Massiel Garcia

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Life in stillness

"Eco Echoes," which brings together a symphony of nature through both sound and visuals. In this endeavor, I've integrated visuals with the original audio piece I composed, creating a richer tapestry of sensory experience. Along with the auditory piece I created I added visuals on top of the images I photographed or videoed. I used a lake as a reference because in the audio the sound of water can be heard as well as cars or airplanes passing by. I decided to add regular elements that will usually pertain to such an environment such as ducks, flamingoes, and crocodiles. I also decided to add a very personal touch by adding my pet Uromastyx (Igris), it is an interplay between reality elements from the photograph itself versus elements that were added to distort the reality of the visuals. I explored Tumblr as the platform for the final dissemination of "Eco Echoes," interested in its potential to reach a wider audience who appreciate multimedia art forms.

Furthermore, for future reference to maximize engagement, I am considering making the final presentation more interactive. Including images that depict interactions among animals could vividly illustrate the vitality and interconnectedness of the natural world. Through these enhancements, I aim to provide viewers not just a glimpse, but a full immersion into the dynamic and vibrant narrative of nature's echoes. Thank you for your interest and support in my journey to celebrate and document the essence of the natural world.

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LIFE IN A RUSH

Appreciation for eating at a table and having a proper meal.

Platform: Instagram

For this project I decided to focus on things that remind me of my childhood. I grew up in Cuba, and my family was very united but sometimes it was hard to all get together for dinner and other events. Therefore, everytime that we gather here in the United States for dinner somewhere it feels very fulfilling, as I get to share these new memories with them. These are all throughout the course of 2 months, in which we have been able to go and enjoy a proper meal in a restaurant a couple of times, and some are from home, where we cook together and then share a table and talk about our day.

These are a couple of the photos that I have been able to recompile to create a cohesive arrangement of photographs of foods. I chose these because they were the most similar on color pallet, and offered an assorted selection of foods and plates as well as tables. I think the variety is very significant to how my eating habits are, I rarely eat at home, as I work and study full time, and I barely have time to get rest of eat a proper meal, but I do make time sometimes to have at least one meal a day. I like planning a casual outing with my family as well as we rarely see each other although we live together, and that way we can talk about our lives and share a moment as a family. I wanted to make these pictures be significant about different people on my life and their tastes and preferred scenarios, from what foods they eat to the fork or spoon they use, how they sit, and how they arrange their table. It's about how food bring my family together and its comforting to me to have a homecooked meal or share a meal with family.

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INTERNET CULTURE ART

Software used: Canva

For the cartoon illustration depicting a girl at a table with social media temptations, the artwork's goals are to visualize the struggle many people face with distractions from social media while trying to focus on tasks like studying. The use of large eyes and expressive posture captures the character's frustration, emphasizing the emotional aspect of this common scenario. Canva was used as a primary tool to achieve the collage. The speech bubble with social media icons adds a textual element that directly conveys the internal conflict. The room and window setting utilizes color and light to create a cozy, yet slightly tense atmosphere reflective of the internal struggle.

To further develop this concept, additional scenes portraying the character overcoming distraction or succumbing to it could be added, showing different outcomes. More dynamic techniques, such as animation or interactive elements, could be introduced to engage viewers further, especially if explored as a digital video or app based format. If more time was available, enhancing the detail in the room with more personalized items could deepen the narrative context, making it relatable for diverse audiences. Adding different expressions or slight changes in body language can also provide depth to the character's experience.

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APPROPRIATION ART

Software for collage: Canva

My favorite cartoons growing up, and my sweet dog Kylie.

Featured characters from Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and Lilo and Stitch!

This image perfectly captures the essence of appropriation artwork for me by blending familiar characters from my childhood with my unique personal story. Growing up in Cuba, I often engaged with beloved figures like Tigger and Stitch, using my imagination to bring them to life. The scene feels like something right out of Alice in Wonderland, which the background is from, creating an exciting interplay between different cultural references. This combination transforms the characters, allowing me to see them in a new light that reflects my experiences and memories.

As I look at the image, I see my dog Kylie, with her ball in her mouth, embodying the same playful energy as Tigger. This connection highlights the lively companionship we share and invites others to interpret these characters through my narrative lens. The artwork stirs feelings of nostalgia, reminding me of the imaginative play that filled my childhood. By recontextualizing these characters within my personal landscape, I breathe new life into them, enriching their meanings and celebrating the joy they bring to my life.

