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Item Porosity: the space between identities(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2021) McKay, Laurel Brooke; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Gesine JanzenPorosity' investigates the abstraction of bodies as a way to free people from the visual constraints and societal markers of 'difference' or 'otherness', as tied to class, gender, sexuality and race, that are used to marginalize individuals in our society. I in no way want to remove people's individual experiences, however, these narrow and rigid categories of socially constructed identities support hierarchies that are based in capitalism and systemic oppression, which I think should ultimately be dismantled. Within my monoprints, I use this abstraction of human form to allow for endless possibilities of shifting identity and individual freedom of expression that is not defined by the labels constructed by others. This abstraction of human form also, allows the body to become a sight of resistance and defiance to controls or 'disciplines' placed upon one's existence through bio-political or state structures. I argue that these works of art will allow contemplation on the structures, expectations and invisible manipulations that are tied to how we form and embody our identities in society, while still imparting feeling and emotion as tethered to a shared human existence. I also, hope that they will represent the future possibilities of our fluid identities and a utopian universal that is a shared human experience.Item Smiths Onion Institute exhibit : a perhaps hand(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1971) Smith, Lesley WinfieldIt occurred to me that I could take advantage of clay's strength in container-massiveness if I made other things like machines and technical apparatus of the future which sit when they are used, the form being a housing for the works. I also liked the "toy" idea for art, raising (or lowering, if you will) art to the point of physical participation. One of my last ray guns emitted a variable high pitched sound and flashed, being controlled by the participant. Ceramics was not a very applicable vehicle for a portable electronic object because of the weight. I tried papier-mache and though it was effective it was not satisfying to me. At this point my work began to split into two definite areas; the three-dimensional "machines" and the two-dimensional primarily the display of ray guns in use. The potentials in creating the Smiths onion Institute as the framework to unify loosely related forms was very exciting. Some of my observations of life have entered into this and helped formulate several axioms for the Smiths onion Institute. 1. Smiths onion ray guns do not kill. But they do make it rough on the enemy (i.e. changing to crybabies, giving them a headache or a toothache, putting them to sleep, etc.) 2. Woman is the superior human animal, gifted with greater stamina, patience and understanding, sensitivity and intelligence - when emotions do not interfere. Woman's Liberation of the early 1970's on Terra (Earth) began to prove this, gradually elevating WOMF., to the prime positions of responsibility and control. Smiths onion Intergalactic Time Agents (S.I.T.A.) were, are and will be all women attired in self-pride, self-respect, self-confidence, their space-time helmets and carrying Smiths onion ray guns. They travel through space and time affecting history, primarily in time of war or conflict. The nude female form, long an inspiration for art, is an epitome of organic form. And I believe, contrary to contemporary taste, that all variations of the female can be beautiful: slender, plump, stocky, short or tall. I intended to show as great a variety of figures as possible as S.I.T.A. Agents. The differences were considerably neutralized during the process of making the finished photographic historical scenes. I went further in several cases to visually experiment with contrasting crisp, cold metal with the soft grace of female forms. The effect, though jarring, is softened by the total processing.Item Ceramic sculpture(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1994) Van den Dool, Monica HelenaThe observation of everyday actions and interactions provides me with the motivation for this body of work. The situations, motives, and characteristics of my sculptures are no more indecipherable, strange, or ambiguous than what I see around me everyday. To me, the figures are clear and more than real, crystallizing and magnifying the course of day-to-day life. In general, figurative work appeals to me because of its directness. Its presence and impact are less remote, more immediate. The bulk, scale and chunky physicality lend an important quality to these figures; a sense that they are uneasy in their own bodies. In Deep Sea Catch, this theme is explicit. A blankly smiling and seemingly oblivious woman holds out a prehistoric-looking fish. The fish represents the primitive in the character’s nature, a connection that she cannot even begin to grasp. The figures are all female for a variety of reasons. I am obviously more familiar with the female figure and work from my own poses in the studio. There is also a feminist element in the work, although the emphasis is on the more sweeping concerns of the human condition. The issues I address are common to both genders in varying degrees, but are expressed more naturally for me through the female figure. In the earlier sculptures, which are not draped, the generic style of clothing is an attempt to establish a kind of uniform of normalcy. The women, outfitted in pumps, necklaces, and dresses, appear to be comfortable and well-off. Their placid and carefully groomed exteriors form an ironic contrast to their more desperate or suggestive circumstances. For instance, in Chicken Dinner, two women interact with a pair of dead chickens. The women’s incongruous style of dress and apparent delight heightens the strangeness of what could have been a relatively normal scenario.Item Nude to line(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2004) Laudon, Rachel S.