Where Do I Fit?
Format
Senior Art and Design Exhibition
Faculty Mentor Name
Jennifer Little
Faculty Mentor Department
Art and Graphic Design
Abstract/Artist Statement
Where Do I Fit is comprised of black ink paintings of varying dilutions on Japanese Asarakusui ‘Ogura lace’ paper. These monochromatic ink paintings depict semi abstracted, dream-like representations of cultural symbols from my Basque and Latino cultural heritage. From each culture, I pair comparing and contrasting elements ranging from traditional dance clothing to symbolic animals. The use of translucence allows the subjects to be more hazy, thus representing a sense of uncertainty and an allusion to my memories of moments where these cultural symbols were used to question my place in those cultures. Making these subjects semi-abstracted allows the viewer to create their own narratives and draw their own conclusions on what they are seeing. Though the cultural elements may not be immediately apparent, the emotion tied to those symbols will be interpreted by the viewer through the expressive strokes and the haunting representation of them.
These paired images are a response to moments in my own life where I felt I had to choose between a Latino culture I was raised in and a Basque culture I was trying to adopt. I have always felt like I was never enough of one culture to perfectly fit in, and I feared that if I shared my whole identity, then I would be ostracized by the other culture. This series has allowed me to reflect on how culture plays a role in my identity as a whole and the experience of being in between two cultures. Building a series based on the experiences of being multi-cultural and not knowing where you fit could speak to other viewers who have shared these experiences. These pieces depict experiences of being caught between two very different cultures and trying to find where you can fit.
Location
Reynolds Gallery
Start Date
18-4-2018 6:00 PM
End Date
11-5-2018 5:00 PM
Where Do I Fit?
Reynolds Gallery
Where Do I Fit is comprised of black ink paintings of varying dilutions on Japanese Asarakusui ‘Ogura lace’ paper. These monochromatic ink paintings depict semi abstracted, dream-like representations of cultural symbols from my Basque and Latino cultural heritage. From each culture, I pair comparing and contrasting elements ranging from traditional dance clothing to symbolic animals. The use of translucence allows the subjects to be more hazy, thus representing a sense of uncertainty and an allusion to my memories of moments where these cultural symbols were used to question my place in those cultures. Making these subjects semi-abstracted allows the viewer to create their own narratives and draw their own conclusions on what they are seeing. Though the cultural elements may not be immediately apparent, the emotion tied to those symbols will be interpreted by the viewer through the expressive strokes and the haunting representation of them.
These paired images are a response to moments in my own life where I felt I had to choose between a Latino culture I was raised in and a Basque culture I was trying to adopt. I have always felt like I was never enough of one culture to perfectly fit in, and I feared that if I shared my whole identity, then I would be ostracized by the other culture. This series has allowed me to reflect on how culture plays a role in my identity as a whole and the experience of being in between two cultures. Building a series based on the experiences of being multi-cultural and not knowing where you fit could speak to other viewers who have shared these experiences. These pieces depict experiences of being caught between two very different cultures and trying to find where you can fit.