is talking about going poop. I think that was the point of this video to have the audience think about what it was about as there was no apparent context. 

[saranewberger]

Art Intervention Project

Artist Statement 

This country has a real issue with homelessness and I wanted to make a piece of art that communicated the privilege and disparity within this problem. I decided on this topic because I believe it to be a real social issue that should be addressed and faced head on. I placed this by the capital building in downtown Denver because I wanted my intention to be clear and relate a real message of the disconnect between privileged and less privileged individuals. This tent I made represents this disconnect and divide among these two groups of people but also helps to connect us together to realize embedded privileges. The crisis of people living on the street is a real and scary reality and it is sensitive to me because I don’t think anyone should have to endure this kind of life. My inspiration came from my very first visit to Denver when I couldn’t help but notice how ironic it was that tourists and well-off people surround the capital yet a couple steps away the sides of the streets were littered with tents of homeless people. This big divide really sparked an interest in this issue for me and made me contemplate the reasoning behind homelessness and why it can’t be fixed.

Keep reading

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Sara-

Your first sentence is bold and directs the viewer to that direct issue of your intervention project. This is a genuine issue we face in the US. I love this real and raw message and the detail you put into the cardboard hut and the message boards surrounding the intervention. I wish I could have seen a video for at least 5 minutes of people walking by and getting their reactions. Your intervention's craftsmanship was strong and well-executed at a high level; much thought and energy went into your production. The location was audacious and made a more important message that informed your concept than any other site. The photographs were taken correctly, with many different angles revealing more of the intervention's meaning and image. However, I wish there was a video to see the intervention create reactions from random people on the streets. Your intervention was extraordinarily compelling and thought-provoking conceptually and emotionally in a realistic way.

[myjuiceboxblr]

This project explores the relationship between the expected and the unexpected of our surroundings. I created a private island for sale know as “Furaha Island” around the back of my house where most of my housemates relax while they smoke blunts, or just simply hanging out with their hosted guests. This location is also located close to a road sidewalk that leads people to a basketball court and park. The concept of this project was to create something more unexpected that triggers anyone’s mind into a state where they want to believe something, but also not believe it due to that it’s not an actual Island. To push the aesthetic of the island, I created signs that would scream out loud and attract anyone walking by the house or sidewalk that there is wonderful and adventurous island for sale. And lastly as an artist, I worked hard to develop this project both to me and to others about the beauty and existence of this lovely private Island that’s for sale.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Audry-

Your project stood out as something interesting to me. I like how you captured the expected and unexpected, which is clearly shown in your video with all that surrounds your art intervention. If I were someone walking down the sidewalk, those signs would catch my attention, and I’d enjoy the little adventure following the signs. I like that you encouraged your audience to believe in something, even though it's not a real island. I think the concept of your craftsmanship of the intervention project was well executed. The location of the intervention does inform the idea of the intervention with nature and original materials. The video/ photos helped show the signs directing the audience to see the intervention from afar to up close. I was unsure about the intervention until I read the artist's statement. Then the concept clicked, and I then enjoyed the meaning and concept behind the artwork.

[caseylaurenart-blog]

Intervention Project

In a world where there is a massive pandemic, raging wildfires, and unchecked white supremacy, is it too much to ask for a well-lit grass area for my dog to go to the bathroom at my apartment complex? It may be a small, fairly inconsequential irritant, but the last thing we all need is additional frustrations in what could be considered a dumpster fire of a year. And while I am forced to pay a staggering amount to rent a small one bedroom apartment in Denver due to the seemingly unflappable rent prices, I also pay a monthly pet rent and paid a non-refundable pet deposit. And yet, the main grassy areas in my complex are laden with “No Pets Allowed” signs. But why? Why can’t my dog reap the rewards of the decently manicured grass? 

This bizarre combination of personal inconvenience, global disasters, and perpetual economic struggles has birthed a life size cut out of my dog to taunt whoever the people are that put up those signs. One small step for mankind, one giant step for dogs’ bathroom needs.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Casey- I was amazed by your intervention! At first, when I saw your first photo, I thought it was a real dog. Your intervention's craftsmanship is executed at a high level by the way you cut out the dog image and placed him by a "No Pets Allowed" sign. As I read your artist statement, it makes no sense that you can pay to have a pet in your apartment complex, but the pets can't use the restroom where they need to go? That seems very strange to me. Your thoughtful energy was well put together. If I were doing something like this, I might have used my actual dog, but I like that you used a cardboard image of a dog instead of conveying the message. Your location interacted with your intervention informs this concept very clearly. The photographs' different angles show a realistic and non-realistic point of view and offer depth and footprints of the dog in the snow. Unfortunately, I don't see the documentation of people interacting with the art work. Your finished project is compelling and thought-provoking on the concept of your art Intervention.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Intervention Project Artist Statement

Ever wish to go for a walk and have something remind you of the simple things in life. Maybe something catches your eye that reminds you about a season? My message reflects the little joys in life that interact with my favorite fall weather, along with my dad’s favorite cat cartoon. I love the fall leaves that crunch on the sidewalk, and this cat drawing will forever remind me of my dad. My dad would rake leaves into a bag and dump them out for my brother and I to jump in. I imagine my dad as the cartoon cat raking up the leaves. The child-like image should inspire the viewers to remember the simple things in life, and reconnect with nature, block out the chaos. This street art (sidewalk art) should be a light-hearted joy that they experience when they walk their dog or take the kids to the park.

