Core Final: The Dependent Self

Alan Watts- The Self  
Bibliography:
Kołakowski, Leszek, and Agnieszka Kołakowska. Why Is There Something Rather than Nothing?: 23 Questions from Great Philosophers. New York: Basic, 2007. Print.Morrell, Peter.

"A BUDDHIST VIEW OF ADDICTION." A BUDDHIST VIEW OF ADDICTION. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

My research consisted of continuing reading/listening about what people had to say about "The Self." One of the chapters of the book I read was titled "Being and non-being: what is real?" this chapter was not only insightful as something to think about but it helped me get a sense of how I want my figure's face to look like. The fact that our existence, our being, has been questioned for ages before our time is rather interesting because it's not one of the subjects that's talked of widely. Some people simply exist and are content with it, though what I want to get across with my sculpture's facial expression is a sense of "I'm existing? What am I?" As well as getting across how us, as an intangible self, have become somewhat dependent on external objects to portray who we are.  "People who are addicted to something have become too solidly locked into a love of pleasure and are reaping the consequences of that lifestyle. It also means that their sense of identity is rewarded only when they indulge whatever they crave, and this has thus become dependent upon their addiction. A firm sense of self-identity is based solely upon their habit, and without it, they feel invisible and non-existent." This passage is from the site concerning Buddhist's view of addiction, it portrays an explicit understanding of the sense of relying on something in order to view one's self which is what I would like to portray through my piece.

The Dependent Self

Since the dawn of man, the question of our own existence has driven our curiosity. The only thing inciting our interest is the fact that we are aware of our tangible existence among the global consciousness. Reality is in the eyes of the beholder, therefore we our dependent on ourselves to differentiate between what is true and what is false according to our surrounding environment. The Dependent Self is an exploration of this idea, we have become dependent on our physical entities to portray ourselves to ourselves and to others and it's always been a wonder to me that we aren't content with solely existing. The all-seeing eye incorporated in this piece comes into play as what the being is dependent on in order to view his self. The all-seeing eye, representing an omnipotent view on life, is therefore allowing the entity to be aware of his physical self, hence The Dependent Self.

Oscar Tuazon - Terry Barrett's Describing Art

Oscar Tuazon's piece of his old living room is rather moving, although static in its composition. This was taken out of his old apartment that he had to move out of because of a fire that happened underneath his apartment that caused damage to his apartment. Visually it reads like a tangible cubist painting that's leaking onto the physical planes of its setting allowing the viewer to interact with it, literally putting the viewer in the piece. Taking into consideration that this piece once had a use grabs my attention as a viewer, viewing it not only as structure but also as an artifact of Oscar's life. Because this piece once had a purposeful use in mind at one time it makes the viewer contemplate on what other uses it could have, rather than just being decorative in a gallery. In the context of a gallery setting it seems very out of place almost as if it belongs outside somewhere for people to skate on. The fact that it has many different uses is the greatest aspect of Oscar's pieces, allowing a broad horizon of interpretations for the viewer.

Sam Whalen - Friends Forever: The Transfer, Terry Barrett's Describing Art

 

In Sam's piece, Friends Forever: The Transfer, she enacts what seems to be some sort of ritualistic ceremony in which her and two friends transfer make up from one person to another and Sam then imprints it onto a paper on the wall.

Her and two friends began her performance piece by standing in the room before the critique, ready for the performance before the audience became present for the critique. Once the performance began they chose who would have the make-up put on them first through a series of rock-paper-scissors games, the loser of the games would then be the person who gets caked up in make-up. Afterwards her friends rubbed their faces together to transfer the make-up onto the other person, with closed lips to not include sexual activity. As they are enacting the transfer, for 21 seconds, Sam whispers memories "that come to mind of moments where she recalls adapting something from a girlfriend(Sam Whalen)." The same process was repeated for the transfer onto Sam's face though no one whispered in her ear. Once the transfer was complete Sam then proceeded to the paper on the wall and transferred the make-up onto it, rubbing her face on the paper for 21 seconds saying each second out loud. Her friends then put their clothes on and left before the critique began.

Personally I think that the purpose of this piece was to portray how close these friends were and how they inspire Sam's work, which was made evident to me when Sam included the fact that their lips would be closed as they're rubbing their faces together to not include sexual activity. The process of the transfer made it seem almost as if one person was giving off their knowledge to the other person; kind of like a telephone game within a group of people and how the message gets distorted as it goes along, though in this case it was a visual representation. In the end the piece on the wall seemed to portray how the those around you affect how you yourself make your mark in the world. The final piece itself is presented well by showing the artifacts of the performance in front of the final piece itself as if showing a visual timeline. Overall the piece really grabs the attention of the observer and makes them wonder what the hell is going on, which is what I love about the piece.

1st Project

2nd Project

3rd Project

4th Project

Retouch Project

Shapes 5

Shapes 4

Shapes 3

Shapes 2