Each of the final projects can be connected to an artist, site, or voice that was studied earlier in the Encounters Project. I have selected three examples where there is a connection between the lesson material and the final works that were produced by the students.
Hank
Hank was struck by the powerful images and accompanying text of the Humans of New York photography series during the Kristof Wodiczko lesson. The activity for this lesson presented several different photos and stories produced by the Humans of New York Project. Then students were instructed to pick a story or image that was meaningful and identify what about it impacted them. There were a broad range of people and issues represented but two of these stories seemed to be particularly helpful for the development of Hank’s final projects. After Hank read a statement about the high cost of coffee in New York, he began to think about consumerism in other places. He is particularly interested in Japanese consumerism, which explains the large Japanese character meaning “to buy” in the center of his work.
Maurice
Maurice’s work was inspired by the first site visit to Carnegie and Tip. His work is focused on materiality, rather than subject matter or technique. Maurice created three bowls, using hand building ceramic techniques. He then painted the bowls different colors that represented different emotions. The work is titled Sounds because viewers are invited to allocate rocks to reflect their emotions. This movement of materials within the work creates an audible component that places importance on the interaction between the material and the viewer. Our visit to Carnegie and Tip was meant to show how different materials affect the way a work communicates a message to the viewer. The two works use steel at the primary material, but Tip is much more chaotic, which sharply contrasts the sleek appearance of Carnegie.
Anthony
Though the inspiration for Anthony’s work did not come from a specific lesson, the concept of expressing personal narratives in a gallery context was seen in works at the Carnegie International. There was a parallel drawn between the Carnegie International and the program’s final exhibition. The International is a much larger platform, for established artists, but these artists are using works to communicate a statement in the same way that the Encounters Project wants to display individual agency. Anthony’s work is a clay mask mounted onto a canvas with a mosaic of black and white designs. His work comments on mental health issues by calling attention to depression in young adults. After experiencing a personal loss, Anthony has been inspired to raise awareness for people who suffer from diseases that are misunderstood or ignored in our society. Anthony also designed the logo for the exhibition.