My overarching goal as an artist is to create art to trigger psychology and reconnect people to their true selves or a time that makes them happy or realize and remember what matters. This artwork ties into my Video Remix and many more because we always focus on what matters for the present and future, but sometimes we need to reflect on the simple things before straight for the fast-pasted life.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Module 3: Intervention Camouflage Exercise

For my intervention, I walked around Legend High School, my work/ former high school, looking to find a place to create my public intervention. I came across a fire extinguisher. I typed up a sentence in red lettering to match the other red lettering by the handle. I felt that it would be funny if someone reads this strip; it would make them laugh as somewhat logical. Wanted to make some bored teenager laugh in the lunchroom. On another comic intervention I created, I had my friend take off their paper license plate and put a paper taped to the back to say "No DMV." We wanted to see how many honks for laughs we could get for it!

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Intervention Artist Links + Discussion

Before I Die, Candy Chang, 2011

This video resonated with me emotionally. I loved seeing so many unique people that are out there in the world who have dreams and desires. Some of the answers were goofy, but others were very heart-wrenching, and some almost brought me to tears. I know that everyone has hope and goals in their lives, but to see it physically written in public puts it into action and lets other people know we are not alone, and we are not silent.

I Can't Breathe, Jenny Holzer, 2020

This video resonated with me because the intense monolog of a black man's last words takes my breath away with how the terms gasp for escaping. The dark building at night gives a sense of suffocation while reading the words silently as your heart can't seem to help in any way. I also feel a sense of anxiety and heaviness on my chest as I read this massive piece of present history.

Improptu Sculptures, Carson Davis Brown (Links to an external site.)

These pictures resonate with me because of my OCD. I loved the color coordination and the orderly stacked objects! The organization is my thing, and it is at its best in these photos. I love the space, balance, and proportions each sculpture gives. The colors in the background may or may not contrast with the colors of the sculptures.

Swoon + Olek, Street Art, Off Book

This video resonated with me because I was amazed at how that lady can crochet EVERYTHING! I love that Swoon drew on buildings that express her knowledge of the world and imagination with meaning. I have always been intrigued by street art because its always expressive, perceptions, raw, and real in many ways. It gives an industrial world a sense of wonder.

To do, Illegal Art, 2007

These photos resonated with me because I love street art and two. It is expressive, with no right or wrong answers, showing peoples unique personal notes. Some of the messages were funny, and others were very depressing and heartbreaking. I love that others thought outside the box and created music/ lyrics on the sticky notes for expression. Overall, they made a bigger picture, “to do.” So simple, yet we all have a never-ending to-do list.

[nicolenicolenicole]

Video remix

By focusing on surrealism in this piece, I wanted to explore the complexities of the human mind. The way that surrealism, particularly in television and film, is able to reveal complex truths about characters and the world they live in has always been of interest to me. When choosing sources, I was influenced by two of my favorite directors, David Lynch and Sam Esmail. I used various clips from their works, Twin Peaks and Mr. Robot, respectively. While my original thought process encompassed a wide range of ideas, as I developed this piece, it became more specific in meaning when I chose to incorporate an inquisitive dialogue. By doing this, I was able to focus on specific aspects of surrealism, rather than surrealism as an entire art style and movement. While I did focus mainly on the dreamlike, more imaginative aspects of surrealism, I hope that my work captures the overall essence of surrealism. 

all materials sampled in this work are purely for creative non-profit purposes and will be removed at owner’s request 

source credit:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTEAygQBadY  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwuPbFhZ-B8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEkdR5-8Kss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD_HG3f-_9M

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Nicole- Wow!! Wow!! Wow!! Best video by far, that I have seen! I love the video's eeriness and how the video clips respond to each other and how the visual concepts match different audio. The idea of catching your vision, remembering who you are while walking away from the blind lady, then led by her captured my attention! Your risks were well executed with transition and audio. There were no glitches or technical errors. Your video has original footage and gave a new meaning and concept that made me feel as if I were daydreaming by finding my true self and real and not real. The man's echoes with the blind woman felt skipping moments and repeating moments as if forgetting time or repeating time makes it feel eerie. Your overall piece was compelling and thought-provoking!! Bravo!!!!! Loved it!!!

