Date of Graduation

5-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Art (MFA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Art

Advisor/Mentor

Morrissey, Sean P.

Committee Member

Sytsma, Janine A.

Second Committee Member

Chioffi, David C.

Third Committee Member

Ramirez, Kasey

Abstract

Subject to Change is comprised of a series of self-devised, ritually practiced free-associative action-mark-making strategies. Each procedure explores various degrees of chance operations and seeks to question and explore the roles of intuition, intention, interpretation and human participation. A hybrid of fixed method with variables of the unknown explores and investigates performative mark-making methodologies, in-person and internet collaboration, control and working under pre-fixed intervals. Alongside chance, time-based procedures are concurrently determined to achieve work on paper whose marks are not initially foreseen. This practice of working addresses the disconnect between the maker engaged in active activity of doing versus the relative stagnancy of the resulting end product.

There is a relationship of tension between the realized end product and the formulas which created them in terms of which components possess relevance. Repetitively practiced actions of activity attempt to unite conventional modes of art production with routinely practiced everyday structured studio activity.

Heavily influenced by the scientific method, art-by-instruction and process art, the work aims to capture the conflicting elements of predetermined activity and variables and free-associative mark-making.

The chance operations in the work consist of: the rolling of dice, the blind spinning of dials, the selection from a deck of cards, and solicited participation of people from social media.

Through drawing, printmaking and mixed media, the works possess a strong reference to their materiality and the passage of time as seen through change, evolution or degradation.

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