The World as Process: Agency, Emergence, and Becoming in Artistic Practice
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2021
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Abstract
Whereas traditional models of creativity situate the artist as one who wills their artistic materials to fit an a priori vision, I suggest that “making things” (e.g., creating artefacts, producing art, etc.) is about noticing and making possible an arrangement of dynamic conditions. Taking the form of an autobiographical account of art in the making, this thesis outlines the development of an immersive sound and light environment, Pedesis, in which the materials of art behave and perform in ways beyond the artist’s control.
The writing that follows is structured in two parts. Part 1 presents and critiques an anthropocentric description of creative practice and proposes alternate descriptions drawn from critical shifts in perspectives regarding the nature of agency. Although this section does not address specific works from my catalog, it does provide a conceptual framework in which they can be understood. Part 2 details the development of Pedesis, a large-scale multimedia installation exhibited as my MFA thesis exhibition. The analysis will take the form of tracing the making of Pedesis with references to various works created from 2019 to 2021 as contextual precursors to my own conceptual, technical, and aesthetic interests.
Description
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree in the School of Art and Design at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
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Thesis
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MFA thesis