[avaldo13]

Video Remix

Star Wars, Star Wars, and Star Wars. Star Wars was the inspirations behind the video. Star Wars has had a big part in my life and childhood. From my childhood, I was gazed at the thoughts of the original trilogy and the prequal trilogy. Behind this video was the Idea of the Force and how the jedi lives. In my own personal life, The Jedi beliefs follow a similar pattern to those of native decants. Some Similarities include the force and the spiritually. I wanted to show the force in terms of the Jedi. There was one scene in “A New Hope” that describe everything perfectly. I decided to use that to show case the jedi in the old republic. This was more personal because of the connections I had to the films and how my own beliefs can fall in line with the jedi.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Alex- This video was fabulous! It looked like a summary of the essential central concept of a Star Wars trailer! I also loved how you tied in many different versions of Star Wars from realistic to cartoon animation while using one main audio clip to include all the videos to connect into one. I loved the title page! You took risks and too great technique to accomplish this professional video by seamlessly clipping videos together with original sound and overlapping audio without it sounding weird. Your audio and videos blended well to generate this new experience of Star Wars and echoes with a more significant meaning of how Star Wars stood out and was vital to you. Great Video!!

[ktwclassqueen]

Video Remix

Video Remix - Summertime News

I wanted to focus on blending and paralleling current events with a symbolic song. My initial idea involved the use of many time periods. That concept was altered to fit the needs of finding the proper voices to complete the song. The song used, ‘Summertime’ by George Gershwin, from the opera ‘Porgy and Bess’. Although written by a white man, the song is sung by a black woman. The world did not have a summertime, rather one spent in quarantine. The song and clips bring together the continuous pain felt by the Black community; the loss of a summer, the excessive police brutality (focusing on attacks of reporters) and the disrespect of Black women. 

Student Video - MSU Denver 4D Class

All materials sampled in this work are purely for creative non-profit purposes and will be removed at owner’s request.

YouTube Songs Used:

“Summertime” from Porgy & Bess

Ella Fitzgerald - Summertime (1968)

Sarah Vaughan “Summertime” (Cascais Jazz, 1973)

Fantasia Barrino - Summertime (American Idol 2006)

Leona Lewis ~ Summertime ~ 28.10.2006 (Week 3) The 2006 XFactor

CNN reporter arrested live on air while covering Minneapolis protests - The Independent May 29th, 2020

NBC News Reporters Get Caught In Minneapolis Crowd-Control Effort | NBC News - May 30th, 2020

More than 100 attacks on journalists by US police during George Floyd protests | DW News - June 2nd, 2020

*Unable to attach link due to technical problems.

All materials sampled in this work are purely for creative non-profit purposes and will be removed at owner’s request.

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Hi Kendall-

Beautiful piece! I love that you used current devastating news clips with a compelling soft-spoken song. I love that you added multiple versions of the song, giving their flair and tone for the video. You took significant risks in your transitions from clip to clip, and they are seamless. All the video clips flow well together and complete the video as a whole concept. You captured the original footage and created a new meaning to these videos as a whole. Your echo repeats the song in different voices and echoes other news crisis videos. Your final project video is compelling and intriguing to watch to capture the moments by connecting the song lyrics to the videos. One suggestion I would give would be to add a title at the beginning of your video to capture the video’s central idea. Other than that, a phenomenal video!

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Video Remix Process Screenshot

[keyanalaraewilkins]

Video Remix Project - Artist Statement: Video Remix 

 Hi Everyone!

Here is my Video Remix about the Dream Board of Life.

What are your goals and aspirations for your life? Have you ever wanted a big house, a perfect family, a dream job, and overall happiness? At least once in our lives, we have sat down and created a dream board, and for the most part, it is not entirely realistic; some of those dreams or goals don't come true. Instead of making a physical dream board made out of magazine cutouts glued to a cardboard sheet, I can virtually make a dream board through different videos found on YouTube. My artwork's message responds like a collage of art videos expressing contemporary art through wants, hopes, and desires of the future.

When I was younger, my mom and I would make dream boards together every new year to be creative and set our future goals. Spending time with my mom and doing fun crafts was always something I looked forward to doing. I loved that one on one time. Since then, I continue to make goals for my life, and as I see them come true, I find gratitude, peace, and happiness in each moment I seek.

Most of the time, we watch movies that are "not real life"; they are "dream life" that everyone wishes they could have to be happy. We watch those movies/ videos because it makes us feel good and dreams of hope for the future to live a life similar to that. This is the same intention for the viewers to see in my video.

My goal as an artist is to enlighten people from this destructive and depressing world and bring back hope and happiness by being more optimistic about the present and future. See life from a different point of view through different lenses.

****Created by Keyana Wilkins 9.26.20 for 4D Art College Course. All materials sampled in this work are purely for creative non-profit purposes and will be removed at owner's request.****

Source Credit:

https://youtu.be/mFC9NXtm9wM

https://youtu.be/xzUn1Vl5Kwk

https://youtu.be/eMbsiMp_ya0

https://youtu.be/Z9veWohi2oU

https://youtu.be/K6MkS1EYS6E

https://youtu.be/weP0HgtK-Tw

https://youtu.be/s6mWF1iCfE4

https://youtu.be/G7NbhcExQYQ

https://youtu.be/5J1WsAe5j2c

https://youtu.be/bGVKn3OBUEY

https://youtu.be/Bt-R5UWOGuo

https://youtu.be/Z0lU5g67394

https://youtu.be/6YmP1TSJmzo

https://youtu.be/5bpqo_mc6rg

https://youtu.be/Tk0GtPNRrWk

https://youtu.be/mCl9xtW03AA