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert R. SmithThe subject of each image is the nude. When shooting I used two models and focused on the details of line and contrast between the two bodies. While nude imagery lends itself well to the entire range between literal representation and abstraction, I concentrated on creating abstract compositions of line and form. I have always been fascinated by the reoccurrence of patterns of line and form in both the human body and nature. I have photographed different scenes on different scales in nature and after viewing the final prints, the repetitive shapes and lines, specifically the soft, subtle, and seemingly perfect curve reveals itself. While the sexual essence of classic nude imagery, utilizing the whole of the human body, is often obvious and unmistakable, in this body of work I sought to capture a more ambiguous and androgynous sexuality. I sought to capture pure sexual essence. Both humans and the nature around them exude a similar sexual or sensual essence that becomes obvious to me while I am shooting that expresses itself in recognizable forms from sand dunes to flowers. By ever increasing the size of the images, the grain of the image begins to separate which aids in the conception of lines, shapes and forms I see in nature. The grain of an enlarged image creates some distortion making it difficult to distinguish what part of the body one is viewing. This produces a sense of mystery, which flows within the same path as the ambiguity of line in nature. I have sought to produce a line the human eye can follow from one image to the next by use of composition, physical placement of each image, and the lack of any foreign objects such as; frames, glass, nails and other traditional methods of displaying photographs. The images become a single installation of the essence of natural sexuality and sensuality. The sheer size of the images intensifies that essence.Item If a tree fell ...?(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1941) Durden, Robert AnthonyThe work produced for this exhibition has been centered around the forest as a lyrical metaphor The sculptures are meant to be seen as human-like tree forms. It is my intention to describe whimsical characters which are based both on imagination and specific individuals in my life. It is the similarities between the human form and trees that I find most interesting. The branches of the trees relate to human appendages, the bark to the clothing that one might wear, and the color to the spirit of the individual, etc. . ... In some cases, the relationships are very evident and at other times they are less apparent or more symbolic because of the way in which they are exaggerated. The narrative aspect of the sculptures has become more and more important in my work. This is apparent in the sculptures The Weeping Tree and The Donut Tree. The Weeping Tree retains more of the human qualities of the vertical forms than does The Donut Tree. These two sculptures present the contradictions of life. The Weeping Tree has a movement which radiates from the center outward to the ground indicating the sadness and suffering that is an ingredient in life. The Donut Tree, on the other hand, has a repetitive upward movement which is intended to promote an optimistic point of view. In all of the sculptures, the connection between the ground and the figure has been de-emphasized. This transition provides an awkward visual tension which implies that this figure is either standing precariously bent on falling or it has the ability to stand firm on very little ground.Item Paintings(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1995) Wiesenfeld, Alexandra IngridMy paintings are inspired by the interiors of abandoned houses I discovered in remote areas of Montana. In these spaces I find a strange combination of intimacy and history. Personal items, like a coffee cup with hearts or a red high heeled shoe, are left behind. Nature slowly reclaims territory: the wind rips at the wall paper, revealing layers of color and time; the light pours in, singling out details and creating a satisfying order within the apparent chaos. I see the objects around me, whether familiar or decayed beyond recognition, as if for the first time. Each seems imbued with a hidden symbolism and a mysterious meaning. Rummaging through the traces of the people living there before, I feel like a voyeur intruding upon a space secret and ominous. Simultaneously there is the surreal sensation of my being on a stage, observed in the same secretive way. My intent is not to imitate in paint an actual likeness of the buildings but rather to express the emotion they evoke in me. This emotional impact prompts my choice of imagery as well as the formal elements of my paintings. It is the mood of these abandoned spaces that stirs me to set up juxtapositions, which create psychological and emotional content. In my compositions I contrast various objects, both found and imagined, which creates a dialogue between them. I look for formal and psychological contrasts, in shape, texture, color and connotation: the closed versus the. open, the soft versus the hard, the light versus the dark, the safe versus the dangerous... The figure personifies my own feelings of displacement. When the naked woman is part of the composition, the objects become her props and the space her stage. I omit her features, as I am not interested in her as a specific person. Rather she serves as a tool, an "object", to set up a potent pairing with the space and the other objects. I want her to be young, sexy.. transitory. She is what she is, unself-conscious and without shame. Her pin-up-girl quality and her sexually evocative outfits are in contrast to her gestures, which are introspective and private. Even though the viewer might construe her open sensuality as an invitation to be violated, it is important to me that she does not appear as a victim. She is full of contradictions: she is paradoxical to her surroundings and therefore absurd. The naked woman and the objects around her create another, inner dialogue, one of which she is fully aware and which ultimately mocks her with her own existence. The imagery provides me with a basic structure, a vantage point. I am not interested, however, in mere illustration. I aim to re-construct the object with paint, to build it physically by surrounding it and penetrating it with brush strokes. The canvas becomes like a puzzle in which all elements are connected and interdependent. I play these elements against each other, contrasting flatness of surface and depth