Project 2

Project 2: Art in the Public Space, Projection

For our second project, Tina and I hope to use emerging technologies to reframe and re-contextualize the artistic medium of graffiti. Through this interactive process of performing the artwork live in a public setting, we hope to open up audience minds to new ways of expressing themselves. This project explores some aspects of urban life, an element of contemporary culture that we feel deserves some more attention and awareness. We understand the communicative power of creating a public art piece and see it as a great opportunity to create community exchange of ideas and services. Ideally, if all technical obstacles are accomplished, we hope to include other elements of urban culture that would promote freedom of expression and motivate viewers to create social change in their own way.

A huge element of social change that we hope to address with the urban theme of our project is to promote awareness of the homeless community. Essentially, we hope to reactivate concerned community members to take a stand on community issues that are commonly ignored.

Hip-Hop is an important element of urban culture and expression that could be address. It could enhance the piece to add a soundtrack of hip-hop that promotes social change as a way, again, of reframing urban means of expression as a positive rather than a negative.

We have several ideas for possible places on campus, each with varying degrees of exposure and mood. The idea we are most enthusiastic about involves projecting our graffiti based work onto the side of a mover’s truck. This initial canvas seems like it could draw in the potential viewer to take a closer look at the “vandals.”

It also echo’s the idea of a “vehicle of expression” and has undertones of the industrial and urban nature of contemporary society. Not to mention, its just badass.

We also have the possibility of projecting between Schaeffer and Montgomery Halls, in a long alley like situation. Another possible choice would involve the second floor deck overhang. With this area we could create a caveman like scenario, hinting at the long tradition of humans expressing themselves on walls.

Whatever we choose, generating interest in the community is a vital factor in the creation of this work.