I used Canva to create this collage and google images as well as a snippet of a youtube video of Alice and Wonderland, a personal photo of myself and my dog also. I adjusted the tones so that it all fit together nicely and cohesively.

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Glitch Creation/Datamoshing/Distortion Art

This is my pet lizard (Uromastyx)

Tools used Pixlr

In this artwork, my intended goal was to create a surreal and psychedelic visual experience that captures the viewer's imagination through the interplay of colors and abstract forms. The focus was on natural elements, which are transformed using color overlays and distortion techniques to evoke a dreamlike and otherworldly landscape.

The techniques used include applying a strong red and green color overlay to achieve the distorted psychedelic effect. This was accomplished using Pixlr, a photo editing tool that allows for layering and adjusting colors to create depth and visual interest. By manipulating the color balance and utilizing blending modes, I was able to emphasize specific elements, such as rocky textures and vegetation, giving the image a dynamic and abstract composition. These techniques create a unique artistic impact, inviting viewers to explore the nuances and layers within the image.

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FROM THE INSIDE OF MY HOME

GIF assignment made from live photos on my iphone

Tip: tapped on the small arrow pointing down next to "Live", and chose loop, or bounce

I captured this piece using a live photo on my iPhone. After reviewing the image, I selected the “loop” or “bounce” option by tapping the small downward arrow next to "Live." I then saved it and uploaded it to ezgif.com to convert it into a GIF format. I chose this image for its striking color and lighting contrast. The subject, an air purifier, is essential for improving my breathing, as I am highly allergic to dust.

For this GIF, I adhered to the same process as before. I selected this image for its clean and vibrant color contrasts, which enhance the visualization of the lighting movement. The item depicted is a house speaker, which contributes to my enjoyment of music during household chores, making the activities more enjoyable and time efficient.

In this image, I followed the same procedures as with the others. The focal point is a mockingbird that I happened to record this morning. I often hear its singing as I awake, as my bed is positioned near a window.

Lastly, I edited this image to impart a warmer tone. The glass was fogged, obscuring the view slightly. I captured the falling rain droplets, which add an engaging visual element. With recent rainfall, the roof often accumulates water, leading to dripping, which I routinely hear from my window.

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Viral Interventions: QCQ

"Part of the Discourse"

- Barbara Kruger

Quote: “Something to really think about is what makes us who we are in the world that we live in and how culture constructs and contains us.”

Commentary: This specific quote I interpret it as a way of criticizing the current way that society operates and basically the avoidance of self reflection. Earlier on my posts I saw a very true statement which I will include below, which in simplicity showcases how simple daily acts can make your life more productive or absolutely stagnant. Things such as, eating what you actually burn off, planning with time ahead and realizing sometimes things such as the "burning toast" theory can occur, (this phenomenon talks about how such a simple thing such as burning toast can alter the destiny of a person), whether because it slowed you down, or because you went and got breakfast somewhere else because you had extra time planned ahead.

Questions for the reader:

What thoughts that are constantly crossing your mind can you identify as positive and beneficial? What thought has crossed your mind frequently, about something you have yet to get done? What thoughts have crossed your mind that you can identify as negative and un motivational? What words can you identify from your vocabulary that often correlate to a negative behavior? What words can you identify from your vocabulary which does not bring anything into your life whether great or bad? What actions do you often perform that you do without thinking and its harmful or negative? What actions can you identify that frequently occur which create positive habits and patterns in your life? What are some habits that you can recognize within yourself that make you a valuable member of society and are significant of great morals and values? How do you think these things affect you?

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Viral Interventions

Final Artifact

This is the final artifact which is the result of the participation of various individuals as shown on our documentation. The people who interacted were sometimes cooperative and would interact and answer questions based on the words we presented. The fact that there were some balloons yet left to pop even after 3 hours of attempting to get people to engage and interact with the presentation of the balloons.

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Viral Interventions

PROCESS

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Viral Interventions

BUDGET

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Viral Interventions: Final Documentation

View, organize, and share photos and videos with iCloud Photos on the web. Changes will sync across your devices with iCloud.

For this project we decided to execute it by creating a board and presenting it at the intersection across the avenue right outside of FIU. This area is mostly concentrated by students, as student housing is right in front of FIU and there are also teachers too. When coming together to make this video happen we were astounded by the lack of participation at first, but quickly noticed that sometimes it is necessary for even ourselves to not just stand and reach out to people passing by, even after being ignored.