#hmedvu2016

[lineothefeline]

Embarrassing objects

I recently took up an interest in thrift-shopping, manly because I love obscure styles, vintage and retro. One cannot find items that fit these interests in mainstream retail without having to pay ridiculous amounts of money for them and so I worked up the courage to start looking in the “underground”. Since I moved to the US I have learned that people here tend to experience the same feelings of embarrassment as those I’ve interacted with at home when it comes to thrifting... and to be completely honest I am no exception myself. Using this as my background I decided to share this image of a clothing rack I saw at the Farmer’s market as my sculpture. When dealing with some insanely cheap items being able to find something decent and unique becomes an art in and of itself, more so because one will not necessarily disclose out loud where that item came from... This is not to say I own anything that is on that rack ;) 

[lineothefeline]

The Fake Flyer

For this art assignment I decided to go back to basics and share advice through a PSA about a timeless tradition that appears to be facing extinction, thanks to modern technology; letter writing. 

The cost of living in a fast-paced world where everything seems to be easily watered down, is that it is easy to lose sight of the beauty in simple things. To express ourselves by interacting our minds with a piece of paper through handwriting carries something profound and irreplaceable in it. We need to be reminded of that from time to time. 

Lineo 

[lineothefeline]

Constructed landscape; frozen water drops

I have a strong fascination with water. I love it in all its forms and especially when it takes an uncommon natural form such as a drop and changes from one state to another such as from liquid to solid. Among the things that intrigue me about water are its ability to be intimate and the fact that it does not always have to cover a large surface area to make an impact. 

For these reasons I recreated a frozen raindrop(s) using dishwasher foam and a sponge. I set my camera to a very slow shutter and turned on my flashlight to capture the drop(s) in motion. I had to be extremely patient to get the shot because it required several tries and focused manipulation. 190 frames later I finally chose my favorite one. 

Lineo

[lineothefeline]

Body in Place

1. The Martha Rivers Ingram statue at the commons.

2. The statue was erected as a symbolic gesture to honor the generous philanthropist and esteemed business woman for her work during her time as the chair-woman of the board of trustees at Vanderbilt. What many might not know is that Martha has also shown great support for the arts by donating a cutting edge E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Centre, as well as the Martha Rivers Ingram Performing Arts Centre. In addition, The Vanderbilt Blair School of Music has been the recipient of $300 million of Ingram company stock, a record for any university in the United States. This statue (place) represents three things: a passion for the arts and how they benefit humanity especially in areas of mental health and education.

3. Vanderbilt is currently undergoing a transition in terms of how it addresses issues of racial diversity and gender equity. With consideration to the fact that Martha Ingram was the first woman to chair the Vanderbilt board of trustees and the recent removal of the inscription of the word “confederate” from the Memorial hall I posed my melanated body next to the bronze representation of this venerable woman. I wanted to demonstrate a shared moment of reflection about the past and the history of Vanderbilt itself. The image suggests that we were engaged in a retrospective dialogue about equality and inclusion based on the works of literature we both have in our possession (I an holding Strong Inside by Andrew Maraniss). The stature therefore goes beyond simply being a commemoration to Martha for her leadership and dedication, it also represents change, the significance of art and critical dialogue on gender and race equity.