of space, line and color, representation and abstraction. In this process I am searching for ways to break through boundaries, which are often present when painting a representational image.Item Growth of personal form(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1982) Klaas, Guy Gerard; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael PeedMy work is constructed of paper, cloth, sticks, glue, paint and discarded materials. Cheap materials, which are easy to replenish, are also used. The materials are combined in a way that the form appears to be made of an homogenous substance, however, the construction of the image may be retraced enabling the viewer to visually reconstruct the work. The work is organic, possibly gross at close inspection, yet it is also beautiful and playful. The inherent flesh-like quality of the material lends itself to the human, image. The human body is the major reference which guides the construction and the shape of the work. I make the work as directly as I can. It is more enjoyable and easier to maintain a consistent attitude throughout the construction. The paper and cloth are dipped into paste and stuck together using wooden sticks for support. Any size and shape is possible but I prefer to make body forms because they are erotic and enjoyable. I use the color to make the work more sensitive and delicate. The color functions best when it becomes part of the structure. This is why colored paper, and printed cloth are used. I also glue many textural materials; sawdust, wood wool, string, beads and so on to enrich the surface. This makes it more interesting to look at and adds to the busyness and energy. The energy level is high in my art work due to the process and the amount of materials present. I want the pieces to be bold so that they attract the attention of the audience. I make art work because I get a feeling of self fulfillment. I am inventing images which will make life happier or easier to understand. The work becomes a visual definition of my beliefs. Constructing objects of beauty and interest has always been a challenge to me. When I look back on my art, after working intuitively with the materials, I enjoy looking at the abstract shapes, the relationship between them, and the complex surfaces with rich color. While rethinking the stages that the work went through to develop into a personal form, I get a very strong emotional (spiritual) response. I see in my work, parallels to some recurring thought that I have had about other art work and about life in general. My art work reflects my attitudes and views of the world. I gain a more vivid understanding of both myself and others through this process.Item Images of form(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1983) Murer, Michael GerardMy background in ceramics has led me to an exploration of vessels, vessels that lose their function as a utilitarian object and develop into another level of consciousness. By eliminating the functional aspects of the vessel I am able to enhance the form, thus giving the interior and exterior surface a mystical quality. This metamorphosis takes place due to the plastic quality of clay and slips. I am interested in the intrinsic nature of clay that is maninpulated with a variety of surface textures and tensions. The organic forms I create have a gestural quality that suggests the human figure. I use this scale to confront the viewer on a one to one basis. Painting has given me a way of expressing my past. My experiences and feelings are integrated into each piece by the use of color and line which has become my personal vocabulary. My intention is to create a dialogue between the viewer and the work. My imagery is redefined by their own experiences. Hopefully this exchange of information gives the viewer an insight into my thinking. My work then becomes an inner reflection of my self.Item Perceptions(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2006) Muldoon, Dara Anne Hartman; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: N. R. PopeMy work is informed by the cultural construction of the ideal woman, i.e., a pretty, tidy, clean, little package; and by the women close to me, the women I encounter from day to day, and the representations of women throughout history. To this end, I want the representations of the female figures I create to possess a goddess-like quality, to show the beauty that all women possess, and to portray the reality of feminine struggles in a society obsessed with constructed images of beauty. I want to reference the idea of the male gaze and the objectification of the female body through the use of the torso but to also bring the viewers attention to the perceptions a woman may have about her own body. My intention is to place the object in front of the viewer in an effort to provoke, educate, and compel the viewer to think differently about the complexities of the female body.Item Painting the impulse(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2005) Moffett, Jessica; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert R. SmithMy primary focus in my paintings is the male figure. These paintings have evolved in a non linear progression. I went from representational to partly abstract and back to representational infused with sequential art. During this development, I decided to paint my figures to resemble comic book characters of my own creation and paint them to represent emotional qualities of spontaneity and dualities of my psyche. I am devoted to painting the male figure. The male nude has greater intensity in muscle definition and skeletal structure that creates dynamic anatomical imagery. This is why I draw and paint the male nude more willingly than the female figure. I decided to integrate my admiration and study of Japanese comic books (called ‘manga’) in my paintings because this medium of Japanese popular culture is something that continuously fascinates me. Since I harbor a desire to become a comic book artist, it became inevitable to instill physical features of sequential art upon my figures. The facial structure is especially recognizable to those familiar with the average male protagonist seen in Japanese pop culture. Large eyes and sharp simple lines of the face and body are what construct a prototypical manga male figure. It is this format of the ideal I apply to my own comic book characters.