Date of Award

12-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Degree of Master of Arts in Studio Art

Department

Art

First Advisor

James DaVania

Second Advisor

Peter Cotroneo

Third Advisor

Grant Hargate

Abstract

My final project is a body of mixed-media portraits which were exhibited at SculptureWorks Ferguson in December, 2021. Each of the twenty works are visual representations of events, identities, or relationships, experienced in both the past and the present. The materials used to help push each narrative include fabric, yarn, coffee filters, embroidery, wood, stain, plaster, metal, concrete, inks, conte, paints, and/or found objects. Each piece demonstrates a unique combination of image, media, and technique in the field of contemporary art. Some of the works include objects made by the people being portrayed. Others include materials that were acquired via social media platforms or other websites offering used items for sale. Most portraits have materials left over from other projects as part of the narrative of using what is available. Identities, family relations, and racial/ethnicity issues are often complicated. The purpose of these compositions is to explore what I call the “abnormally normal,” by starting a new conversation about how people understand and interact with other people. Through these works, I study my family, relationships, and things that I took for granted or resented in my youth. In particular, I realized how naïve and ridiculous my understanding of race and the racial backgrounds of family and friends were as well. The connection to the past and present simultaneously through portraiture is apparent in my works. This is consistent with what many contemporary artists are currently exploring.

Comments

Copyright 2021, Julie Quintero.

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