Fireside Chat

Artist's Statement

My topic for the fireside chat was such a personal one, it’s hard to say if there was any outside inspiration. The closest thing would likely be Brené Brown’s Ted talk on The Power of Vulnerability, something that’s inspired me to put myself into my art, even when it’s difficult.

Affirmations were something I wanted to introduce to everyone because I’ve used them in my life and I know they work. At least, they work for me. I knew portraying that was going to be difficult, though, and I didn’t want to just stand there and give a lecture on how and why they were good things. Beliefs in general are incredibly subjective, and I had to be okay with that, purposely choosing to not include other testimonials, data, or any “reliable” support. In this case, my experiences were all that was needed to back up my claim, so I knew I had to show it instead of tell it.

The reading for this week, Susan Sontag’s article Regarding the Pain of Others, she discusses shock value in photography and the effect (or perhaps lack of effect) it has on the viewer. For my presentation, I didn’t want an element of shock per say, but I new it needed to be visual in order to be impactful. And in order for it to say what it needed to, it had to be authentic.

I chose roughly three types of media to work with: video, storytelling, and demonstration. I wanted the video to present affirmations in a positive way, since they are often looked at as bizarre, if not egotistical behavior. (At least, it certainly can feel that way when you do them.) The story needed to be there to set the tone and give context until I felt like I could demonstrate the affirmations and hopefully communicate that this was something incredible important to me.

Our recent topics in class—being aware of good work in the community, studying empathy, media’s ability to represent people’s beliefs and ideologies—has added another layer to my perception of art. Much like my goal to be vulnerable in my own work, I’ve realized how important it is to acknowledge the efforts made by other artists. I may not always understand it, or agree with their point of view, but that’s doesn’t disvalue their opinion or experiences. The fireside was a mélange of ideas, personal stories, creative representations, and individual interpretations of life. I feel that I’ve expanded or developed my viewpoints through that experience, which is perhaps the reason for art in the first place.